Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging member, an exposure unit, a developing member, and a transfer member. In a rotational axis direction of the charging member, a width of a transfer portion of the transfer member is shorter than that of a charging portion of the charging member, and an end of the surface of the photosensitive drum in the axis direction includes a non-transfer area in contact with the charging member and not in contact with the transfer member. The exposure unit exposes the non-transfer area during rotation of the photosensitive drum, and forms a surface potential on the surface downstream of an exposing portion and upstream of the transfer portion with respect to a rotational direction. A controller controls such that an absolute value of the surface potential of the non-transfer area is lower than that of the transfer outside paper passing area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus member includes a surface layer containing a Si-atom containing polymer as a major component. The dispersive component of the surface free energy of the surface layer is 25 mN/m or less, the dipole component of the surface free energy of the surface layer is 5 mN/m or less, and the hydrogen bonding component of the surface free energy of the surface layer is 5 mN/m or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member, an exposing device, a developing device, a transfer member, a brush, a voltage applying portion, and a control portion controlling a surface potential of the photosensitive member at the brush contacting position. When a value of subtracting a value of the surface potential of the photosensitive member in the brush contacting position from a value of the brush voltage is defined as a contacting position potential difference, the control portion controls the surface potential of the photosensitive member in the brush contacting position so that the contacting position potential difference is changed from a first potential difference to a second potential difference in a predetermined direction which is either one of an increasing direction or a decreasing direction, and then the contacting position potential difference is changed from the second potential difference to a third potential difference in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A developing device including a holding body, a supply unit, a filling portion, a closing portion, and a duct portion is provided. The holding body holds a developer. The agitating unit agitates the developer. The supply unit supplies the developer that flows in from the agitating unit to the holding body. The filling portion is provided above the agitating unit and filled with the developer. The closing portion closes a lower portion of the filling portion, and causes the developer to drop from the filling portion into the agitating unit in a case where the closing portion is removed. The duct portion connects a space in the filling portion and a portion above the holding body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt unit including a cleaning unit and an opposing roller, and a swinging mechanism. The swinging mechanism includes a swingable member which is provided in a position different from a rotation center of the opposing roller while holding the opposing roller and the cleaning unit without changing a relative positional relationship between the opposing roller and the cleaning unit and which is swingable about a swing axis.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a holding unit that holds a recording medium transported; a circumferential rotation unit that circumferentially rotates with the holding unit fixed, and constitutes part of a transport path along which the recording medium is transported; an image former that forms an image on the recording medium at an image formation position on a circumferential rotational path of the circumferential rotation unit; a pass point at which the recording medium is passed on the circumferential rotational path; and a receiving point which is provided on a same side as the pass point with respect to the image formation position, and at which the recording medium is received from the circumferential rotational path.

Abstract: A fixation device may include: an annular belt, and includes an elastic layer with a thickness of more than 300 ?m; and a counter member opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the annular belt to form a nip region with the annular belt. A difference between a local maximum and a local minimum in a film thickness profile of the annular belt along a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface at a first location in a width direction of the annular belt is less than 101 ?m.

Abstract: A print material refill container includes a housing and a chamber, within the housing, to contain a print material. The print material refill container includes a physical indicator subject to modification based on an engagement of the physical indicator with an engagement member of a printing device when the print material refill container engages the printing device to deliver the print material to a reservoir of the printing device. The physical indicator indicates an unused condition of the print material refill container when the physical indicator has a first state prior to the modification, and the physical indicator indicates a used condition of the print material refill container when the physical indicator has a second state subsequent to the modification.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus including a fixing unit, a folding processing portion, and a pressure-bonding portion. A first recording material having a first basis weight is fixed at a first temperature by the fixing unit and then is pressure-bonded by the pressure-bonding portion after a lapse of a first period. A second recording material having a second basis weight is fixed at a second temperature by the fixing unit and then is pressure-bonded by the pressure-bonding portion after a lapse of a second period. The second basis weight is larger than the first basis weight. The second temperature is higher than the first temperature. The second period is longer than the first period.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a first circuit, a second circuit, an adjustment unit, a detection unit configured to detect a parameter, a first communication unit, a second communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the first communication unit, and a control unit configured to control the adjustment unit, the detection result being transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit by the wireless communication. The detection unit operates with power resulting from a voltage output from the control unit to the second communication unit. The first communication unit includes first wiring, the second communication unit includes second wiring, and the first wiring is disposed to not contact the second wiring. At least a part of a region surrounded by the first wiring and the detection unit overlaps a region surrounded by the second wiring and the control unit.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus generates an output voltage. A boost circuit boosts a voltage supplied from a reference voltage source and generates a first power supply voltage. A processor controls switching the boost circuit on and off. A first transistor is connected to the first power supply voltage. A second transistor is connected to a collector of the first transistor. A resistance element is connected to a collector of the second transistor. A voltage source is connected to the resistance element and generates a second power supply voltage. A collector voltage, which is an output voltage, of the second transistor is controlled by controlling an amount of base current of the first transistor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a body housing and a temporarily placement part. The image forming forms an image. The image forming unit is attached to and detached from the body housing. The temporarily placement part is deployed outside the body housing, and the image forming unit can be temporarily placed on the temporarily placement part. The temporarily placement part includes an upper cover which coves an upper portion of the image forming unit placed on the temporarily placement part.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a first unit including an image bearing member configured to carry an electrostatic latent image, and a second unit including a developer bearing member configured to develop the electrostatic latent image carried on the image bearing member into a toner image, the second unit being capable of being mounted on the first unit in a mounting direction. The first unit includes a moving member that moves the second unit mounted on the first unit at a mounting position to a detachment position. The second unit includes a storage unit that stores information about the second unit. The moving member is disposed on a first side of the process cartridge in a longitudinal direction of the image bearing member. An electrode of the storage unit is disposed on a second side of the process cartridge in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A toner comprising a toner particle containing a binder resin containing at least 50 mass % of a polyester resin, wherein the polyester resin contains a polyester resin A having a silicone segment, and in XPS analysis, when X is a ratio of the number of silicon atoms attributable to silicone segments relative to a total number of measured atoms, X1 is a value of the X on the toner particle surface, X2 is a value of the X at a depth of 30 nm from the surface, Z is a ratio of the number of carbon atoms attributable to ester bonds relative to a total number of measured atoms, Z1 is a value of the Z on the toner particle surface and Z2 is a value of the Z at a depth of 30 nm from the toner particle surface, X1, Z1, X2 and Z2 satisfy a specific relationship.

Abstract: A holographic calling system can capture and encode holographic data at a sender-side of a holographic calling pipeline and decode and present the holographic data as a 3D representation of a sender at a receiver-side of the holographic calling pipeline. The holographic calling pipeline can include stages to capture audio, color images, and depth images; densify the depth images to have a depth value for each pixel while generating parts masks and a body model; use the masks to segment the images into parts needed for hologram generation; convert depth images into a 3D mesh; paint the 3D mesh with color data; perform torso disocclusion; perform face reconstruction; and perform audio synchronization. In various implementations, different of these stages can be performed sender-side or receiver side. The holographic calling pipeline also includes sender-side compression, transmission over a communication channel, and receiver-side decompression and hologram output.

Abstract: Exemplary systems may reduce or eliminate the visibility of a boundary between the displaying portions of the system and the non-displaying portions of the system. An exemplary system includes a display screen including a plurality of pixels forming a first periodic structure and a frame surrounding at least a portion of the display screen. The frame may include a holographic structure having a second periodic structure. The first pitch of the first periodic structure may be within 0.5 percent to 20 percent of the second pitch of the second periodic structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing an input hologram HE associated with an input plane, to obtain an output hologram displayable on a holographic screen placed in a plane called the output plane of a display system, viewable from a viewing plane of the system. The method includes: receiving the input hologram and a position of the input plane; obtaining a first transfer matrix representative of a propagation between the input plane and the viewing plane; obtaining a second transfer matrix representative of a propagation between the viewing plane and the output plane; calculating an overall matrix of transfer of a light field emitted by the input hologram, between the input plane and the output plane, by taking the product of the two matrices; and converting the input hologram into the output hologram by applying an operator dependent of the input hologram and on the screen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an epilame mechanical part (2) comprising a substrate (4) made of a first material, the method comprising at least: a step (10) of depositing an epilame product (6) consisting of a second material on the substrate (4), said deposition being carried out in the form of a projection onto the substrate (4) of at least one collimated or localised beam (12; 12A, 12B) of material containing the epilame product (6); and a step (11) of treating the second material to ensure the cohesion of the components on the substrate (4).

Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing at least partially defining an interior cavity divided into at least a first volume and a second volume, a pressure-sensing component positioned within the first volume, a speaker positioned within the first volume, a processor positioned within the second volume, a battery positioned within the second volume, and a barometric vent that allows air pressure equalization between the first volume and an external environment.

Abstract: A CPU determines whether a first condition related to a current position of a subject is satisfied, determines whether a second condition different from the first condition and related to at least one of the current position of the subject and a motion state of the subject is satisfied, and controls a display mode of a display unit on the basis of a determination result as to whether the first condition is satisfied and a determination result as to whether the second condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to an electronic device for brain-inspired adaptive control of resolving the bias-variance tradeoff and a method thereof. The method may include estimating a prediction error baseline for an environment, based on a first prediction error of a low-variance intelligent system for the environment and a second prediction error of a low-bias intelligent system for the environment; and implementing an adaptive control system by combining the low-variance intelligent system and the low-bias intelligent system based on the estimated prediction error baseline.

Abstract: A system includes one or more memory devices having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including obtaining a first building information model (BIM) file associated with a building, the building comprising one or more building assets, obtaining a second BIM file associated with the building, linking data from the first BIM file to data from the second BIM file, and concurrently presenting, via a single user interface, a representation of at least a portion of the first BIM file and the second BIM file based on the linked data.

Abstract: A system includes a first computing system. The first computing system includes a target and an offline mode proxy. The offline mode proxy is configured to perform operations. The operations include monitoring an online request from the target to a service. The operations also include monitoring an online response from the service to the target. The operations also include monitoring an offline request from the target to the service. The operations also include generating and transmitting a proxy response to the target in response to the offline request. The proxy response is based at least partially upon the online request, the online response, the offline request, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method for state-based maintenance of an access device of a vehicle, in particular of a public transport vehicle, wherein the access device includes a moveable element and an electric drive for moving the moveable element and is attached to the vehicle. The drive is controlled with control signals, wherein actual state signals for describing the state are generated based on a detected state of the access device. The control signals are applied to a physical simulation model for computationally simulating the access device and determining expected target state signals and wherein based on a comparison between the actual state signals and associated target state signals, a maintenance state of the access device is determined. The simulation model is adjusted based on the comparison between the actual state signals and the associated target state signals.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and or method to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a suspension cable from a carrier, comprising a housing secured to at least one of a single-axis control moment gyroscope or a multi-axis control moment gyroscope.

Abstract: A technique facilitates presetting of parameters for controlling a control target including a load device that has machine parameters such as inertia changeable in accordance with its posture or state. A parameter setting support apparatus (10) for supporting a control apparatus (30) in control parameter setting includes a first specifier (14) that specifies evaluation index values indicating control stability or control performance of the control apparatus (30) based on frequency response characteristics of a control target (40) in postures of the load device (42) having maximum inertia and minimum inertia, and a second specifier (14) that specifies a combined evaluation index value representing an evaluation index value in the posture of the load device (42) in operation based on the evaluation index values specified, by the first specifier (14), in the postures of the load device (42) having maximum inertia and minimum inertia.

Abstract: A method for controlling a motorised drive device including an actuator coupled to a mechanical load includes steps of: a) detecting a loss of electrical power; b) subsequent to detecting a loss of power, transferring at least a portion of the energy stored in a first capacitor connected to the input of a voltage regulator of the drive device to a second capacitor connected to the output of the voltage regulator; c) determining, during a first time period following the loss of power, whether the load has moved; d) when power is restored, controlling the movement of the load into a predefined reference position if mechanical load movement has been determined, or otherwise maintaining the load in its current position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes initiating a protection mode at a network device having a protective cover installed to filter airflow entering a network device, reducing one or more of a fan speed, processing functions, or power at the network device, exiting the protection mode upon removal of the protective cover from the network device, and increasing one or more of the fan speed, the processing functions, or the power to resume normal operation at the network device.

Abstract: The subject technology is related to methods and apparatus for discretization and manufacturability analysis of computer assisted design models. In one embodiment, the subject technology implements a computer-based method for the reception of an electronic file with a digital model representative of a physical object. The computer-based method determines geometric and physical attributes from a discretized version of the digital model, a cloud point version of the digital model, and symbolic functions generated through evolutionary algorithms. A set of predictive machine learning models is utilized to infer predictions related to the manufacture process of the physical object.

Abstract: Computer readable media for predicting a tooth shape for at least partially un-erupted teeth and dental appliances formed therefrom. In some examples, methods include generating orthoscopic views of virtual representations of an identified tooth type in different orthogonal directions, representing bounding shapes around the orthoscopic views, and applying principal component analysis on the bounding shapes to predict a tooth shape. In some examples, methods include generating a spherical harmonic signature for virtual representations of an identified tooth type, calculating a distance between spherical harmonic signatures to predict the tooth shape. The predicted tooth shape of the at least partially un-erupted tooth may be incorporated into virtual dentition model(s) of a dentition in accordance with an orthodontic treatment plan for treating the dentition.

Abstract: Provided is a process, including: obtaining, with a computer system, a set of tasks to be performed by a fleet of robots; obtaining, with the computer system, for each task in the set of tasks, a respective plurality of duty cycles, each corresponding to an amount of usage of a respective actuator of a robot among the fleet of robots upon performing the respective task; accessing, with the computer system, for each robot in the fleet of robots, a current wear-state vector having dimensions corresponding to cumulative wear on actuators of the respective robots; and based on the current wear-state vectors and the duty cycles of the tasks, with the computer system, assigning the tasks to the robots in the fleet of robots.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method comprises: accessing information associated with a first actor, including sensed activity information associated with an activity space; analyzing the activity information, including analyzing activity of the first actor with respect to a plurality of other actors; and forwarding feedback on the results of the analysis, wherein the results includes identification of a second actor as a replacement actor to replace the first actor, wherein the second actor is one of the plurality of other actors. The activity space can include an activity space associated with performance of a task. The analyzing can comprise: comparing information associated with activity of the first actor within the activity space with anticipated activity of the respective ones of the plurality of the actors within the activity space; and analyzing/comparing deviations between the activity of the first actor and the anticipated activity of the second actor.

Abstract: Embodiments of this present disclosure may include systems that perform operations including receiving a first symbol instance from an industrial automation device. The first template object instance may characterize a dataset accessible to the industrial automation device. Symbol object instances may inherit a categorization with respect to categories associated with the industrial automation device including an identity, a state, a runtime status, a maintenance status, sustainability information, or any combination thereof. The operations may include identifying a type of the industrial automation device based on the first symbol instance and generating template data based on the type of the industrial automation device and the first symbol instance. The template data may include values associated with the dataset and the categories associated with the first symbol instance. The operations may also include sending a control signal to the industrial automation device based on the template data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a large-scale dynamic double-effect scheduling method for a flexible job shop based on genetic programming (GP). In a GP implementation process of the present disclosure, in addition to features related to workpieces, processing robots and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), such as processing time of working procedures and buffer area waiting time, features of a ratio of processing time to transfer time and a ratio of processing energy consumption to transfer energy consumption are also added in a terminal set to cause job shop environment features to be more comprehensively applied to a scheduling rule design, thereby automatically designing a more consistent and accurate scheduling rule. A double-effect scheduling rule of the present disclosure overcomes the shortcomings of slow convergence speed, difficulty in rapid corresponding changes and unfit scheduling rules, and can quickly produce a more efficient and energy-saving production scheduling scheme.

Abstract: A system may include drives that are communicatively coupled to and/or control I/O devices via communication option cards. The drives and/or the communication option cards may include a logic engine to control internal I/O devices and external I/O devices via single pair Ethernet (SPE) conductors accessible via an Ethernet network.

Abstract: This present disclosure provides a method for automatic production line planning based on an Industrial Internet of Things, a system and a storage medium.

Abstract: A method of process control in a PCS. The PCS provides host controllers coupled together, I/O devices, field devices, and processing equipment, configured together to run a process, the plurality of host controllers having stored a single online orchestrator program for coordinating a shared and synchronized database for the host controllers, wherein the online orchestrator program uses and tracks currently available host controllers and selected control programs for controlling the process. The PCS also includes an offline orchestrator. The orchestrator is run on the currently available host controllers that shares and synchronizes the initial shared database version to the currently available host controllers. A selected host controller responsive to an event broadcasts updated shared database version to the currently available host controllers.

Abstract: A method includes finding, in subplant performance data points defined by values of an independent variable and values of a dependent variable, a first point for which a convexity metric of the dependent variable with respect to the independent variable exceeds a threshold, creating a subplant curve by providing a first convex region on a first side of the first point and a second convex region on a second side of the first point, and controlling the campus subplant based on the subplant curve.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for the operational testing on autonomous vehicles. One exemplary method includes configuring a primary vehicular model with an algorithm, calculating one or more trajectories for each of one or more secondary vehicular models that exclude the algorithm, configuring the one or more secondary vehicular models with a corresponding trajectory of the one or more trajectories, generating an updated algorithm based on running a simulation of the primary vehicular model interacting with the one or more secondary vehicular models that conform to the corresponding trajectory in the simulation, and integrating the updated algorithm into an algorithmic unit of the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: Methods may comprise: identifying a fault indicator associated with a physical system; collecting first data related to a state of the physical system; applying a surrogate model to the first data to produce a plurality of potential fault modes; applying an optimization algorithm to the plurality of potential fault modes using a similarity metric to produce an input and a plurality of outputs, wherein each of the plurality of outputs corresponds to one of the plurality of potential fault modes, wherein the input provides differentiation between each of the plurality of outputs; applying the input to the physical system; collecting second data from physical system in response to applying the input; identifying a true mode of the physical system based on a comparison of the second data and the plurality of outputs; and diagnosing a fault of the physical system based on the true mode.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to controlling a trailer without the presence of a physical connection. In one embodiment, a method includes in response to receiving a signal to initiate hitchless maneuvering of a trailer separately from a controlling vehicle, acquiring control inputs to maneuver the trailer from an input device within the controlling vehicle. The method includes communicating, from the controlling vehicle to the trailer, the control inputs to maneuver the trailer. The method includes in response to receiving feedback from the trailer indicating the trailer is within a requested position, sending a control signal to stop the trailer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a self-driving vehicle are presented. The system comprises a camera, a processor, a communications transceiver, a computer-readable medium, and a display device. The processor can be configured to receive an image of a self-driving vehicle from the camera, and vehicle information from the self-driving vehicle. A graphic comprising the image of the self-driving vehicle and a visual representation of the vehicle information is then displayed on the display device. The vehicle information may comprise any or all of vehicle-status information, vehicle-mission information, vehicle-metric information, and vehicle-environment information.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes a communication module, which establishes a transmission and receiving connection to a server external to the vehicle, and a control module connected to this for driving functions, which receives data of at least one sensor and controls at least one actuator for at least partially autonomously controlling at least one of the driving functions in the vehicle. A disconnector physically separates at least the receiving connection and a read-only memory, in which a piece of software for overwriting the software in the communication module and the control module in case of interference, is stored. Control of the control device is assumed when the control device has presumably been tampered with in the vehicle and uses this to separate at least the receiving connection, to bring the vehicle into a safe traffic state as needed, and to overwrite software in the control module and the communication module with software from the read-only memory.

Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to generating an occupancy grid movie for utilization in motion planning for the autonomous vehicle. The occupancy grid movie can be generated for a given time and can include time-stepped occupancy grids for future times that are at predefined time intervals from the given time. The time-stepped occupancy grids include cells corresponding to regions in an environment surrounding the autonomous vehicle. Probabilities can be assigned to the cells specifying likelihoods that the regions corresponding to the cells are occupied at the future times. Moreover, cached query objects that respectively specify indices of cells of a grid occupied by a representation of an autonomous vehicle at corresponding orientations are described herein. An occupancy grid for the environment surrounding the autonomous vehicle can be queried to determine whether cells of the occupancy grid are occupied utilizing a cached query object from the cache query objects.

Abstract: A robot that recognizes a user by identifying elements in a captured image that match elements in at least one previously captured image of the user, identifying biometric data that matches previously captured biometric data of the user, or identifying voice data that matches previously captured voice data of the user. Upon recognition of the user, the user is authorized to use the robot, control the robot, modify settings of the robot, add or delete or modify access of users to the robot, actuate the robot, program the robot, and assign a task to the robot.

Abstract: The present application discloses an autonomous machine and methods of controlling the autonomous machine. The present application also relates to a computing system for controlling movement of the autonomous machine. The autonomous machine comprises a movable component, a representation unit, a transformation unit communicatively coupled to the representation unit and a driving mechanism coupled to the movable component and the transformation unit for moving the movable component. In particular, poses of every part of the autonomous machine may be transformed back and forth by simply mathematical addition and subtraction.

Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode may operate a sensor to determine an environment of the vehicle. The sensor may be configured to obtain sensor data of a sensed portion of the environment. The sensed portion may be defined by a sensor parameter. Based on the environment of the vehicle, the vehicle may select at least one parameter value for the at least one sensor parameter such that the sensed portion of the environment corresponds to a region of interest. The vehicle may operate the sensor, using the selected at least one parameter value for the at least one sensor parameter, to obtain sensor data of the region of interest, and control the vehicle in the autonomous mode based on the sensor data of the region of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an aerial drone with a coherent radar system on a chip that operates in the terahertz range, the chip being in physical contact with the drone and configured to conduct a noninvasive scan of a target in a line of site field of view of the drone.

Abstract: An onboard device 1 is provided with an own vehicle position estimation unit 17 and an autonomous driving control unit 18. The own vehicle position estimation unit 17 estimates the own vehicle position by collating a detection result of a road marking by a lidar 2 with map DB 10. The autonomous driving control unit 18 acquires, from the map DB 10, the road marking information including detection accuracy information Idet indicative of the accuracy of the collation with respect to each road marking. On the basis of the detection accuracy information Idet, the autonomous driving control unit 18 outputs, to an electronic control device or an information output unit 16 of the vehicle, information for controlling the vehicle so that the accuracy of the collation is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method for avoiding a collision between an autonomous mobile apparatus and a stationary or moving object initially deemed to be a collision threat includes acquiring a passage clearance of the object, from the point of view of the autonomous mobile apparatus, by establishing in two dimensions the nearest and the furthest physical parts of the object in the planned path of the autonomous mobile apparatus. Dimensions between the current position of the autonomous mobile apparatus and the at least two boundaries are computed as relative distances, and are considered as avoidance distances when the relative distances are greater than the passage clearance. For only one avoidance distance, a target boundary for clearance with safety is set based on the avoidance distance. The autonomous mobile apparatus moves along a specified direction to aim at the target boundary. An autonomous mobile apparatus applying the method is also disclosed.