37th week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 34 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110222808 | Bearing Support - A bearing support is configured to retain at least two bearings disposed closely adjacent to each other in a parallel relationship. Each bearing includes a bearing outer ring having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface. The bearing support comprises at least first and second portions that are connected together. The first portion is formed as a component that has cylindrical openings configured to receive or seat the respective bearing outer rings and to surround the entire circumference of the respective bearing outer ring. The second portion is formed as a support plate. A bearing assembly includes the bearing support with a bearing seated in each of the respective cylindrical openings. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222809 | Bearing Support - A bearing support is configured to retain at least two bearings disposed closely adjacent to each other in a parallel relationship. Each bearing includes a bearing outer ring having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface. A support part includes a recess configured to hold the at least two bearings. At least one junction portion is defined in the support part adjacent portions of the cylindrical circumferential surfaces of the bearings that are not filled by the bearings when the bearings are inserted into the support part. The support part is connected with a cover part that axially abuts on the bearings. The cover part includes at least one support element, which extends into the junction portion between the bearings in the assembled state of the bearing support and at least partially fills the junction portion. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222810 | HYGIENIC ROLLER ASSEMBLY WITH EXTERNAL BEARING AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A ROLLER ASSEMBLY - A roller assembly includes a hermitically sealed roller defining a longitudinal axis of rotation. An external bearing supports the roller. In one embodiment, the bearing includes a plurality of fingers defining a bearing surface. In one embodiment, the roller is laterally moveable through an opening in the bearing to a support position. In one embodiment, the roller may lock the bearings against a support structure. An external bearing and a method of assembling a roller assembly are also provided. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222811 | RETAINER-EQUIPPED ROLLER - A retainer-equipped roller includes a retainer ( | 2011-09-15 |
20110222812 | Dopant Profile Control For High Speed Silicon-Based Optical Modulators - A high speed silicon-based optical modulator with control of the dopant profiles in the body and gate regions of the device reduces the series resistance of the structure without incurring substantial optical power loss. That is, the use of increased dopant values in areas beyond the active region will allow for the series resistance to be reduced (and thus increase the modulating speed of the device) without incurring too large a penalty in signal loss. The dopant profiles within the gate and body regions are tailored to exhibit an intermediate value between the high dopant concentration in the contact areas and the low dopant concentration in the carrier integration window area. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222813 | Optical Modulators With Controllable Chirp - A semiconductor-based optical modulator is presented that includes a separate phase control section to adjust the amount of chirp present in the modulated output signal. At least one section is added to the modulator configuration and driven to create a pure “phase” signal that will is added to the output signal and modify the e | 2011-09-15 |
20110222814 | System and Method for Using Planar Device to Generate and Steer Light Beam - The present invention provides a device is provided for use with a first through fourth light beams. The device includes a first through fourth waveguides and first through fourth light scattering portions. The first waveguide has a length and a width and is arranged to receive the first light beam, wherein the length is larger than the width. The second waveguide is parallel with the first waveguide and is arranged to receive the second light beam. The third waveguide is disposed perpendicularly to and intersecting with the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The third waveguide is arranged to receive the third light beam. The fourth waveguide is parallel with the third waveguide and is disposed perpendicularly to and intersecting with the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The fourth waveguide is arranged to receive the fourth light beam. The first light scattering portion is disposed at the intersection of the first waveguide and the third waveguide. The second light scattering portion is disposed at the intersection of the second waveguide and the third waveguide. The third light scattering portion is disposed at the intersection of the first waveguide and the fourth waveguide. The fourth light scattering portion is disposed at the intersection of the second waveguide and the fourth waveguide. The light scattering portions can scatter light normal to the waveguides. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222815 | OPTICAL TRANSMISSION MODULE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING OPTICAL TRANSMISSION MODULE - This invention provides an optical transmission module that is of low cost and that can be mounted even in a narrow space. An optical transmission module of the present invention includes a light reception processing section for converting an optical signal transmitted by an optical wiring to an electric signal, a reception side substrate part including an electric wiring for transmitting the electric signal, and a reception side connector section for providing the electric signal to the light reception processing section and the reception side substrate part. The light reception processing section and the reception side connector section are mounted on a same substrate surface of the reception side substrate part, and the reception side substrate part includes a bending portion bent so that the substrate surfaces oppose each other at the back in the normal direction. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222816 | WAVEGUIDE FOR EXTRACTION OF LIGHT AT LOW LEVELS OF REFLECTION - A waveguide for the extraction of light at low levels of reflection arranged to guide light from an electro-optical component on a chip to a facet on the chip for extraction includes a first part and a second part. The first part ( | 2011-09-15 |
20110222817 | Compact Multiplexer/Demultiplexer - The present invention relates to a multiplexer/demultiplexer with a connection for inputting and/or outputting an optical signal which has signal components of different wavelengths, a carrier plate ( | 2011-09-15 |
20110222818 | OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE FOR OPTICAL CONNECTOR, OPTICAL CONNECTOR USING SAME, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE FOR OPTICAL CONNECTOR - Disclosed is inexpensive optical waveguide for an optical connector which is accurately positioned across the width of cores when inserted in and fixed in an optical waveguide fixing through hole of a ferrule to provide low optical coupling loss when connected, an optical connector using the same, and a method of manufacturing the same. An optical waveguide for an optical connector includes cores, an under cladding layer, and an over cladding layer. The strip-shaped optical waveguide has a longitudinal end portion configured to be fixed in a predetermined through hole provided in a ferrule of an optical connector. The cores are formed on the under cladding layer by a photolithographic method. The over cladding layer is formed with respect to the positions of the cores or positioning alignment marks by a photolithographic method. The over cladding layer covers the cores, and the under cladding layer including crosswise end surfaces thereof. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222819 | MANAGED FIBER CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS - A communications connection system includes a fiber optic connector including a storage device having memory configured to store physical layer information. The storage device also includes at least one contact member that is electrically connected to the memory. Certain types of fiber optic connectors have the storage device mounted to a key of the fiber optic connector. Certain types of fiber optic connectors have the storage device mounted in a cavity defined in the fiber optic connector. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222820 | OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTOR - An optical fiber connector includes a housing, a connector body, a plurality of optical fibers and spring portion. The housing includes a first sidewall and an opposite second sidewall. The connector body is received in the housing adjacent to the second sidewall. The optical fibers are attached to the connector body and extending through the first sidewall. The spring portion is received in the housing and resiliently compressed between the connector body and the first sidewall. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222821 | OPTICAL CONNECTOR AND A METHOD OF CONNECTING AN OPTICAL CONNECTOR TO AN OPTICAL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD - The invention provides an optical printed circuit board connector, comprising: a housing having a major plane; an optical interface for connection in use to another optical interface on a device to which in use the optical printed circuit board connector is arranged to be connected, in which the optical interface on the connector is mounted such that it is twistable about a vertical axis in the major plane to vary the launch angle of light from the interface with respect to the housing. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222822 | OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER HAVING INNER METAL COVER - An optical transceiver that provides an inner metal cover in addition to a metal cover and a frame is disclosed. The inner cover includes a ceiling, a front skirt bent downward at a front edge of the ceiling, sides bent downward at both side edges of the ceiling, and a pair of arms extending rearward from respective side ends of the ceiling. The ceiling makes an obtuse angle with respect to the front skirt when the arms are not assembled with the frame, and shapes in convex protruding outward when the metal cover is not assembled with frame and. Assembling the inner cover and the metal cover with the frame, the inner cover comes in securely contact with the metal cover. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222823 | OPTICAL CONNECTOR AND A METHOD OF CONNECTING A USER CIRCUIT TO AN OPTICAL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD - The invention provides an optical connector for connecting a user circuit to an optical backplane, in which the backplane has one or more waveguides on it for carrying optical signals, the connector comprising: a first optical interface provided on the user circuit for receiving optical signals from the backplane or for transmitting optical signals for passage along the one or more waveguides; a second optical interface provided on the backplane for receiving optical signals from the user circuit or for transmitting optical signals to the user circuit; alignment features provided on each of the user circuit and the backplane arranged to align the first and second optical interfaces such that upon insertion of the user circuit to the backplane, the optical interfaces are aligned in the direction of insertion. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222824 | OPTICAL FIBER AND OPTICAL CABLE - Provided is an optical fiber that has a small bending loss, can be securely prevented from being fractured due to accidental bending during installation or other operations, and is compliant with the G. 652 standard. An optical fiber | 2011-09-15 |
20110222825 | OPTICAL FIBER ASSEMBLY - An optical fiber assembly includes a core. The core includes a central portion and a plurality of fins that extends radially outward from the central portion. The central portion defines a central passage. The central portion and the plurality of fins cooperatively define a plurality of grooves that is helically oriented along a length of the core. A plurality of optical fibers is disposed in the plurality of grooves. A strength member is disposed in the central passage of the core. An outer covering surrounds the core. The outer covering is air permeable. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222826 | STRAIN-RELEIF MEMBER AND FIBER OPTIC DROP CABLE ASSEMBLY USING SAME - A strain-relief member having a body formed from a block copolymer and designed for use in a fiber optic drop cable assembly. The body has a central channel and a cylindrical connector-end portion sized to surround an end-portion of a connector. The body also has a tapered cable-end portion sized to surround an end portion of a fiber optic cable that connects to the connector and that has a preferential bend axis. The strain-relief member is configured to limit an amount of strain in the strength components to less than 0.041 when subjected to flex and proof testing. A fiber optic drop cable assembly that has a fiber optic cable with a preferential bend axis and that employs the strain-relief member is also disclosed. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222827 | FIBER OPTIC PLATE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME | 2011-09-15 |
20110222828 | MULTI-CORE OPTICAL FIBER - The present invention relates to a multi-core optical fiber having a structure for reducing transmission loss and nonlinearity. The multi-core optical fiber comprises plural cores extending along a center axis direction, and a cladding surrounding the peripheries of the plural cores. The cladding is comprised of silica glass doped with fluorine, and each of the plural cores is comprised of silica glass doped with chlorine or pure silica glass. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222829 | FIBER OPTIC ENCLOSURE WITH INTERNAL CABLE SPOOL ASSEMBLY - A fiber optic enclosure includes a housing having a base and a cover. The base and the cover cooperate to define an interior region. A cable spool assembly is disposed in the interior region of the housing and is rotatably engaged to the base. The cable spool assembly includes a drum portion and a tray assembly engaged to the drum portion. The tray assembly includes a first tray and a second tray mounted to the first tray. A fiber optic distribution cable is wrapped about the drum portion of the cable spool assembly. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222830 | WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING MODULE - A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis and a plurality of optical wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer modules mounted within the chassis. Each module includes at least one fiber optic connector. Within an interior of the chassis are positioned at least one fiber optic adapter. Inserting the modules through an opening of the chassis at a mounting location positions the connector of the module for insertion into and mating with the adapter of the chassis. A method of mounting an optical wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer module within a telecommunications chassis is also disclosed. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222831 | FIBER OPTIC TERMINAL HAVING ADAPTER PANEL SUPPORTING BOTH INPUT AND OUTPUT FIBERS FROM AN OPTICAL SPLITTER - A fiber optic terminal configured to optically connect optical fibers from received network-side and subscriber-side fiber(s) to facilitate providing direct or intermediate optical connections between a fiber optic network and a destination. The fiber optic terminal includes at least one adapter module comprising at least one adapter panel. The adapter panel is configured to receive both an input fiber and one or more of a plurality of output fibers from an optical splitter. To establish optical connections between the network-side and subscriber-side fiber(s), the input fiber from the optical splitter is optically connected to an input fiber optic adapter on the adapter panel, which is optically connected to the at least one network-side fiber. One or more of the plurality of output fibers from the optical splitter are optically connected to one or more output fiber optic adapters on the adapter panel, which are optically connected to the subscriber-side fibers. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222832 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM, CONTROL PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An image processing method includes sensing a sound or a frame, in an interested information sensing step, which constitutes a moving image. The sound or frame includes a feature quantity matched with an interested feature quantity. The interested feature quantity is extracted from interested information indicating an item in which a user is interested. The method includes specifying a slot, in an interested scene specifying step, including a reference time point as the interested scene on a reproducing time axis of the moving image. The reference time point is a time of the sound or frame. The sound or frame is sensed in the interested information sensing step. The method includes degrading image quality of a slot, in a low-image quality moving image producing step, except the interested scene specified in the interested scene specifying step in the moving image and producing a low-image-quality moving image of the moving image. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222833 | AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION AND EDITING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system for creating customized audiovisual content is provided. The system includes a location cue system for providing a plurality of synchronized location cues to direct a plurality of movement sequences for an actor. A speech cue system for providing a plurality of synchronized speech cues to direct a plurality of spoken sequences for the actor. A sequence controller for receiving location cue data and speech cue data and controlling the location cue system and the speech cue system. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222834 | PLAYBACK TERMINAL, TIME-OF-DAY MANAGEMENT METHOD, AND CONTENT PLAYBACK SYSTEM - A playback terminal ( | 2011-09-15 |
20110222835 | Application Tracks in Audio/Video Containers - Techniques for providing application tracks in a media data container are described. An application descriptor may be extracted from a coded bitstream. The coded bitstream comprises media data to be played by a media presentation system. The application descriptor identifies an application archive (i) that is retrievable by the media presentation system from one or more sources and (ii) that is required by the media presentation system at a set media time associated with the media data. While playing the media data, the media presentation system causes retrieving all of the application archive from the one or more sources before the set media time. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222836 | VIDEO EDITING WITH A PC DATA LINKED TO A VIDEO CAPTURE DEVICE - A personal computer with a graphical user interface is connected through a data link to an image capture device whereupon one or more images are stored. The image capture device comprises specialized graphical or video hardware, which may be controlled by the graphical user interface through signals passed through the data link. In response to those signals, the image capture device then processes one or more selected images or groups of pictures with the stored images, thereby performing one or more editing functions. By using the specialized hardware and capacious storage typically present on the image capture device, only low capability personal computers are required. Depending on the screen size and hardware capabilities of the image capture device, the personal computer may comprise a sufficient screen sized netbook, laptop, desktop computer, smart phone, MP3 player, or other personal digital assistant (PDA). | 2011-09-15 |
20110222837 | MANAGEMENT OF PICTURE REFERENCING IN VIDEO STREAMS FOR PLURAL PLAYBACK MODES - In one embodiment, a system, comprising an encoder comprising memory with personal video recording assist (PVRA) logic; and a processor configured to execute the PVRA logic to: provide a reference picture reordering command (RPRC) in association with one or more pictures of a video stream to be received in a video stream receive-and-process (VSRP) device, the RPRC configured to cause the VSRP device to reorder or modify associations of reference pictures to ascending reference indices of a derived, default reference picture list such that lower tier number pictures precede higher tier number pictures in a modified reference picture list used for decoding the one or more pictures. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222838 | VIDEO PLAYBACK DEVICE AND VIDEO PLAYBACK METHOD - According to an embodiment, a memory creates first packet data and second packet data which are identical to the first packet data, and adds the same serial number to the first packet data and the second packet data. The first packet data is supplied to one port of a decoder through one switch unit, while the second packet data is supplied to the other port of the same decoder through the other switch unit. The decoder checks on the first packet data and the second packet data provided with the same serial number, and thereby monitors whether or not an error occurs in the first packet data and the second packet data. Then, the decoder decodes normal packet data selected from the first packet data and the second packet data, and outputs the decoded data to a video switch. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222839 | VIDEO CONTENT PLAYBACK APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A decoding control portion of a video content playback apparatus determines, for each of the video contents, whether any delay occurs, based on an amount of delay acquired at the time when the decoding comes to an end relative to a scheduled time concerning the displaying or the decoding of a moving image stream data. The decoding control portion controls a decoding operation executed by a moving image decoding portion so that a video content with no delay is decoded in an ordinary playback mode that decodes the whole input moving image stream data, and a video content with delay is decoded in a slow playback mode that decodes the content by lowering an amount of throughput of decoding processing with per unit time than that of the ordinary playback mode or in a skipping playback mode that decodes only a part of the input moving image stream data. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222840 | Heating Configuration For Use in Thermal Processing Chambers - An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222841 | AUTO FOCUS INTRAORAL CAMERA WITH LIQUID LENS - The present invention related to an auto focus intraoral camera. The auto focus intraoral camera includes an illumination module for providing illuminating light, an imager, and a lens system for collecting light reflected from an object and focusing the light onto the imager, wherein said lens system further comprises at least one liquid lens including a vessel filled with a first liquid, and a second liquid being in contact with said first liquid, the first and second liquids being immiscible, of different optical indexes, and of substantially same density; wherein the lens system further includes a driver integrated circuit applying variable voltage to control the focal length of said lens. According to the present application, a compact auto focus intraoral camera with a small size and simple structure is provided, which decreases the camera complexity and improve the performance. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222842 | THEFT DETERRING ADJUSTABLE, TRANSPORTABLE, OUTDOOR CAMERA SUPPORT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE - An adjustable locking camera support assembly is provided. The assembly includes a camera support assembly and a ground engaging assembly. The camera support assembly includes a first support in telescopic communication with a second support, a camera mount pivotally connected to the first support, and a support plate connected to the second support, the support plate includes a first aperture forming a passage to a hollow portion of the second support, and a second aperture. The ground engaging assembly includes a retention plate having a first side opposing a second side, an orifice carried by the retention plate, a first member connected to the first side of the retention plate, the first member being removably received by the first aperture and hollow portion of the second support of the camera support assembly, and a second member connected to the second side of the retention plate, the second member carrying an auger. An anchor member is removably received by the retention plate orifice and adapted to removably engage a passage carried by the first member. A locking mount is carried by the retention plate, the locking mount being removably received by the second aperture of the support plate of the camera support assembly. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222843 | FOCAL PLANE SHUTTER FOR DIGITAL CAMERAS - When a hold member rotates on a shaft counterclockwise in the set operation, pressing parts of a pressing member which is fitted on top end of the hold member press pressed parts of iron piece members to rotate a lock-releasing member for a first blade and a lock-releasing member for a rear blade so that the iron piece members are made to come into contact with iron-core members of electromagnets, while an engagement pin presses an arm of a connection spring to rotate a restraining member clockwise so that a restraining part of the restraining member moves into the trajectory of the movement of a restrained part of the lock-releasing member for the rear blade. When the coils of the electromagnets are not electrified and the hold member rotates clockwise, the lock-releasing member for the front blade presses a front blade locking member to make it possible to perform an open operation of the front blade, while the lock-releasing member for the rear blade cannot press a rear blade locking member because the lock-releasing member for the rear blade is restrained by the restraining member. As a result, an exposure aperture is fully opened, and it becomes possible to perform observation with electronic finder. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222844 | OPENING/CLOSING ASSEMBLY FOR LIGHT PATH AND PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - An opening/closing assembly for a light path and a photographing apparatus including the same, comprises: a barrier base having an opening for providing the light path; a rotatable barrier installed on the barrier base for opening/closing the light path, and including an insertion portion; a first driving member disposed on the barrier base and including a first engagement groove in which the insertion portion is inserted and a functional portion on which an external force is exerted; a second driving member disposed on the barrier base and including a second engagement groove in which the insertion portion is inserted; and an elastic member for elastically connecting the first driving member and the second driving member, wherein, when the barrier is rotated, a distance between a portion of the first engagement groove contacting the insertion portion and a portion of the second engagement groove contacting the insertion portion is varied. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222845 | LIGHT AMOUNT ADJUSTING DEVICE AND IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS - A light amount adjusting device includes: a cover plate having a light-passing hole; a first separator being sheet-shaped and having a hole; a second separator being elastically deformable and sheet-shaped, positioned on a side opposite to the cover plate with the first separator therebetween, and having a hole; a first light amount adjusting blade movable between the cover plate and the first separator; a second light amount adjusting blade being movable between the first separator and the second separator; a base body to which the cover plate, the first separator, and the second separator are mounted, having a throughhole and mounting grooves, the throughhole being formed to have a diameter larger than a diameter of the hole of the second separator, the mounting grooves allowing the second separator to be mounted therein and being opened toward the throughhole. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222846 | SHARED PHOTONIC MESH - A network element of an optical communications network. The network element comprises an electronic router for forwarding traffic between a set of client access ports and a plurality of I/O ports. A respective EO interface is coupled to each one of the plurality of I/O ports. Each EO interface terminates a respective optical channel. A directionally independent access (DIA) node is configured to selectively route each optical channel between its respective EO interface and a selected one of at least two optical fiber links of the optical communications network. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222847 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING SERVICE FORWARDING - In the field of communications, a method, a system, and a device for implementing service forwarding are disclosed. The method includes: establishing an optical network tunnel between data communication devices; triggering physical interfaces of the data communication devices directly connected to an optical network to start a link layer protocol after the optical network tunnel is successfully established; performing, by the data communication devices, link layer negotiation through the optical network tunnel according to the link layer protocol; setting a link layer state between the data communication devices and a physical state of the physical interfaces to be valid after the link layer negotiation is performed successfully; and implementing, service forwarding, by the data communication devices through the optical network tunnel after the link layer state and the physical state of the physical interfaces are set to be valid. In this way, Internet Protocol (IP)/Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) service forwarding of the data communication devices is implemented, implementation complexity of bearing the IP/MPLS service over a Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching User-Network Interface (GMPLS UNI) tunnel is reduced, reconstruction on an IP/MPLS control plane and a forwarding plane is decreased, and forwarding performance is improved. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222848 | Method and Apparatus for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Communication Based on Solid-State Photon Emitters - A novel method and apparatus for long distance quantum communication in realistic, lossy photonic channels is disclosed. The method uses single emitters of light as intermediate nodes in the channel. One electronic spin and one nuclear spin coupled via the contact hyperfine interaction in each emitter, provide quantum memory and enable active error purification. It is shown that the fixed, minimal physical resources associated with these two degrees of freedom suffice to correct arbitrary errors, making our protocol robust to all realistic sources of decoherence. The method is particularly well suited for implementation using recently-developed solid-state nano-photonic devices. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222849 | OPTICAL TRANSMISSION APPARATUS FOR VISIBLE LIGHT COMMUNICATION - Disclosed herein is an optical transmission apparatus for visible light communication. The optical transmission apparatus includes a power conversion unit, a drive unit, an encoding unit, a control unit, and a detection unit. The power conversion unit provides Direct Current (DC) power to the lighting LED lamps. The drive unit is operated using a switching drive method and supplies operating current to the lighting LED lamps. The encoding unit is connected to an external network, receives and encodes data, and provides it to the drive unit. The control unit controls the operation of the power conversion unit, the drive unit, and the encoding unit. The detection unit measures the strength of a visible light signal sent by the lighting LED lamps. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222850 | SELF TEST OF A DUAL POLARIZATION TRANSMITTER - A method of testing a dual-polarization optical transmitter comprising a pair of polarization transmitters for respectively generating first and second polarization signals, and a polarization combiner for generating an optical signal composed of the first and second polarization signals with respective orthogonal polarization vectors. Each of the polarization transmitters is controlled to transmit respective polarization optical signals having predetermined characteristics. An output of the dual-polarization optical transmitter is tapped to obtain a first tap signal representative of the first polarization signal, and a second tap signal representative of the second polarization signal. A relative angle between respective polarization vectors of the tap signals is controlled, and the first and second tap signals combined to generate a combined light. A power level of the combined light is detected, and processed to obtain information about the performance of the dual polarization transmitter. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222851 | METHOD TO TRANSFORM A DYNAMIC ANALOG OPTICAL NETWORK TO A DIGITAL REPRESENTATION - A system for enabling reconfiguration of a Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) optical communications network. A plurality of channel transmitters are provided for generating respective optical signals within corresponding wavelength channels of the network. A broadband light source generates a broadband continuous wave light having a bandwidth corresponding to a channel band of the network. A wavelength selective switch includes a first switch port connected to receive optical signals from the channel transmitters. A second switch port is connected to receive the broadband continuous wave light from the broadband light source. The wavelength selective switch is configured to comb the broadband continuous wave light into a plurality of narrowband lights respectively corresponding with wavelength channels of the network. A common-OUT port of the wavelength selective switch outputs a WDM signal for transmission through a downstream fibre span of the network. The wavelength selective switch is controlled to switch optical signals from the first switch port to the common-OUT port as active wavelength channels, and further to switch narrowband lights corresponding to inactive channel wavelengths to the common-OUT port. Consequently, a spectral loading of the WDM signal is independent of the number of active wavelength channels. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222852 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONFIGURING A CONNECTION-ORIENTED PACKET NETWORK OVER A WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL NETWORK - A network planning tool and method for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a WDM optical network without an optical control layer, such as a SONET/SDH layer. The optical network includes a plurality of optical fibers interconnected through nodes and the connection-oriented packet network, such an Ethernet network, MPLS network, or pseudowire network, includes two or more terminal devices. The method and tool function by building an association between the components of the physical layer, such as the optical fiber, and their geographic location or path. The connection-oriented packet network is configured by building multi-link trunks (MLTs) between terminal devices, where the MLTs are built by aggregating lightpaths that traverse distinctive geographic paths. The MLTs are planned and configured through aggregating lightpaths that traverse incongruent sets of photonic elements. A predetermined target for resiliency to physical failure events may determine the degree of congruence allowed between the sets of photonic elements associated with lightpaths in the same MLT. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222853 | POLARIZED-WAVE-MULTIPLEXING OPTICAL TRANSMITTER AND CONTROL METHOD OF POLARIZED-WAVE-MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL SIGNAL - A polarized-wave-multiplexing optical transmitter including: an optical combiner generating a polarized-wave-multiplexed optical signal by polarized-wave-multiplexing a first optical modulation signal and a second optical modulation signal; an optical power fluctuation portion fluctuating optical power of the first optical modulation signal and the second optical modulation signal periodically; a total-optical-power detection portion detecting fluctuation amount of total optical power of the polarized-wave-multiplexed optical signal; and an optical power controller reducing an optical power difference between the first optical modulation signal and the second optical modulation signal based on detection result of the total-optical-power detection portion. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222854 | COHERENT OPTICAL HUBBING - An optical communications system includes a hub modem and a set of two or more remote modems. Each remote modem includes a transmitter stage for transmitting a respective uplink data stream within a selected one of a set of two or more sub-channels. The hub modem optically communicates with the set of remote modems. The hub modem includes a receiver stage having an optical front-end for receiving an uplink optical channel signal within a spectral range that encompasses the set of two or more spectral sub-bands; a photodetector for detecting modulation components of the received uplink optical channel signal and for generating a corresponding high bandwidth analog signal; and a digital signal processor for processing the high bandwidth analog signal to recover the respective uplink data stream transmitted by each remote modem. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222855 | Wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network system - The present invention proposes a wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (WDM-PON) system which transmits downstream data to an optical network unit (ONU) as an optical line termination (OLT) receives seed light from a spectrum-sliced external light source module. One characteristic of the proposed WDM-PON system is that optical transmitters of the OLT and ONU are operated regardless of optical wavelength. Another characteristic of the proposed WDM-PON system is that a conventional TDMA-PON (E-PON or G-PON) ONU can be accommodated without a change. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222856 | All-Optical 2R Regeneration - A method is provided for all-optical regeneration of intensity modulated optical signals. A DFB laser diode is selected such that it has a gain bandwidth comprising the signal wavelength, the signal wavelength being outside the stopband of the DFB laser diode. Furthermore, the DFB laser diode is selected such that it can have a bistable amplification characteristic for the signal wavelength showing a hysteresis with an ascending branch and a descending branch, the ascending branch located at a higher input power level than the descending branch. The DFB laser diode is driven such that it operates in the bistable amplification regime, the descending branch of the hysteresis curve located at an input power level above the lower power level of the optical signal pulses and the ascending branch of the hysteresis curve located at an input power level below the upper power level of the optical signal pulses. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222857 | REMOTE NODE FOR WAVELENGTH-DIVISION-MULTIPLEXED PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK - A remote node for a wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network (WDM PON). The remote node comprises means for receiving uplink optical signals from one or more optical network units of the WDM PON; a broadband reflector for reflecting a self-seeding portion of the respective uplink optical signals to the respective uplink light sources; and wherein the reflector comprises a gain medium and is configured for receiving a pump optical signal from a central office of the WDM PON for amplifying the self seeding portion of the respective uplink optical signal. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222858 | OPTICAL COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND OPTICAL COMMUNICATION METHOD - A present invention provides an optical communication apparatus and method which can use a data modulator and an OFDM modulator more narrow band than a transmission band. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222859 | Compact Multiplexer/Demultiplexer - The present invention relates to a multiplexer/demultiplexer with a connection for inputting and/or outputting an optical signal which has signal components of different wavelengths, a carrier plate ( | 2011-09-15 |
20110222860 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A REFERENCE SIGNAL LEVEL AND FOR CANCELLING AMPLIFIER OFFSET IN AN OPTICAL SYSTEM - Described is a method and apparatus for generating a mid-level reference signal and for cancelling amplifier offset in an optical communication system without DC-balancing of optical data. The apparatus comprises an optical-to-electrical converter to receive an optical signal and to generate an electrical signal; an amplifier to receive the electrical signal and to generate an output signal based on a reference signal; a feedback mechanism to be enabled during a training phase only and to generate a control signal from the output signal; and a counter logic having a digital-to-analog converter to generate the reference signal based on the control signal. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222861 | INTERCONNECT FOR A DATA STORAGE SYSTEM - The invention provides an interconnect for a data storage system, to enable optical communication between a data storage device and a backplane to which the data storage device is in use to be connected, wherein the interconnect includes an electrical power connection for providing power to a said data storage device; and, an optical engine for generating and receiving optical signals for transmission of data between the data storage device and the backplane. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222862 | MAKE BEFORE BREAK OPTICAL MESH NETWORK ELEMENT - A network element includes an electronic switch for routing traffic between a plurality of client access ports and a plurality of EO ports, a respective EO interface coupled to each one of the plurality of EO ports; a wavelength selective switch for optically switching optical signals between the EO interfaces and a set of optical transmission fibers; and a control system. The plurality of EO interfaces includes at least one Make Before Break (MBB) OE interface. The control system is operative to reconfigure the network element by identifying an EO interface to be reconfigured. A new optical path is set up through the wavelength selective switch and terminated on the MBB EO interface. The electronic switch is then controlled to re-route a traffic flow traversing the identified EO interface to the MBB EO interface. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222863 | UNREPEATERED LONG HAUL OPTICAL FIBER TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS - A long haul optical fiber transmission system includes a transmitter having a modulated bit rate of at least 40 Gb/s. A receiver is optically coupled to the transmitter with a composite optical fiber span. The optical fiber includes a first optical fiber coupled to the transmitter and a second optical fiber coupled to the first optical fiber. The first optical fiber has an effective area of at least 120 μm | 2011-09-15 |
20110222864 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMPENSATING FOR OPTICAL DISPERSION IN AN OPTICAL SIGNAL - A method for compensating for optical dispersion includes receiving an optical signal at a first node of an optical network that includes a first set of channels and a second set of channels that are each configured to be received using coherent digital receivers at a second node of the optical network. Each coherent digital receiver provides electronic dispersion compensation for the received channel at the second node. The method also includes forwarding the first set of channels from the first node without performing optical dispersion compensation on those channels. Furthermore, the method includes compensating for optical dispersion in the second set of channels at the first optical node and forwarding those channels from the first node. The optical dispersion compensation on the second set of channels at the first node provides dispersion compensation in addition to the compensation provided by the associated coherent digital receivers at the second node. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222865 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMISSION OF TWO MODULATED SIGNALS VIA AN OPTICAL CHANNEL - The arrangement includes a transmitter ( | 2011-09-15 |
20110222866 | Multirate Burst Mode Receiver - There is a need to provide a multirate burst mode receiver for an OLT to be capable of receiving a high-speed burst signal without the need for a special capability of an ONU in a PON system including a mix of ONUs at different transmission bit rates. A multirate burst mode receiver according to the invention includes a signal input discrimination section and a bit rate discrimination section. The signal input discrimination section detects an average amplitude to discriminate signal input. The bit rate discrimination section detects an envelope curve for a high-frequency component to discriminate a signal bit rate. Based on a discrimination result from the signal input discrimination section and the bit rate discrimination section, the multirate burst mode receiver switches a setting for an optical signal reception section and a serial-parallel converter corresponding to the reception bit rate. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222867 | Optical Receiver Using Single Ended Voltage Offset Measurement - An optical receiver includes an optical detector that generates a photocurrent at an output. A transimpedance amplifier generates an amplified voltage signal corresponding to the photocurrent generated by the optical detector. An offset voltage generator generates an offset voltage that biases the voltage signal generated by the transimpedance amplifier. A switch having a first input electrically connected to the output of the transimpedance amplifier and a second input electrically connected to the output of the offset voltage generator switches between the offset voltage and the voltage signal generated by the transimpedance amplifier. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222868 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE DENSITY ADJUSTMENT METHOD - An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section; and a control section allowing the image forming section to form a belt-shaped pattern on sheets in such a way that a formation starting position of the belt-shaped pattern is shifted for a distance, obtained by dividing a measurement-distance by a number of sheets to be used, in a main-scanning direction sheet by sheet; collecting, sheet by sheet, pieces of density information each of which indicates the density of the belt-shaped pattern at a measurement position of measurement positions; creating data in which the pieces of density information respectively correspond to the measurement positions arranged in the main-scanning direction on each of the sheets; and correcting density unevenness of image data in the main-scanning direction based on the created data, wherein the image forming section forms an image based on the image data of which the density unevenness is corrected. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222869 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE DENSITY ADJUSTMENT METHOD - An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section which forms a belt-shaped pattern having a specific gradation and a prescribed length extending in a main-scanning direction; and a control section which receives pieces of density information each of which indicates a density of the belt-shaped pattern at a measurement position of measurement positions; detects a minimum density from the pieces of density information; sets the minimum density as a target density; identifies a first error between the target density and each of densities respectively indicated by the pieces of density information; sets a gradation correction amount at each of the measurement positions, respectively corresponding to the pieces of density information, based on the respective first errors; and corrects a gradation of image data based on the gradation correction amounts, wherein the image forming section forms an image based on the image data of which the gradation is corrected. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222870 | Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and program - An image forming apparatus includes: a patch-image generating unit that generates a patch image for measuring a color reproduction characteristic and correcting color, the patch image in which mixed-color patch sets each including a plurality of patches each formed by overlaying a plurality of color materials are arranged so that patches having the same color and the same tone value included in the mixed-color patch sets are arranged to be kept at a distance in a circumferential direction of a photosensitive element and a distance between same tone patches, which are two patches having the same color and the same tone value, is close to (N+½) times the length of a period of uneven density which periodically occurs in the circumferential direction of the photosensitive element (N is an integer of 0 or greater); and an image forming unit that forms the generated patch image on a recording medium. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222871 | TONER REPLENISHING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING TONER REPLENISHING DEVICE - A toner replenishing device includes a sub hopper (toner container), a toner detection sensor, an agitator, and a paddle. The sub hopper contains toner. The toner detection sensor is located on a wall surface in the sub hopper and detects whether toner remains at a height at which it is located. The agitator rotates in the sub hopper to clean the detection surface of the toner detection sensor. The paddle serves as a toner collecting unit that collects toner to the vicinity of the detection surface of the toner detection sensor in the sub hopper. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222872 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device; a toner supply device that supplies toner to the developing device; and a toner supply detecting sensor that detects whether toner is supplied into the developing device; and a toner empty determination controller for determining that the toner inside the toner supply device is used up. Toner empty determination controller, based on the output result from the toner supply detecting sensor, modifies the toner empty determining threshold, based on which toner empty is determined. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222873 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member on the basis of image information, into a developed image with a developer, the developing device including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer and a stirring member for stirring the developer in the developer accommodating portion; an optical remaining amount detecting device for detecting a remaining amount of the developer in the developer accommodating portion, by passing light through an inside of the developer accommodating portion; a consumption amount calculation device for calculating information relating to a consumption amount of the developer on the basis of the image information; and an outputting device for outputting an information signal indicative of a developer remainder which is either one of a developer remainder based on a detection result of the optical remaining amount detecting device and a developer remainder based on the information relating to the consumption amount provided by the consumption amount calculation device, selected in accordance with information relating to continuous drive time of the stirring member after start of drive thereof during image forming operation. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222874 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium includes a fixing roller, a pressing roller, and at least one of a sheet guide, a sheet separation plate, and an electric component module. The fixing roller rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. The pressing roller rotates and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the fixing roller to form a nip between the pressing roller and the fixing roller through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes to fix the toner image by heat and pressure. The position of the pressing roller is changeable relative to the fixing roller. At least one of the sheet guide, the separation plate, and the electric component module moves in conjunction with movement of the pressing roller as a single integrated unit without changing relative positions with respect to the pressing roller. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222875 | FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing unit removably installable in an image forming apparatus includes an endless fixing member; a metal member disposed in proximity to an inner surface of the fixing member; a nip formation member supported by the metal member to slidably contact the fixing member or oppose the fixing member via a slide sheet; a heater to heat the metal member to heat the fixing member; a rotary pressing member to rotate the fixing member, disposed opposite the nip formation member via the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation detector to detect a rotational state of the fixing member. Heating rotation of the fixing member is continuously performed until a predetermined rotational state of the fixing member is obtained, to spread lubricant substantially uniformly at least between the fixing member and the metal member. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222876 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus using the same - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a damage detecting unit. The fixing member includes a heat-insulating elastic layer, to which a conductive thin-film layer is provided. The pressure member presses against the fixing member to form a fixing nip. The damage detecting unit detects the electric resistance of the thin-film layer. The damage detecting unit detects a change in the electric resistance of the thin-film layer, thereby detecting damage to the fixing member. Depending on the extent of the damage, the condition of conveyance of a recording medium to the fixing nip is changed. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222877 | DIRECT PRINTING METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE FOR PERFORMING THE SAME - A direct printing method and an image forming device for performing the direct printing method are provided. The image forming device includes an image forming body and a controller. The image forming body includes a plurality of electrodes, and the controller controls to operate at least some of the plurality of electrodes at different times and print a single line image. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222878 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A developing device includes: a plurality of developer retaining bodies that retain developer and rotate, and that respectively convey the developer, which is supplied to each of the developer retaining bodies from a developer supply section, to an image bearing body that rotates and bears a latent image; and a speed changing unit that is adapted to change a rotation speed of at least one of the developer retaining bodies excluding a developer retaining body that is furthest downstream side in a direction of rotation of the image bearing body. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222879 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device including a rotatable fixing member to fix a toner image on a recording medium, a pressing member to press against the fixing member to form a nip portion therebetween, through which the recording medium passes, and a nip pressure applying mechanism that movably supports the pressing member. The nip pressure applying mechanism presses the pressing member against the fixing member at a predetermined nip pressure during a fixing operation, and draws the pressing member away from the fixing member for a predetermined distance before the fixing operation. The predetermined distance is set depending on a condition for the fixing operation. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222880 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a development device; a speed varying unit that can vary a speed of a developer bearing member; a sensing portion that senses an environmental temperature around the development device; and a controller that can perform a mode in which, compared with a period which an image forming region of the image bearing member passes through the developing region, the rotation speed of the developer bearing member slows down a period which a non-image forming region of the image bearing member passes through the developing region, wherein based on sensing result of the sensing portion, the controller performs the mode when the environmental temperature is higher than a predetermined value, and the controller does not perform the mode when the environmental temperature is lower than the predetermined value. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222881 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium includes a fixing roller to rotate in a predetermined direction of rotation, a pressing roller to rotate and contact an outer circumferential surface of the fixing roller to form a nip between the pressing roller and the fixing roller through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes to fix the toner image by heat and pressure, a pressing lever to hold both lateral end portions of the pressing roller, and a cam disposed on a camshaft, to rotate the pressing lever to change the position of the pressing roller. Rotation of the cam in a first, pressing direction enables the pressing roller to pressingly contact the fixing roller. Rotation of the cam in a second direction opposite the pressing direction enables the pressing roller to separate from the fixing roller. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222882 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a recording medium transport belt which is suspended by a plurality of roller members. An image is secondarily transferred from a first image carrier through an intermediate transfer body to a recording medium. An image is directly transferred from a second image carrier to the recording medium. The image forming apparatus further includes a pattern image sensing unit which senses a pattern image transferred from the first image carrier and the second image carrier finally to the recording medium transport belt. Each of a distance from a secondary transfer position to a sensing position and a distance from a direct transfer position to the sensing position in a recording medium transport belt rotation direction is a natural number times a circumferential length of a roller member causing a speed change in the recording medium transport belt among the plurality of roller members. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222883 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus having a first photosensitive member and a second photosensitive member that are arranged side by side along a moving direction of a transfer member, the first photosensitive drum being disposed at an upstream position with respect to the moving direction of the transfer member and the second photosensitive member being disposed at a downstream position; a light source for emitting a beam; and an optical system for directing the beam emitted from the light source to the first and the second photosensitive drums. The optical system comprises a switching optical element that is capable of turning into a first state to direct the beam emitted from the light source to the first photosensitive drum and into a second state to direct the beam to the second photosensitive drum, and a condition, A+B | 2011-09-15 |
20110222884 | DEPOSITED TONER MEASURING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - Provided is a deposited-toner measuring apparatus capable of accurate detection of the amount of toner deposited on the toner carrying member, and an image forming apparatus equipped with the aforementioned measuring apparatus and capable of controlling the amount of toner deposited on the toner carrying member to a desired level so as to provide stable image quality at all times. A deposited-toner measuring apparatus that removes a toner layer in a part of the surface of the toner carrying member, detects change in the capacitance at the portion with a toner layer and the portion without such a toner layer, and detects the amount of the deposited toner based on the detection result of the said change in the capacitance. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a cleaning blade provided on an intermediate transfer member to which a toner image formed on at least one image forming section is primary transferred and on a secondary transfer section which transfers the toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer member onto a transfer material, respectively, which cleans the toner image remained thereon, respectively; a bias power source which is electrically connected to the secondary transfer section; and a controller which causes the image forming section to form a patch toner image onto a non-image area on the image carrier corresponding to an area between adjoining two transfer materials, and causes the bias power source to conduct a power control in synchronization with a positional movement timing of the patch toner image, to supply selectively the patch toner image to the intermediate transfer member and the secondary transfer section. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222886 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, and a driving unit. The fixing member and the pressing member define a nip portion where a toner image is fixed on a recording material. The driving unit is provided to the fixing member and the pressing member to individually control linear velocities of outer circumferential surfaces of the fixing member and the pressing member. In feed mode in which the outer circumferential surfaces sandwich the recording material to fix the image on the recording material, the driving unit drives the fixing member and the pressing member such that the outer circumferential surfaces move at individual linear velocities to reduce a feed speed difference between front and rear surfaces of the recording material. In non-feed mode, the driving unit drives either one of the fixing member and the pressing member such that another member is driven by the one member. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222887 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING FIXING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, transit time taken for a recording medium passing through a nip portion to transit a predetermined distance is measured. A nip width adjusting mechanism adjusts a nip width on the basis of the transit time of the recording medium over the predetermined distance. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222888 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member to rotate in a predetermined direction, formed in a loop, an inner circumferential face of which is coated with a lubricant; a pressing member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member, to press against the fixing member; a driver to drive and rotate the pressing member; a contact member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member; and a heating member to heat the fixing member, provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member. When the fixing device starts up, the pressing member drives and rotates the fixing member less than 360 degrees to move a warmed range of the fixing member heated by the heating member to the nip. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222889 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A apparatus including a fixing device using an induction heating method includes an induction coil, a resonant capacitor connected to the induction coil, a switching element configured to supply electric power to the induction coil, a driving signal generation circuit configured to determine a frequency of a driving signal for driving the switching element according to electric power to be supplied to the coil and to generate the driving signal, and a setting unit configured to set a minimum frequency of the driving signal according to a temperature of a heating element so that a frequency of the driving signal does not become lower than a resonant frequency determined by an inductance of the induction coil and an inductance of the heating element and a capacitance of the resonant capacitor. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222890 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a conveyance stopping unit configured to stop conveyance of the recording medium; a heating unit having a heating plane and configured to heat a part of the recording medium, which part is laid over the heating plane; and a cooling unit configured to cool the part of the recording medium, whose conveyance has been stopped, by applying cooling air to the part of the recording medium from above. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222891 | Printing device and image forming apparatus - An electrophotographic printing device includes a fixing unit; and a temperature sensor. The fixing unit includes: a fixing member; a pressing member pressed against the fixing member; and a heater which heats at least the fixing member of the fixing member and the pressing member, the fixing unit fixing a toner image on a recording material to the recording material while carrying the recording material through a fixing nip formed between the fixing member and the pressing member. The temperature sensor is attached to a recording material supplying unit, and detects a temperature of a recording material stored in the recording material supplying unit, and a fixing temperature is controlled based on the detected temperature. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222892 | DENSITY SENSOR AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A density sensor detects a density of a subject according to a variation in received light. The density sensor comprises a base plate, a light emitting element irradiating a subject with light, the light receiving element receiving light reflected by the subject, lead terminals connected at one end with bottoms of the light emitting and receiving elements, respectively, and electrically connected at the other end with the base plate, and a package containing the light emitting and receiving elements and supported by the base plate, wherein at least one of the lead terminals is configured to be inclined from a halfway position so as to reflect light from the light emitting element in a direction away from the bottom of the light receiving element. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222893 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME - To provide an image forming apparatus and a control method for the same, with which an adjustment for satisfying an image quality is performed without fail while an execution frequency of the adjustment can be changed, for example, an unnecessary adjustment can be skipped. The image forming apparatus includes: a controller for issuing a plurality of commands; an engine for executing image formation according to the command; a control portion for holding a condition status indicating an internal condition of the engine and a factor status indicating a factor of the condition status, or the factor status and notifying, in response to the command, the condition status and the factor status, or the factor status; and a judgement unit for judging whether to adjust an image formation condition of the engine or not according to the condition status and the factor status, or the factor status. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222894 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording sheet, the fixing device comprising: a fixing belt including, on an inner circumference side thereof, a resistance heating layer, extending over entire circumference of the fixing belt, operable to emit heat upon flowing of an electric current therethrough; a pressing member operable to press an outer circumference of the fixing belt to form a fixing nip therebetween so that, while the recording sheet passes through the fixing nip, the toner image is fixed onto the recording sheet; and a pair of power supply members arranged inside the fixing belt along the circumferential direction with a predetermined distance therebetween, the power supply members being in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the resistance heating layer in an electrically conductive state along a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222895 | IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMATION SYSTEM, AND OUTPUT CONTROL METHOD - An image formation apparatus is connectable to a post processing apparatus for performing a post process to a sheet. The image formation apparatus includes: a power source for outputting a voltage to a first load and a second load, the first load being provided in the image formation apparatus and being involved in image formation, the second load being provided in the post processing apparatus and being involved in the post process; a power source controller for increasing the output voltage of the power source during an operation of the second load; and a load controller for controlling an operation of the first load such that an output of the first load falls within a predetermined range during the operation of the second load. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222896 | SERIAL COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an exposure unit configured to expose the photosensitive member corresponding to an image, a developing unit configured to develop, using a toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on the exposed photosensitive member, a generation unit configured to generate a waveform signal for the developing unit, a parallel-to-serial conversion unit configured to apply, at a predetermined sampling period, parallel-to-serial conversion to a plurality of signals including the generated waveform signal, a serial-to-parallel conversion unit configured to apply, at the predetermined sampling period, serial-to-parallel conversion to the signals output from the parallel-to-serial conversion unit, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply to the developing unit a voltage composed of a direct-current voltage and an alternating-current voltage superimposed thereon based on the waveform signal among signals output from the serial-to-parallel conversion unit. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222897 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger, including a charging electrode, for charging a photosensitive member; a cleaning member for cleaning said charging electrode; a shutter in the form of a sheet for opening and closing an opening provided between the charging electrode of said corona charger and the photosensitive member; driving means for driving said shutter and said cleaning member; a first fan for supplying the air toward said photosensitive member through the opening of said corona charger; and control means for controlling said fan such that air supply operation of said first fan stopped before said shutter operates to close the opening. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222898 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger having an opening, a shutter configured to open and close the opening of the corona charger, a humidity sensor configured to detect humidity, and a control unit configured to control the so that time from ending an image forming process to closing the opening using the shutter is reduced when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor increases. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222899 | CHARGING DEVICE - The present invention provides a charging device which can suppress the deterioration of a photosensitive member and the occurrence of an image deletion phenomenon on an electrophotographic image due to an electric discharge product having deposited on a charger shutter, even when having been used for a long period of time. The charging device has an image bearing member which bears an image thereon, a charging member which charges the image bearing member, and a shielding member which shields the charging member from the image bearing member, wherein the shielding member includes a specific material. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222900 | CHARGING DEVICE - A corona charger conventionally includes a sheet-like shutter and a holding member configured to hold an end of the shutter, and the replacement of a charging electrode is difficult. To solve this problem, the holding member configured to hold the end of the shutter is set to be movable along the longitudinal direction of a shield to a winding member of the shutter more than a supporting member configured to replaceably support the charging electrode. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222901 | CHARGING DEVICE - A charging device has a corona charger including a grid, the corona charger being configured to charge a photosensitive member. The device also has a sheet-like shutter configured to open and close an opening of the corona charger in the longitudinal direction, a winding member configured to wind the shutter while holding one end of the shutter, a holding member configured to hold the other end of the shutter and move in the longitudinal direction of the opening, and a protective member configured to protect a portion of a surface of the shutter facing the grid, the portion being adjacent to the holding member. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222902 | Image Forming Device Having Cleaning Member for Cleaning Belt - A image forming device includes a main casing, a photosensitive-member unit including a plurality of photosensitive members aligned in a first direction, and a belt disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive members. The photosensitive-member unit is movable in the first direction with respect to the main casing, and is pulled out of the main casing when pulled in a pull-out direction parallel to the first direction. The photosensitive-member unit is provided with a cleaning member that is disposed on an upstream side of a most-upstream one of the photosensitive members with respect to the pull-out direction. The cleaning member slidingly contacts the belt when the photosensitive-member unit is moved with respect to the main casing. The cleaning member is located at a predetermined position separate from the belt when the photosensitive-member unit is at a mounting position within the main casing. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222903 | PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member on which an image is to be formed; a rotatable roller which is rotated and contacted to the image bearing member at least during image forming operation; and a supporting device for rotatably supporting a shaft of the rotatable roller at least during the image forming operation, the supporting device including an urging member for urging the rotatable roller toward the image bearing member, a bearing member having a holding portion for holding the shaft of the rotatable roller in a position where the rotatable roller is contacted to the image bearing member by the urging member, wherein a relative movement between the rotatable roller and the supporting device is possible by an external force between a first position in which the shaft of the rotatable roller is urged by the urging member while being held by the holding portion, and a second position in which the shaft of the rotatable roller is not held by the holding portion and in which a distance between a rotation axis of the image bearing member and an axis of the rotatable roller is longer than that in the first position. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222904 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a first opening and a second opening which are directed in a same direction; a plurality of developing units which are disposed in parallel with each other in the housing along an oblique direction inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, the developing units which are configured to be attached to and detached from the housing along the oblique direction through the first opening; and a plurality of developer cartridges which correspond to the plurality of developing units, each of the developer cartridges being disposed in parallel with each other in the housing to be opposite to an end of a respective one of the developing units along a substantially horizontal direction in a longitudinal direction of the developing units, the developer cartridges which are configured to be attached to and detached from the housing through the second opening. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222905 | IMAGE FORMING CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming cartridge includes a photoconductor; a charger with a charging member contactable with the photoconductor; a case that accommodates the photoconductor and the charger; a cover which is detachably attached to the case and covers at least a part of the photoconductor; and a separating member which is located, on the cover, between a region other than the region of the photoconductor where an image is formed and the charger and separated them from each other. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222906 | CLEANING DEVICE, CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device for removing a developer remaining on an image bearing member from the image bearing member includes a cleaning device, including an elastic blade elastically contacted to the image bearing member and a supporting member for supporting the elastic blade, for removing the developer remaining on the image bearing member from the image bearing member; an image bearing member bearing member including a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the image bearing member; and a removed developer accommodating container formed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of a material for the supporting member, the removed developer accommodating container including an accommodating portion for accommodating the developer removed by the cleaning device. The image bearing member bearing member is fixed to the supporting member. The removed developer accommodating container is fixed to the supporting member. The image bearing member bearing member and the removed developer accommodating container are provided with a gap therebetween with respect to a longitudinal direction of the supporting member. | 2011-09-15 |
20110222907 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus capable of reducing deterioration of image quality caused by instantaneous fluctuation of driving speed of an image bearing member and intermediate transfer member, the apparatus including: an image bearing member; a primary transfer section to transfer toner image from the image bearing member onto an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer section, including a secondary transfer member to secondarily transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, capable of bringing the secondary transfer member into contact with the intermediate transfer member under pressure and then releasing the contact; a motor to drive the secondary transfer member, and a driving section configured to drive the secondary transfer section so as to bring the secondary transfer member into contact with the intermediate transfer member with pressure and then to release the contact, wherein the motor is not provided inside the secondary transfer section. | 2011-09-15 |