Abstract: A computer generates a print ID based on input image data on which a forgery preventing process is performed, and transfers the print ID to a printer. The printer generates a common key corresponding to the print ID, and transfers it to the computer. The computer encrypts the image data using a common key, represents it as a print control command, and transfers the data with the print ID to the printer. The printer analyzes the command of the print control data, extracts the encrypted print image data, decrypts the data using the common key, and stores the decrypted print image data in a storage medium, thereby preventing the data from being printed on a number of unspecified printers.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus that can inexpensively print desired colors without causing ink color mixture. In a print head, a plurality of nozzle rows for respective ink colors are arranged in parallel with one another. Arrangements and driving control are provided so that few mists resulting from an ink ejecting operation move so as not to reach the print head or fall.

Abstract: A liquid applying apparatus and an ink jet printing apparatus can reduce evaporation that may occur when an application liquid is left in a liquid holding member for a long time. The liquid holding member forms a space between an elastic member and a roller to hold the application liquid. The apparatuses also are capable of preventing the leakage of the liquid from the liquid holding member regardless of a variation in the posture of the apparatus. In collecting the application liquid from the liquid holding member to a storage tank, the apparatuses switch a selector valve to allow an air communicating port and a tube to communicate with each other. The apparatuses further drive a pump to collect the application liquid from a liquid applying member and channel to the storage tank. Once the collecting is finished, the air communicating valve is closed.

Abstract: Disclosed are an image processing apparatus and method for the purpose of preventing overlapping of dots between two colors in low-density areas in color pseudo-grayscale processing, thereby obtaining excellent placement of the dots of each color. When a color image is binarized, an error is added to a respective one of color components (I0,I1), after which output decision means (2) decides an output value in accordance with the value of the sum in such a manner that the sum of pixel values after conversion will be rendered constant. Error calculation means (3-0, 3-1) calculate differences between pixel values before and after binarization as errors, and error diffusion means (9-0, 9-1) calculate values to be diffused to a neighboring pixel. Weighting coefficients used at such time are decided in accordance with combinations of values of the color components (I0,I1) of pixel values in the original image. The output value decided by the output decision means (2) is printed out by a printer or the like.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus processes multivalued color image data that includes a plurality of color components. The apparatus includes an adding unit to add per-color-component quantization error values from a neighboring pixel to respective ones of a plurality of color components included in a pixel of interest, and a quantization unit to correlate a sum of the values of each of the color components to which the error value has been added by the adding unit to a sum of values after conversion, and deciding the value of each color component after conversion upon distributing the sum of pixel values after the conversion in accordance with the ratio of each of the color components before conversion. In addition, a coefficient decision unit decides diffusion coefficients, which diffuse quantization error to neighboring pixels, based upon the value of each of the plurality of color components included in the pixel of interest.

Abstract: In a communication system using a sheet-shaped light guide (91), which includes particles for scattering light in a sheet-shaped optical medium and propagates signal light incident from one end face of the sheet-shaped light guide to the other end face side while scattering the signal light by the particles, when the sheet-shaped light guide (91) is connected with optical fibers (21 to 24, and 31 to 34) the diameters of which are larger than the thickness of the light guide, the optical fibers (21 to 24, and 31 to 34) and the sheet-shaped light guide (91) are joined with tapered light guides (92) interposed therebetween, the tapered light guide becoming thinner from the optical fiber side thereof to the sheet-shaped light side thereof.

Abstract: A multi step index optical fiber includes at least two concentrically arranged core portions, each having constant refractive index. The refractive indices of the core portions decrease toward the outer periphery of the optical fiber. The refractive indices of the core portions are set such that differences ?N between refractive indices of adjacent core portions are uniform, and the distribution of the refractive indices approximates a G power distribution. Thereby, bandwidths on the order of several GHz/100 m can be realized.

Abstract: The planar lighting device includes linear light sources, a light guide plate having a flat light exit surface, a rear surface and parallel grooves formed in the rear surface for accommodating the light sources, respectively, and a support member for supporting the light guide plate with the rear surface. A cross-section of the light guide plate has a rear surface profile including convex portions having the respective grooves and concave portions formed between adjacent grooves, and a thickness in each concave portion decreases from each groove toward either midpoint between adjacent grooves and is thinnest at the midpoint. A cross-section of the support member has a first surface profile of a first surface including a profile identical to a profile of each concave portion of the rear surface profile and a second surface of the support member is a flat surface.

Abstract: The transparent light guide plate includes a rectangular light exit surface, a thick portion positioned at substantially a central portion of the surface, thin edge portions formed in parallel on both sides of the thick portion, a parallel groove accommodating a bar-like light source and being formed at substantially a center of the thick portion and inclined rear portions whose thickness is reduced from the thick portion toward the thin edge portions. An end portion of the groove is narrowed toward the surface symmetrically to a center line of the groove in a sectional shape thereof according to a ratio of a peak value of illuminance or luminance of emitted light at a first portion of the surface corresponding to the groove to an average value thereof at second portions corresponding to the inclined rear portions. The planar lighting device includes the light guide plate. The liquid crystal display device includes the planar lighting device.

Abstract: A printing apparatus prints on a printing medium by using a printhead which has a first nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles from which a first nozzle amount of the ink is discharged and a second nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles from which a second nozzle amount of the ink is discharged. This printing apparatus time-divisionally drives a plurality of blocks obtained by dividing each of the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array. The printing apparatus selects, from the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array, a block to be driven by the driving unit within a predetermined period. This printing apparatus controls the selection unit to alternately select a block from the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array and sequentially select a block from each nozzle array in a predetermined order.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device and an inkjet recording apparatus which are capable of reducing harmful effects resulting from an increase in the number of times of using an application member (for example, a roller). An embodiment of the present invention includes: a supply port for supplying application liquid to a liquid retention space; and a collection port for collecting the application liquid from the liquid retention space, wherein the liquid is applied by a application member in a state where a negative pressure of the collection port is larger than that of the supply port. In such a configuration, the liquid supply port is arranged at a position relatively close to a transferring reference, and the liquid collection port is arranged at a position relatively far from the transferring reference.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus capable of reducing wear of a roller for application, even if liquid (for example, application liquid) is insufficient in a case where liquid is applied to recording media. In an embodiment of the present invention, in a case where it is determined that the application liquid is sufficient in a storage tank, the application liquid is filled in a liquid retention space, the application liquid is applied to the recording medium, and thus recording is performed. In a case where it is determined that the liquid application is insufficient in the storage tank, recording with application is prohibited.

Abstract: A communication system that allows two-way communication is provided with the use of a sheet-type optical conductor capable of providing a favorable level of light-extraction efficiency and uniformly distributed optical output power. The sheet conductor includes a sheet-type optical medium containing particles for reflecting light, and propagates the optical signal injected from one edge of the medium to the other having an optical receiver by scattering the optical signal by means of the particles, which is designed such that the value of ?·Np·LG·KC is less than or equal to 0.9, where ? is the scattering cross-sectional area of the particles, LG is the length of the optical medium in the direction in which the light is propagated, Np is the density of the particles, and KC is a correction coefficient.

Abstract: In a communication system using a sheet light guide 100 which is formed by containing light-scattering particles in a sheet optical medium and propagates signal light incident from one end surface 100a to the other end surface 100a side while scattering the signal light by the particles, and using a plurality of optical fibers 21, 22, 23 and 24 or 31, 32, 33 and 34 coupled to the other end surface 100a in a state of being provided in parallel, each of the end surfaces 100a of the sheet light guide 100 is adapted to have an outer edge shape in which at least a part substantially coincides with an outer edge shape of the plurality of optical fibers 21 to 24 or 31 to 34.

Abstract: In a communication system using a sheet light guide (10) which is formed to contain light-scattering particles in a sheet optical medium and propagates signal light incident from one end surface thereof to the other end surface side while scattering the signal light by the particles, a photodetector (55) which is coupled to the other end surface of the sheet light guide (10) and detects the signal light and a demultiplexer (84) which distributes an output of the photodetector (55) to a plurality of lines are provided.

Abstract: An applying amount to an applying medium is controlled in a liquid applying apparatus. Specifically, before driving a pump, a circulation speed decision processing (S3) is carried out. According to this decided speed, a speed of the circulation flow generated in a liquid holding space is controlled in a pump operating process (S4). This controls a pressure in the liquid holding space. As a result, a state of flow of the applying liquid at a contact member of a liquid holding member in contact with the applying roller is changed, and an amount of the applying liquid adhering to an applying roller and going out of the contact portion is controlled. This can control the amount of the applying liquid to be applied to the applying medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: In a communication system using a sheet light guide 10 which is formed in a manner that the sheet light guide contains light-scattering particles in a sheet optical medium, and propagates a signal light incident from one end surface thereof to the other end surface side to which a photodetector is coupled, while scattering the signal light by the particles, at least two of the sheet light guides 10 are coupled to each other with an angle-converting light guide 90 interposed therebetween.

Abstract: In a sheet-shaped light guide (95), which includes particles for scattering light in a sheet-shaped optical medium and propagates signal light incident from one end face of the sheet-shaped light guide to the other end face side while scattering the signal light by the particles, a high-refractive-index portion 95a and a low-refractive-index portion 95b are formed by the use of a plurality of optical mediums whose refractive indexes are different from each other. Then, an interface between these high-refractive-index portion 95a and low-refractive index portion 95b is curved, and a lens effect for the signal light is imparted.

Abstract: When it is determined that an end process flag is not stored in memory, there is a possibility that the recovery operation was not executed normally and the viscosity increased or fixed coating liquid exist in a liquid holding member and liquid flow paths. Therefore, a filling operation for generating stronger fluidization than a normal filling operation is carried out as a filling operation also acting as a restoration operation. That is, a pump is operated at a predetermined rotating speed for a specified time, which is longer than the specified time for the normal filling operation. By this, the viscosity increased coating liquid existing in the liquid holding space and the respective liquid flow paths is re-fluidized to an extent that will not interfere with circulation, and normal filling of the coating liquid is carried out.