Abstract: A position obtaining device includes a processor. The processor, in response to a condition being met, derives a first attitude angle as an attitude angle of the device based on first light sources and positions thereof on an image obtained by a first camera; in response to the attitude angle of the device being known, derives a three-dimensional position of the device based on two or more second light sources and positions thereof on an image obtained by a second camera, and in response to a predetermined number of second light sources or more being captured in the image, derives the three-dimensional position and a second attitude angle as the attitude angle of the device; and integrates a result of the first attitude angle and a result of the three-dimensional position and the second attitude angle to estimate the attitude angle and the three-dimensional position of the device.

Abstract: A spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus and a method of obtaining spectral characteristics. The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus includes a conveyor including a first conveyance roller pair disposed in a conveyance direction in which an object is conveyed and a second conveyance roller pair disposed downstream from the first conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction, a sensor to detect that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair, circuitry to control the second conveyance roller pair to drive by a predetermined amount with a driving force greater than a driving force of the first conveyance roller pair upon detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair by the sensor and to stop driving, and a color data obtainer to obtain color data from the object at a position where the object stops moving. In the spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus, the circuitry estimates a spectral characteristic of the object.

Abstract: A spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus and a method of obtaining spectral characteristics. The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus includes a conveyor including a first conveyance roller pair disposed in a conveyance direction in which an object is conveyed and a second conveyance roller pair disposed downstream from the first conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction, a sensor to detect that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair, circuitry to control the second conveyance roller pair to drive by a predetermined amount with a driving force greater than a driving force of the first conveyance roller pair upon detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair by the sensor and to stop driving, and a color data obtainer to obtain color data from the object at a position where the object stops moving. In the spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus, the circuitry estimates a spectral characteristic of the object.

Abstract: Method of producing a target having a small average crystal grain size of gold or platinum and having a uniform crystal grain size in an in-plane direction of a target surface and a thickness direction of the target in order to further stabilize film deposition characteristics during sputtering.

Abstract: Method of producing a target having a small average crystal grain size of gold or platinum and having a uniform crystal grain size in an in-plane direction of a target surface and a thickness direction of the target in order to further stabilize film deposition characteristics during sputtering.

Abstract: A radio communication system according to the present invention includes a plurality of nodes that collect data of apparatuses and an access point that collects the data of the plurality of nodes. The access point arranges the plurality of nodes into a plurality of groups including nodes, each of which can receive radio waves transmitted from one another, the number of the nodes being equal to or smaller than a number with which interference avoidance of radio by an access method for avoiding congestion efficiently functions. The access point transmits a polling packet for granting a transmission right to each of the groups. When determining that a transmission right is granted to the group to which the plurality of nodes belong, the plurality of nodes transmit the data to the access point while avoiding interference with the other nodes in the group according to the access method.

Abstract: Toner having spindle-shaped particles is used to form images in an image forming apparatus. Each spindle-shaped particle has a ratio of a length in a minor axis to a length in a major axis in a range from 0.5 to 0.8 and a ratio of a thickness to the length in the minor axis in a range from 0.7 to 1.0. A charging device applies an electric charge onto an electrostatic latent-image carrier of the image forming apparatus. The charging device includes a charging roller, a surface roughness of which is equal to or smaller than 10 micrometers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a charging device. The image carrier supplied with a lubricant carries an electrostatic latent image and a toner image formed by making the electrostatic latent image visible with toner including toner particles and inorganic fine particles. The charging device uniformly charges a surface of the image carrier without contacting the image carrier to form the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier. The toner particles have a volume average particle size in a range of from about 3 ?m to about 8 ?m, a ratio Dv/Dn between a volume average particle size Dv and a number average particle size Dn in a range of from about 1.00 to about 1.40, a shape factor SF-1 in a range of from about 100 to about 180, and a shape factor SF-2 in a range of from about 100 to about 180.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably attached to an image forming apparatus includes a first body member, a second body member including an engaging part, in which the second body member is engaged with the first body member by the engaging part and pivotably moves between an open position and a closed position, an image bearing member detachably disposed in the first body member and configured to bear an image on a surface thereof, and a facing mechanism detachably disposed in one of the first body member or the second body member, and arranged around the image bearing member to face the image bearing member.

Abstract: Toner having spindle-shaped particles is used to form images in an image forming apparatus. Each spindle-shaped particle has a ratio of a length in a minor axis to a length in a major axis in a range from 0.5 to 0.8 and a ratio of a thickness to the length in the minor axis in a range from 0.7 to 1.0. A charging device applies an electric charge onto an electrostatic latent-image carrier of the image forming apparatus. The charging device includes a charging roller, a surface roughness of which is equal to or smaller than 10 micrometers.

Abstract: A process cartridge configured to be detachably mounted in an image forming apparatus. A second body member is mounted on a first body member so that at least one of the first and second body members moves between an opened position and a closed position. An auxiliary device is configured to be mounted on at least one of the first and second body members via an opened space formed after at least one of the first and second body members is moved to the opened position.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably attached to an image forming apparatus includes a first body member, a second body member including an engaging part, in which the second body member is engaged with the first body member by the engaging part and pivotably moves between an open position and a closed position, an image bearing member detachably disposed in the first body member and configured to bear an image on a surface thereof, and a facing mechanism detachably disposed in one of the first body member or the second body member, and arranged around the image bearing member to face the image bearing member.

Abstract: A process cartridge configured to be detachably mounted in an image forming apparatus. A second body member is mounted on a first body member so that at least one of the first and second body members moves between an opened position and a closed position. An auxiliary device is configured to be mounted on at least one of the first and second body members via an opened space formed after at least one of the first and second body members is moved to the opened position.

Abstract: A mobile unit comprises a surrounding level measuring unit which measures the surrounding level, a reported information acquisition unit which acquires the reported information, a control unit which controls the surrounding level measurement unit, and a zone transfer unit which transfers the zone to the one of highest level among those monitored. The control unit provides a control so as to omit the measurement of the surrounding level of the zones not adapted for packet communication based on the result of measurement by the surrounding level measurement unit or the reported information acquired by the reported information acquisition unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses a developer that includes toner with volume average particle size between 5 &mgr;m and 10 &mgr;m and 60 to 80 number percentage particles having a particle size less than or equal to 5 &mgr;m. A charging unit charges a latent image carrier. The charging unit and the latent image carrier are arranged in such a manner that they do no make a physical contact.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses a developer that includes toner with volume average particle size between 5 &mgr;m and 10 &mgr;m and 60 to 80 number percentage particles having a particle size less than or equal to 5 &mgr;m. A charging unit charges a latent image carrier. The charging unit and the latent image carrier are arranged in such a manner that they do no make a physical contact.

Abstract: In a sequence for setting a communication channel via a communication network with a communication counter party, a plural communication connection setting method is comprised of: a plural ID requesting step at which a terminal and a relay switch which initiate a communication transmit a connection setting request based upon a single message on which a set of identification numbers (ID) for previously establishing a plurality of connections and a communication parameter is described in response to a predetermined request and a response answer; a rewriting step at which when one message for describing the plural IDs set is received, if the request is available, then the corresponding portions of the corresponding management (routing) table are sequentially rewritten to be managed; and a plural ID response step at which when the rewriting operations corresponding to the plural ID sets are accomplished, a setting response is returned by way of one message on which the plural IDs are written to the setting reques

Abstract: Includes a base station (2) that measures an uplink interference value of a transmission path when a data error has occurred in reception packets multiplexed by plurality, generates a retransmission request signal of a packet format based on the measured uplink interference value, and then transmits the retransmission request signal to a mobile communication terminal that has transmitted the erroneous packet; and a mobile communication terminal (1) that outputs multiplexed transmission data as a transmission packet during a normal transmission, automatically divides the transmission data into parallel signals according to a retransmission multiplex number based on the retransmission request signal when the retransmission request signal has been received, further multiplexes the parallel signals to generate a transmission packet for retransmission, and outputs the transmission packet to the base station.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner bank that is configured to hold a large-volume of toner that is ultimately used to develop a latent image formed on a latent image carrier. A developing apparatus develops the latent image into a visible image. The toner is supplied to the toner bank, which need not be located adjacent to the developing apparatus, using a mechanism that prevents the toner from becoming clogged while being transported to the developing apparatus from the toner bank. In the toner bank, more than one toner bottles are vertically set. The toner bottles are individually opened and closed at respective opening portions thereon with an opening/closing mechanism and are rotated so as to discharge toner therefrom. Toner discharged from the toner bottles is dropped into the toner bank and is supplied to a developing apparatus by a flexible toner delivering mechanism having a powder pump unit and a flexible toner supplying pipe.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a charging member, image transfer member or similar contact member contacts an image carrier implemented as a photoconductive element. Even when a voltage is applied to the contact member in a relatively low temperature environment, the contact member is provided with an adequate charge potential or an image transfer potential.