Patents Issued in September 25, 2008
  • Publication number: 20080231619
    Abstract: A apparatus and method for driving a liquid crystal display that minimizes the generation of electro-magnetic interference (EMI) in a cost effective manner includes a gate control signal generator that generates a gate control signal using a externally inputted synchronizing signal, a data control signal generator that generates a data control signal using the synchronizing signal, a data aligner that re-aligns externally inputted video data, a plurality of buffers at output terminals of the gate control signal generator, the data control signal generator and the data aligner, and a control unit that applies control signals to the buffers to control current values of signals outputted by the buffers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Jong Sang Baek, Sun Young Kwon
  • Publication number: 20080231620
    Abstract: A display device comprising an array of pixels, with gates of thin film transistors of the pixels in a row connected to a row conductor. Row driver circuitry provides row address signals for controlling the switching of the transistors of the pixels of the row including an ON gate voltage and an OFF gate voltage. Control circuitry shifts the ON gate voltage and the OFF gate voltage in dependence on drive and/or environmental conditions such as temperature and/or refresh rate. The control circuitry maintains a constant difference between the ON gate voltage and the OFF gate voltage. This allows the gap between the on and off voltages to be reduced, which results in power savings. The kickback voltage is kept constant so that kickback compensation is kept simple.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: TPO Hong Kong Holding Limited
    Inventors: Jason R. Hector, Martinus P. Creusen
  • Publication number: 20080231621
    Abstract: A light source driving device for driving a plurality of light-emitting units includes a power supply unit and a feedback control unit. The power supply unit is electrically connected to the light-emitting units and outputs a driving signal for driving the light-emitting units. The feedback control unit is electrically connected to the power supply unit and between any two light-emitting units, and retrieves a feedback signal from the light-emitting units to generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for controlling the light-emitting units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Yu-Ching CHANG, Jyun-Hong CHEN
  • Publication number: 20080231622
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a high reliable display device which can suppress the generation of high electric field near the drain of the transistor used as a switching element and a driving method thereof. A relaxation time when charge is stored in the display element of the pixel and other capacitors connected to the display element in parallel is focused on, and the voltage applied between the source and the drain of the transistor in the writing period is suppressed by changing the video signal applied to the signal line step by step and finally setting it at the desired level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Tatsuya Honda
  • Publication number: 20080231623
    Abstract: Provided are a method of driving a liquid crystal panel using self-masking, a masking circuit for performing the method, and asymmetric latches. The method includes supplying power to the liquid crystal panel; receiving a horizontal start pulse signal instructing source lines of the liquid crystal panel to be driven, from a timing controller; generating a horizontal start masking signal by masking at least one pulse of the horizontal start pulse signal; and driving the source lines in response to the horizontal start masking signal. The horizontal start masking signal turns off the switches until signals output from the source driver, which correspond to image data of the liquid crystal panel, are supplied. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent unknown image data from being displayed on the liquid crystal display when the liquid crystal panel is powered on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-hong Ko
  • Publication number: 20080231624
    Abstract: A method and system for calculating an overdrive parameter for a liquid crystal within an LCD device to compensate for temperature variations. An example system includes a temperature sensor for measuring an ambient temperature near a liquid crystal and a memory for storing a lookup table containing a plurality of overdrive parameters. Each overdrive parameter corresponds to a graylevel transition between a previous frame and a current frame, and represents a level at which a liquid crystal is driven in order to achieve a desired response time for the graylevel transition at a reference temperature. A processor extracts the appropriate overdrive parameter from the lookup and calculates an adapted overdrive parameter that adjusts for the difference between the measured ambient temperature and the reference temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Eunice Poon
  • Publication number: 20080231625
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including a pixel array section and a drive section. The pixel array section has power supply lines, scan lines arranged in row, signal lines arranged in column, and pixels arranged in matrix at intersections of each of the scan lines and each of the signal lines. The drive transistor is connected at one of a pair of current terminals to the light emitting device and at the other of the pair of current terminals to the power supply line. The drive section supplies a control signal to each scan line and a video signal to each signal line to drive each pixel, executing a threshold voltage correcting operation, a write operation, and a light emitting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Minami, Masatsugu Tomida, Yukihito Iida, Katsuhide Uchino
  • Publication number: 20080231626
    Abstract: Virtual reality experiences are provided (101 and 102) for a first participant and a second participant. A virtual representation of the second participant's interaction with the shared experience is rendered (103) for the first participant. Similarly, a virtual representation of the second participant's interaction with the shared experience is rendered (104) for the second participant. Upon detecting (105) an interaction between the second participant and a shared virtual component, the virtual representation for the first participant of the second participant's interaction with the shared experience is rendered (106) as though the interaction between the second participant and the shared virtual component had not occurred notwithstanding that the rendering as provided to the second participant does reflect and incorporate that interaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Magdi A. Mohamed, Eric R. Buhrke, Julius S. Gyorfi
  • Publication number: 20080231627
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide use ray-tracing to simulate vision for a artificial intelligence controlled character within a three-dimensional scene. According to one embodiment of the invention, an artificial intelligence system may cast rays into the three-dimensional scene from a viewpoint of the character and may perform ray-tracing with the rays to determine if objects are within a field of view of the character. Furthermore, according to embodiments of the invention, the artificial intelligence system may determine behavior for the character based on whether or not objects are within the field of view, and may determine the behavior for the character based on the objects which are within the field of view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Robert Allen Shearer
  • Publication number: 20080231628
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus to use ray-tracing to perform artificial intelligence path-finding. Embodiments of the invention may cast a ray into a three-dimensional scene to determine a path from a starting point to an ending point. The ray may have a trajectory which originates at the starting point and proceeds towards the ending point. The artificial intelligence system may perform ray-tracing using a spatial index to determine if the ray intersects any objects within the three-dimensional scene. If the ray reaches the ending point without intersecting any objects, the path of the ray from the starting point to the ending point is the determined path. However, if the ray intersects an object, the artificial intelligence system may cast additional rays into the three-dimensional scene and perform ray tracing with the additional rays to determine a path from the start point to the end point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Robert Allen Shearer
  • Publication number: 20080231629
    Abstract: A method and system of representing geometrical layout design data having a plurality of polygons in electronic design systems is provided. The method includes extracting topological characteristics data corresponding to one or more polygons to form one or more virtual topological polygon. Each virtual polygon is represented by Scan order (SO), with SO corresponding to order in which the vertices of polygon are encountered by a sweep line moving in predefined direction with a predefined angular orientation. The method further includes determining dimensional data corresponding to each polygon to form one or more sized polygons using one or more virtual topological polygon. Thereafter, the spatial data corresponding to each sized polygon is extracted to instantiate each sized polygon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Ravi R. Pai
  • Publication number: 20080231630
    Abstract: A method for presenting a perspective view of a real urban environment, augmented with associated geo-coded content, and presented on a display of a terminal device. The method comprises the steps of: connecting the terminal device to a server via a network; communicating user identification, user present-position information and at least one user command, from the terminal device to the server; processing a high-fidelity, large-scale, three-dimensional (3D) model of an urban environment, and associated geo-coded content by the server; communicating the 3D model and associated geo-coded content from said server to said terminal device, and processing said data layers and said associated geo-coded content, in the terminal device to form a perspective view of the real urban environment augmented with the associated geo-coded content. The 3D model comprises a data layer of 3D building models; a data layer of terrain skin model; and a data layer of 3D street-level-culture models.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Victor Shenkar, Alexander Harari
  • Publication number: 20080231631
    Abstract: In an image processing method of determining the positional relationship among virtual objects in virtual space and generating a virtual shadow of the virtual objects, a plurality of virtual objects are rendered in a first plane to which a first axis passing through a virtual light source is normal, and the positional relationship among the plurality of virtual objects is determined based upon the result of rendering acquired. Shadow information of the plurality of virtual objects is generated using the result of acquired rendering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Dai Matsumura, Yasuo Katano
  • Publication number: 20080231632
    Abstract: A multi-dimensional volume data set is rendered into a resulting image by acquiring image data and filtering the image data to provide filtered image data comprising substantially only image data contributing to the resulting image prior to applying at least one of a group including an interpolation calculation, a classification calculation, an illumination calculation, and a gradient calculation. Such a process can be performed by having a filter circuit operatively coupled to an image data memory buffer circuit to filter image data received from the image data memory buffer circuit to provide substantially only samples that contribute to the resulting image. Portions of the image rendering process including a classification calculation, an interpolation calculation, and filtering of the image data may be performed in least in part, in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Sulatycke
  • Publication number: 20080231633
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems and computer program code (software) products for terminating spatial partition hierarchies and other hierarchies by a priori bounding, thereby to provide, among other aspects, more efficient ray tracing in computer graphics systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Alexander Keller, Carsten Waechter
  • Publication number: 20080231634
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a method for changing the display of a function on a flight deck display having a plurality of non-overlapping display regions comprises the steps of, receiving a first input that identifies the function, receiving a second input that identifies a first display region of the plurality of non-overlapping display regions, and displaying at least a portion of the first function using the first display region in response to receiving the first input and receiving the second input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mike G. Gyde, Michael J. Stewart
  • Publication number: 20080231635
    Abstract: A method and process provides structure recognition to a node-link diagram formed by a plurality of digital ink strokes drawn on a canvas of an electronic device by an input device. The method and process include grouping related strokes into multiple hypotheses reflecting structure interpretations of the strokes in a group. Confidence scores are computed for the multiple hypotheses based on local evidence regarding the strokes of the stroke groups and surrounding strokes. Constraints are applied among the hypotheses, and a collectively high scoring assignment of accept/reject values of the hypotheses are determined under the applied constraints. The hypotheses with collectively high scoring assignments are accepted as a representation of the node-link diagram, where structure information is provided to the strokes of the node-link diagram, making the node-link diagram electronically editable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Eric Saund
  • Publication number: 20080231636
    Abstract: A dynamic fault detection method comprises the steps of acquiring a data curve from a machine, performing a waveform-recognition process to check if the data curve includes an effective waveform, performing a data-diagnosing process to check if the value of the effective waveform in an effective region falls outside a predetermined range, and generating an alarm signal if the value of the effective waveform in the effective region falls outside the predetermined range. The waveform-recognition process comprises the steps of checking if the data curve includes a first segment, a second segment and a third segment sandwiched between the first segment and the second segment, and checking if the length of the third segment is larger than a predetermined value. The waveform is determined to include the effective waveform if the checking results are true.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: PROMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Cheng Jer Yang, Shu Ching Yang, Hong Ming Chang, Hung Wen Chiou
  • Publication number: 20080231637
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide for generation of a gradient or other image pattern based on a captured image. In one example, a portion of a displayed image may be selected. The selected portion of the displayed image may include an image pattern such as a gradient. The selected image pattern may be applied to a gradient tool such that the image pattern may be stored as a series of gradient stops. Any of the gradient stops may have an associated characteristic of the image pattern such as, for example, a color or position within the selection of a corresponding pixel of the image. The generated gradient or image pattern may be applied to any object or displayed component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: DoRon B. Motter
  • Publication number: 20080231638
    Abstract: A screen display apparatus is provided. A first display device has a first display module. A screen adjustment device is coupled to the first display device through a transmission line, and comprises a user interface adjusting a display setting value of the first display module, and a memory device storing a display parameter corresponding to the display setting value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: QISDA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ching-Yueh Chiang
  • Publication number: 20080231639
    Abstract: Provided is a structure in which an input image is normalized by a normalization value in a case where an amount of saturation is within an allowable range so as to adjust an intensity of a backlight according to the normalization value. Allowing slight saturation of an image thereby, effectively reduce the power consumption in the backlight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Kenichi Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20080231640
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described, which create a mapping from a space of a source object (e.g., source facial expressions) to a space of a target object (e.g., target facial expressions). In certain implementations, the mapping is learned based a training set composed of corresponding shapes (e.g. facial expressions) in each space. The user can create the training set by selecting expressions from, for example, captured source performance data, and by sculpting corresponding target expressions. Additional target shapes (e.g., target facial expressions) can be interpolated and extrapolated from the shapes in the training set to generate corresponding shapes for potential source shapes (e.g., facial expressions).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20080231641
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present application, a display is disclosed in which any defective pixel is rendered less noticeable even if a full-screen white display or suchlike is effected. In a normally-white liquid crystal display device, which transitions after power activation from non-display state through display starting state, where a full-screen blank white display is effected, to normal display state, an auxiliary electrode driver portion controls an auxiliary capacitance line voltage Vcs to be applied to auxiliary capacitance lines in accordance with the state of the liquid crystal display device in the following manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Toshihiko Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20080231642
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a data distribution system which is suitable to distribute data to a mobile terminal device and the like to cause the mobile terminal device and the like to display an image, and a method therefor. In response to a request from a mobile communication device (2) through a web page distribution server (5), a web server (12) distributes document data shown in FIG. 2 to the web page distribution server (5). The web page distribution server (5) creates an image of the distributed document data, and divides the created image into a plurality of areas to thereby create divided area data. In response to the request from the mobile communication device (2), the webpage distribution server (5) sequentially distributes such components of the created divided area data as are to be actually displayed, to the mobile communication device (2). The mobile communication device (2) sequentially displays the divided area data distributed from the web page distribution server (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Makoto Okita
  • Publication number: 20080231643
    Abstract: To provide the illusion of smooth motion during zoom or pan operations of an interactive map display, relatively unimportant map elements are not rendered during map movements. By reducing the number of elements to be rendered in each frame during the movement, a map display rendering engine can increase its frame rate, thus providing the illusion of smooth motion. At the completion of the zoom or pan operation, the omitted elements “fade in” by successively rendering the same frame with the omitted elements' opacity gradually increasing in each frame. The selection of map elements to omit during map movement is made by comparing a dynamic value stored with each layer of map elements to a rendering performance value, which may be based on the computational power of the rendering engine, and may be set upon installation of the map software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Nick Fletcher, Paul Hallett, Shaohong Ai
  • Publication number: 20080231644
    Abstract: A method and system for navigation of text are provided. A linear text (110) in electronic form is selected. The system includes a display (131) of a plurality of phrases representing the content of the text (110) with means for emphasizing a displayed phrase to indicate the relevance of the phrase in a predefined portion of the text (110). For example, the emphasizing may be by size or color of the representation of the phrase in the display (131). The display (131) of phrases is animated (123) to show changes in the emphasizing during progression through the linear text (110). When a phrase is present in the display (131) of phrases, the phrase is kept in the same position in the display (131) during the animation. If phrases are added to and removed from the display (131) during progression through the text (110), then the method includes minimizing discontinuity of the animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Ronny Lempel, Elad Shahar
  • Publication number: 20080231645
    Abstract: The invention provides for a volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object. The system includes a first printhead group having a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate, and at least one second printhead group having a plurality of second printheads downstream from the first group. The second group is configured to print a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer. The system also includes an object insertion device configured to insert objects into voids in the voxel layers, and a conveyor to operatively convey the substrate past the printhead groups. Also included is a control system to control and monitor the printhead groups, the object insertion device and the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080231646
    Abstract: An ink-discharging apparatus includes a discharge head discharging an ink, of which viscosity is increased by being irradiated with a predetermined energy ray, from a nozzle onto a recording medium; a first light source radiating the predetermined energy ray; and an irradiation mechanism which irradiates an energy ray for increasing the viscosity of the ink to the nozzle. When the energy ray is irradiated to the ink remaining in the nozzle, the viscosity on the surface of the ink is increased to thereby form a film which covers or closes the nozzle. As a result, it is possible, with the film, to prevent the ink located inside the film from leaking out from the nozzle even when any shock is imparted to the body of the apparatus. Further, it is possible, with the film, to prevent the viscosity of the ink, located inside the film, from further increasing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20080231647
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring an image of predetermined length onto a substrate by selective energization of a row of printing elements in a printhead of a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus may be arranged with a print ribbon located between the printhead and the substrate such that ink is selectively transferred from the ribbon to the substrate as a result of energisations of the printing elements. The image to be printed is rendered in memory as a series of rows of pixels and the apparatus is set up to download the rendered rows of pixels to the printhead successively. The relative positioning of successively printed rows of pixels on the substrate is determined by relative displacement between the printhead and the substrate. The apparatus is set up to control the positioning of the rows of pixels by controlling the delay between successive energisations of the printing elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Philip Hart
  • Publication number: 20080231648
    Abstract: A printer includes a first transporting belt that transports a print medium and a second transporting belt that receives the print medium from the first transporting belt and further transports the print medium. A liquid ejection head ejects liquid according to a liquid-ejection timing signal to the print medium transported by the first transporting belt and the second transporting belt. A signal generator outputs the liquid-ejection timing signal according to a first signal and a second signal that correspond to the travel of the first and second transporting belts, respectively. When the phase difference between the first and second signals has a predetermined threshold value or less, the signal generator switches from outputting the liquid-ejection timing signal according to the first signal to outputting the liquid-ejection timing signal according to the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunio TABATA, Toshiyuki SUZUKI, Atsushi OSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20080231649
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium being conveyed includes: a recording head discharging droplets; a pattern forming unit forming an adjustment pattern for detecting displacement of landing positions of droplets on a water-repellent member, the adjustment pattern including a minimum block pattern for each detection item and being formed with plural droplets independent of one another; a reading unit including a light emitting unit projecting a light onto the adjustment pattern and a light receiving unit receiving a regular reflection light from the adjustment pattern; and a landing position correcting unit correcting the landing positions of the droplets discharged from the recording head based on a result of reading by the reading unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Kenichi KAWABATA, Noboru Sawayama, Tetsuro Hirota, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tetsu Morino, Takumi Hagiwara
  • Publication number: 20080231650
    Abstract: The back pressure adjustment apparatus for a liquid ejection head has: a container having a liquid accommodating chamber which is connected to the liquid ejection head and accommodates liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head, and a gas accommodating chamber which accommodates gas; a movable film which separates the liquid accommodating chamber and the gas accommodating chamber, and forms a portion of whole walls of the liquid accommodating chamber; and a pressure adjustment device which causes all or a portion of the movable film to deform so as to adjust pressure of the liquid accommodated in the liquid accommodating chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Toshiya Kojima, Yasuhiko Kachi, Masahito Katada
  • Publication number: 20080231651
    Abstract: An ink level detecting apparatus of an ink-jet image forming apparatus includes a switching part which is switched on and off by an input signal, an ink detecting part which is turned on and off according to a switching operation of the switching part to detect an ink level of ink in the ink-jet image forming apparatus, and a controller which checks a voltage between the ink and the ink detecting part before a saturation period of the ink detecting part in order to detect the ink level, based on whether the ink detecting part is turned on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Kee JUNG
  • Publication number: 20080231652
    Abstract: A printing module for a large-sized UV (ultraviolet) inkjet printer includes an inkjet head device for outputting the color inks of printed figures. It is characterized in that the two sides of the inkjet head device are respectively providing with an inkjet head for outputting primer and an inkjet head for outputting varnish. Thereby, the inkjet head of primer could output under-coat before printing and the inkjet head of varnish could apply the top-coat on printed figures after printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Chun-Yi Huang, Chang-Yu Wang
  • Publication number: 20080231653
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body; a page-width inkjet head unit capable of ejecting fluid droplets without substantially moving the page-width inkjet head unit while forming an image on a medium to be recorded on; a maintaining and recovering unit maintaining and recovering a function of a nozzle of the page-width inkjet head unit; and an engaging unit for engaging the page-width inkjet head unit and the maintaining and recovering unit together as a single unit when the page-width inkjet head unit and the maintaining and recovering unit are removed from the apparatus main body as a single unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro KAWASHIMA, Taku KUDOH, Masaru WATANABE, Hideki SUEOKA, Ikoh SOH
  • Publication number: 20080231654
    Abstract: A tube pump comprising a flexible tube, a pressing member capable of generating a negative pressure in the tube by sequentially pressing the tube from as the pressing member moves from an upstream portion of the tube to a downstream portion of the tube during a pump operating process, a rotating member which includes a cam surface which the pressing member comes in sliding contact with when the pressing member moves between a pump operating position where a negative pressure is generated in the upstream portion of the tube and a pump non-operating position where the negative pressure is not generated, and a rack member corresponding to the cam surface which includes a plurality of teeth, wherein the pressing member is provided with a pinion member capable of engaging with the rack member when the pressing member rotatably moves between the pump non-operating position and the pump operating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiichiro Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080231655
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus equipped with a maintenance mechanism that is divided into a plurality of ink pans, which are connected to each other at an edge of each of which by means of pins, on a bottom surface of each of which a plurality of caps are arranged, which at the time of storage, are stored from guide rails so as to be stored at a position beneath a conveyance path in a V-shaped state, the caps in the ink pans being opposed to each other in a V-shaped state, which are drawn out horizontally along the guide rails to a position beneath the recording head group, and in each of which the caps are allocated to the nozzle surfaces of the recording heads by a hoisting and lowering operation of a belt conveying unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Takahisa Yamada
  • Publication number: 20080231656
    Abstract: An ink-jet image forming apparatus and a maintenance method thereof include an ink-jet head having a nozzle portion to eject ink, a printing medium feeding device to feed a printing medium to face the ink-jet head, a printing medium guide to guide the printing medium, a wiper to move while contacting the nozzle portion to wipe the nozzle portion, and a guide driving unit to tilt the printing medium guide to prevent a foreign substance coming off the wiper from being attached to a printing medium contact portion of the printing medium guide when the wiper wipes the nozzle portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Soo Hyun Kim
  • Publication number: 20080231657
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing thermal printing techniques onto thermally sensitive print media use one or more laser arrays to provide optical heating. Technique for alignment of multiple monolithic arrays onto a common carrier are described, the axis of the at least one laser array being disposed obliquely to a transport direction of print media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: John Haig Marsh, Stephen Gorton, Gary Ternent, Christopher Humby, Eric Goutain, Alexander Ballantyne
  • Publication number: 20080231658
    Abstract: A pattern forming method forms a pattern on a substrate by relatively moving a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first direction and the substrate a plurality of times in a main-scanning direction to allow the nozzles to discharge liquid droplets thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20080231659
    Abstract: Even in the case where preliminary ejection is performed by a recording head having an array of pigment ink ejection outlets and an array of dye ink ejection outlets in which a length of the pigment ink ejection outlet array is longer than a length of the dye ink ejection outlet array, deposition of preliminarily ejected pigment ink at a preliminary ejection receiving portion is effectively prevented by providing an inclined surface at the preliminary ejection receiving portion so that ink from the dye ink ejection outlets is received at an upstream position of the inclined surface and ink from the pigment ink ejection outlets is received at a downstream position of the inclined surface in a direction of gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Toki, Tetsuya Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20080231660
    Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer, that has a printhead integrated circuit with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC within the printer. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. Within the ink conduits is a weir formation to partially obstruct ink flow so that when priming the printhead, the weir formation preferentially primes an upstream section the ink conduit. Using a weir downstream of areas that have a propensity to prime incorrectly can force them to prime more quickly or in preference to downstream sections. As long as the downstream section is one that reliably primes, albeit delayed by the weir, there is no disadvantage to priming the upstream section in preference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Robert Brown, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Paul Timothy Sharp, John Douglas Peter Morgan, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Michael John Hudson, Christopher Hibbard, Samuel George Mallinson, Paul Justin Reichl
  • Publication number: 20080231661
    Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer that has a printhead integrated circuit (IC) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink, and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC within the printer. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink, the ink conduits have a meniscus anchor for pinning part of an advancing meniscus of ink to divert the advancing meniscus from a path it would otherwise take. If a printhead consistently fails to prime correctly because a meniscus pins at one or more points, then the advancing meniscus can be directed so that it does not contact these critical points. Deliberately incorporating a discontinuity into an ink conduit immediately upstream of the problem area can temporarily pin to the meniscus and skew it to one side of the conduit and away from the undesirable pinning point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Robert Brown, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Paul Timothy Sharp, John Douglas Peter Morgan, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Michael John Hudson, Christopher Hibbard, Samuel George Mallinson, Paul Justin Reichl
  • Publication number: 20080231662
    Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer, that has a printhead IC with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC in the printer adjacent a paper path. The printhead IC is mounted on a face of the support structure that, in use, faces the paper path. A flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB) has drive circuitry for operating the array of nozzles on the printhead IC. The drive circuitry has circuit components connected by traces in the flex PCB, and contacts for receiving print data from the print engine controller. The flex PCB being mounted to the support structure at the contacts onto a face that does not face the paper path such that the flex PCB extends through a bent section between the printhead IC and the contacts. The printhead IC and the circuit components are adjacent each other and separated from the contacts by the bent section of the flex PCB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Brian Robert Brown, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Paul Timothy Sharp, John Douglas Peter Morgan, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Michael John Hudson, Christopher Hibbard, Samuel George Mallinson, Paul Justin Reichl
  • Publication number: 20080231663
    Abstract: Disclosed are a head substrate, a printhead, a head cartridge, and a printing apparatus using the printhead or head cartridge which are capable of separately measuring variations in the resistance of a printing element and variations in the parasitic resistance including the wiring resistance and the ON resistance of a driving element. For example, a head substrate having a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of driving elements for driving the plurality of printing elements includes the first terminal which receives a test signal to the plurality of printing elements, the second terminal which receives a selection signal for selecting and driving at least some of the plurality of printing elements, and the third and fourth terminals which output potentials at the two ends of each of the printing elements selected by the selection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: MASATAKA SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20080231664
    Abstract: A print head, which ejects ink by using a method whereby a bubble generated by a heat generating element communicates with the air, and for which the occurrence of cavitation is deterred and the durability is improved, is provided. According to the print head, a bubble grows until the maximum volume is attained, and then, at a volume reduction step, communicates with the air. As a result, a liquid in a bubble generation chamber is ejected. An ejection port and the heat generating element are arranged so that the center of the ejection port is shifted away from the center of the heat generating element in a direction leading from an ink supply port to the ejection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuichi Murakami, Akihiro Yamanaka, Yasunori Takei, Ryoji Oohashi
  • Publication number: 20080231665
    Abstract: The inkjet printhead includes substrate having an ink feed hole formed to supply ink, a chamber layer stacked on the substrate, and including a plurality of main ink chambers formed therein with the ink feed hole therebetween and a plurality of compensation ink chambers formed therein between the main ink chambers that face each other; and a nozzle layer stacked on the chamber layer, and including a plurality of main nozzles corresponding to the main ink chambers and a plurality of compensation nozzles corresponding to the compensation ink chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moon-chul Lee, Myong-jong Kwon, Yong-seop Yoon, Jin-wook Lee, Yong-won Jeong, Donk-sik Shim
  • Publication number: 20080231666
    Abstract: A liquid-jetting apparatus comprises a nozzle plate formed with nozzles, a pressure chamber plate for forming pressure chambers, and a piezoelectric actuator arranged therebetween. A surface of the nozzle plate, which is opposed to the pressure chamber plate, has an insulating property. Wiring sections, which are formed on the surface having the insulating property, are connected to individual electrodes formed on the piezoelectric actuator. Accordingly, the liquid-jetting apparatus and a method for producing the same are provided, in which any wiring member such as FPC is dispensed with to decrease the number of parts, and the production steps are simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20080231667
    Abstract: A ferroelectric film having a columnar structure constituted by a plurality of columnar grains, and containing as a main component a perovskite oxide which has a composition expressed by a compositional formula A1+?[(ZrxTi1-x)1-yMy]Oz, where A represents one or more A-site elements including lead (Pb) as a main component, M represents one or more of vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), and antimony (Sb) as one or more B-site elements, zirconium (Zr) and titanium (Ti) are also B-site elements, 0<x?0.7, 0.1?y?0.4, ? is approximately zero, z is approximately 3, and ? and z may deviate from 0 and 3, respectively, within ranges of ? and z in which the composition expressed by the compositional formula A1+?[(ZrxTi1-x)1-yMy]Oz can substantially form a perovskite structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takami ARAKAWA, Takamichi FUJII
  • Publication number: 20080231668
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes: a flow path unit including first and second pressure chambers for first and second liquids, respectively, and first and second nozzles communicating with the first and second pressure chambers, respectively, each of the first and second nozzles including a tip opening; and a pressure generating unit which generates a pressure for the liquids in the first and second pressure chambers to eject the liquids through the tip openings of the first and second nozzles. A diameter of the tip opening of the first nozzle is larger than that of the tip opening of the second nozzle and a length of the first nozzle is shorter than that of the second nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventor: Hisashi Tamada