Abstract: An output system is provided that includes at least one output apparatus configured to output content information. The output system includes a determination part configured to determine, based on the content information, whether to generate first control information for switching the output apparatus to a power-saving mode, the first control information being generated with respect to the output apparatus that does not have to output the content information. The output system further includes a control information generation part configured to generate the first control information when the determination part determines that the first control information has to be generated and a power control part configured to switch the output apparatus to the power-saving mode based on the first control information.

Abstract: A content reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing unit configured to reproduce content including audio and video, and a power control unit configured to perform power control of the reproducing unit based on a reproducing position of the content and non-reproduction period information indicating at least one of a period during which reproduction of the audio of the content is unnecessary and a period during which reproduction of the video of the content is unnecessary.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a toner image forming device to form the toner image on the image bearer, a nip forming device to contact the image bearer to form a transfer nip between the image bearer and the nip forming device, a transfer bias output device to output a transfer bias including a DC component and an AC component to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a recording medium interposed in the transfer nip, and a controller operatively connected to the transfer bias output device to adjust a frequency f of the AC component of the transfer bias in accordance with an image area ratio A such that the frequency f is at its minimum with a predetermined image area ratio Amin %, where Amin % is greater than 0 but lower than an image area ratio of a solid image.

Abstract: An information management system is disclosed that includes a wireless terminal configured to store identification data of the wireless terminal used to identify the wireless terminal in the system; a broadcasting device configured to transmit position data which represents a position at which the device is located for a predetermined area; and a server configured to store position data indicating a position at which the terminal is located. The terminal includes a collection unit configured to collect environmental data which represents a state of an environment around the terminal; a receiving unit configured to receive the position data from the device when the terminal is located in the predetermined area; and a transmission unit configured to transmit, via the device, to the server, the identification of the terminal, the position data received from the device, and the environmental data collected by the collection unit.

Abstract: A communication apparatus which transmits information on a position at which the communication apparatus is positioned is disclosed. The communication apparatus includes a detecting unit which detects one of a first signal which is detected when the communication apparatus is fixed to an installed location and a second signal which is detected when the communication apparatus is brought to a state in which it is not fixed to the installed location; a storage unit which stores therein the position information; and a control unit which erases the position information stored in the storage unit when the second signal is detected after the first signal is detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is a transfer device including: a nip forming member that abuts against a surface of an image carrier carrying a toner image; and a transfer voltage application unit that applies a transfer voltage including a DC component and an AC component. The transfer voltage is an alternating voltage in which a supply voltage having polarity in a transfer direction and a return voltage having polarity opposite. A time average value Vave of the transfer voltage is set to be at polarity in the transfer direction and is set to be closer to a peak value Vt of the supply voltage relative to a center value Voff between a maximum and minimum value. An absolute value of the peak value Vr of the return voltage is set to be larger than an absolute value of the time average value Vave.

Abstract: A particulate material production apparatus is disclosed. The particulate material production apparatus includes a droplet ejector to eject droplets of a particulate material composition liquid or a melted particulate material composition in a droplet ejection direction from nozzles; a solidifying device to solidify the droplets; a first airflow forming device to form a first airflow to feed the ejected droplets to the solidifying device with the first airflow; and a second airflow forming device to form a second airflow to apply the second airflow the droplets before the droplets are fed by the first airflow. The second airflow forming device forms the second airflow by supplying a pressed gas from a slit, and the traveling direction of the first airflow is substantially perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction.

Abstract: A silver-coated copper powder includes copper core particles and a silver coat layer located on the surface of the core particles. When S1 is a BET specific surface area (m2/g) of the silver-coated copper powder; S2 is a specific surface area (m2/g) calculated from a particle diameter D50 obtained by the analysis of a microscopic image of the silver-coated copper powder; and t is a thickness of the silver coat layer, the silver-coated copper powder satisfies Expression: (S1/S2)?0.005×t+1.45. The silver-coated copper powder has a volume cumulative particle diameter D50L at a cumulative volume of 50 vol % as measured by laser diffraction-scattering method of 0.01 to 100 ?m.

Abstract: A disclosed method for producing a hollow cell array structure includes a first step of layering a deformable material capable of being plastically deformed under a predetermined condition on a first substrate, the first substrate having plural, mutually separated depressions in a surface thereof, such that the deformable material forms mutually isolated spaces in the corresponding depressions; a second step of expanding the spaces in the plural depressions by inducing a gas pressure of the spaces while extending the deformable material on the first substrate, such that plural hollow cells are simultaneously formed in correspondence to the plural depressions in predetermined directions; and a third step of selectively solidifying portions of the plural hollow cells by selectively applying ultraviolet rays thereto.

Abstract: A control apparatus is disclosed that may communicate with a wireless terminal and an information processing device. The control apparatus includes a first obtaining unit configured to obtain position data of the wireless terminal; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain state information about the information processing device; a determining unit configured to make a determination that the position data obtained by the first obtaining unit indicates a predetermined location and the state information obtained by the second obtaining unit indicates a predetermined state; and a transmission unit configured to transmit to the information processing device a control signal causing the information processing device to execute predetermined processing in response to the determination made by the determining unit.

Abstract: A transmission system, a location management system, and a transmission method, each of which transmits first location data and second location data, respectively, from a first transmission device and a second transmission device, and receives, at the second transmission device, the first location data and terminal identification data that identifies a communication terminal, from the communication terminal that receives at least the first location data.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is a transfer device including: a nip forming member that abuts against a surface of an image carrier carrying a toner image; and a transfer voltage application unit that applies a transfer voltage including a DC component and an AC component. The transfer voltage is an alternating voltage in which a supply voltage having polarity in a transfer direction and a return voltage having polarity opposite. A time average value Vave of the transfer voltage is set to be at polarity in the transfer direction and is set to be closer to a peak value Vt of the supply voltage relative to a center value Voff between a maximum and minimum value. An absolute value of the peak value Vr of the return voltage is set to be larger than an absolute value of the time average value Vave.

Abstract: The disclosed composite copper particle includes a core particle including copper, and a coating layer including a copper-tin alloy and formed on the surface of the core particle, the composite copper particle having a particle diameter at 50% cumulative volume in the particle size distribution of 0.1 to 10.0 ?m. The alloy is preferably CuSn. The ratio of tin to the the composite copper particle is preferably 3.0 to 12.0 mass %. The composite copper particle is suitably obtained by a method including a step of mixing a reducing agent for tin and an aqueous slurry containing a tin source compound and core particles which include copper, to form a coating layer including a copper-tin alloy on a surface of the core particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a nip forming member and a transfer bias output device that outputs a transfer bias to form a transfer electric field in a transfer nip between the nip forming member and an intermediate transfer member. Upon transfer of a composite toner image including a particular toner image onto a recording medium in the transfer nip, the transfer bias output device outputs the transfer bias including a first superimposed bias in which a direct current (DC) component is superimposed on an alternating current (AC) component. Upon transfer of the composite toner image without the particular toner image onto the recording medium in the transfer nip, the transfer bias output device outputs one of the transfer bias including a second superimposed bias having a peak-to-peak value of the AC component smaller than that of the first superimposed bias and the transfer bias including only the DC component.

Abstract: An information processing device can receive a positioning signal that is transmitted from a transmitting device. The information processing device includes an input reception unit for receiving an input of a destination and for identifying first location information including first floor number information, the first floor number information indicating a floor number of the destination in a structure including the destination, a retrieval unit for retrieving second location information including second floor number information from the positioning signal, the second floor number information indicating a floor number on which the transmitting device is provided in a structure in which the transmitting device is provided, and a calculation unit for calculating a route from a current location of the information processing device to the destination by using the first location information and the second location information.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an image carrier that carries a toner image; a nip forming member that forms a transfer nip between the nip forming member and the image carrier by contacting with a front surface of the image carrier; and a transfer bias applying unit that applies a transfer bias, thereby transferring the toner image carried on the image carrier to a recording material at a position of the transfer nip. The transfer bias applying unit applies the transfer bias in which an AC component and a DC component are superimposed and in which a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC component is larger than 6 times an absolute value of a voltage of the DC component.

Abstract: A droplet discharging device including a discharging hole to discharge droplets, a piezoelectric element that deforms with electrical charging and discharging to discharge droplets therefrom, a piezoelectric element drive circuit that drives the piezoelectric element to cause it to charge and discharge, wherein the piezoelectric element drive circuit has a control signal generating unit to generate control signals that control outputs of drive signals applied to the piezoelectric circuit and a drive signal output unit to output the drive signals applied to the piezoelectric element based on the control signals, wherein the drive signal output unit includes a first field effect transistor that operates to supply an electric current to the piezoelectric element based on the control signals when charging the piezoelectric element and a second field effect transistor that operates to discharge an electric current from the piezoelectric element based on the control signals when discharging the piezoelectric elemen

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer bias generator including a transfer bias supply that supplies a transfer bias to a transfer nip formed between an image carrier and a first rotary body, and a controller that detects a toner adhesion amount at a predetermined region of the image carrier located immediately upstream from the transfer nip and having a predetermined length in a moving direction of the image carrier. The transfer bias generator outputs at least an alternating current component under one of constant voltage control and constant current control and changes a target output value of the alternating current component according to the toner adhesion amount detected by the controller.

Abstract: Provided is a motion guide device capable of preventing a lid member from being damaged due to collision of balls and operating a moving block on a track rail at high speed. The motion guide device includes: a track member having a ball rolling surface; a moving member main body having a load ball rolling surface that forms a load ball path between the load ball rolling surface and the ball rolling surface, and a ball return path provided in parallel to the load ball path); a lid member having a direction changing path that connects the load ball path and the ball return path to each other to form an endless circulation path; and balls arranged in the endless circulation path. The lid member includes an introducing portion of the direction changing path, which includes a first contact surface continuous with the direction changing path.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, in which color toner images are primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer medium, and then secondarily transferred to a recording sheet at a secondary transfer nip, a secondary transfer current output device applies a transfer current to the transfer nip while determining the transfer current based on area ratios of the toner images using an algorithm. When determining the transfer current, the secondary transfer current output device estimates the target value of a transfer current needed for transferring one of the toner images to be not lower than that needed for transferring another toner image, which is primarily transferred next to the one of the toner images, and the target value of a transfer current needed for transferring a first toner image, which is primarily transferred firstly, to be lower than that needed for transferring a last toner image, which is primarily transferred lastly.