Abstract: When a transport rate Rs is updated, in the case where the updated transport rate Rs is within a variable range (Rc<Rs<U×Rc, and U>1) defined by a current encoding rate Rc, FEC (Forward Error Correction) data sending rate Rf is updated (Rf=Rs?Rc) without updating the current encoding rate Rc. On the other hand, in the case where an Rc update timer set to three seconds, for example, is timed out, the encoding rate Rc is updated using a minimum value Rs_min of the transport rate up to that time (Rc=V×Rs_min, and 0<V<1). Even when the transport rate Rs greatly varies to be out of the variable range, the encoding rate Rc is updated in the same manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ferritic stainless steel casting and a sheet thereof excellent in deep drawability, punch stretchability and ridging resistance and a method for producing the casting and the sheet. In the present invention, a chemical composition is controlled so that the amounts of C, N, Si, Mn, P and Ti may be reduced to the utmost for securing high workability and, on the basis of the chemical composition, the roping and ridging of a steel sheet product is reduced by adding Mg, thus dispersing Mg containing oxides that accelerate the formation of nuclei for solidification and, resultantly, suppressing the development of coarse columnar crystals in a casting. The present invention is characterized in that the average composition of the Mg containing oxides dispersing in a casting satisfies the following expressions <2> and <3>, 17.4(Al2O3)+3.9(MgO)+0.3(MgAl2O4)+18.7(CaO)?500<2>, (Al2O3)+(MgO)+(MgAl2O4)+(CaO)?95<3>.

Abstract: A ferritic stainless steel sheet excellent in press formability and operability, characterized by: containing appropriate amounts of C, N, Cr, Si, Mn, P, S, Al, Ti and V, with the balance consisting of Fe and unavoidable impurities; having a solid lubricating film or films on one or both of the surfaces; and having a ratio Z, defined as Z=Z1/Z2, of less than 0.5, a tensile strength of 450 MPa or less and an average r-value of 1.7 or more, wherein Z1 is a friction coefficient of the surface of a solid lubricating film and Z2 that of the surface of a reference material coated with neither a coating nor lubricating oil. In the ferritic stainless steel sheet, the amounts of Sol-Ti and Insol-V may be regulated to appropriate ranges, wherein Sol-Ti means the amount of Ti existing in the state of solid solution in steel and Insol-V means the amount of V existing in the state of precipitation in steel.

Abstract: In an information distribution system for outputting information using an information output unit that is distributed from an information distribution unit, it is an object of the present invention to obtain an information distribution system capable of readily changing information in a short time to be outputted from the information output unit. In order to achieve this object, an information distribution system includes an output unit (10) for outputting information to be provided to a user, a distribution unit (11) for distributing a piece of information to the output unit (10) as the information to be provided, the piece of information being selected from several pieces of information prepared in advance, and an input unit (12) connected to the distribution unit (11) through a communication line and inputting a control signal to the distribution unit (11) through the communication line, the control signal selecting the information to be provided from the several pieces of information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a fixing roller, an endless fixing belt engaged at least with the fixing roller, and a pressing roller opposite to the fixing roller with the endless fixing belt between them; wherein the image forming apparatus is equipped with a pressure changing member for changing the mean pressure on a second pressing area against which the pressing roller pressed the fixing roller via the fixing belt in the pressure area formed by the pressing roller.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ferritic stainless steel sheet superior in shapeability containing, by wt %, C: 0.001 to 0.010%, Si: 0.01 to 1.0%, Mn: 0.01 to 1.0%, P: 0.01 to 0.04%, Cr: 10 to 20%, N: 0.001 to 0.020%, Nb: 0.3 to 1.0%, and Mo: 0.5 to 2.0%, wherein the total precipitates are, by wt %, 0.05 to 0.60%. A method of production of a ferritic stainless steel sheet superior in shapeability comprising producing a cold rolling material in the production process so that the Nb-based precipitates become, by vol %, 0.15% to 0.6% and have a diameter of 0.1 ?m to 1 ?m and/or so that the recrystallized grain size becomes 1 ?m to 40 ?m and the recrystallization rate becomes 10 to 90%, then cold rolling and annealing it at 1010 to 1080° C.

Abstract: A Cr-bearing heat-resistant steel sheet with excellent workability comprising, in mass %, C of 0.001% to 0.010%, Si of 0.01% to 0.60%, Mn of 0.05% to 0.60%, P of 0.01% to 0.04%, S of 0.0005% to 0.0100%, Cr of 14% to 19%, N of 0.001% to 0.020%, Nb of 0.3% to 1.0%, Mo of 0.5% to 2.0% and, as required, one or more of Cu of 0.5% to 3.0%, W of 0.01% to 1.0% and Sn of 0.01% to 1.00%, and/or one or more of Ti of 0.01% to 0.20%, Al of 0.005% to 0.100%, Mg of 0.0002% to 0.0100%, and B of 0.0003% to 0.001%, with the remainder comprising iron and unavoidable impurities, and having an x-ray intensity ratio {111}/({100}+{211}) of 2 or greater in the central region of thickness.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a fixing roller, an endless fixing belt engaged at least with the fixing roller, and a pressing roller opposite to the fixing roller with the endless fixing belt between them; wherein the image forming apparatus is equipped with a pressure changing member for changing the mean pressure on a second pressing area against which the pressing roller pressed the fixing roller via the fixing belt in the pressure area formed by the pressing roller.

Abstract: To provide a solid-state imaging device capable of outputting a captured image with a high quality through high-speed transferring and discharging of smears during the exposure operation.

Abstract: In a method of controlling a fixing device having a heating roller containing a heat source, at least one supporting roller spaced from the heating roller, a fixing belt trained about the heating roller and the supporting roller, and a pressing roller placed to form a nipping area between the fixing belt and the pressing roller, giving a pressing force to the heating roller or the supporting roller through the fixing belt, the method includes the steps of: presetting a desired glossiness of fixed images; detecting a temperature of the pressing roller; calculating a target heating roller temperature from the preset glossiness of fixed images, the detected temperature of the pressing roller, a calculated loaded nipping time, a false nipping time, and a loaded nipping surface pressure; and controlling an operating status of the heat source according to the calculated target heating roller temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ferritic stainless steel casting and a sheet thereof excellent in deep drawability, punch stretchability and ridging resistance and a method for producing the casting and the sheet. In the present invention, a chemical composition is controlled so that the amounts of C, N, Si, Mn, P and Ti may be reduced to the utmost for securing high workability and, on the basis of the chemical composition, the roping and ridging of a steel sheet product is reduced by adding Mg, thus dispersing Mg containing oxides that accelerate the formation of nuclei for solidification and, resultantly, suppressing the development of coarse columnar crystals in a casting.

Abstract: A method of controlling a fixing temperature of a fixing device having a heat roller provided with a heat source and a first temperature detector provided at the vicinity of the heat roller, and having a pressure roller, which is in pressure contact with the heat roller, provided with a second temperature sensor at the vicinity of the pressure roller, having the steps of; detecting a temperature of the pressure roller by the second temperature detector; and varying a control temperature of the heat roller according to a detected temperature of the pressure roller.

Abstract: In a network surveillance unit, a video input unit inputs image information output from a video output device such as a camera or a switcher. A coded image storage unit codes and accumulates the image information. An alarm management unit detects the presence or absence of alarm generation from an alarm generating device, and stores the alarm information. A communication unit receives a request from a display terminal through a network, and transmits the coded image accumulated in the coded image storage unit or the alarm information accumulated in the alarm management unit according to the request.

Abstract: A ferritic stainless steel sheet excellent in press formability and operability, characterized by: containing appropriate amounts of C, N, Cr, Si, Mn, P, S, Al, Ti and V, with the balance consisting of Fe and unavoidable impurities; having a solid lubricating film or films on one or both of the surfaces; and having a ratio Z, defined as Z=Z1/Z2, of less than 0.5, a tensile strength of 450 MPa or less and an average r-value of 1.7 or more, wherein Z1 is a friction coefficient of the surface of a solid lubricating film and Z2 that of the surface of a reference material coated with neither a coating nor lubricating oil. In the ferritic stainless steel sheet, the amounts of Sol-Ti and Insol-V may be regulated to appropriate ranges, wherein Sol-Ti means the amount of Ti existing in the state of solid solution in steel and Insol-V means the amount of V existing in the state of precipitation in steel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method using a toner containing toner particles having a coefficient of shape falling within a range of 1.0 to 1.6 of an amount of at least 65% by number, and having no protrusion of an amount of at least 50% by number, the image forming apparatus including a charging device for uniformly charging a photoreceptor, a developing device for developing an image obtained by imagewise exposure with the toner, a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto a transfer material, a fixing device for fixing, and a cleaning device for cleaning the photoreceptor after the transfer of a toner image, wherein when a toner image which is not to be transferred is formed on the photoreceptor, image formation is performed after cleaning is done a plurality of times for an area on which the toner image has been formed in the previous process.

Abstract: When a transport rate Rs is updated, in the case where the updated transport rate Rs is within a variable range (Rc<Rs<U×Rc, and U>1) defined by a current encoding rate Rc, FEC (Forward Error Correction) data sending rate Rf is updated (Rf=Rs−Rc) without updating the current encoding rate Rc. On the other hand, in the case where an Rc update timer set to three seconds, for example, is timed out, the encoding rate Rc is updated using a minimum value Rs_min of the transport rate up to that time (Rc=V×Rs_min, and 0<V<1). Even when the transport rate Rs greatly varies to be out of the variable range, the encoding rate Rc is updated in the same manner.

Abstract: A cleaning method of a toner image carrying body, includes the steps of: bringing a discharging member formed in a shape of flexible plate having electric conductivity, which is electrically grounded or to which a discharging voltage is applied, into contact with the toner image carrying body, thereby discharging a toner on the toner image carrying body; and operating a cleaning device on the toner image carrying body whereby cleaning the toner.

Abstract: In a method of controlling a fixing device having a heating roller containing a heat source, at least one supporting roller spaced from the heating roller, a fixing belt trained about the heating roller and the supporting roller, and a pressing roller placed to form a nipping area between the fixing belt and the pressing roller, giving a pressing force to the heating roller or the supporting roller through the fixing belt, the method includes the steps of: presetting a desired glossiness of fixed images; detecting a temperature of the pressing roller; calculating a target heating roller temperature from the preset glossiness of fixed images, the detected temperature of the pressing roller, a calculated loaded nipping time, a false nipping time, and a loaded nipping surface pressure; and controlling an operating status of the heat source according to the calculated target heating roller temperature.

Abstract: A method of controlling a fixing temperature of a fixing device having a heat roller provided with a heat source and a first temperature detector provided at the vicinity of the heat roller, and having a pressure roller, which is in pressure contact with the heat roller, provided with a second temperature sensor at the vicinity of the pressure roller, having the steps of; detecting a temperature of the pressure roller by the second temperature detector; and varying a control temperature of the heat roller according to a detected temperature of the pressure roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a toner containing toner particles having a coefficient of shape falling within a range of 1.0 to 1.6 of an amount of at least 65% by number, and having no protrusion of an amount of at least 50% by number, the image forming apparatus including a charging device for uniformly charging a photoreceptor, a developing device for developing an image obtained by imagewise exposure with the toner, a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto a transfer material, a fixing device for fixing, and a cleaning device for cleaning the photoreceptor after the transfer of a toner image, wherein when a toner image which is not to be transferred is formed on the photoreceptor, image formation is performed after cleaning is done a plurality of times for an area on which the toner image has been formed in the previous process.