Abstract: A printing system includes a rotatable transport member that transports a receiver on its obverse. A tackdown unit includes an electrode arranged facing the reverse of the transport member. A source responsive to the control system produces a tackdown current, and a charger spaced apart from the transport member facing the obverse thereof selectively deposits charge on the receiver in response to the tackdown current. A non-contact voltmeter arranged facing the receiver on the obverse after the charger measures a resulting voltage. A control system drives a selected voltage or current through the charger using the source and measures a resulting voltage using the non-contact voltmeter. The selected voltage or current and the measured resulting voltage are used to automatically estimate a capacitance of the receiver.

Abstract: A processing device executing a rules engine receives a message with one or more associated rules, wherein each of the one or more associated rules is provided as an attachment to the message or within a body of the message, and wherein each of the one or more associated rules in the received message affect processing of the received message. The rules engine processes the one or more associated rules in the received message, wherein each of the one or more associated rules comprises a conditional element and an action to be performed that affects processing the received message when the conditional element is satisfied. Processing the one or more associated rules comprises, for each associated rule, determining whether the conditional element is satisfied, and responsive to determining that the conditional element is satisfied, performing the action that affects the processing of the received message.

Abstract: A processing device receives a transactional object at runtime of a compiled application, the transactional object comprising first transactional logic. The processing device determines a locking strategy to use for the transactional object. The processing device generates a transactional proxy for the transactional object, the transactional proxy comprising a transactional marker, a pointer to the transactional object, and second transactional logic that supersedes the first transactional logic. The processing device passes the transactional proxy to the application, wherein the application is to make calls on the transactional proxy instead of on the transactional object.

Abstract: A middleware layer running on a computing device determines capabilities of the computing device in response to receiving a request for an application. The middleware layer identifies a service level agreement associated with the application. The middleware layer selects one or more services of the middleware layer to assign to the application based on the service level agreement and the capabilities of the computing device. The middleware layer determines whether to install the one or more services on the computing device or on a remote computing device based on the service level agreement, the capabilities of the computing device and properties of the one or more services.

Abstract: An electrophotographic (EP) printer prints on a receiver sheet moving on a tensioned rotatable transport web with a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa. The transport web is wrapped around a compliant image-bearing member. Two transfer stations are arranged along the belt, each with a rotatable image-bearing member. The first station has a first rotatable nip-forming member disposed adjacent to the transport web on the opposite side thereof from the first image-bearing member. The first rotatable nip-forming member is relatively stiffer than the first image-bearing member. The second station has a nip-forming member on a compliant mount. The second rotatable nip-forming member is relatively less stiff than the second image-bearing member.

Abstract: A computing device monitors an application that includes at least one object over a time period. The computing device identifies a usage pattern of the at least one object over the time period. The computing device recommends, based on the usage pattern, at least one of a) that the at least one object be converted to a transactional object and b) a locking strategy for the at least one object.

Abstract: A message directed to a first version of a service is received at a content based router in a distributed computing system. The message is transmitted to a second version of the service instead of the first version of the service if the message is compatible with the second version of the service. The message is transmitted to the first version of the service if the message is not compatible with the second version of the service.

Abstract: A dependency is identified between a first component of a distributed computing system and a second component of the distributed computing system if the first component invokes the second component. A dependency map of the distributed computing system that includes the dependency between the first component and the second component is built.

Abstract: A transfer unit includes a rotatable static-dissipative member with a time-varying electrical property. A second member selectively transfers toner to or from the static-dissipative member. A power source selectively produces an electrostatic transfer field between the static-dissipative member and the second member, so that toner is transferred between the static-dissipative member and the second member. A charger spaced apart from the static-dissipative member selectively deposits charge thereon. A control system successively drives a plurality of different selected voltages or currents through the charger and measures a plurality of respective resulting charger currents or voltages. It uses the selected voltages or currents and the respective charger currents or voltages to automatically estimate a variation in the electrical property. It then causes the power source to produce an electric transfer field that transfers toner and compensates for the estimated variation.

Abstract: A coordinator running on a computing device identifies a plurality of participants for a distributed transaction, wherein the coordinator coordinates the distributed transaction. The coordinator determines a participant order for the plurality of participants based on one or more ordering rules. The coordinator sends a message to a first participant in the determined participant order. The coordinator then waits until a response is received from the first participant before sending the message to a second participant in the determined participant order.

Abstract: A server computing device identifies locations of a plurality of data items in a distributed data store. The server computing device generates at least one bloom filter that contains information to identify probable locations of the plurality of data items. The server computing device transmits the at least one bloom filter to one or more client computing devices, wherein the at least one bloom filter is usable by the one or more client computing devices to determine the probable locations of the data items.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using rules in a distributed computing system. A message is generated. One or more rules are associated with the message, each of the one or more rules pertaining to an action to be performed. The message is sent to a destination with the associated rules.

Abstract: A computing device receives an object at runtime of a compiled application, wherein the object is a component of the application. The computing device generates a transactional proxy for the object, the transactional proxy including transactional logic, a transactional marker and a pointer to the object. The transactional proxy is passed to the application, wherein the application to make calls on the transactional proxy instead of on the object.

Abstract: Systems and methods that incorporate a variable liquid lens are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a light projecting system includes a light source, and a light processing assembly configured to receive a light beam from the light source and to project an output field. The light processing assembly includes at least one liquid lens configured to controllably process the light beam such that the output field is variable between a relatively-broader illuminating field and a relatively-narrower targeting field. In some embodiments, a controller may controllably adjust the at least one liquid lens to alternately provide the illuminating field and the targeting field, and may controllably adjust at least one dwell time to adjust a brightness of at least one of the illuminating and targeting fields, respectively.

Abstract: A message that includes an end user license agreement is received at a client from a service in a distributed computing system. The client determines whether to accept the end user license agreement. The message is processed if the end user license agreement is accepted.

Abstract: A processing device receives a request to initiate a new transaction. The processing device identifies one or more components of that will be used by the new transaction. The components may include hardware components and software components that operate on the hardware components. A timeout period is determined to apply to the new transaction based on properties of the one or more components and a current resource utilization of the one or more components. The new transaction is then initiated, wherein the determined timeout period is assigned to the new transaction.

Abstract: An electrophotographic (EP) printer prints on a receiver sheet moving on a tensioned rotatable transport web with a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa. The transport web is wrapped around a compliant image-bearing member. Two transfer stations are arranged along the belt, each with a rotatable image-bearing member. The first station has a first rotatable nip-forming member disposed adjacent to the transport web on the opposite side thereof from the first image-bearing member. The first rotatable nip-forming member is relatively stiffer than the first image-bearing member. The second station has a nip-forming member on a compliant mount. The second rotatable nip-forming member is relatively less stiff than the second image-bearing member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic (EP) printer for transferring a toner image to a receiver sheet has a tensioned rotatable transport web with a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa. The transport web is wrapped around a compliant image-bearing member. A compressible, rotatable nip-forming member that is relatively less stiff than the image-bearing member is adjacent to the transport web on the opposite side thereof from the image-bearing member. A mount holds the nip-forming member against the image-bearing member, and permits the axis of rotation of the nip-forming member to move closer to or farther from the transport web. When the leading edge of the receiver on the web engages with the image-bearing member, the nip-forming member compresses. The axis of rotation of the nip-forming member translates by an amount less than the thickness of the receiver sheet minus the compression of the compliant coating of the image-bearing member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor is prepared for charging. Corona electrodes before and after the erase lamp apply respective biases to provide the correct sign of charge for cleaning, and to discharged trapped charges in the photoreceptor. Toner is then cleaned off the photoreceptor. This leaves the photoreceptor electrically and mechanically reconditioned and ready for its next printing cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for electrically reconditioning a rotatable photoreceptor in an electrophotographic (EP) printer includes a charger, an exposure subsystem, a transfer station, and an erase lamp arranged in that order around the photoreceptor in the direction of rotation thereof. A first corona electrode is disposed within 3 cm of the surface of the photoreceptor, but not in contact therewith, between the transfer station and the erase lamp. The transfer station and the erase lamp are at most 1 cm apart. A second corona electrode is disposed within 3 cm of the surface of the photoreceptor, but not in contact therewith, after the erase lamp in the direction of rotation of the photoreceptor. The erase lamp and the second corona electrode are less than 1 cm apart.