Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a head unit having at least one sub-tank that stores liquid, and an ejection head that ejects the liquid supplied from the sub-tank in a form of droplets; a head unit mover that moves the head unit; an absorber stored in the sub-tank, and made of a porous resilient member that absorbs the liquid; and a presser that compresses the absorber.

Abstract: A printer shaped like a slim box includes a carriage which reciprocates in a main scanning direction on its front section. Ink cartridges separately from the carriage are detachably provided in an ink cartridge unit in a row in the main scanning direction above a main scanning area of the carriage. The ink cartridge unit is designed to retreat from an area in the vicinity of the main scanning area of the carriage by sliding in a backward direction of the printer, whereby maintenance work can be easily performed when a trouble (e.g. paper jam) occurs in a recording paper transfer path via an area below a bottom section of the carriage.

Abstract: A heating apparatus for a solid ink includes a heating unit to melt ink sticks of different colors, the heating unit being mounted to one side of an ink stick loader and provided with a plurality of heating parts in one body. The heating unit has a heating plate with the plurality of the heating parts in one body, a plurality of heating lines formed on each of the heating parts of the heating plate in a serpentine shape with first ends commonly connected to each other, a common wire connected to a common connected portion of the heating lines, and a plurality of wires connected to second ends of the heating lines, respectively. The common wire is located at a center portion of the heating plate, and the heating lines are symmetrically-located left and right with respect to the common wire. The common wire is disposed at the center portion of the heating plate.

Abstract: An air removal device for ink supply mechanism is provided which ensures separation of ink from an air permeable membrane after removal of air is completed. The air removal device includes an ink chamber, an air discharge passage, an air permeable membrane, a pump, and a movable member. The movable member is designed to be displaced between a first position and a second position. When the movable member is displaced to the second position to operate the pump, air collected in the ink chamber is discharged to the air discharge passage. When the pump is stopped and the movable member is displaced to the first position, one or both of air left in a portion of space in the ink chamber and air present downstream in an air discharge direction of the air permeable membrane flows in between the air permeable membrane and the ink inside the ink chamber.

Abstract: An ink set includes at least a magenta ink composition and a light magenta ink composition. The light magenta ink composition is formed with a pigment density lower than a pigment density of the magenta ink composition. A pigment used in the magenta ink composition is C.I. Pigment Violet 19, and a pigment used in the light magenta ink composition is C.I. Pigment Red 122.

Abstract: A water-based ink set for ink-jet recording is provided which is capable of: reducing graininess in a low-density printed part in a cyan direction without reducing the color reproduction range in the cyan direction in a high-density printed part; extending the color reproduction range in a blue direction and/or a green direction; and improving gas resistance and the vividness in the blue direction and/or the green direction. The water-based ink set for ink-jet recording includes a cyan dye ink employing dye as a coloring agent and a blue pigment ink employing pigment as a coloring agent and/or a green pigment ink employing pigment as a coloring agent. The cyan dye ink is a light cyan dye ink having a lightness (L*) of about 60 or more in the L*a*b* colorimetric system.

Abstract: A water-based ink set for ink-jet recording is provided which is capable of: reducing graininess in a low-density printed part in a cyan direction without reducing the color reproduction range in the cyan direction in a high-density printed part; extending the color reproduction range in a blue direction and/or a green direction; improving the vividness of the blue color and/or the green color; and improving gas resistance in a printed part in the cyan direction. The water-based ink set for ink-jet recording includes a cyan pigment ink employing pigment as a coloring agent and a blue dye ink employing dye as a coloring agent and/or a green dye ink employing dye as a coloring agent. The cyan pigment ink is a light cyan pigment ink having a lightness (L*) of about 60 or more in the L*a*b* colorimetric system.

Abstract: A water-based ink set for ink-jet recording is provided which is capable of: reducing graininess in a low-density printed part without reducing the color reproduction range in red and magenta directions in a high-density printed part; extending the color reproduction range in the red direction; improving the vividness of the red color; and improving the light fastness and gas resistance. The water-based ink set for ink-jet recording includes a magenta pigment ink and a red dye ink. The magenta pigment ink is a light magenta pigment ink having a lightness (L*) of about 50 or more in the L*a*b* calorimetric system.

Abstract: A water-based ink set for ink-jet recording is provided which is capable of: reducing graininess in a low-density printed part without reducing the color reproduction range in red and magenta directions in a high-density printed part; extending the color reproduction range in the red direction; improving the vividness of the red color; and improving the light fastness and gas resistance. The water-based ink set for ink-jet recording includes a magenta dye ink and a red pigment ink. The magenta dye ink is a light magenta dye ink having a lightness (L*) of about 50 or more in the L*a*b* calorimetric system.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for discharging a protecting medium. The apparatus includes a media checking unit for checking whether a fed medium is a protecting medium which protects a printing media; and a discharge controller for discharging the fed medium if the fed medium is a protecting medium. Accordingly, since a user does not have to individually remove protecting media, the possibility of contamination of the print media can be reduced, thereby increasing print quality. In addition, printing on a protecting medium can be prevented.

Abstract: A print roll unit includes an elongate ink reservoir core defining a plurality of ink chambers which each extend along the core. The chambers are isolated to store respective inks. A roll of print media includes a tubular former in which the core can be received and a length of print media which is wound upon the former. A housing includes a pair of molded covers which can be fastened together in a releasable manner to house the roll of print media.

Abstract: A print media cartridge includes a roll of print media comprising an elongate and tubular core. A length of print media is wound upon the core. A power supply is located within the core. The power supply may include a pair of elongate batteries arranged end to end within the core. A housing is provided in which the roll of print media is housed. The housing may include a pair of electrical contact assemblies which are located at opposite ends of the housing.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a body defining a print media path along which print media can pass. A disposable printhead assembly is arranged within the body and is configured to print upon print media passing along the print media path. A print media input tray is pivotally mounted with respect to the body for locating the print media in register with the print media path. A print media feed arrangement is configured to feed the print media from the input tray and along the print media path. Printer controller circuitry is arranged in the body and is operatively connected to the printhead assembly and print media feed arrangement to control operation of those components.

Abstract: A spitting device for an inkjet head includes an array type inkjet head on which nozzle units are formed, and a platen which is disposed opposite to the nozzle units of the inkjet head. The platen includes ink outlets and printing medium guide ribs formed thereon, and supports a back surface of a printing medium. The platen includes a first platen unit and a second platen unit which is movably connected to the first platen unit and on which second printing medium guide ribs are formed. The spitting device can prevent the printing medium guide ribs from being contaminated by ink ejected from the nozzle units and allows the printing medium to be more stably fed during high-speed printing.

Abstract: A recording unit according to the present invention includes a holding member, a recording element held on the holding member, an ink supply section held on the holding member, and a guiding portion provided in the holding member. The guiding portion guides a recording medium so as to prevent the recording medium from contacting the recording element. An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveying mechanism having a conveying member on which a recording medium is placed for conveyance, a recording unit, and a fixing member which fixes the recording unit. A guiding portion of the recording unit guides the recording medium to the conveying member so as to prevent the recording medium from contacting the recording element. The guiding portion also maintains a constant gap between the recording medium and the recording element to achieve high-quality image recording.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a print medium cartridge arranged to store a print medium roll. The print medium roll includes a former carrying a wound length of a print medium. A platen supports the print medium during feeding from the roll. An inkjet printhead assembly is arranged in register with the platen and includes an inkjet printhead having a plurality of micro-electromechanical inkjet nozzles which can print onto the print medium supported by the platen. A print medium feed arrangement is arranged to feed the print medium from the roll and between the platen and the inkjet printhead assembly.

Abstract: Firearm targets and methods for manufacturing firearm targets are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a target includes a substrate, a release layer on the substrate, and an ink layer on the release layer such that the release layer is positioned between the ink layer and the substrate. The ink layer at least partially defines a target image. The ink layer has a first section with a first color and a second section with a second color different than the first color.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus including a heat roller fixing apparatus for heat-fixing an image obtained through development using toner to a recording medium, and a density sensor for detecting density of the image after the fixing, the image forming apparatus serving to adjust image density based on image density detected by the density sensor, in which the density sensor is disposed in a position where a temperature of the image being conveyed within a conveying path is equal to or lower than a coagulation temperature (melting point) of the toner.

Abstract: A laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) apparatus and a method of making an electronic device using the same are disclosed. The LITI apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, a contact frame, and a laser source or oscillator. The LITI apparatus transfers a transferable layer from a film donor device onto a surface of an intermediate electronic device. The LITI apparatus uses a magnetic force to provide a close contact between the transferable layer and the surface of the intermediate device. The magnetic force is generated by magnetic materials formed in two components of the LITI apparatus that are spaced apart interposing transferable layer and the surface of the intermediate device. Magnets or magnetic materials are formed in the two following components of the LITI apparatus: 1) the intermediate device and the film donor device; 2) the intermediate device and the contact frame; 3) the substrate support and the film donor device; or 4) the substrate support and the contact frame.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of easily determining the direction of setting printing paper in a paper feed cartridge with an extremely simple structure.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device includes: an ink-jet head that ejects an ink toward a recording medium, the ink curable by irradiating with an actinic energy ray to form an image on the recording medium, and a mist adsorbing portion that is disposed in the vicinity of the ink-jet head and that electrostatically adsorbs an ink mist produced by ejecting the ink from the ink-jet head.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, comprising: an optical recording head having a light emitting element array including two or more sets of light emitting element blocks arranged in a line in a main scanning direction, each block including a given number of light emitting elements arranged in a line in the main scanning direction; and, a photo conductor exposable by the light from the optical recording head, the light emitting elements of the light emitting element blocks each having a slow light emitting timing are arranged such that they are shifted downstream in the sub scanning moving direction of the photo conductor according to the light emitting timings thereof with respect to the light emitting elements each having a fast light emitting timing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which image deterioration is unlikely to occur even if dirt attaches to the polygon mirror surface over time and reflectance is reduced, the image forming apparatus comprising light source units, an optical deflector for deflectively scanning light beams from the light source units, an optical writer comprising an optical system for guiding the light from the optical deflector onto the surface to be scanned of image carriers and forming an image thereon, and memory device for storing a plurality of shading correction data in advance.

Abstract: An image forming method using an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier whose surface is driven in a sub scanning direction; a deflector which scans a beam spot reciprocally in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the sub scanning direction on the surface of the latent image carrier in the use of an oscillating deflect mirror so as to form spot latent images each of which formed on a pixel; developer which develops each of the spot latent images as a pixel-dot, the method includes of: halftoning for a tone reproduction in which a halftone-dot constituted by the pixel-dot(s) is formed on a cell consisting plural pixels according to a fattening type threshold matrix, wherein a plurality of cells are contiguously arranged in the main scanning direction so as to form a plurality of contiguous locations at each of which the cells adjoin mutually in the main scanning direction, each cell includes a larger-than-four even number of pixels in the sub scanning direction, and the c

Abstract: This invention relates to an efficient way to calibrate and control a raster output scanner (ROS). The scan non-linearity of a ROS may be measured and an appropriate calibration curve setting for the ROS may be determined. The setting and other scan line parameters may then be used as an address to a memory, such as a read-only memory (ROM). The memory may store a set of calibration curve data and the address is used to look up the data from one of these curves. The ROS may then be controlled based on the calibration data retrieved from memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to adjust an alignment between scanning lines of a laser printer. The apparatus may include a laser scanning unit having a plurality of laser diodes and an adjustment unit to adjust a plurality of video data using an integer part and a decimal fraction part to synchronize with synchronization signals from the plurality of laser diodes, the integer part and the decimal fraction part constituting a real number that is calculated by using a video clock for synchronizing with the plurality of video data and the synchronization signals from the plurality of laser diodes scanning the plurality of video data. The apparatus and method compensate for an error occurring between the scanning lines due to the location differences of the respective laser diodes.

Abstract: A laser induced thermal imaging apparatus and a laser induced thermal imaging method. A laser induced thermal imaging apparatus has electromagnets in an adhesion frame and a substrate stage to closely adhere a donor film to a substrate. The laser induced thermal imaging apparatus includes a process chamber including a donor film and a substrate, and adapted to carry out a process for depositing the donor film on the substrate; a substrate stage having a first electromagnet, and positioned in the process chamber to support the substrate; an adhesion frame having a second electromagnet, and positioned over the substrate stage, wherein the donor film and the substrate are disposed between the substrate stage and the adhesion frame in the process chamber; and a laser oscillator adapted to apply a laser output to the donor film.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for exposing light-sensitive materials, with an electronic picture memory (2) for storing a master image, with an exposure unit which comprises a light source (22), an electronically activatable light modulator (21) for representing a part picture (24) of the master image (2), and imaging optics (23) for the projection of the part picture (24) onto the light sensitive material (10), with a drive device consisting of motors (9) and of a motor control (12), for moving the exposure unit (8) parallel to the surface of the light-sensitive material (10), with a scroll means (7) for scrolling a picture strip (25, 26) of the master image through the light modulator (21), and with a control device (1) for synchronising the drive device (9, 12) with the scroll means (7).

Abstract: An exposing unit optically writes respective color-separated image data on a photosensitive drum to form a latent image by using both a forward direction scanning and a backward direction scanning. A writing control unit outputs input pixel data to the exposing unit a plurality of times for enlarging and printing an input image. The writing control unit includes an output unit that outputs a main-scanning effective gate signal of dot period lengths of common multiples of all available enlargement ratios; and a suppressing unit that suppresses an output of a pixel signal to an outside of a printing range.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an output product/service by a user obtained from an electronic capture device. The method includes the steps of obtaining an electronic capture device by the user, obtaining digital data using the electronic capture device, communicating the captured digital data to a service provider over a communication network, the service provider providing an output product/service based on the digital data; and the service provider providing the output product/service to the user only after the electronic capture device is presented to an authorized location.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for educating and entertaining people, such as children, in which the image and voice of a known person are incorporated into a stock medium such as a video or a doll. In the case of children such as toddlers, the known person may be a caregiver, such as a parent, and the recorded voice and the image of at least the face of the caregiver are incorporated into the medium.

Abstract: An advanced video teleconferencing (AVTC) system uniquely combines a number of features to promote a realistic “same room” experience for meeting participants. These features include an autodirector to select audio and video sources and to compose shots, a collaboration interface for each participant to communicate nonverbal information, directional LEDs to privately alert to participants, audio reflected from the main display, and a collaborative table to share a view of objects or papers on a table. When implemented with sufficient bandwidth for take advantage of these features and to keep latency time low, this AVTC system results in a highly realistic and productive teleconferencing experience.

Abstract: For example, display image input units 131R, 131L detect additional information indicating left and right directionality from images for display. Then, in a stereoscopic display device having a display device for the right eye and a display device for the left eye, a switcher 132 capable of switching the connections between input and output input-output is controlled so that the correct image for display is provided to the correct display device. With such a configuration, even when the cables are connected incorrectly, it is still possible to input stereoscopic images to the stereoscopic display device so that such images are always displayed in the correct left-right relation.

Abstract: A three-dimensional display device includes an image display portion including sub-pixels corresponding to left eye images and right eye images and a light control portion facing the image display portion. The light control portion may include light interception portions and light transmission portions alternately and repeatedly arranged along a first direction of the image display portion. The range of the width M of the sub-pixels may be equal or greater than ½ times the pitch L of the sub-pixels and less than the pitch L of the sub-pixels. The range of the width b of the light transmission portions may be equal or greater than (L?M) and equal or less than (L/0.62?M).

Abstract: An optical imaging device of the present invention comprises: a light source device; a light guide and illumination lens, provided in an insertion section that can be inserted into a body cavity, for constituting an illumination light path for guiding an illumination light from the light source device to a subject; an objective lens for receiving return lights from the subject; an image capturing section for acquiring a visible light band image from the return light; an excitation light cut filter and image capturing section for acquiring a fluorescent image from the return lights; and an illumination light filter, provided on the illumination light path, for decreasing light in a band overlapping with the band of light of which image is captured by the image capturing section from the illumination light incident on.

Abstract: The traffic situation may be recorded by way of at least two detection cameras (2, 3) which are to be arranged at a distance (15) to one another on a vehicle (1). Their detection regions (11, 12) overlap (13), by which means at least one reference point (R) of the surroundings and/or recognition point of at least one second vehicle may be triangulated (T), e.g. by way of photogrammetry. After an accident, the behaviour of one or more vehicles (1) may be reconstructed. By way of the three-dimensional, temporally cycled detection, apart from the respective spatial position, the speed, the speed direction, direction changes, acceleration- and braking manoeuvres as well as intrinsic rotations of the individual vehicles about their centres of gravity may be visible and measured in a scaled manner. And this is all possible without having a multitude of sensors on the vehicles.

Abstract: A retaining-locking system for chain link fence slats includes specially notched fence slat elements having a pointed upper or lower end. The slat elements are sized and shaped to be interwoven between consecutive links of a chain link fence. A retaining-locking strip is formed of resilient material, and has an inner surface and an outer surface and at least one securing protrusion. The securing protrusion is sized and shaped to fit slidably within the notch. The protrusion is located on the outer surface of the strip. When the slat elements are interwoven into between consecutive links of a chain link fence with each of the notches aligned with one another, the retaining-locking strip inserted between the slat elements and the links, with the securing protrusion disposed within the slats, the strip will urge the slats toward the links, thereby retaining the slats within the chain link fence.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing digital video data are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises capturing one or more video images and generating serial digital video signals of the one or more video images. The method further comprises filtering one or more of color, sound, and control symbols from the serial digital video signals. The method further comprises storing the serial digital video signals as a memory mapped image in one or more memories; performing one or more image enhancement operations on the memory mapped image, including one or more of digital filtering, edge detection, image cropping and image magnification; and generating second serial digital video signals of the transmitted memory mapped images by one or more of, restoring control symbols, inserting blank color data samples, inserting blank sound data samples.

Abstract: Multiple motion sensor devices are included in an imaging apparatus. One or more of the motion sensor devices captures images and at least a portion of the sensor images are then processed to determine one or more motion vectors for the processed sensor images. At least one motion vector representing an amount of motion of the imager during image capture is generated when a predetermined portion of the motion vectors match.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus to pick up images by using a solid-state image pickup device includes an image signal reading unit configured to read image signals of a rectangular effective area in an image picked up by the solid-state image pickup device; an effective area setting unit configured to set the effective area to the image signal reading unit so that pixel signals of all pixels of the solid-state image pickup device in one of vertical and horizontal directions of the effective area are read and that a redundant pixel area is provided in the other direction; a camera shake detecting unit configured to detect camera shake in the image pickup apparatus; and a camera shake correction control unit configured to shift the effective area to the other direction so as to correct the camera shake in the other direction detected by the camera shake detecting unit.

Abstract: A tracking image pickup device which makes it possible to perform high-speed and high-accuracy drive and tilting drive without sacrificing the rigidity of the device. An image pickup section has a predetermined optical system and acquires an image pickup signal through the optical system. A tracking target-detecting section detects a tracking target from the image pickup signal acquired by the image pickup section. A drive section has a fine movement part formed by a part of the optical system, and a rough movement part, so as to turn the tracking image pickup device in a panning or tilting direction. A control command value-computing section drivingly controls the drive section such that an amount of deviation between the tracking target and an image pickup direction of the tracking image pickup device is reduced. An image pickup direction-computing section determines the image pickup direction of the tracking image pickup device.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a capturing unit that captures a motion picture at one of a plurality of frame rates; a buffer that temporary stores the motion picture captured by the capturing unit; a signal generation unit that generates a signal used for specifying a core frame that is to be subjected to a resolution enhancement processing, while the capturing unit captures the motion picture at a first frame rate; a capturing control unit that controls the capturing unit to capture the motion picture, after the core frame specified by the signal, at a second frame rate that is higher than the first frame rate; a reference frame determination unit that determines a frame stored in the buffering unit at the second frame rate as a reference frame; and an image processing unit that performs the resolution enhancement processing by converting the core frame into a high-resolution frame by reference to the reference frame determined by the reference frame determination unit.

Abstract: In a filter correction circuit for a camera system according to the present invention, a sample area information detector detects frequency band and fluctuation level of a video signal by a unit of sample area where a screen is divided into a plurality of areas. A filter area information detector detects the frequency band and fluctuation level of the video signal by a unit of filter area that is a subject of one-time filter processing in the single screen. A filter condition switching judgment device generates a selection control signal based on the result detected by the sample area information detector. A selector selects a filter coefficient to be applied based on the selection control signal. A filter processor fetches the filter coefficient selected by the selector, from a filter coefficient register, and applies it to the pixel unit or smallest pixel group unit that corresponds to the filter coefficient.

Abstract: A chrominance filter for excluding certain pixels from being included in a white balance calculation. By comparing a target pixel to predetermined maximum values of blue, red, magenta and green, a chrominance filter can selectively include pixels in the white balance correction calculation.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus, an image display and an image processing method which are capable of preventing an unnatural change in image quality due to image processing. A luminance distribution detecting circuit detects a luminance distribution as the histogram distribution of YUV signals. A gain limiter levels out by limiting the frequency of the luminance histogram to a frequency threshold or less so as to reduce the concentration of the distribution on a specific luminance level segment. Then a ? correction circuit in the image processing section performs image processing (contrast control) on the YUV signals through the use of the luminance distribution leveled out.

Abstract: A technique of acquiring a width obtaining an appropriate exposure with minimum restrictions, while accurately correcting flickering is provided. An exposure control method includes integrating a video signal obtained by shooting a subject by means of a CMOS imaging element as input video signal over not less than a horizontal period, normalizing the integral value or the difference value of the integral value between neighboring fields or frames, extracting the integral value or the difference value after the normalization as flicker spectrum, determining, based on the extracted flicker spectrum, the presence or absence of a flicker component contained in the video signal obtained by the imaging element and controlling the exposure value, using a program diagram for preferentially employing the shutter speed less liable to produce flickering when it is determined that the video signal contains a flicker component.

Abstract: A flicker detection device includes an accumulation section that divides a screen into a plurality of areas to perform accumulation of pixel levels, writing and reading of the accumulation result to and from a memory area allocated to every area, thereby accumulating the pixel levels in the area for every area, an accumulation result memory that stores the accumulation results of the accumulation section, an area discrimination section that discriminates whether or not every area is a still image area using the accumulation result obtained by the accumulation section and the accumulation result stored in the accumulation result memory, and a flicker level calculation section that averages the accumulation results of the areas discriminated as the still image area by the area discrimination section, and performs an operation using the averaged accumulation result and the accumulation result obtained by the accumulation section, thereby calculating a flicker level.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently deploying (also sometimes referred to as distributing and/or installing) a computer device's software image using a single portable image using an alternate partition for loading the image on the storage (hard drive) along with selected patches chosen for the configuration of the computer. The single image is processed using delta image patching technology to allow the single image to be customized and operable (work on) the particular computer, where the single portable image is adapted to operate on a large number of diverse computer device platforms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for image compositing in an apparatus a device in which available memory is at a premium are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first memory that receives a video input signal, in multiple portions. The first memory has a storage capacity less than the entire video image. Data within the first memory is encoded to form encoded video image portions. The entire image is thus encoded, video image portion by video image portion. A second image is combined with image portions in the first memory prior encoding such video image portions. The apparatus may, for example, be an electronic component or components forming a video or image processing pipeline, used in a portable device.

Abstract: A video-signal-processing device has luminance conversion section that performs level compression on three input primary-color signals of a color video signal at a same luminance adjustment compression ratio with a hue and a saturation of the color video signal being kept constant, thereby generating three compressed primary-color signals. The device also has saturation conversion section that performs level conversion on the three compressed primary-color signals by using a saturation compression ratio if a maximum level of at least one of the three compressed primary-color signals exceeds a first level. The saturation conversion section sets the saturation compression ratio by using a minimum level one of the three compressed primary-color signals.