Abstract: A communication terminal includes an obtainer to obtain, for each destination candidate, attributes of the destination candidate, and state information that represents whether the destination candidate is ready to start communication; a determiner to determine based on the attributes and state information, for each of the attributes, which destination candidate associated with the attribute is ready to start communication; a display controller to display, for each attribute with which at least one of the destination candidates is ready to start communication, information that represents the attribute in association with information that represents that the destination candidate is ready to start communication, and to display, for each attribute with which none of the destination candidates is ready to start communication, information that represents the attribute in association with information that represents that none of the destination candidates is ready to start communication.

Abstract: A communication management system transmits questionnaire information including a set of questions relating to one or more services available to a communication terminal to the communication terminal through a network, receives answer information including a set of answers to the set of questions from the communication terminal through the network, determines a service to be provided to the communication terminal based on the answer information, and transmits to a relay device an operating parameter for controlling the relay device in transmitting or receiving content data to or from the communication terminal according to the determined service.

Abstract: A communication management system manages group information regarding one or more groups of a plurality of communication terminals, while the plurality of communication terminals are communicating in the same communication session. In response to a request from one communication terminal, the communication management system updates the group information to reflect the currently-established groups, and transmits updated group information to all of the plurality of communication terminals communicating in the same communication session.

Abstract: A communication management system manages group information regarding one or more groups of a plurality of communication terminals, while the plurality of communication terminals are communicating in the same communication session. In response to a request from one communication terminal, the communication management system updates the group information to reflect the currently-established groups, and transmits updated group information to all of the plurality of communication terminals communicating in the same communication session.

Abstract: A communication management system transmits questionnaire information including a set of questions relating to one or more services available to a communication terminal to the communication terminal through a network, receives answer information including a set of answers to the set of questions from the communication terminal through the network, determines a service to be provided to the communication terminal based on the answer information, and transmits to a relay device an operating parameter for controlling the relay device in transmitting or receiving content data to or from the communication terminal according to the determined service.

Abstract: A management device includes a status management part managing connection statuses of terminals; a group management part managing a group associated with the terminals, and which manages a group status of the group depending on the connection statuses of the terminals associated with the group, the group management part setting the group status so that the group status represents that the group is ready to connect; a transmission part transmitting to a first terminal which is not in the group the group status representing that the group is ready to connect; and responding to a request to connect to the group from the first terminal, an establishment part, establishing a session to connect the first terminal to a second terminal which is in the group, wherein the connection status of the second terminal represents that the second terminal is ready to connect to other terminals.

Abstract: A management device includes a status management part managing connection statuses of terminals; a group management part managing a group associated with the terminals, and which manages a group status of the group depending on the connection statuses of the terminals associated with the group, the group management part setting the group status so that the group status represents that the group is ready to connect; a transmission part transmitting to a first terminal which is not in the group the group status representing that the group is ready to connect; and responding to a request to connect to the group from the first terminal, an establishment part, establishing a session to connect the first terminal to a second terminal which is in the group, wherein the connection status of the second terminal represents that the second terminal is ready to connect to other terminals.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing member to be heated and a pressure-contacting member for pressure contacting the fixing member. The fixing apparatus directs and conveys a recording member through a nip formed between the fixing member and pressure applying member in such a manner that a toner image carried on a recording member contacts the fixing member in order to be fixed thereto with heat and pressure. The fixing apparatus is configured to direct a tip margin of the recording member toward the pressure applying member across a virtual linear extension line drawn from a downstream end to upstream end of the nip when only the tip margin exits from the nip. A fixing member side separation device may be separately provided from the surface of the fixing apparatus so as to separate the recording member exiting from the nip. A gap formed between the downstream end of the nip and the tip of the fixing member side separation device is set smaller than the width of the tip margin.

Abstract: Disclosed is a menu distribution system that provides a menu, which is viewable in a conventional manner and is customized for each customer. A customer allows a read/write device to read a customer ID information storage medium storing customer ID information. The read/write device transmits the customer ID information to a menu server. The menu server has a customer information storage unit that stores, for each customer, attribute information such as food preferences. The menu server selects a menu item most suitable for the customer identified by the transmitted customer ID information, by comparing customer attribute information and menu items stored in a menu item information storage unit. Menu image data is generated based on the selected menu item and is transmitted to the read/write device. The read/write device writes the received menu image data to a memory of a paper like display.

Abstract: A process includes developing toner images on a photoconductor, transferring to an intermediate transfer belt and a transferring-and-fixing roller. The toner images are transferred to and fixed to a paper simultaneously while the paper moves between the transferring-and-fixing roller and a pressure roller which is pressed against the transferring-and-fixing roller. After transfer process to the paper, residual toner particles remaining on the transferring-and-fixing roller are removed by a cleaning roller. In order to achieve a cleanability from the transferring-and-fixing roller and prevent the intermediate belt from becoming too high temperature, the elastic modulus of the toner particles measured when the toner particles are heated is greater than the elastic modulus of the toner particles when cooled in a temperature range where the glass transition temperature and 10° C. lower than the melting temperature of the toner particles.

Abstract: The fixing unit satisfies following three conditions. That is, (1) 2.4×103×d/(TC×t)<T0, where d is a thickness of the unfixed toner layer in meters, TC is a thermal conductivity of toner in W/mK, and t is the fixing time in seconds; (2) a temperature Ttop of a topmost layer of the toner layer is not greater than the minimum temperature TOFF at which the hot offset of the surface of the first fixing member occurs when the fixing time is set to 1 seconds; and (3) a temperature Tbot of a bottommost layer of the toner layer that is in contact with the recording medium is not less than the lower limit temperature TMIN for fixing of the surface of the first fixing member when the fixing time is set to 1 second.

Abstract: An image transfer device provided in an image forming apparatus in which, employing an endless belt as an intermediate transfer member, image transfer is performed at nip positions of a primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion. Generation of warp in the transferred image resulting from transmission of fluctuations in load and torque of the endless belt generated at the nip position of one transfer portion nip to the nip position of the other transfer portion is prevented. The endless belt is turned between rollers and the endless belt is individually driven at the primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion by drive sources to generate deflection between the primary transfer portion and the secondary transfer portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier for bearing a visible image thereon, an endless transfer-fixing belt stretchedly disposed between a plurality of spanning members, a pressure member for pressing the transfer-fixing belt to the image carrier while contacting a backside of the transfer-fixing belt at the transfer nip, and a heater for heating the visible image. The visible image on the image carrier is transferred onto the front surface of the transfer-fixing belt at the transfer nip and is transported to the transfer-fixing nip while heated by the heater, where the visible image is transferred and fixed on a recording member. The transfer-fixing belt is stretchedly arranged such that the transfer-fixing belt travels in a direction substantially perpendicular to a pressure direction of the pressure member in the proximity of the transfer nip.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing member to be heated and a pressure-contacting member for pressure contacting the fixing member. The fixing apparatus directs and conveys a recording member through a nip formed between the fixing member and pressure applying member in such a manner that a toner image carried on a recording member contacts the fixing member in order to be fixed thereto with heat and pressure. The fixing apparatus is configured to direct a tip margin of the recording member toward the pressure applying member across a virtual linear extension line drawn from a downstream end to upstream end of the nip when only the tip margin exits from the nip. A fixing member side separation device may be separately provided from the surface of the fixing apparatus so as to separate the recording member exiting from the nip. A gap formed between the downstream end of the nip and the tip of the fixing member side separation device is set smaller than the width of the tip margin.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing member to be heated and a pressure-contacting member for pressure contacting the fixing member. The fixing apparatus directs and conveys a recording member through a nip formed between the fixing member and pressure applying member in such a manner that a toner image carried on a recording member contacts the fixing member in order to be fixed thereto with heat and pressure. The fixing apparatus is configured to direct a tip margin of the recording member toward the pressure applying member across a virtual linear extension line drawn from a downstream end to upstream end of the nip when only the tip margin exits from the nip. A fixing member side separation device may be separately provided from the surface of the fixing apparatus so as to separate the recording member exiting from the nip. A gap formed between the downstream end of the nip and the tip of the fixing member side separation device is set smaller than the width of the tip margin.

Abstract: A transfer unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, and a counter member. The transfer belt, having a given circumferential length, receives an un-fixed image, formed of an image developer, from an image carrier at a first nip, which is defined between the transfer belt and the image carrier. The counter member faces the transfer belt to form a second nip with the transfer belt. The un-fixed image is transferred from the transfer belt to a recording medium passing through the second nip. A slack portion is generated in the transfer belt, when a front edge of the recording medium passes through the second nip. The slack portion of the transfer belt being generated in a first portion of the transfer belt returning from the second nip to the first nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus equipped with an image bearing member, a latent electrostatic image forming unit which forms a latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member, a developing unit which develops the latent electrostatic image by using a toner to form a toner image, a transfer fixing member which is roll shaped or belt shaped and bears the toner image , a heating unit which heats the toner image on the transfer fixing member; and a pressurizing member which is roll shaped and forms a transfer fixing nip with the transfer fixing member. The toner image on the transfer fixing member is transferred and fixed simultaneously to a recording medium which passes through the transfer fixing nip to record an image on the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes an image forming mechanism configured to form an image, and a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image formed on a recording medium. The fixing unit includes a fixing device having a first endless moving member configured to rotate, and a second endless moving member configured to rotate to form a nip area together with the first endless moving member to fix, at the nip area, a toner image disposed on the recording medium onto the recording medium with heat and pressure, the second endless moving member including a surface layer having a universal hardness HU and a maximum nip surface pressure P each within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a latent electrostatic image forming unit, a developing unit, an intermediate transferring unit which has an intermediate transfer belt and a plurality of rollers supporting the intermediate transfer belt, and a transfer fixing unit. The transfer fixing unit has a transfer fixing belt, a plurality of rollers supporting the transfer fixing belt, a heating member, and a pressurizing member forming a transfer fixing nip with the transfer fixing belt. A first roller, which is one of the plurality of rollers supporting the intermediate transferring belt, is opposite to a second roller, which is one of the plurality of rollers supporting the fixing transfer belt. The first roller and the second roller form a transfer nip between the intermediate transferring belt and the fixing transfer belt. The diameter of the first roller is smaller than the diameter of the second roller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a menu distribution system that provides a menu, which is viewable in a conventional manner and is customized for each customer. A customer allows a read/write device to read a customer ID information storage medium storing customer ID information. The read/write device transmits the customer ID information to a menu server. The menu server has a customer information storage unit that stores, for each customer, attribute information such as food preferences. The menu server selects a menu item most suitable for the customer identified by the transmitted customer ID information, by comparing customer attribute information and menu items stored in a menu item information storage unit. Menu image data is generated based on the selected menu item and is transmitted to the read/write device. The read/write device writes the received menu image data to a memory of a paper like display.