Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reciprocally movable carriage, an image forming unit, a first drive source, a vibration suppressor, and a vibration-suppression controller. The reciprocally movable carriage moves in a main scan direction. The image forming unit is mounted on the carriage. The first drive source moves the carriage. The vibration suppressor suppresses vibration caused by movement of the carriage, and includes a vibration suppression member having a mass smaller than a mass of the carriage and a second drive source independent of the first drive source to move the vibration suppression member. The vibration-suppression controller drives the second drive source to cause the vibration suppressor to perform vibration suppression operation during at least one of an acceleration period and a deceleration period of the carriage, and stops movement of the vibration suppression member during a constant-speed period of the carriage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a carriage including image forming units, the carriage driven reciprocally in a main scanning direction; a conveyance unit to convey a sheet of recording media to a position where the image forming units perform image formation; a first detector provided to the carriage, the first detector including a light emitting part and a light receiving part to periodically detect a surface of the sheet; a calculation unit to calculate a relative amount of movement between the sheet and the image forming units by comparing patterns periodically detected by the first detector; and a control unit to control a timing to perform image formation by the image forming units and an amount of conveyance of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit based on a result calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage, an image forming unit, a storage unit, a vibration absorber, and a controller. The carriage reciprocally moves in a main scan direction. The image forming unit is mounted on the carriage. The storage unit stores a speed profile of the carriage. The vibration absorber has controllable vibration reduction characteristics to reduce vibration. The controller controls the vibration reduction characteristics of the vibration absorber in accordance with the speed profile.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.

Abstract: A mechanical transport device includes a system for transport; and a hard disk drive attached to the system. The hard disk drive comprises a magnetic recording disk to record data, a head to read or write the data to or from the disk, and a drop sensor designed to sense a shock condition. The system for transport may be a vehicle such as a car.

Abstract: Preventing malicious code from reading an authenticator and being falsely authenticated using the read authenticator. Authenticator accepting period detection means detects an authenticator accepting period during which inoperativeness of all unauthenticated programs is guaranteed. Program executing means transmits its authenticator only during the authenticator accepting period. After authentication means is authenticated as genuine, the authentication means computes a one-way function value of the authenticator received from the program executing means and compares the one-way function value X with a stored value Y for the program executing means. If X=Y, then the authentication means authenticates the program executing means.

Abstract: A mechanical transport device includes a system for transport; and a hard disk drive attached to the system. The hard disk drive comprises a magnetic recording disk to record data, a head to read or write the data to or from the disk, and a drop sensor designed to sense a shock condition. The system for transport may be a vehicle such as a car.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that allows the operating mode of a system to be changed according to the input of a user instruction includes a request signal obtaining module for obtaining a change request signal for requesting the change of the operating mode of the system; an instruction signal generation module for generating a change instruction signal for changing the operating mode of the system according to the change request signal obtained by the request signal obtaining module; an operation control module for changing the operating mode of the system according to the change instruction signal generated by the instruction signal generation module; and an instruction signal generation control module for preventing the instruction signal generation module from generating the change instruction signal if the request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as the change request signal during a time period required for the operation control module to successfully change the

Abstract: A portable information processing apparatus in provided with a magnetic disk device switchable to a state providing increased resistance to physical shock upon prediction that such a shock is likely. Under predetermined conditions, a second prediction may be issued that such a shock is no longer likely, allowing the magnetic disk device to switch to a normal state of operations. The shock-resistant state of the magnetic disk device can prevent data access and thus inhibit the progress of important process(es). Upon recognition that an important process is being delayed, the condition for issuing the second prediction may be relaxed to more quickly return the magnetic disk device to a normal operating state.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for magnetic disk drive protection is provided. A stable position data storage stores stable-state information representing a magnetic disk drive in an operating environment that satisfies a certain condition. An acceleration sensor senses changes in acceleration acting on the magnetic disk drive and a rest-state measuring unit determines whether the magnetic disk drive is in a state of rest based on information acquired by the acceleration sensor. An operating state determination unit, in response to a first determination by the rest-state measuring unit that the magnetic disk drive is in a state of rest, determines when the state of rest corresponds to the stable-state information stored in the stable position data storage, and sets a detection sensitivity to a sign that which indicates an impending shock to the magnetic disk drive based on a result of a second determination.

Abstract: A mechanical transport device includes a system for transport; and a hard disk drive attached to the system. The hard disk drive comprises a magnetic recording disk to record data, a head to read or write the data to or from the disk, and a drop sensor designed to sense a shock condition. The system for transport may be a vehicle such as a car.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device protection mechanism comprises a sensor that acquires information on changes in the environment of a magnetic disk device, a sensor driver, a shock manager that analyzes the information acquired by the sensor driver together with a history of the information to determine the status where the magnetic disk device is used to predict a shock, and an HDD filter driver that controls operations of the magnetic disk device including the escape of a magnetic head. The magnetic disk device can also comprise a diagnosis processing section that operates if a shock has occurred actually, to check whether or not the magnetic head could have completely escaped before the occurrence of this shock to carry out diagnosis as to whether or not a fault is occurring in the magnetic disk.

Abstract: Electric apparatus, computer apparatus, controller, and battery switching method and program is provided to prevent a system shutdown caused by a reduction of electric power from a battery. A computer apparatus is constructed to be able to accept and be powered by a rechargeable main battery and a rechargeable sub-battery. An embedded controller in the computer apparatus monitors a remaining capacity at a pre-specified temperature of the sub-battery under discharge by receiving information from CPU. When the monitored temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature and when the monitored remaining capacity becomes less than a predetermined capacity, the embedded controller receives electric power from the main battery by switching the power supply circuit to provide power from the main battery instead of the sub-battery.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for magnetic disk drive protection is provided. A stable position data storage stores stable-state information representing a magnetic disk drive in an operating environment that satisfies a certain condition. An acceleration sensor senses changes in acceleration acting on the magnetic disk drive and a rest-state measuring unit determines whether the magnetic disk drive is in a state of rest based on information acquired by the acceleration sensor. An operating state determination unit, in response to a first determination by the rest-state measuring unit that the magnetic disk drive is in a state of rest, determines when the state of rest corresponds to the stable-state information stored in the stable position data storage, and sets a detection sensitivity to a sign that which indicates an impending shock to the magnetic disk drive based on a result of a second determination.

Abstract: A portable information processing apparatus in provided with a magnetic disk device switchable to a state providing increased resistance to physical shock upon prediction that such a shock is likely. Under predetermined conditions, a second prediction may be issued that such a shock is no longer likely, allowing the magnetic disk device to switch to a normal state of operations. The shock-resistant state of the magnetic disk device can prevent data access and thus inhibit the progress of important process(es). Upon recognition that an important process is being delayed, the condition for issuing the second prediction may be relaxed to more quickly return the magnetic disk device to a normal operating state.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that allows the operating mode of a system to be changed according to the input of a user instruction includes a request signal obtaining module for obtaining a change request signal for requesting the change of the operating mode of the system; an instruction signal generation module for generating a change instruction signal for changing the operating mode of the system according to the change request signal obtained by the request signal obtaining module; an operation control module for changing the operating mode of the system according to the change instruction signal generated by the instruction signal generation module; and an instruction signal generation control module for preventing the instruction signal generation module from generating the change instruction signal if the request signal obtaining module re-obtains the same change request signal as the change request signal during a time period required for the operation control module to successfully change the

Abstract: A magnetic disk device protection mechanism comprises a sensor that acquires information on changes in the environment of a magnetic disk device, a sensor driver, a shock manager that analyzes the information acquired by the sensor driver together with a history of the information to determine the status where the magnetic disk device is used to predict a shock, and an HDD filter driver that controls operations of the magnetic disk device including the escape of a magnetic head. The magnetic disk device can also comprise a diagnosis processing section that operates if a shock has occurred actually, to check whether or not the magnetic head could have completely escaped before the occurrence of this shock to carry out diagnosis as to whether or not a fault is occurring in the magnetic disk.

Abstract: An angular position adjusting device including a first member which holds an object having an axis of rotation, a second member which holds the first member rotatably about the axis of the object, and a rotating mechanism interposed between the first and second members and operable to rotate the first member relative to the second member about the axis of the object, and wherein one of the first and second members has an guiding surface formed to extend along an arc of a circle having a center at the axis of the object, the arc having a center angle smaller than 180°, and the other of the first and second members has a guided surface for sliding contact with the arcuate guiding surface, when the first member is rotated by the rotating mechanism relative to the second member, to adjust the angular position of the object about its axis.