Abstract: Barrier members for use in an electrographic printer are described. The barrier member has a first layer including thermally insulating particles embedded in a polymer composition, and a second layer including a thermally conductive metallic layer.

Abstract: A cartridge is detachably provided to a main body of an image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image bearing member which is rotatable, a charging roller which contacts and charges the image bearing member, and a cleaning member which cleans the charging roller with the brush portion. In a section substantially orthogonal to a rotational axis of the charging roller, a contact point between a surface of the image bearing member and a tangent crossing a downstream end of an abutment region of the brush portion against the charging roller in a rotation direction of the charging roller among tangents to the image bearing member is vertically above a horizontal line passing through a center of the image bearing member, and an upstream end of the abutment region in the rotation direction of the charging roller is vertically above the downstream end in the rotation direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a controller that determines a duty ratio of a drive signal to be a first duty ratio if an alternating voltage of a commercial alternating current power supply detected by a voltage detector is less than a predetermined voltage, and to determine the duty ratio of the drive signal to be a second duty ratio, which is less than the first duty ratio, if the alternating voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage. The controller also supplies the drive signal, set to the determined duty ratio, to a driving circuit if a temperature detected by a temperature detector is less than a first temperature, and not to supply the drive signal to the driving circuit if the temperature detected by the temperature detector is not less than the first temperature.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first and second heat generating elements, a thyristor that controls electrical power supplied to the heat generating elements, and a relay that switches a supply destination of the electrical power supply between the heat generating elements. A controller switches the thyristor from on to off, and then actuates the relay to switch the supply destination from the first heat generating element to the second heat generating element, and, thereafter switches the thyristor from off to on. The controller sets a timing of switching of the thyristor from on to off to be in a period in which an image on a current recording material is in a nip, and sets timing of switching of the thyristor from off to on to be in a period in which an image on a current recording material or a subsequent recording material is not in the nip.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic rotatable pressing member having further durability. The electrophotographic rotatable pressing member includes: a substrate; and an elastic layer formed on the substrate, the elastic layer containing a silicone rubber and a needle-shaped filler dispersed in the silicone rubber and having hollow parts, wherein, when cutting the elastic layer along a cross section including a center axis of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic rotatable pressing member, and a total of each sectional area of the hollow parts in a unit area A2 of a cross-sectional surface is defined as A1, a standard deviation of an area ratio A1/A2 is 0.08 or less.

Abstract: In a displacement sensor, an illumination optical system, which converts laser light emitted from an emission unit into first converging light, and irradiates with the first converging light a detection space through which a target moves. An imaging optical system converts laser light reflected from the target into second converging light, and irradiates with the second converging light a light-receiving surface of a detection unit. The image of the emission unit into which the illumination optical system focuses the first converging light is displaced along the optical axis of the imaging optical system by a temperature change of the illumination optical system. The range in which the image is displaced is limited to be located either anterior to the front principal point of the imaging optical system, or posterior to the rear principal point of the imaging optical system.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus determines, based on a determination value calculated by a calculating unit, a light amount of reflection light from a first position on an image bearing member from light amounts of reflection light beams from a second position and a third position on the image bearing member where a patch image is not formed in a state where the patch image is formed at the first position on the image bearing member, or determines the light amount of reflection light from the first position on the image bearing member by detecting the light amount of reflection light from the first position on the image bearing member with a detecting unit in a state where the patch image is not formed at the first position on the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first toner image forming unit for forming first toner image on a transfer belt with a first toner and a second toner image forming unit for forming a second toner image on the transfer belt with a second toner. A secondary transfer unit transfers the first and second toner images from the transfer belt to a sheet traveling in a sheet transport direction. A fixing unit fixes the first and second toner images to the sheet. A control unit controls the first toner image forming unit to form a first pattern, the second toner image forming unit to form a second pattern, and to leaving a margin on a upstream side of the sheet in the sheet transport direction that is greater than or equal to a circumferential distance of a fixing element in the fixing unit.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus that can reduce a braking force of a medium separating mechanism to thereby reduce occurrence of paper jams only by attaching a medium supply device to an image forming apparatus body. The medium supply device is configured to be attached to an image forming apparatus body including a medium separating mechanism, and includes a medium conveying mechanism that supplies a recording medium from stacked recording media to a predetermined position, and first mechanism that reduces a braking force generated in the medium separating mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and transfer and control units. The transfer unit and image bearing member form a nip portion where a recording material receives a toner image. The control unit controls image formation based on a timing when a recording material leading edge is detected. To perform sheet conveyance, the control unit changes a first recording material conveyance speed to a second speed before a fed first recording material leading edge is detected. Before the first recording material leading edge reaches the nip portion, the control unit changes the first recording material conveyance speed to a first speed, slower than the second speed, based on when the fed first recording material leading edge is detected. The control unit obtains a timing for the image formation to the image bearing member based on when the conveyance speed is changed from the faster to slower speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a transfer device includes a separator, a post-transfer-residual-quantity acquirer, and a controller. The transfer device transfers an image formed on an image carrier to a transfer medium. The separator is arranged at downstream side from a transfer device in a conveying direction, is provided with a separation claw which contacts with the image carrier and separates the transfer medium from the image carrier, and performs contact/separate operation of the separation claw with/from the image carrier. The post-transfer-residual-quantity acquirer acquires post-transfer residual quantity in a region determined on a basis of a position of the separation claw in an axial direction of the image carrier. The controller controls the contact/separate operation of the separation claw with/from the image carrier on a basis of the post-transfer residual quantity acquired by the post-transfer-residual-quantity acquirer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport member that transports a medium; a storage that is disposed below the transport member in a gravitational direction, and that stores the medium which is delivered by the transport member and falls into the storage; a supporter that is provided in the storage, and that has an upper end disposed below the transport member in a gravitational direction, and that allows the medium to be stored with a front end of the medium in a discharge direction matching a lower end of the medium in a gravitational direction; and a guidance member that is disposed in the supporter with the medium interposed between the guidance member and the supporter, and that guides the medium which falls to the supporter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms a toner image based on input image information by superposing toners of plural colors on a recording material; a fixer that fixes the toner image formed on the recording material; a toner amount calculator that calculates, from the input image information, an amount of toners to be superposed on the recording material; and a hardware processor that controls the image former to supply an assistance toner that assists melting of the toners used for forming the toner image based on the input image information by an amount corresponding to the calculated amount of toners.

Abstract: A cylindrical base body of the disclosure includes an outer peripheral surface and an end surface which is connected to the outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface includes a first inclined surface which is inclined inwardly toward the end surface, the end surface includes a second inclined surface which is inclined inwardly toward the outer peripheral surface and is connected to the first inclined surface, and a connecting portion of the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface has a radiused surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that includes a rotating shaft, and is rotatable around the rotating shaft; a plurality of functional members disposed along an outer periphery of the image carrier; and a plurality of distance regulating members that maintains a constant distance between each of the plurality of functional members and the image carrier, wherein the plurality of functional members includes a first functional member and a second functional member, the plurality of distance regulating members includes a first distance regulating member and a second distance regulating member, the first distance regulating member includes a first abutting surface, the second distance regulating member includes a second abutting surface, and the first abutting surface and the second abutting surface are disposed side by side in a circumferential direction on the peripheral surface of the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A transmission device includes a gear member, an intermediate member removably attached to the gear member and including a guiding groove, and a transmitter including a shaft, the shaft having at least one protrusion extending radially outward from the shaft, and the guiding groove is shaped such that the protrusion is movable along the guiding groove in an axial direction and rotatable relative to the guiding groove.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a first circuit, a second circuit isolated from the first circuit, an adjustment unit configured to adjust power supplied to a load, a first controller, a detection unit configured to detect a parameter related to the power supplied to the load, a first communication unit, a second communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the first communication unit, and a second controller. The first communication unit is operated by power supplied by a signal generated in the first communication unit due to a signal output from the second controller. The first communication unit transmits, to the second communication unit, information about a result of detection by the detection unit. The second controller supplies the first controller with a signal for controlling the adjustment unit. The first controller controls the adjustment unit based on the signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cleaning blade capable of improving chipping resistance. A cleaning blade includes a blade part made of polyurethane and having an edge that comes in slidable contact with a mating part. The edge includes: a base material containing polyurethane; an impregnated layer containing polyurethane in the base material and a cured acrylic product and present from the surface through to the inside of the base material; and a particle layer containing particles supported by the surface of the base material. The average particle diameter of the particles is between 3 nm and 100 nm, inclusive. The thickness of the impregnated layer is 30 nm or greater and less than 1000 nm. The edge has an area ratio of the particle layer to the impregnated layer that is between 5% and 30%, inclusive in a cross section perpendicular to the surface of the base material.

Abstract: A waste toner container provided for use in an image forming apparatus includes: a body receiving, through an inlet, waste toner discharged from the image forming apparatus, and contains the waste toner; a conveyance member conveying the waste toner, which has been received through the inlet; a waste toner deposition chamber disposed downstream of the inlet in a waste toner conveyance direction such that the waste toner that has been conveyed is increasingly deposited therein, the chamber having a light-transmissive window through which amount of the deposited waste toner is optically monitorable from outside of the body; a conductive member disposed on an inner surface of the body so as to come into contact with the waste toner being conveyed; and a connection unit disposed between the conductive member and an earth member provided in the image forming apparatus to electrically connect between the conductive member and the earth member.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a housing extending in a first direction; a developing roller; a memory held at the housing; a holder holding an electrical contact surface; and a relay component electrically connecting the memory to the electrical contact surface. The developing roller is rotatable about an axis extending in the first direction. The developing roller is positioned at one end portion of the housing in a second direction. The holder is movable relative to the housing in at least one of the second direction and a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction. The third direction also crosses the electrical contact surface.

Abstract: Control to drive and stop developing roller is effected. A cartridge includes a drive transmission member movable between a transmitting position capable of transmitting the driving force toward a developing roller and a blocking position capable of blocking the transmission of the driving force to the developing roller.

Abstract: A system and method for cooling electrostatic process units includes an impeller in communication with a shaft associated with a rotating component of the electrostatic process unit such as a toner mixer, a waste auger, a developer, or a photoconductive drum. When the shaft rotates, the impeller rotates and causes air to be directed into a cooling duct. The cooling duct directs the air over one or more components of the electrostatic process unit such as the developer or a doctor blade. The air directed over the components cools the electrostatic process unit.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a duct, an openable cover, and a moving mechanism. The duct is disposed opposite a sheet conveyance path to send air to the sheet conveyance path. The cover exposes the sheet conveyance path when the cover is opened. The moving mechanism moves the duct independently of the cover between an opposite position opposite the sheet conveyance path and a retracted position.

Abstract: Dual or multi-modulation display systems are disclosed that comprise projector systems with at least one modulator that may employ non-mechanical beam steering modulation. Many embodiments disclosed herein employ a non-mechanical beam steering and/or polarizer to provide for a highlights modulator.

Abstract: A display method lets a display beam to propagate in a transparent substrate while internally reflected repeatedly and lets the display beam partly emit out of the transparent substrate every time the display beam is internally reflected, thereby emitting display beams from almost entirety of a surface of the transparent substrate. The display beam is produced holographically. A display apparatus includes a spatial phase modulator that produces a display beam, a transparent substrate in which the display beam is internally reflected repeatedly to propagate in it, and a splitter that lets the display beam partly emit out of the transparent substrate every time the display beam is internally reflected.

Abstract: Push-in watch crown mechanisms and methods are described. The push-in watch crown mechanisms include a locking mechanism for latching the watch crown inside the watch body such that the top of the watch crown is substantially flush to the edge of the watch body. Further, the push-in watch crown mechanisms include a release mechanism for unlatching the watch crown so that it is released outside of the watch body and accessible for use. Additionally, methods of using push-in watch crown mechanisms are described.

Abstract: An escapement for a timepiece includes an escape wheel that rotates about a shaft center and a pallet that oscillates. The escape wheel includes fifteen teeth. The pallet includes an entry pallet jewel and an exit pallet jewel that switch the rotation and stop of the escape wheel and receive torque from the escape wheel by contacting the teeth. The escape wheel and a balance (an impulse pin) apply and receive torque only via the pallet. The pallet includes a third pallet jewel (a torque applying and receiving member) that receives torque from a convex portion of the escape wheel in addition to the entry pallet jewel and the exit pallet jewel.

Abstract: A method of detecting a movement of a timepiece setting stem arranged to be moved axially along and/or rotated about its longitudinal axis. The method includes a light source illuminating a portion of the setting stem; a light detector receiving a reflected or diffracted light pattern from the setting stem; a processor forming a first pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a first time instant; the processor forming a second pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a second, later time instant; and determining that the setting stem has been moved, if the second pixel pattern is different or shifted with respect to the first pixel pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a CPT atomic clock servo control SoC, which includes a microprocessor, a photoelectric signal demodulation functional module, a temperature control loop functional module, a laser and microwave loop control functional module, a C field control functional module, and a bus bridge. The bus bridge is connected to a system bus and a peripheral bus, for connecting to buses with different speeds. The photoelectric signal demodulation functional module extracts power change information of a microwave and a laser. The temperature control loop functional module controls temperatures of an absorption cell and a laser tube. The laser and microwave loop control functional module implements laser frequency locking and microwave loop locking. The C field control functional module provides a stable C field for the absorption cell.

Abstract: A multi-stop time-to-digital converter (TDC, 110) includes single-stop TDCs (510) connected to output nodes of a ring oscillator (504). Other features and embodiments are also provided.

Abstract: A timepiece includes: one or more processors; and a display unit controlled by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors perform: a clock hand image obtaining process that obtains a clock hand image; an information obtaining process that obtains prescribed information; a display control process that controls the display unit so as to display on the display unit the clock hand image obtained by the clock hand image obtaining process and the prescribed information obtained by the information obtaining process; a synthesizing process that synthesizes image data of the clock hand image and an image for the prescribed information such that the clock hand image does not overlap with a display region for the prescribed information on the display unit; and a process of causing the display unit to display the clock hand image and the prescribed information in accordance with the synthesized image data.

Abstract: An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may comprise: a housing; a display device mounted on a surface of the housing; a bezel, which is rotatably coupled to the housing, and which rotates along the circumference of the display device; and elastic portions provided on the housing so as to provide the bezel with an elastic force in a first direction. The above electronic device may be implemented variously according to embodiments.

Abstract: This disclosure provides adaptive control techniques for pH control or control of other industrial processes. For example, in one method, a robust stability condition (RSC) value is determined during operation of a process controller, and a characteristic of the process controller is adaptively modified based on the RSC value. The RSC value provides an estimate of performance of the process controller in controlling the industrial process. In another method, one of multiple process controllers is selected based on RSC values associated with the process controllers, and one or more control signals are output from the selected process controller to an industrial process in order to control the industrial process. The RSC values provide estimates of performances of the multiple process controllers in controlling the industrial process.

Abstract: A building automation system (BAS) includes building equipment located within a building and a BAS network configured to facilitate communications between the building equipment. The building equipment operate to affect a variable state or condition within the building. The BAS includes a BAS-BIM integrator configured to receive BAS points from the BAS network and to integrate the BAS points with a building information model (BIM). The BIM includes a plurality of BIM objects representing the building equipment. The BAS includes an integrated BAS-BIM viewer configured to use the BIM with the integrated BAS points to generate a user interface. The user interface includes a graphical representation of the BIM objects and the BAS points integrated therewith.

Abstract: The invention that relates to the field of hydropower scheduling presents a method for long-tens optimal operations of interprovincial hydropower system considering peak-shaving demands. It can take full advantage of the differences of hydrological characteristics among hydropower plants on different rivers to implement compensation operations of interprovincial hydropower system. In this operation, typical daily load demands during dry season are considered to optimize the allocation of hydropower production over one year. The purpose is to increase the dispatchable generation capacity for peak demands of power grids. The technology scheme of the invention can be summarized as follows. A multi-objective model of hydropower system operations is established with maximizing generation production and minimizing the difference rate between peak and valley load during dry period.

Abstract: A system including a power plant having thermal generating units that operate according to multiple possible operating modes, which are differentiated by a unique operational or maintenance schedule. The system further includes a hardware processor and machine readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a process related to optimizing the operational or maintenance schedule during a selected operating period. The process may include: receiving the selected operating period; selecting competing operating modes for the power plant during the selected operating period according to a selection criteria; simulating the operation of the power plant during the selected operating period for each of the competing operating modes and deriving simulation results therefrom; evaluating each of the simulation results pursuant to a cost function and, based thereupon, designating at least one of the competing operating modes as an optimized operating mode.

Abstract: A refinery or petrochemical plant may include a fractionation column and related equipment, such as one or more condensers, receivers, reboilers, feed exchangers, and pumps. The equipment may have boundaries or thresholds of operating parameters based on existing limits and/or operating conditions. Illustrative existing limits may include mechanical pressures, temperature limits, hydraulic pressure limits, and operating lives of various components. There may also be relationships between operational parameters related to particular processes. For example, the boundaries on a naphtha reforming reactor inlet temperature may be dependent on a regenerator capacity and hydrogen-to-hydrocarbon ratio, which in turn may be dependent on a recycle compressor capacity. Operational parameters of a final product may be determined based on actual current or historical operation, and implemented in one or more models to determine adjustments for enhanced operational efficiency.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for selecting a level of autonomy. According to at least one embodiment, a method for selecting a level of autonomy includes determining a first likely condition of a first user of a task and/or building system, selecting a first autonomy level from multiple levels based at least in part on the first likely condition, and making a first decision in the task and/or the building system based on the first autonomy level.

Abstract: A building automation system may adjust operation of a building system based upon information regarding the relative location of one or more users of the building automation system. In some embodiments, a mobile device having location services for determining a location of the mobile device may provide this information. A mobile device may include a user interface, a memory for storing two or more predetermined geo-fences each defining a different sized region about a home of a user of the mobile device and a controller operatively coupled to user interface and the memory, the controller configured to accept a selection of one of the two or more predetermined geo-fences via the user interface. The controller may report when the location of the mobile device crosses the selected one of the two or more predetermined geo-fences to a remote device. Other geofencing approaches are also described.

Abstract: An electric home appliance includes a sensing unit configured to sense whether a user's body is within a predetermined range from the electric home appliance, an output unit configured to output a sound, and a controller configured to determine a sound output mode of the output unit based on a location of the user's body sensed by the sensing unit.

Abstract: Provided is a space implementation method and, more particularly, a space implementation method which identically implements, in a user's space, acoustic contents such as music and sound, visual contents such as photos, drama and movies, and other contents such as scent and feel which are being implemented in the space of another user such as a family member, a lover, a friend or an entertainer, thereby forming connectedness between family members or lovers who are in different places, or enabling the user to share event contents enjoyed by entertainers who the user likes.

Abstract: An occupancy sensing load control system is disclosed. The occupancy sensing load control system includes a detector unit, an occupancy/vacancy signal generator and a load control circuit. The detector unit detects RF signals emitted by cell phones or similar mobile communication devices within an area being monitored. The occupancy/vacancy signal generator generates a control signal for the load control circuit based on the detection of a qualified RF signal or the absence of such signal within a predetermined time interval. The occupancy sensing load control system may also include a signal-generating unit for generating a pseudo base station signal based on zone information of neighboring base stations for transmission to a mobile phone in the detection area.

Abstract: A facility management system and method for planning and/or controlling a facility, in particular a fabrication facility, including a plurality of components. The facility management system includes at least one apparatus adapted to load component data object cubes (CDOCs) from a data cube library (DCL) stored in a database of the facility management system and to link the component data object cubes (CDOCs) to component data objects (CDOs) representing components of the facility. The loaded component data object cubes (CDOCs) linked to the component data objects (CDOs) include parameters of the respective components and are editable in a data edit model of the facility management system.

Abstract: An occupancy sensor is disclosed including a passive infrared (PIR) sensing element, a temperature sensing element, and a processor. The processor receives temperature signals from the temperature sensing element and configures the occupancy sensor into a selected operating mode based the received temperature signal. The operating mode may be associated with a predetermined sensing threshold of the PIR sensing element. The processor controls an associated load based on the selected operating mode and the received occupancy signals. The occupancy sensor can alternatively include an occupancy sensing element and a photodetector. Based on the amount of light detected by the photodetector over time, the occupancy sensor can calculate a rough estimate of time of day, and can automatically adjust one or more sensing and/or operational characteristics based on that time of day determination. A photosensor may implement daylight harvesting based on different light levels associated with different times of day.

Abstract: Creating and executing flow plans by performing at least the following: obtaining a run-time flow plan that comprises a trigger, a first operation, and a second operation, wherein the first operation precedes the second operation within the run-time flow plan and one or more input values of the second operation are linked to the first operation, determining whether one or more conditions of the trigger are met, execute the first operation based at least on the determination that the one or more conditions of the trigger are met, monitoring whether the second operation is ready for execution based at least on a determination that the one or more input values of a second action operation are ready, and executing the second action operation when the second action operation has been identified as ready for execution.

Abstract: In a method for generating a switching sequence in an industrial plant which includes components for transferring the plant to an energy-saving state, a state model of the plant is used with regard to the components and information about a task-specific action schema with regard to the components. An extended state model is determined by supplementing the state model with the task-specific action schema using circuit-relevant variables. The switching sequence is generated from a start state to a desired target state by calculating proceeding from the target state back to the start state in the extended state model, and the switching sequence is executed.

Abstract: A method for controlling one or more scent delivery units includes maintaining one or more scheduled events, maintaining one or more scheduled anti-events, and generating, based on the one or more scheduled events and the one or more scheduled anti-events, command data to be communicated to the one or more scent delivery units to control their activation and deactivation. Generating the command data includes identifying a conflicting period of time during which control specified by the one or more scheduled events differs from control specified by the one or more scheduled anti-events and also includes generating command data that gives priority to control specified by the one or more scheduled anti-events. Control for the one or more scent delivery units during the conflicting period of time is in accordance with control logic of the one or more scheduled anti-events and not the one or more scheduled events.

Abstract: A method and system for use with an electric power system includes a monitoring unit to monitor at least one power characteristic, a generator control unit to control at least one generator characteristic, a ground interface unit to receive a ground power input, and a device configuration interface to select at least one of a generator control mode and an external power monitor mode, wherein the device configuration interface selectively engages at least one of the monitoring unit, the generator control unit, and the ground interface unit in response to at least one of the generator control mode and the external power monitor mode.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media storing instructions are described for receiving, at a first adapter on a first computer system, a first Enterprise Quality Management (EQM) communication configured to pass EQM data between the first computer system and a second computer system on the computer network, transforming the EQM communication into a standardized data format, transmitting the standardized first EQM communication to a second adapter resident on a second computer system, receiving a second EQM communication comprising EQM response data from the second adapter in response to the first EQM communication, the second EQM communication being transmitted by the second adapter in the standardized data format, determine whether the second EQM communication is interpretable by the first computer system, and transforming the second EQM communication into a data format interpretable by the first computer system when the second EQM communication is not interpretable by the second computer system.

Abstract: A method of providing batch process data from a process control system of a process plant to a remote computing device includes receiving a request to create a list of batch data to be provided to the remote computing device, presenting a selection interface to facilitate selection of batch data to be provided, and receiving, via the selection interface, a selection of a batch executive from which to provide the batch process data. The method also includes receiving, via the selection interface, one or more filter criteria, applying the filter criteria to data available from the batch executive to determine a set of data to be included on the list of batch data to be provided to the remote computing device, and transmitting to a mobile server an indication of the set of data associated with the list of batch data to be provided to the mobile device.