Abstract: Provided is an ink cartridge, including: a flexible ink bag; a casing accommodating the ink bag; a plate, which is fixed to a surface of the ink bag and is capable of moving together with the ink bag, and has a pin protruding toward a side surface of the casing; a reflecting plate, for reflecting a detection light entered from an outside of the casing; a lever portion, having a base end side being rotatably attached to the side surface so that the lever portion slides on the side surface of the casing; a guide groove having a long hole shape, which is formed from a tip side toward the base end side of the lever portion in a size allowing insertion of a tip of the pin, and by which the pin is guided when the plate moves, in which the lever portion rotates as the plate moves due to the insertion of the pin into the guide groove, and causes, when the ink is used up, a nonreflecting plate to be positioned between the side surface of the casing and the reflecting plate so that the reflection of the detection light

Abstract: A print roll unit is provided for dispensing print media. The print roll unit includes an elongate core, in turn, including a plurality of ink supply containers. Each container contains a respective type of ink. 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 casing includes a pair of molded covers which can be fastened together in a releasable manner to encase the roll of print media. The casing defines a print media exit slot. A pair of pinch rollers is rotationally mounted to the casing, and is configured to feed print media from the former and out through the exit slot.

Abstract: A fluid cartridge includes a fluid container, with the fluid container having a fluid chamber configured to store a fluid, a first passage configured to supply a fluid from an interior of the fluid chamber to an exterior, a first flexible sheet portion with first and second surfaces, and a second flexible sheet portion with third and fourth surfaces. The first flexible sheet portion deforms when a pressure difference is greater than or equal to a first value, and the second flexible sheet portion deforms when a pressure difference is greater than or equal to a second value. The fluid cartridge may also be used in a fluid amount detection system, with a light emitting portion, and a light receiving portion, where the second flexible sheet reflects light so that the reflected light reaches the light receiving portion.

Abstract: A method of using a container for a phase change ink cartridge includes inserting the cartridge in the container, transporting the container with the inserted cartridge to an ink jet printer, taking the cartridge out of the container and operatively connecting the cartridge to the printer, and operatively connecting the container to the printer to enable collecting of waste ink produced by the printer in the container. A container for a phase change ink cartridge is also provided for use in a phase change ink jet printer. The container has an inner shape and an outer shape. The inner shape constitutes a fitting enclosure for the cartridge and the outer shape provides a profile for operatively engaging a matching profile of the ink jet printer hardware.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus that includes an intermediate transfer drum, a roller surface that applies a low-viscosity liquid to the imaging member to form an intermediate liquid transfer surface on the imaging member, and a printhead for jetting ink onto the intermediate transfer drum. The liquid has a viscosity lower than 50 centistoke for use as a transfer layer on an imaging member in an offset phase change ink jet printing device.

Abstract: A printer includes a body defining an internal cartridge docking space. A static pagewidth printhead extends across an end of the body and is configured to print upon print media. A removable printer cartridge stores a stack of print media and defines an ink supply reservoir. The printer cartridge is configured to be removed from and inserted into the docking space at the end of the body so that the printhead can be engaged in fluid communication with the ink supply reservoir. A feed mechanism is configured to feed print media from the stack and in line with the printhead during printing.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least an image recording step and an image erasing step, wherein a laser beam is parallel light and wherein the laser scanning speed for the peripheral region surrounding the central region of the optical axis of the laser beam is lower than the laser scanning speed for the central region, the laser output for the peripheral region is greater than the output for the central region, or an overlapping area between a laser irradiation area that corresponds to a peripheral region surrounding a central region of the optical axis of the laser beam and a nearby laser irradiation area is larger than an overlapping area between a laser irradiation area that corresponds to the central region and the nearby laser irradiation area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a label device for optical discs, which is capable of being installed into an optical disc device to form an image thereon. The label device includes a label layer and an adhesive. The label layer has a bottom surface on which the adhesive is formed. The label layer is configured to form the image via a writing unit. The label layer further includes a substrate and a label film for forming the image thereon. The label device is attached to a base or an optical disc by the adhesive so as to be installed into the optical disc device. The optical disc device is then utilized to form the image on the label film.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent degradation of image quality in a case where dot patterns for preventing the formation of image stripes are superimposed on respective developed images corresponding to image signals. Developed images are formed on a photosensitive drum using developers of respective different colors based on image information. The developed images formed on the photosensitive drum are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. For each of the developed images of the respective colors, a number of dot developed images which are minute dot-shaped images formed in a dispersed manner are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a plurality of light sources capable of emitting light. A detection unit detects a light quantity of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources. A control unit controls drive current of a light source designated as a control object based on a detection result obtained by the detection unit. The control unit controls the drive current based on an activation state of the light source designated as the control object and an activation state of a light source other than the control object.

Abstract: An apparatus for switching and controlling the intensity of a laser beam directed toward a beam detect sensor for an image forming device. A printing power reference signal and a beam detect power reference signal is selectively connected to a laser driver through a first switch. A printing power reference holding capacitor and a beam detect power reference holding capacitor is selectively connected to the laser driver through a second switch that is controlled in tandem with the first switch. During each scan cycle, the output laser power is monitored and used to adjust one of the two holding capacitors based such that both the printing power and the beam detect power have a controlled reference.

Abstract: An optical power control apparatus includes a changing unit which changes, a plurality of number of times, the value of a current flowing to an optical beam output apparatus, and an obtaining unit which obtains, in correspondence with each current value, a peripheral optical power representing an optical power at the peripheral part of the spot of the optical beam output from the optical beam output apparatus. The optical power control apparatus also includes a correction unit which corrects the peripheral optical power so that the peripheral optical power and a central optical power representing an optical power at the central part of the spot have an approximately linear relationship in correspondence with each current value. The optical power control apparatus also includes a control unit which controls the optical power of the optical beam output from the optical beam output apparatus in accordance with the corrected peripheral optical power.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes a plurality of light sources. A detection unit detects the light power of a light beam output from at least one of the plurality of light sources. A control unit controls the driving current of at least one selected light source on the basis of the detection result by the detection unit such that the light power of the selected light source equals a target light power. The light source is selected from the plurality of light sources on the basis of the light-emitting characteristic of each light source. The control unit controls, on the basis of the driving current of the selected light source, the driving currents of light sources which remain unselected in the plurality of light sources.

Abstract: In a pixel clock creation method and device, a high frequency clock is created. A scanning time needed to scan a predetermined scanning length is detected in accuracy of half a period of the high frequency clock to output a detection value indicating the detected scanning time. The detection value and a predetermined target value are compared to output a comparison result. A phase data is created based on the comparison result. A pixel clock whose phase is controlled based on both the high frequency clock and the phase data is created.

Abstract: A system and method for accelerating the rate at which a video call can be setup between two devices. When a video call is initiated for the first time between two mobile devices, information regarding what type of multiplex entries and logical channels are used for video calls between these devices is stored. This information is used when a second video call is established between these devices. In a second or other subsequent video call, a number of steps in the setup process can be skipped, as each device instead uses information obtained from the initial video call.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for activating a video function are disclosed. The apparatus detects a great number of communication interfaces by using a monitor module and compares their priorities pre-defined by a user. When one of the communication interfaces is opened or closed, only the one with the highest priority is allowed to use the video function. Therefore, the interferences caused by simultaneously opening the communication interfaces can be avoided, and the video unit is not required to be re-activated, so as to achieve the purpose of providing the user with an easy operation.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a first part and a second part separable from each other. If the first part and the second part are in a separated state, the first part applies image processing to image data and transmits the processed image data to the second part. If the first part and the second part are in a united state, the first part and a second part perform assigned roles for applying image processing to the image data.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for casting video and audio data to a web during video telephony in a mobile communication terminal are provided. The method includes sending a transmitting request message to a counterpart terminal, if a transmitting request menu is selected in a video telephony mode, sending authentication information to a server, if a transmitting accept message is received from the counterpart terminal, and transmitting video telephony data to the server, if an authentication complete message is received from the server.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in video mixing of multiple video sources compressed in one or more video codecs includes a bitstream unpacker configured to receive and unpack each of the multiple video sources to provide intermediate video parameters including transform-domain coefficients, frame header information, macroblock header information, and motion vector data. The apparatus also includes an intermediate coefficient buffer coupled to the bitstream unpacker and a decision module coupled to the bitstream unpacker. The apparatus further includes a transform-domain coefficient downscaling module coupled to the intermediate coefficient buffer, a motion vector refinement module coupled to the bitstream unpacker, and a bitstream packer coupled to the decision module, the transform-domain coefficient downscaling module, and the motion vector refinement module.

Abstract: A videoconferencing cluster system is described that has at least one cluster node server and a master server configured to communicate with the cluster node server and an outside client over a wide area network. Each cluster node server is configured to communicate with a plurality of cluster node clients and send and receive audio and video information to and from the cluster node clients. The cluster node servers are configured to send and receive audio and video information to and from the master server. The master server sends and receives the audio and video information to and from each of the cluster node servers and the outside client such that each user of each outside client and each cluster node client can see, hear, and interact with each other in real time.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for automatically setting up a communication event. A request for a communication event is registered with an automated agent. The automated agent determines an availability status of each participant in the communication event. The communication event is established.

Abstract: A conference adapter. In an illustrative embodiment, the conference adapter implements a method for interfacing one or more conference endpoints with one or more conference servers. The method includes registering an endpoint and a conference server to determine endpoint registration information associated with the endpoint and to determine conference-server registration information associated with the conference server. Next, the method includes receiving a connection from the endpoint and a connection from the conference server. Subsequently, the conference adapter establishes communications between the endpoint and the conference server as initiated by the endpoint and based on the endpoint registration information and the conference-server registration information.

Abstract: A video conference system for an enterprise facilitates conferences among participants governed by the policies of the enterprise and other participants. The system includes conference participant stations for use by governed participants and a gateway that facilitates linking through a remote network to conference participant stations used by those external to the enterprise. Further, the system may also include an enterprise network having a gateway to facilitate linking through a remote network to conference participant stations and to other enterprise networks. The system includes barriers to access to data and processes proprietary to the enterprise and external participant. A related method may invoke one of a paid, a prepaid or and unpaid video conferencing on a remote network.

Abstract: In particular, the present invention provides a method and system for conferencing, including the steps of connecting at least two sites to a conference, receiving at least two video signals and two audio signals from the connected sites, consecutively analyzing the audio data from the at least two sites connected in the conference by converting at least a part of the audio data to acoustical features and extracting keywords and speech parameters from the acoustical features using speech recognition, and comparing said extracted keywords to predefined words, then deciding if said extracted predefined keywords are to be considered a call for attention based on said speech parameters, and further, defining an image layout based on said decision, and processing the received video signals to provide a video signal according to the defined image layout, and transmitting the composite video signal to at least one of the at least two connected sites.

Abstract: A court appearance is conducted at a scheduled date and time where at least one attorney or other participant at a remote location appears before a court by video teleconference. The court and the remote participant communicate using video and audio conferencing equipment having the capability of displaying concurrently images of the court and the remote participant during the court appearance. This enables the court and the participant to hear and see video images each other during the court appearance. The operation of the conferencing equipment is initiated and terminated at the scheduled date and time of the court appearance.

Abstract: A video conferencing system includes a camera and a display within a room. The camera is directed towards participants in a foreground against a background. The room has lighting defining at least foreground luminance. The display defines maximum display luminance, and the display and flare of the room define minimum display luminance. The camera, the display, and/or the room are adapted to provide one or more of the following. First, that the maximum display luminance is greater than the foreground luminance but less than the foreground luminance times a first constant. Second, that the maximum display luminance is greater than the minimum display luminance by more than a second constant. Third, that illumination color of foreground images displayed on the display substantially match illumination color of the foreground. Fourth, that a color of background images displayed on the display substantially matches a color of the background.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stereo imaging system for use in telerobotic systems. A method of imaging a target site in a stereo imaging system is provided. The method typically includes capturing a right and a left optical image of the target site and transforming the right and the left optical images preferably into digital information. The method further includes converting the digital information into opposed images of the target site displayed on a stereo display of the stereo imaging system, one of the opposed images being associated with the right optical image and the other of the opposed images being associated with the left optical image. The method further includes regulating the digital information to cause the positions of the target site displayed on the opposed images to change relative to each other.

Abstract: The parallax-barrier type stereoscopic display apparatus is equipped with a light source module comprising a red (R) light source, a green (G) light source and a blue (B) light source, and a light diffusion plate for diffusing lights generated by said light source module.

Abstract: A sensing device includes: a video imager to obtain video of an area; a processing unit to receive and process the video from the video imager to identify one of an event or a datum of interest; and a communication channel to output a non-imagery signal representing the event or datum.

Abstract: A method, system and central monitoring station is provided for visual verification of an alarm system event in which image data corresponding to a plurality of images associated with the event is transmitted. The image data corresponding to the plurality of images is processed to create one or more processed images in which the one or more processed images are arranged to allow an operator to visually observe changes in the plurality of images. The one or more processed images are displayed.

Abstract: A communication system has a communication terminal and information processing device that can be mounted on a movable body. The information processing device includes a request transmission part that transmits to a communication terminal within a predetermined range a request signal, the request signal requesting the transmission of an image, through broadcast communication for transmitting information to a plurality of transmitting partners. The request signal contains a positional information indicative of a position. The communication terminal includes: an image shooting part that shoots an image around the communication terminal; a position acquisition part that obtains a position at which the image is shot; a recording part that associates and records the shot image and the position; and a receiving part that receives the request signal; and an image transmission part that transmits an image.

Abstract: An emulator of the type suitable to simulate connection of an intended device to another device in the absence of an actual connection therebetween. The emulator may be configured to simulate any number of connections, such as but not limited to printer port, display port, and scale port connection. The emulator may be used with any number of elements, such as but not limited to point of sale (POS) device. The emulator may be configured to receive data from the port, and optionally, to transmit the received data to remote locations, such as through network communications.

Abstract: A system and method are described for performing motion capture on a subject. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: mixing phosphorescent makeup with a makeup base; applying the mixture of phosphorescent makeup and makeup base to surface regions of a motion capture subject; strobing a light source on and off, the light source charging phosphor within the phosphorescent makeup when on; and strobing the shutters of a first plurality of cameras synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the phosphorescent makeup, wherein the shutters are open when the light source is off and the shutters are closed when the light source is on.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for calibrating video signals. One embodiment of a method for calibrating chrominance/luminance of a video signal for display on a display device includes receiving an uncalibrated video signal from a video source, calculating a correction necessary to calibrate the color of the uncalibrated video signal, using stored correction data, and applying the correction to produce a calibrated video signal in substantially real time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, present invention is a method and apparatus for automatically adjusting home theater display settings. One embodiment of a method for adjusting a setting of a home theater display includes receiving at least one measurement of the setting from a user and directing the user to adjust the setting in response to the received measurement(s), where the degree of the adjustment is determined in accordance with a perceptual scale.

Abstract: A video camera, building in a hard disk drive and an optical disk drive within the same housing, for dissolving a problem of increasing the temperature of hard disk drive due to heats generated within an inside of the main body thereof, comprises: an image pickup portion, which is configured to make photographing; a display portion 6, which is configured to display an image photographed; a hard disk drive 1 which is configured to record the image photographed therein; and an optical disk drive 9, which is configured to drive an optical disk being attached/detached, wherein the display portion 6, the optical disk drive 1, the hard disk 9 are disposed in that order, and the hard disk drive 1 is disposed on a cover portion to be opened when taking out the optical disk from the optical disk drive 9.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit 110, an analog shift register, and signal output units 131 and 132. The analog shift register is divided into a first transfer section 121 and a second transfer section 122 with a substantially central region of the analog shift register being set as a boundary. A common transfer section 123 is provided in the boundary between the first transfer section and the second transfer section. The common transfer section 123 selects, as a transfer path of signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit 110, either a first path through the first transfer section 121 or a second path through the second transfer section 122.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image signal transmission method in a network camera system, and more particularly, to a network camera system and an image signal transmission method in which a low resolution image formed by down-scaling a high resolution image photographed by a high resolution camera is displayed via a display means of a DVR system, and the high resolution image is compressed to be stored in a memory means of the DVR system, thereby preventing overload on the system that may occur due to compressing, transmitting, or decompressing a plurality of high resolution image signals.

Abstract: A zoom lens including a plurality of lens groups and varying magnification by changing a distance between lens groups, wherein a last lens group positioned on an image side closest thereto with a negative part group having negative refractive power and a positive part group arranged adjacent on the image side thereof and having positive refractive power, wherein the positive part group is shifted in a direction vertical to an optical axis to shift an image, and Equations (1) and (2) are satisfied, ?0.30<fgn/(Ngn·fT)<?0.05??(1) vgn?vgis>30??(2) where, fgn: focal length of the negative part group, Ngn: average refractive index of the negative part group, fT: focal length of the entire system at a telephoto end, vgn: composite Abbe number of the negative part group, and vgis: composite Abbe number of the positive part group.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus according to the present invention includes: an image sensing unit configured to sense an object image and output image signals; a shift amount detecting unit configured to detect a shift amount between two image signals, from the image signals that are sequentially output by the image sensing unit; an image signal synthesizing unit configured to sequentially synthesize the image signals based on detection results of the shift amount detecting unit, and generate a synthesized image signal that has been corrected by the shift amount; and a memory unit configured to accumulate the synthesized image signal, wherein the image signal synthesizing unit performs level adjustment of a signal level, the level adjustment varying for each area of the two image signals that are to be synthesized, and generates the synthesized image signal.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing element which photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an image capturing optical system, a camera shake correction lens which moves the object image relative to the image capturing element, a camera shake detection sensor which detects a camera shake, a driving unit which drives the camera shake correction lens on the basis of the output from the camera shake detection sensor and a predetermined offset amount that changes in every image capturing, and a control unit which acquires a plurality of object images.

Abstract: A network configuration file is generated at a host computer and downloaded to a digital camera. This file contains instruction information for communicating with a selected destination via a communications interface. The digital camera includes a “send” button or LCD icon which allows the user to easily transmit one or more images via a wired or wireless communications interface to a desired destination, which among other possibilities may be an Internet Service Provider or a digital photofinishing center. When the user selects this option, the communications port settings, user account specifics, and destination connection commands are read from the network configuration file on the removable memory card. Examples of these settings include serial port baud rate, parity, and stop bits, as well as account name and password.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup unit, a recording aunit configured to record moving image data on a recording medium and record still image data on the recording medium, a conversion unit configured to convert the still image data recorded on the recording medium into moving image data to generate converted moving image data, a conversion instruction unit configured to instruct generation of the converted moving image data at an arbitrary timing, a management unit configured to manage at least one piece of still image data recorded on the recording medium as one group when the instruction is generated by the conversion instruction unit, and a control unit configured to control the conversion unit to generate a plurality of pieces of converted moving image data, and control the recording unit to finalize the recording medium after the plurality of pieces of converted moving image data are recorded.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention is characterized by including; an input unit that inputs first color data; a first color converting unit that converts the first color data into a black single color data; a second color converting unit that converts the first color data into second color data; a brightness correcting unit that corrects brightness of the black single color data such that brightness of the black single color data converted by the first color converting unit is equal to brightness of the second color data converted by the second color converting unit; and an image forming unit that prints image data on a recording medium. According to the image forming apparatus, in the image forming apparatus that uses both color conversion processing and black conversion processing, even if image data continuously changes from a chromatic color to an achromatic color, it is possible to reduce “brightness discontinuity”.

Abstract: There is provided a CMOS imager system for providing a viewable image having increased dynamic range including an image sensor including a number of sets of pixels. Each set of pixels is configured to receive one of a number of exposures and to generate image data corresponding to the received exposure in the interleaved mode. The image sensor is configured to operate in either an interleaved mode or a non-interleaved mode and to output the image data generated by each set of pixels as a frame of interleaved image data in the interleaved mode. The imager system further includes an interleaved image pipeline in communication with the image sensor, where the interleaved image pipeline is configured to receive the interleaved image data from the image sensor, combine the image data generated by each set of pixels corresponding to one of the exposures to form the viewable image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for capturing an image, including: imaging means for capturing an image by subjecting an incoming light to photoelectric conversion; operation means for being operated by a user; adding image generation means for adding, while the operation means is being operated, an image captured by the imaging means with an exposure time not long enough for correct exposure, and generating an adding image; and recording control means for recording the adding image to a recording medium when the operation means is stopped for operation.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a face detecting unit detecting a face region from an input image input to the imaging apparatus and a control unit calculating a distance to a subject on the basis of the face size detected by the face detection unit and displaying distance identification information indicating a distance corresponding to the calculated distance in a display unit.

Abstract: The image input device for processing an imaging signal outputted from a solid-state imaging device for imaging a subject includes: first and second noise reduction sections for performing signal processing for removing or reducing a noise signal contained in the imaging signal; an illumination color temperature measurement section for measuring the illumination color temperature of the subject using the output signal of the second noise reduction section; and a YC processing section for processing an imaging signal outputted from the first noise reduction section based on a supplied video processing correction parameter that is generated based on the measured result from the illumination color temperature measurement section.

Abstract: A white balancing detecting method, medium, and system. The white balancing method includes setting an illuminant detection region of an input image in accordance with an exposure integration time indicative of a collected amount of light when the image is taken, and detecting an illuminant by using data contained in the illuminant detection region in a color gamut of the image.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to integrate and simplify a communication interface, and to attain a size reduction of a camera housing and a cost reduction. To accomplish this, a digital camera transfers a control signal that controls the operation of at least one strobe device, and an image signal output from an image sensing means via a single USB cable. Upon making an image sensing operation that requires strobe emission of the strobe device, transfer of the image signal is suspended, and a control signal for the strobe device is preferentially transferred.