Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensing portion that has a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion that receives light from the light-emitting portion, the light from inside of a toner accommodating portion to outside of the toner accommodating portion via a light-transmitting portion. The light-transmitting portion has a first lightguide portion that guides the light to the inside of the toner accommodating portion, and a second lightguide portion that guides the light to the light-receiving portion. The image forming apparatus further includes a cover member that covers the first lightguide portion and the second lightguide portion. A part of the second lightguide portion that is closest to a passage region of laser light is at a position closer to the passage region than any of parts of the first lightguide portion, and a cover member is configured so as not to cover the part that is closest.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a holding portion movable, by movement of a developing member in an axial direction of the developing member, between a first position for stably holding a second unit at a spaced position and a second position for stably holding a second unit at a developing position. The cartridge also includes an urging portion for urging the holding portion in a direction from the second position toward the first position in the axial direction of the developing member. At least one of the first gear portion and the second gear portion is a helical gear. When the second gear portion is driven and rotated by the first gear portion, the holding portion is moved from the first position to the second position by the second gear portion receiving a force from the first gear portion. When the second gear portion is not driven by the first gear portion, the holding portion is moved from the second position toward the first position by an urging force of the urging portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides an IoT data trading system including: a data transport unit capable of sending data to a predetermined counterparty; a data transaction unit that executes a trading contract of data; and an IoT device that provides IoT data, wherein the data transaction unit instructs, based on a buy offer of the IoT data issued from a predetermined account and a sell offer issued from an account of the IoT device, the data transport unit to send the IoT data from the IoT device to a data provider which owns the account from which the buy offer is issued, and imparts a monetary value of the sent IoT data to the account of the IoT device.

Abstract: This data transaction system is provided with: a data transport unit that is able to set a channel of data and deliver the data to a predetermined partner by control from outside; a data transaction unit that executes a transaction contract for the data; an acquisition unit that issues a selling offer of the data to the data transaction unit for the sake of a provider that provides the data; and a data broker that issues a buying offer of the data to the data transaction unit for the sake of a service provider that utilizes the data. The data transaction unit performs condition matching between the selling offer and the buying offer, and when both match, causes the data transport unit to set a channel for delivering the data from the data provider to the service provider.

Abstract: An output control apparatus which delivers a character pattern in accordance with a character generating request from a host computer and which selects one of a plurality of fonts in accordance with data designated by the host computer, comprising means of selecting a font of characters to be outputted in accordance with an attribute thereof, memory means for storing therein a plurality of font data and a plurality of font scalers, means for setting degrees of priority of the plurality of font scalers, and means for selecting a font of characters to be outputted in accordance with a degree of priority set by the setting means at the time when said font of characters to be outputted is selected.