Abstract: An information recording apparatus includes a recording medium receiver to receive a recording medium whereon information may be recorded by the apparatus and a non-volatile memory to store management information about the recording medium provided in the recording medium receiver. The management information provides information about whether or not data can be recorded on the recording medium.

Abstract: A lens apparatus is disclosed, which is capable of keeping the engagement of a protruding portion of a first member and a cam groove portion of a second member even if an external force acts on the apparatus. The lens apparatus comprises: a first member including first and second protruding portions; and a second member including a first groove portion with which the first protruding portion engages, and a second groove portion into which the second protruding portion is inserted. The second protruding portion and the second groove portion are away from each other in a case where the first and second members are located in a specified positional relationship, and come into contact with each other in a case where the first and second members are located in another positional relationship.

Abstract: An optical system is provided for allowing regional focus control. The system uses a variable power optical component system as two optical shear plates that can be laterally displaced with respect to each other to adjust and alter the field curvature of the optical system. This changing of the field curvature creates an area of focus whose particular size and shape within the field of view is controlled through manipulation of the shear plates with respect to each other and the field of view. The area of focus can be repositioned to any point within the field of view so that the area of focus can affect the image light coinciding with that particular region. The shear plates are preferably positioned at the intermediate focal plane of the optical system, between the camera body and the taking lens. The image which has been altered, by the shear plates is then transposed to the camera body by a relay lens and recorded by film at the primary film plane located within the camera body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a camera system, which can simplify an ordering procedure. An IC memory comprising a contactless interface is mounted on a camera, or an image recording medium, such as memory card or film. In a case where a customer has carried the camera to a photo lab, image data is read out of the memory card or is acquired by reading the developed film, by an image data acquisition component. Moreover, individual information, order information, account information, and the like, are read out of the IC memory over wireless communication by a reader and writer and are affixed to the image data, whereupon the resulting image data is stored in a database.

Abstract: An eyepiece includes, in order from the object side, a first lens with positive power, a second lens with positive power, and a third lens with negative power. The first lens is a positive meniscus lens with a convex surface facing the object side, and the eyepiece fails to have a fourth lens. The eyepiece satisfies the following conditions: 0.6<f1/f<1.2 ?2.0<f1-2/f3<?1.0 ?0.45<f3/f<?0.25 where f1 is the focal length of the first lens; f1-2 is a combined focal length of the first and second lenses and is a focal length where a diopter is ?1 m?1 when the focal length of the eyepiece is changed; f3 is the focal length of the third lens; and f is the focal length of the entire system of the eyepiece and is a focal length where a diopter is ?1 m?1 when the focal length of the eyepiece is changed.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to producing optical pulses for use on a transmission link. A light source is configured to produce an optical signal. A pulse generator is coupled to the light source. The pulse generator is configured to receive, for a first channel, the optical signal and a clock signal. The pulse generator is also configured to modify the optical signal based on the clock signal to produce an optical pulse having a predetermined pulse shape. The clock signal is associated with the predetermined pulse shape. The predetermined pulse shape being based on a transmission characteristic of the transmission link.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for monitoring optical signal-to-noise ratio are provided. It can be applied in dense wavelength-division multiplexed networks to monitor the transmission quality of each optical channel. The apparatus comprises an optical circulator, a tunable optical filter, a dithering signal, a dithered reflector, and two photodiodes. It can be integrated on a single chip. The invention utilizes the dithering and reflection functions of the dithered reflector, and passes the signal and the noise through the tunable optical filter once and twice, respectively. When the tunable optical filter is scanning and filtering the whole spectrum, the signal and noise powers are measured by the two photodiodes, respectively. The OSNR for each optical channel is then calculated according to the signal and noise powers. It can monitor channel location, wavelength drift, and OSNR by including a wavelength locker to act as an optical channel analyzer.

Abstract: A method for powering up an optical network is provided. The method comprises remotely and safely increasing power to optical links in the optical network while monitoring signal levels in the network to discover installation errors, incorrect equipment configuration, and faulty components. In a modification to the method, attenuations of optical attenuators and gain values of optical amplifiers are set. The methods for powering up the optical network of the embodiments of the invention apply to both new optical networks and to new optical links added to pre-existing optical networks.

Abstract: A method of controlling behavior of an element in a passive optical network (PON) is provided. The method includes (i) issuing a message from a first PON element to a second PON element to cause the second PON element to enter or maintain a state of upstream communications, the state of upstream communications having an enabled state or a disabled state, (ii) ranging the second PON element by the first PON element if the state of upstream communications of the second PON element is in the enabled state, and (iii) bypassing the ranging of the second PON element if the state of upstream communications of the second PON element is in the disabled state.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively adjusting power levels of component signals of a wavelength division multiplexed signal. The apparatus comprises a first filter and a second filter. The first filter modulates the component signals according to a static attenuation profile, thereby providing coarsely modulated component signals. The second filter is coupled to the first filter to receive the coarsely modulated component signals and to modulate the coarsely modulated component signals according to a dynamic attenuation profile, thereby providing finely modulated component signals.

Abstract: Optical signal transmission is improved by reducing the variance in light output level and OSNR by adjusting optical signal intensity and gain tilt, taking SRS influence into consideration.

Abstract: A technique for synchronizing the servo control systems between two optical wireless links (OWLs) that are in communication with one another. This synchronization allows the alignment in time of the various tasks to be assigned in a desired time period. The synchronization is not intended to synchronize the two OWLs down to the processor clock level, but rather at the servo sampling level, preferably to within a few percent of the servo sampling time. This synchronization may be advantageous in improving processor efficiency and control loop performance, and or improving system calibrations.

Abstract: An optical acoustoelectric transducer having a directivity pattern like a better 8 by receiving by a light-receiving element a reflected fraction of the light from a light-emitting device disposed at the center of a bottom plate that is parallel to a diaphragm, has an opening through which an acoustic wave enters, and is connected to supporting side plates. An optical acoustoelectric transducer having uniform amplitude characteristics in a wide frequency range by mixing by a mixer circuit the outputs of a plurality of optical microphones having diaphragms of mutually different thicknesses so as to make the receiving sensitivity uniform in different frequency ranges. A directional optical acoustoelectric transducer having a small size and wide band characteristics by arranging a plurality of light-emitting devices (LD) and a plurality of light-receiving elements (PD) corresponding to a plurality of diaphragms arranged parallel.

Abstract: This application describes optical monitoring devices and applications in optical systems for monitoring various optical parameters of light, including the signal to noise ratio, the degree of polarization, and the differential group delay (DGD).

Abstract: The invention provides an optical signal transmitter low in noise and in distortion and provides an optical signal transmission system using this optical signal transmitter. The optical signal transmitter includes a plurality of frequency modulation means for distributing an electric signal into a plurality of electric signals and applying frequency modulation to the distributed electric signals to output and a multiplexing mean for multiplexing a plurality of signals output from the plurality of frequency modulation means and outputting a multiplexed signal. The plurality of frequency modulation means are set to be substantially equal to each other in frequency deviation and in intermediate frequency and to be substantially identical to each other in the phase of each output.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed that, when falling in failures possibly being fixable by switching off/on electric power, is able to be automatically and appropriately rebooted and does not involve disagreement in counts of different counters used for management actions in the course of rebooting process. The image processing apparatus, which has hardware resources used for image formation and programs used for controlling the image formation, includes a failure detection unit to detect a rebooting failure from type A or D failures which are possibly fixable by switching off/on electric power of the image processing apparatus, and a reboot unit to reboot the hardware resources and the programs. The image processing apparatus may further include an operation halting unit to halt operations of the hardware resources and the programs when the rebooting failure is detected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image formation portion for forming a toner image on a sheet, and a fixation device for fixing the toner image formed by the image formation portion on the sheet. When a sheet jam occurs, it is controlled whether the fixation device should be driven such that the sheet is discharged from the fixation device based on a sheet type.

Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, with the image forming apparatus including a remaining amount detecting portion for detecting an amount of remaining developer by receiving light from a light emitting portion by a light receiving portion. The developer supply container includes a container body for containing a developer. The developer supply container also includes a light guiding member including an incident portion for receiving light from the light emitting portion and for guiding the light into the container body, an emergent portion for guiding the light having passed through the container body toward the light receiving portion, and a connecting portion connecting the incident portion and the emergent portion.

Abstract: In a printing machine having at least one transfer device driven in response to an electrical signal and operable to transfer a medium onto a sheet, a method of controlling the magnitude of the electrical signal driving the transfer device comprises assigning a magnitude of the electrical signal for driving the transfer device to each of at least two transfer stress conditions, evaluating at least one operating parameter of the printing machine relative to a corresponding pre-determined threshold value, selecting one of the at least two transfer stress conditions based on the evaluation of the at least one operating parameter, and applying the magnitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the selected stress condition to the electrically-driven transfer device. The operating parameters may include environmental parameters, such as altitude and humidity, sheet properties, such as paper weight, and machine parameters, such as transfer device life.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that enables the occurrence of print defects due to a first print start time delay to be eliminated without using a temperature sensor that has a small thermal time constant. When the temperature of a fixing belt serving as an image heating body is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature following the elapse of a fixed time after an image forming operation is started, recording paper is transported to a nip area (fixing area) of a fixing apparatus before the temperature detected by a temperature sensor reaches a predetermined image fixing temperature, and an image forming operation is started immediately.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device for fixing a toner image formed on paper by sandwiching the paper in a nip region between a heating roller and a pressing roller and pressing the paper while heating the paper to a fixing temperature. This fixing device includes a cleaning roller that is in contact with the pressing roller, and temperature control means that sets a temperature of the heating roller to a cleaning temperature that is higher than the fixing temperature.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus serves to raise a temperature of fusing section (22) only when an operational item received from operation panel section (3) is determined that an image printing is required. The image forming apparatus includes scanner section (1) for outputting an image data upon reading out an image on a text, image forming section (21) for forming an image on a predetermined print medium based on the image data, fusing section (22) for fusing thus formed image on the predetermined print medium at a prescribed fusing temperature, print requirement determination section (25) for determining as to whether or not an input of a specific operational item received from operation panel section (3) requires an image printing thereof, in which fusing temperature controlling section (23) serves to control a temperature rise of fusing section (22) on the basis of the determination by print requirement determination section (25) that the image printing is required.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a document conveying section that reversely conveys documents such that a front side and back side of the documents pass through a reading position, an image reading section for reading images on the documents conveyed to the reading position and generating image data, an image forming section for forming images on recording media, according to the image data, an input section for inputting designation whether the images are to be formed on both sides or on one side of the recording media, and a control section for controlling image reading by the image reading section and image forming by the image forming section, wherein the control section controls the image forming section to form an image according to image data in a condition where a single job includes both single-sided and double-sided image recording, correspondingly to the designation inputted via the input section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which uses a plurality of heat-fixing devices, and secures a fixing property and a high quality of image and on the other hand, suppresses electric power consumption and further, curtails the number of parts, and gives consideration to an environment and realizes a lower cost. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion which forms a toner image on a recording medium, and first and second fixing devices which heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording medium, and an exhaust heat route from the first fixing device passes via the second fixing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of rollers including at least one drive roller to be rotatively driven; a belt passed around the plurality of rollers; and a press member which is disposed opposite the drive roller with the belt interposed therebetween and presses the belt against the drive roller.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus may include a developing unit installed above a photosensitive drum, a pickup roller installed above a photosensitive drum to draw a sheet of paper from a paper feed cassette, and a paper transportation path extended below from the pickup roller. An exposure unit and the paper transportation path are installed in rear and front sides of a housing, respectively, to interpose the developing unit therebetween. The developing unit includes a developing roller and a toner container extended above from a front end of a bottom of the housing, the toner container having a height longer than a width.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes: process printing units each having a photoreceptor drum; a transfer belt to which toner images are transferred; a transfer roller for transferring, as a whole, the toner images on the transfer belt to recording paper; a cleaning unit for collecting the remaining developers that have been left over on the photoreceptor drums and the transfer belt, is constructed such that a positioning sub-frame which is set with a developer collecting container for storing the collected developers and positions the process printing units relative to the housing, on one side of the apparatus body is removably attached to the housing.

Abstract: A process cartridge of the present invention includes a photoconductive member with a rotatable axis, a cleaning member to contact on the photoconductive member, and plates to support both ends of the rotatable axis of the photoconductive member. The plates further support the supporting member, so that the process cartridge is improved accuracy between the photoconductive member and the cleaning member. Further, an image forming apparatus of the present invention can mount the same process cartridge inside.

Abstract: A sheet conveying unit that guides and conveys a sheet material by a lower conveying guide includes an opening in the lower conveying guide, a brush-like member on a downstream side of the opening to scrap off paper dust adhered on a surface of a sheet material. A sheet detecting unit controls operation of the brush-like member.

Abstract: A toner image formed on a photosensitive drum 12a in an image forming unit 12 is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt 11. The toner image of the intermediate transfer belt is transferred onto recording paper by a transfer roller 15, and a paper transport path 18 is defined by an image forming device main body and a lateral cover 20 turnably mounted on the image forming device main body 20. When in a protected position, a cover member 19 protects the intermediate transfer belt at a position corresponding to a nip between the intermediate transfer belt and a transfer unit, while when in a withdrawn position, the cover member 19 guides the recording paper. An interlocking mechanism, moving in response to the turning of the lateral cover, places the cover member at the protected position when the lateral cover is open, and places the cover member at the withdrawn position when the lateral cover is closed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus for lowering friction coefficient and lowering surface energy of photoconductor surface in particular, which comprises an electrophotographic photoconductor, charging unit, light exposure unit, developing unit, transferring unit, and fixing unit, the electrophotographic photoconductor comprises a photosensitive layer on a conductive support and fluoropolymer fine particles at the outermost layer, a part of the fluoropolymer fine particles are exposed above the surface of the outermost layer in configurations of primary particles and secondary particles formed by flocculation of plural primary particles, and sum of area ratios of particles in the configurations of the primary particles and the secondary particles, each particles having an average diameter D of 0.15 ?m?D?3.

Abstract: A developing apparatus of this invention includes development units each including a developing powder accommodating unit for accommodating developing powder, a screw which agitates and conveys developing powder and a developing powder bearing member which bears developing powder to develop an image and a developing powder supply unit which supplies developing powder to the developing powder accommodating unit and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member at a development position. The developing powder supply unit supplies developing powder to a lower area than a screw in the vertical direction of the developing powder accommodating unit in the time the development unit has been in the developing position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising: an exposing means and a developing means. The developing means comprises a plurality of developing devices, a rotating member rotatable while supporting the plurality of the developing devices, and a driving means for the rotation drive of the rotating member for selectively moving the plurality of the developing devices to the developing position such that the driving means transmits driving force to the rotating member via a gear at a drive transmitting position. An angle ?e(°) formed by a straight line linking the rotation center of the rotating member and the drive transmitting position and the tangent of the image bearing member at an exposing position in the image bearing member moving direction satisfies the following relationship with the premise that an pressure angle of the gear is ?(°) and the image bearing member rotating direction is positive:????e??.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus collects toner remaining on a photoconductive drum after a toner image is transferred to paper, and collects the impurities (paper dust) included in the toner collected in an image forming apparatus which reuses the collected toner by a mixer provided in a developer container. An auxiliary collecting member is provided in a gap between first feed blades and second feed blades in an impurity collector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus to be provided in a quick start up electrophotographic image forming apparatus that can efficiently prevent generation of unevenness by a screw pitch in a short period of time. The developing apparatus rotates a developer transporting screw so as to transport and supply a developer to a developer bearing member, and develops a latent image formed on an image bearing member by the developer. The developer transporting screw includes a vane winding around a rotation shaft in a spiral form. A vane surface on other side of a developer transport direction of the vane includes two planes having different angles with a rotational center line of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: A coupling member to be engaged by snap hooking with an engaging hole provided to a driving portion of a main assembly of an image forming apparatus is provided with a snap hook portion at an entire peripheral surface thereof so as to prevent idle running at the time of start of rotation of the driving portion to obviate an impingement shock when the coupling member is caused to impinges on a rib provided to the driving portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a photoconductive drum to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a predetermined image by a laser beam scanned after being electrified to a predetermined electric potential, and a developing roller to rotate together with the photoconductive drum having a developing gap therebetween and to transfer a developer, which is a mixture of a toner and a carrier, to the photoconductive drum to form a toner image on the electrostatic latent image, wherein a linear velocity ratio of a linear velocity of the developing roller to a linear velocity of the photoconductive drum is provided at a predetermined ratio, which provides maximum quality of the toner image.

Abstract: A first transfer unit having a monochrome image frame in which a monochrome image primary transfer roller is supported, and a second transfer unit having a color image frame in which a plurality of color image primary transfer rollers are supported, are linked such that they can swing at a rotating shaft of a first rotating cam and a second rotating cam.

Abstract: When conducting a color-shift-correcting mode using a registration mark formed by the image forming section on an image carrier, the image detecting section outputs the image detection signal representing the line width of the registration mark and the control section calculates the line width of the registration mark from the image detection signal. The control section compares a line width of the registration mark with a predetermined reference value of the line width to discriminate between abnormality and normality. If normality, the control section continues the color-shift-correcting mode and if abnormality the control section conducts the image forming system restoration mode after stopping the execution of the color-shift-correcting mode. Therefore, even in the case where a white spot is generated for some reasons on the registration mark, the color-shift-correcting mode can be conducted on the normal registration mark with the help of the image forming system restoration mode.

Abstract: A belt unit includes an endless belt and a cleaning member. The endless belt has a value of ten-point height of roughness Rz not larger than 0.2 ?m, a value of shininess not less than 100, a creep not larger than 0.03%. The cleaning member is in contact with said endless belt and removes foreign matter adhering to said endless belt. The belt unit may be applied to an image forming apparatus either of direct transfer type and intermediate transfer type.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes (a) an openable and closable cover, (b) a fixing unit, and (c) a press-contact releasing member. The fixing unit has a first roller, a second roller that can be pressed in contact against the first roller, and a retaining member adapted to retain a state in which the press-contact of the second roller against the first roller has been released by the press-contact releasing member. The fixing unit is attachable/detachable to/from a body of the image forming apparatus. The fixing unit is adapted to fix a developer image, which is formed on a medium that is pinched between the first roller and the second roller being pressed in contact against the first roller via the medium, onto that medium in a state where the cover is closed. The press-contact releasing member is adapted to release the press-contact of the second roller against the first roller in conjunction with an opening movement of the cover.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable heating member configured to heat an image on a recording medium at a nip, driving means configured to drive the heating member, an endless belt configured to form the nip with the heating member, and a driving roller configured to drive the endless belt. In the image heating apparatus, the following expressions are satisfied: ?2<?1 0.005<?2<0.3 V1<V2 where ?2 is a friction coefficient between the endless belt and the driving roller, ?1 is a friction coefficient between the heating member and the endless belt, V1 is a peripheral speed of the heating member, and V2 is a peripheral speed of the driving roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating an image on a recording material at a nip; an endless belt cooperative with the heating rotatable member to form the nip; a pressing pad for pressing the belt at the nip; and a lubricant application member for applying a lubricant on an inner surface of the belt, wherein the lubricant application member is away from the belt when the belt is at a position retracted from a position where an image heating operation of the apparatus is capable.

Abstract: A cleaning blade for removing residual toner left on the surface of an intermediate transfer belt after the second transfer is supported integrally with movement of a tension roller. In the case where the tension roller moves to make a tension of the intermediate transfer belt constant, then, following this, the cleaning blade moves. Thus, the contact state of the cleaning blade with respect to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt is kept constant, and thus cleaning of the intermediate transfer belt can be performed stably.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charger for charging the image bearing member; a light irradiating device for irradiating the charged image bearing member to form an electrostatic image; a developing device for developing the electrostatic image to form a toner image; a primary transfer device for transferring the toner image to an intermediate transfer medium; a secondary transfer device for transferring the toner image to a receiver; a first cleaning device for cleaning the image bearing member; a second cleaning device for cleaning the intermediate transfer medium; a first lubricant applicator for applying a first lubricant to the image bearing member; and a second lubricant applicator for applying a second lubricant to the intermediate transfer medium such that the surface has a second static friction coefficient higher than the first static friction coefficient.

Abstract: A feeding device to be incorporated in an image reading apparatus, including: (a) a feed-path definer defining a feed path along which an original is fed from a supply portion to an exit portion via a reading position, such that the fed original is brought into contact with an original supporting surface of an image reader in the reading position, whereby the image is read by the image reader; (b) a presser biased toward the original supporting surface and having a contact surface which is to be held in contact with the original or the original supporting surface; (c) a downstream-side feeder disposed on a downstream side of the presser and distant from a plane containing the original supporting surface, so that the original takes an inclined posture while bridging between the presser and the downstream-side feeder; and (d) a presser-displacement preventer disposed between the presser and the downstream-side feeder, for preventing displacement of the presser in a direction away from the original supporting su

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image forming device for forming an image on a recording material, a fixing member for fixing the image formed on the recording material in a fixing nip, and a pressure member brought into pressure contact with the fixing member to form the fixing nip, the hardness of the pressure member being smaller than the hardness of the fixing member, wherein the image forming apparatus is operable in a mode for inserting the recording material into the fixing nip so that the image forming surface of the recording material is brought into contact with the pressure member, and subjecting the recording material to a preheating process, and then forming the image.

Abstract: A power system flexibly distributes power among phased array antenna apertures of a satellite (or other type of platform). By allocating the power provided by a power source among the apertures, if one aperture is not providing useful coverage (due to orientation, light traffic volume, aperture operating frequency and/or polarization, etc.), power being supplied to that aperture may be reallocated to one or more other apertures that are providing useful coverage. To flexibly allocate power among the apertures, power amplifiers and attenuators associated with each antenna element are adjusted to provide a wide range of RF output powers with high efficiency at all output power levels. By increasing power allocation efficiency, the size of the satellite power source may be reduced while appropriate power is still provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for receiving a signal in a MIMO communication system are provided. In the signal receiving method, a first received signal received at each of the receive antennas is equalized in a predetermined first method. Each of the equalized transmit antenna signals is despread with a plurality of spreading codes used in a transmitter. The strongest transmit antenna signal is detected among the despread transmit antenna signals, and decoded in a predetermined second method, for error verification. The verified strongest transmit antenna signal is reproduced as an interference signal. A second received signal is generated by subtracting the interference signal from the first received signal and equalized in the first method. The above operation is repeated on the equalized transmit antenna signals except the strongest transmit antenna signal.

Abstract: An exciter system (1, 2) able to communicate information between an exciter unit (10) and one or more remote units (12) or between multiple exciter units (10). The exciter units (10) may include wireless type exciter devices, such as optimum exciters (14), or they may include wired equivalent type exciter devices, such as direct connect exciters (16). The exciter devices (14, 16) inject or extract RF currents (24) in the metallic framework (22) of a vehicle. The remote units (12) couple electromagnetic fields (26) with the metallic framework (22) of the vehicle. The information is exchanged with the exciter devices (14, 16) by communications equipment (20) that modulates or demodulates the RF currents (24) and/or electromagnetic fields (26) with the information. As the RF currents (24) and/or electromagnetic fields (26) reach everywhere within, on and in close proximity to the vehicle the information is communicated throughout.