Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit forms an image on each medium with a metallic toner. The controller controls the image forming unit such that, in the formation of an image on each medium of plural media different in reflectance, the metallic toner has a toner weight according to the medium.

Abstract: A color processing device includes a converter that converts a combination of values of N?1 colors obtained by eliminating a specific color included in N colors from an input color signal expressing a color by a combination of values of the N colors, into a corresponding combination of values of M?1 colors, N being 4 or larger, M being larger than N; and an output unit that, if a total value of the values of the M?1 colors after the conversion by the converter and a value of the specific color included in the input color signal exceeds a predetermined limit value, changes a value of at least one of M colors obtained by adding the specific color to the M?1 colors such that the total value becomes the limit value or smaller, and outputs values of the M colors as an output color signal.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a calculation unit and a white layer density determination unit. The calculation unit calculates, based on multiple color component signals to be used for image formation, an image layer halftone percentage of an image layer to be formed on a recording medium. The white layer density determination unit determines, based on the image layer halftone percentage, a white layer halftone percentage of a white layer to be formed as an underlying layer of the image layer on the recording medium.

Abstract: A color conversion device includes a non-basic-color value determiner that determines a value of a non-basic color, to be used in an image forming unit, different from a basic color based on a maximum value for the non-basic color usable relative to an input basic-color value in an input image signal having the basic color as an element, a first non-basic-color limit rate and a second non-basic-color limit rate set relative to the input basic-color value and a total input basic-color value, respectively, and each indicating a rate that limits the use of the non-basic color relative to the maximum value; and a basic-color value determiner that determines a value of the basic color to be used in the image forming unit based on the determined non-basic-color value. The determiners convert the input image signal into an output image signal having the basic and non-basic colors as elements.

Abstract: An audio apparatus according to an embodiment includes an audio signal receiving unit, a music gap signal receiving unit, a playback unit, and a determining unit. The audio signal receiving unit receives an audio signal in which successive multiple music data are contained in a single block of data. The determining unit determines a boundary of the music data on the basis of the time at which the music gap signal that indicates the boundary of the music data by the music gap signal receiving unit and the duration of a silent period in the audio signal that is played back by the playback unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device implemented with structures to suppress leakage current generation during operation and a method of making the same is provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type, a second insulation film, which has at least one aperture between first and second apertures, formed on top of a first insulation film. The semiconductor device layer structure accommodates tensile stress differences between device layers to suppress lattice dislocation defects during device manufacturing and thus improves device reliability and performance.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a color material layer forming unit and a proportion controller. The color material layer forming unit forms on a printing medium a first metallic color material layer including a color material having metallic particles, one or more process color material layers including color materials of one or more process colors, and a second metallic color material layer including a color material having metallic particles so that the first metallic color material layer, the one or more process color material layers, and the second metallic color material layer are stacked on the printing medium in this order. The proportion controller executes first control to increase a proportion of the second metallic color material layer with respect to the first metallic color material layer when a total amount of the color materials of the one or more process colors exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: ECU executes program including the steps of turning on an overcharge tentative determination flag and performing limitation on Win in a case where a rising rate ?TB is higher than or equal to ?TB(0), and a current average value IBs is a value on a side of charging, and the steps of turning off the overcharge tentative determination flag and cancelling the limitation on Win in a case where the rising rate ?TB is lower than or equal to ?TB(1), or the current average value IBs exhibits a value on a side of discharging, and the steps of determining that a battery is in the overcharging state and executing a fail safe process in a case where the integrated value IBs of current from a time point at which the overcharge tentative determination flag is switched from an off-state to an on-state becomes greater than or equal to IBs(0).

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a setting unit, a generating unit, and a converting unit. The setting unit sets a gloss level of each of plural areas into which an image is divided. The image is formed by forming plural toner images having different colors using plural first toners and at least one second toner having at least one same color as the first toners and by fixing the plural toner images onto a recording medium so as to be superimposed on one another. The generating unit generates multi-level image data for each of the first toners and the at least one second toner in accordance with the gloss levels set by the setting unit. The converting unit converts multi-level image data of toners having the same color into binary image data. The converting unit also converts multi-level image data of toners having different colors into binary image data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a setting unit and a correcting unit. The setting unit sets a gloss level of an image to be formed by forming plural toner images using a transparent toner and plural color toners having different colors and by fixing the plural toner images onto a recording medium in such a manner that the plural toner images are placed on top of one another on the recording medium. The correcting unit corrects image data defining density values per pixel of the toner images formed using the plural color toners of the respective colors so that a total density value that is a sum of a density value per pixel of the toner image formed using the transparent toner and density values per pixel of the toner images formed using the plural color toners of the respective colors may not exceed a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including: a formation unit that forms an image using a color material, on a medium; a fusing unit that fixes the image formed on the medium; and a control unit that controls to perform both of a first fusing and a second fusing on the medium, wherein the first fusing is a fixation in which a first image is formed by using a color material with a metallic color and the first image foamed is fixed, the second fusing is a fixation in which a second image is formed by using a color material with another color than the metallic color and the second image formed is fixed, and the first image and the second image are overlapped.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a first output unit that performs predetermined image processing for image data, and outputs image data having m bits per pixel; a second output unit that performs pseudo gradation-increase processing by a dither method or a multilevel error diffusion method for the output image data, and outputs image data having n bits per pixel, where n<m; and a compression unit that compresses the output image data. When a dither matrix for the dither method or a filter for the multilevel error diffusion method used by the second output unit for the pseudo gradation-increase processing is divided into plural pixel groups each including plural adjacent pixels and when each pixel group serves as a unit, processing parameters respectively set for pixels in the same pixel group are similar as compared with processing parameters respectively set for pixels in different pixel groups.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a field-effect transistor is provided with a first conductivity-type first semiconductor layer, a source layer formed of a second conductivity-type semiconductor, a drain layer formed of a second conductivity-type semiconductor, and a gate electrode. The source layer is located on the first semiconductor layer. The drain layer is also located on the first semiconductor layer and is separated from the source layer. The gate electrode is located adjacent to the side wall of the drain layer which faces the source layer, and may also be located adjacent to the side wall of the source layer facing the drain layer, and on the first semiconductor layer with a gate insulating film formed therebetween. The upper surface of the gate electrode is recessed with respect to at least the upper surface of the drain layer.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a color material layer forming unit and a proportion controller. The color material layer forming unit forms on a printing medium a first metallic color material layer including a color material having metallic particles, one or more process color material layers including color materials of one or more process colors, and a second metallic color material layer including a color material having metallic particles so that the first metallic color material layer, the one or more process color material layers, and the second metallic color material layer are stacked on the printing medium in this order. The proportion controller executes first control to increase a proportion of the second metallic color material layer with respect to the first metallic color material layer when a total amount of the color materials of the one or more process colors exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A metallic color conversion unit performs color conversion on an input color value so that a color of a colorimetric value of a print result when a printer performs printing by using each of at least one process color toner by each corresponding amount, which is a conversion result obtained by performing the color conversion on the input color value in accordance with a metallic level designated, and by using a toner including a metallic particle by an amount, which is obtained by a metallic amount calculation unit in accordance with the designated metallic level, becomes close to a color of a colorimetric value of a print result when the printer performs the printing by using each of the at least one process color toner by each corresponding amount, which is a conversion result obtained by converting the input color value by a normal color conversion unit.

Abstract: An electrical storage device includes a plurality of power-generating elements, a case, and a valve. The power-generating elements perform charge and discharge and are connected electrically in series. A plurality of housing sections each accommodate one of the plurality of power-generating elements and are disposed along a predetermined direction. A communication path switches from a closed state to an opened state depending on the internal pressure of the housing section. When the communication path is in the opened state, gas can be moved between two of the housing sections adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction. The valve is provided for a particular housing section and releases gas produced within the case to the outside of the case. The empty space other than the power-generating element is present in each of the housing sections, and the empty space in the particular housing section is the largest.

Abstract: A color conversion device includes a non-basic-color value determiner that determines a value of a non-basic color, to be used in an image forming unit, different from a basic color based on a maximum value for the non-basic color usable relative to an input basic-color value in an input image signal having the basic color as an element, a first non-basic-color limit rate and a second non-basic-color limit rate set relative to the input basic-color value and a total input basic-color value, respectively, and each indicating a rate that limits the use of the non-basic color relative to the maximum value; and a basic-color value determiner that determines a value of the basic color to be used in the image forming unit based on the determined non-basic-color value. The determiners convert the input image signal into an output image signal having the basic and non-basic colors as elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic toner comprising a polyester resin as binder resin and a colorant, said polyester resin being the condensation product of at least one polyhydric alcohol with at least one polybasic acid, wherein said at least one polyhydric alcohol comprises cyclohexanedimethanol, said toner having a loss modulus of from 2×103 Pa to 3×104 Pa at 110° C. and being irradiated with only laser light for fixing. According to toner of the invention, high quality toner images can be fixed with desired fastness and without white spots.

Abstract: A semiconductor device implemented with structures to suppress leakage current generation during operation and a method of making the same is provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type, a second insulation film, which has at least one aperture between first and second apertures, formed on top of a first insulation film. The semiconductor device layer structure accommodates tensile stress differences between device layers to suppress lattice dislocation defects during device manufacturing and thus improves device reliability and performance.

Abstract: An acoustic device, which reproduces an acoustic signal of one acoustic source selected from a plurality of acoustic sources. A first averaging unit averages signal levels of the acoustic signal for a first time period to obtain a first average signal. A second averaging unit averages the signal levels for a second time period shorter than the first time period to obtain a second average signal. A selecting unit selects either the first average signal or the second average signal as one signal having a signal level higher than the other. A gain decreasing unit decreases a gain of the acoustic signal according to the signal level of the one signal if the signal level of the one signal is higher than a threshold value determined according to the one acoustic source. A correcting unit corrects the signal levels of the acoustic signal according to the gain.