46th week of 2018 patent applcation highlights part 44 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20180329318 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTORECEPTOR, METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An electrophotographic photoreceptor which, even when mounted on a high-image-quality monochrome high-speed printer or tandem color printer including a cleaner-less process of a non-magnetic single-component contact development system using a polymerized toner, inhibits the generation of fine black spots or color spots and suppresses the occurrence of toner filming during the initial printing under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment and thereby stably attains a high image quality in a variety of environments. The electrophotographic photoreceptor is a positively-chargeable electrophotographic photoreceptor which includes, on a conductive support, a single layer-type photosensitive layer that contains a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material, and a binder resin. The charge generation material contains at least a titanyl phthalocyanine, and a contact angle between the surface of an outermost layer and water is in a range of 81° to 87°. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329319 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC MEMBER, METHOD FOR PRODUCING ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC MEMBER, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - To provide an electrophotographic member high in volume resistivity uniformity even in application of a high voltage such as 1,000 V. The electrophotographic member includes a base material and an elastic layer on the base material, the elastic layer containing a silicone rubber and an ionic liquid, and the ionic liquid including a cation modified by a dimethylsiloxane chain, and an anion. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329320 | TONER - A toner comprising a toner particle that contains a binder resin and a release agent, wherein the toner particle has a surface layer that contains an organosilicon polymer and the luminance histogram of a backscattered electron image of the toner particle has two peak values P1 and P2 and a minimum value V between P1 and P2, P2 originates from the organosilicon polymer, and the luminance giving P1 and P2 are in specific ranges, percentages for P1 and P2 are each at least 0.50%, and using the luminance Bl at V as a reference point, specific relationships are satisfied by A1, AV, and A2, where A1 is the total number of pixels at luminance from 0 to (Bl−30), AV is the total number of pixels at luminance from (Bl−29) to (Bl+29), and A2 is the total number of pixels at luminance from (Bl+30) to 255. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329321 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING TONER - There is provided a method of manufacturing a toner including a toner particle containing a binder resin, the method including:
| 2018-11-15 |
20180329322 | METHOD OF PRODUCING TONER - A first aspect is a toner production method in which an organosilicon compound is condensed in a surfactant-containing aqueous medium with a specific surface tension, in which a resin particle is dispersed, to produce a toner having the condensate of the organosilicon compound on the surface of the resin particle, and a second aspect is a toner production method in which an organosilicon compound is condensed in an aqueous medium which has a surfactant and a specific metal salt and in which a resin particle is dispersed, to produce a toner having the condensate of the organosilicon compound on the surface of the resin particle. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329323 | TONER, AND EXTERNAL ADDITIVE FOR TONER - A toner comprising: a toner particle containing a binder resin and a colorant; and an external additive, wherein the external additive is a composite particle having an organic substance and an organosilicon polymer coating layer on the surface of the organic substance, and when a curve for the variation (dE′/dT) in the storage elastic modulus E′ of the toner with respect to temperature T [° C.] is obtained on the basis of a curve of the temperature T—the storage elastic modulus E′ [Pa] of the toner, as determined by powder dynamic viscoelasticity measurements of the toner, the relative minimum value on the lowest temperature side between the onset temperature and 90° C. is −1.35×10 | 2018-11-15 |
20180329324 | TONER - A toner including: a toner particle including a toner base particle containing a binder resin, and an organosilicon condensate present on a surface of the toner base particle, wherein a charge attenuation constant of the toner is 3.5×10 | 2018-11-15 |
20180329325 | TONER - Provided is a toner, including a toner particle containing a toner base particle and a fine particle, wherein the fine particle includes a composite particle each having a surface covered with a condensation product of at least one kind of organosilicon compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (1) and a compound represented by the following formula (2), wherein the fine particle is stuck in a state of being embedded in a surface of the toner base particle, and wherein a coverage of a composition containing the organosilicon compound with respect to the surface of the toner base particle excluding the fine particle is 0.1% by area or more and 40.0% by area or less: | 2018-11-15 |
20180329326 | TONER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND TONER STORED UNIT - Provided is a toner including at least a binder resin, and having peak ratio W/R of from 0.20 to 0.70 when measured with FT-IR according to ATR method, W/R being a ratio of height W of maximum spectral peak attributed to bisphenol A skeleton of the toner and observed at from 1,480 cm | 2018-11-15 |
20180329327 | TONER - A toner comprising a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the toner has a Martens hardness, as measured at a maximum load condition of 2.0×10 | 2018-11-15 |
20180329328 | TONER - Provided is a toner, including a toner particle having: a toner base particle containing a binder resin and a colorant; and protrusion derived from a resin fine particle in a surface of the toner base particle, wherein the protrusion is covered with a condensation product of an organosilicon compound represented by the formula (1), and wherein the resin fine particle is in direct contact with the toner base particle. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329329 | TONER - Provided is a toner comprising a toner particle including a toner base particle and fine particles present on a surface of the toner base particle, wherein each of the fine particles includes a core fine particle and a condensate of at least one organosilicon compound selected from the group consisting of organosilicon compounds represented by specific structural formulas, the condensate coating the surface of the core fine particle, and in a wettability test of the toner with respect to a methanol/water mixed solvent, a methanol concentration, when a transmittance of light having a wavelength of 780 nm is 50%, is 5.0 to 20.0% by volume: | 2018-11-15 |
20180329330 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC TONER SET, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An electrophotographic toner set, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming method include a developer toner and a replenishment toner. The developer toner and the replenishment toner each include toner particles, and silica particles and titania particles provided on the surfaces of the toner particles. The silica particles have a BET specific surface area of 15 to 95 m | 2018-11-15 |
20180329331 | ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE DEVELOPING CARRIER - Carrier particles each include a carrier core having recesses in a surface thereof, and first and second coat layers covering the surface of the carrier core. The first and second coat layers are in a multi-layer structure in which the first coat layer and the second coat layer cover the surface of the carrier core in the stated order. The first coat layer entirely covers the surface of the carrier core. The second coat layer selectively covers regions of a surface of the first coat layer that correspond to the recesses in the surface of the carrier core. The first coat layer contains a first resin. The second coat layer contains a second resin. The second coat layer has a lower electric resistance than the first coat layer. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329332 | TONER - Provided is a toner containing a colorant and a binder resin, wherein, in a wettability test of the toner with respect to a methanol/water mixed solvent, the methanol concentration when the transmittance of light at a wavelength of 780 nm is 50% is at least 5.0 volume % and not more than 30.0 volume %, and the interparticle force measured by rupturing a consolidation of the toner formed by compression of the toner with a load of 78.5 N is at least 1.0 nN and not more than 25.0 nN. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329333 | CURABLE LIQUID DEVELOPER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING CURABLE LIQUID DEVELOPER - A curable liquid developer including: a toner particle containing a binder resin and a pigment; a toner particle dispersing agent; and a cationically polymerizable liquid monomer that does not dissolve the binder resin, wherein the pigment contains a copper phthalocyanine derivative represented by formula (1) below; | 2018-11-15 |
20180329334 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A charged positive toner having a positive polarity that attaches to a charge roller is moved from the charge roller to a photosensitive drum, and the positive toner is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt at a primary transfer portion at which a primary-transfer power supply forms an electric potential having a negative polarity. The primary-transfer power supply forms an electric potential having the positive polarity at the primary transfer portion, and the positive toner transferred to the intermediate transfer belt is moved together with the intermediate transfer belt and is collected by the charge roller in contact with a downstream photosensitive drum. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329335 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR SCANNING LIGHT BEAM AT NON-UNIFORM SCAN SPEED AND EXPOSING PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER - An image forming apparatus includes: a halftone processing unit configured to perform halftone processing on image data by a dither matrix that includes a plurality of submatrices and decide an exposure region of an image. In at least one of a first dither matrix corresponding to a first section, and a second dither matrix corresponding to a second section adjacent to the first dither matrix in the main scanning direction and corresponding to a second section different from the first section in tone value, at least a size of an exposure region of an image formed by using a first submatrix corresponding to a predetermined tone value in the dither matrix and a size of an exposure region of an image formed by using a second submatrix corresponding to the predetermined tone value are different. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329336 | TRANSMISSION FOR AN LEP DEVELOPER UNIT - A transmission for a developer unit that includes a developer roller to apply LEP ink to a photoconductor, a cleaner roller to clean the developer roller, and a squeegee roller to squeegee ink on the developer roller. In one example, the transmission includes a mechanical drive train to, with the cleaner roller, simultaneously drive the developer roller at a first surface speed and the squeegee roller at a second surface speed slower than the first surface speed. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329337 | METHOD TO CONTROL TRANSFER OF BLACK AND COLOR TONED IMAGES DURING DUPLEX PRINTING - A method for controlling transfer of black and color toned images during duplex printing. The method comprises determining whether or not a first image for printing on a back side of a media sheet is a color image, upon determining that the first image is a color image, ensuring each respective color transfer roll or color PC drum is in its respective engaged position, rotating the black and color PC drums, and setting the color flag to true, and printing the first image in color on the back side of the media sheet and upon determining that the first image is not a color image, ensuring each respective color transfer roll or color PC drum is in its respective disengaged position, rotating the black PC drum, setting the color flag to false, and printing the first image in black on the back side of the media sheet. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329338 | CLEANING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM - A cleaning apparatus includes: a brush that contacts a transfer member and cleans and removes toner existing on the transfer member; a constant current type voltage applier that applies voltage to the brush; and a hardware processor that determines whether a condition that voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold is satisfied at a nip formed by the brush and the transfer member contacting each other, and controls the voltage by changing bias current of the voltage applier, wherein the transfer member has a sheet contact area contacting a sheet on the transfer member and an inter-sheet area other than the sheet contact area on the transfer member, and in a case where the hardware processor determines that the condition is satisfied, the hardware processor controls the voltage so as not to exceed the predetermined threshold by changing the bias current when the sheet contact area passes through the nip. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329339 | DRIVE TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE DRIVE TRANSMISSION DEVICE - A drive transmission device, which may be included in an image forming apparatus, includes an apparatus body, a drive connecting body, a biasing body and a retracting device including an operating body and a linear body. The drive connecting body is coupled to a drive connection target body and disposed between a drive connecting position and a retracted position. The biasing body is configured to bias the drive connecting body to the drive connecting position. The operating body is configured to cause the drive connecting body to retract from the drive connecting position to the retracted position, in connection to movement of the operating body. The linear body is connected to the operating body and the drive connecting body. The operating body causes the opposed end of the linear body to move in a direction opposite a biasing direction of the biasing body. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329340 | IMAGE HEATING DEVICE INCLUDING A CONTROLLER THAT EXECUTES FIRST AND SECOND HEAT CONTROLS BASED ON TEMPERATURES DETECTED BY FIRST AND SECOND DETECTING ELEMENTS - An image heating apparatus includes a cylindrical film, a heater, a roller forming a nip with the film, a first temperature sensor in a first area of the film passed by a minimum width sheet that is capable of being fed by the apparatus, a second temperature sensor in a second area of the heater which is outside an area to be passed by a minimum width sheet and which is passed by a maximum width sheet, a third temperature sensor in a third area of the heater outside the second area, and a controller. When a large width sheet is heated, the controller executes a first heater control responsive to the temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor and by the second temperature sensor. When a small width sheet is heated, the controller executes a second heater responsive to the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor only. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329341 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A power conversion circuit comprises a heating member, a series connection that connects a capacitor and an induction coil, and a control circuit. The heating member heats a toner image formed on a print medium. The series connection connecting a capacitor and an induction coil that generates a magnetic field to the heating member is connected between a first connection point and a second connection point. The control circuit switches, based on the voltage detected by the voltage detection section, between a first operation mode and a second operation mode, wherein in first operation mode, pulse signals are input to the first to fourth switching elements, and in second operation mode, pulse signals are input to first switching element and the second switching element, third switching element is turned off, and fourth switching element is turned on. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329342 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a driving unit, a pressing roller, a heater, a fixing belt, a pressing roller, a nip formation pad that presses against an inner surface of the fixing belt toward the pressing roller via the fixing belt to form a nip, a separation mechanism, a lubricant between the fixing belt and the nip formation pad, and a processor to execute a warming-up operation of the fixing device. In the warming-up operation, before the heater heats the fixing belt, the separation mechanism moves the nip formation pad in a direction of separating the nip formation pad from the pressing roller to set a nip pressure lower than an ordinary nip pressure, and the driving unit rotates the pressing roller that rotates the fixing belt. Thereafter, the heater starts heating, and the separation mechanism moves the nip formation pad to contact the fixing belt at an ordinary nip pressure. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329343 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a heating member, a pressing member and a separating member. The heating member heats a toner transferred on a sheet. The pressing member forms a pressing area with the heating member. The toner is pressed at the pressing area. The separating member comes into contact with an outer circumferential face of the heating member and separates the sheet passed through the pressing area from the heating member. The heating member has a contact area with which the separating member comes into contact and a non-contact area with which the separating member does not come into contact. The heating member has a larger outer diameter at the contact area than an outer diameter at the non-contact area. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329344 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - In an image forming device including a volume supply type developing device, generation of an aggregate of a developer on a back surface of a layer thickness regulating member is suppressed, while occurrence of an image failure caused by the aggregate is suppressed. An image forming device includes: a photosensitive drum; a developing device including a developing roller; a toner container including a toner sensor; and a control portion. According to an increase or decrease of a retention part formed in a first transport path, a toner flows into the developing device from the toner container. The control portion causes the developing roller to reversely rotate at predetermined timing when the toner sensor senses that a residual amount of a toner in the toner container falls below a predetermined threshold value. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329345 | AUTOMATIC LATCHING OF A TONER CARTRIDGE TO AN IMAGING UNIT OF AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING DEVICE IN RESPONSE TO DETECTION OF AN ERROR CONDITION - An imaging system for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a movable latch positioned to selectively couple a replaceable toner cartridge and a replaceable imaging unit together such that the toner cartridge and the imaging unit are removable from the image forming device as a single unit and to selectively decouple the toner cartridge and the imaging unit such that the toner cartridge and the imaging unit are separately removable from the image forming device. A controller is configured to actuate the latch to couple the toner cartridge and the imaging unit together in response to the controller detecting an error condition requiring removal of both the toner cartridge and the imaging unit from the image forming device in order to permit removal of the toner cartridge and the imaging unit from the image forming device as a single unit. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329346 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image forming unit, and a processor. The image forming unit forms an image on a printing medium. The processor performs user authentication and, upon performing the user authentication, determines whether or not an image stabilization process should be performed in the image forming unit. The processor then instructs the image forming unit to perform the image stabilization process according to a result of the user authentication. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329347 | PRINTING EQUIPMENT AND PRINTING METHOD - There is provided printing equipment that enhances the overprinting position accuracy in overprinting and a printing method for the printing equipment. In the printing method, a paper meandering profile acquisition part acquires a meandering profile of paper from a result of detection by a paper deviation detection sensor. A paper speed profile acquisition part acquires a paper speed profile from a result of detection by a paper conveyance speed detection sensor. A paper feed error calculator calculates a paper feed error on the basis of the meandering profile and paper speed profile. A paper feed error corrector corrects the image formation timing on the basis of a result of calculation by the paper feed error calculator. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329348 | DISCRIMINATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In order to provide a discriminating device in which high discrimination accuracy is achieved by appropriately setting parallelism of a plurality of light beams caused to enter a recording material, provided is a discriminating device including: a light guiding member configured to guide a plurality of light beams from a light source to an irradiated surface; an image pickup element configured to receive a light beam from the irradiated surface; and an optical system configured to guide the light beam from the irradiated surface to the image pickup element, wherein the plurality of light beams include a plurality of first light beams which are emitted from the light guiding member and enter a first effective region of the irradiated surface, and wherein the plurality of first light beams form an angle of 7° or less with each other within a first cross section parallel to the irradiated surface. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329349 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a first toner image forming unit for forming first toner image on a transfer belt with a first toner and a second toner image forming unit for forming a second toner image on the transfer belt with a second toner. A secondary transfer unit transfers the first and second toner images from the transfer belt to a sheet traveling in a sheet transport direction. A fixing unit fixes the first and second toner images to the sheet. A control unit controls the first toner image forming unit to form a first pattern, the second toner image forming unit to form a second pattern, and to leaving a margin on a downstream side of the sheet in the sheet transport direction that is greater than or equal to a circumferential distance of a fixing element in the fixing unit. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329350 | PRINTING APPARATUS, SHEET HOUSING APPARATUS, AND PRINTER - A printer includes a printing unit which performs printing on a sheet and which discharges a printed sheet from a discharging opening, and a pair of body-side feet disposed on both sides in a width direction of a sheet to be discharged from the discharging opening. A sheet housing apparatus includes a housing unit which houses a sheet to be discharged from the discharging opening, and a pair of housing-side feet disposed on the both sides in the width direction. The sheet housing apparatus can be mounted from a predetermined mounting direction to the printer. The body-side feet and the housing-side feet are arranged to be disposed, in a state in which the sheet housing apparatus is mounted to the printer, so as to overlap with each other in the mounting direction and not to overlap with each other in the width direction. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329351 | SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking portion comprising a stacking surface on which sheets are stacked, a feeding portion configured to feed the sheets stacked on the stacking surface, an abutment member comprising a contact surface configured to contact edges of the sheets stacked on the stacking surface and extending along a stacking direction of the sheets, the abutment member being configured to move with a constant contact angle between the contact surface and the edges of the sheets in a cross section parallel with the stacking direction in a case where the contact surface is pushed by the sheets stacked on the stacking surface, and a detection portion configured to output a detection signal in accordance with a position of the abutment member. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329352 | IMAGE GENERATOR AND IMAGE GENERATION METHOD - There is a need to provide an image generator and an image generation method capable of avoiding wasting a normal printed matter if any in sheets of paper output after an occurrence of waste paper. When paper contains an abnormal image, the paper is detected as waste paper based on a read result from an image read sensor. Detection of the waste paper allows an image generator to perform reprint from a print job for the waste paper. Normal-image paper may be contained in sheets of paper output between detection of the waste paper and the reprint to be performed. In this case, the normal-image paper is used as a normal printed matter and is avoided from being consumed wastefully. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329353 | DRIVE TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A drive transmission device includes a first gear, a cam configured to rotate in interrelation with rotation of the first gear and capable of changing a state of two members between a pressed state and a pressure-released state, a pressing member configured to press the cam, and a second gear configured to transmit drive to the first gear in engagement with the first gear. At least one of the first and second gears includes first teeth provided at positions corresponding to an engaging region in which the first gear is engaged with the second gear when the state of the two members is changed from the pressure-released state to the pressed state and includes second teeth provided at positions corresponding to a region other than the engaging region. Tooth thicknesses of the first teeth are thicker than tooth thicknesses of the second teeth. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329354 | EARTH PLATE WITH BREAKAWAY ROTATED TABS - A ground plate includes an electrically conductive planar member having a long axis and a perpendicular short axis. The planar member has an elongated hexagonal shape having two opposing long sides, two opposing relatively shorter sides, and four angled sides between the long sides and the relatively shorter sides with a hollow central opening. Spring clips extend from inner edges of the hollow central opening. The inner edges from which the spring clips extend are parallel to the long axis. Each spring clip includes a distal end portion curving outward from the hollow central opening and is configured to contact a shaft extending through the hollow central opening to form an electrical connection between the planar member and the shaft. A tab projection extends from an outer edge of each of the relatively shorter sides. Each tab projection is in the same plane as the planar member. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329355 | CLEANING BLADE, CLEANING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning blade for a photosensitive member carrying a liquid developer includes a free end surface provided at one end portion in a height direction of the blade, the free end surface being provided with an edge portion at one end portion of the free end surface with respect to the thickness direction. The edge portion has curved portions and a linear portion therebetween. As seen in the thickness direction, the curved portion includes an arcuate shape portion and is connected with the linear portion such that the linear portion is tangential of the arcuate shape; a height of the blade increases toward the end portion of the blade; a maximum angle formed between the curved portion and the linear portion is not less than 5 degrees; and the curved portion includes a portion having radius of curvature not less than 240 mm and not more than 320 mm. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329356 | WASTE TONER SYSTEM OF AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A waste toner system includes a rotatable photoconductive drum and a cleaner member. A first toner sump extends along a length of the photoconductive drum for receiving waste toner removed from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum by the cleaner member. A first rotatable auger extends along the first toner sump. A pass-through opening extends from the first toner sump to a second toner sump. A second rotatable auger extends along the second toner sump. The first auger is positioned to move waste toner in the first toner sump to the pass-through opening upon rotation of the first auger in an operative rotational direction of the first auger and the second auger is positioned to distribute waste toner received through the pass-through opening into the second toner sump upon rotation of the second auger in an operative rotational direction of the second auger. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329357 | DRIVE COUPLER ACTUATION VIA REPLACEABLE UNIT INSERTION IN AN IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A system for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a first replaceable unit and a second replaceable unit. A drive coupler in the image forming device is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. In the retracted position, the drive coupler is disengaged from a drive interface of the first replaceable unit when the first replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. In the operative position, the drive coupler is engaged with the drive interface when the first replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device for providing rotational force to the drive interface. A movable drive linkage in the image forming device is operatively connected to the drive coupler to move the drive coupler from the retracted position to the operative position upon the drive linkage receiving an actuation force from the insertion of the second replaceable unit into the image forming device. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329358 | POWDER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A powder container is insertable in an image forming apparatus. The powder container includes a plurality of transmitted surfaces, at least one of the transmitted surfaces being configured to contact a first protrusion of the linage forming apparatus, the first protrusion being rotatable and protruding toward an upstream side in an insertion direction in which the powder container is inserted. The transmitted surfaces stand outward from an outer circumference of the powder container so that one of the transmitted surfaces is connected to another transmitted surface adjacent to the one of the transmitted surfaces by an inclined surface. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329359 | DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A second unit includes a restricted portion that comes into contact with a restricting portion provided to a body of an apparatus, the restricted portion coming into contact with the restricting portion, in order to restrict the movement of a developer carrier in a direction to make contact with an image carrier, when a developing cartridge has not reached a predetermined attachment position, and not coming into contact with the restricting portion when the developing cartridge is in the predetermined attachment position. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329360 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN AN IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An electrical connector assembly for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an electrical connector mounted on and translatable relative to a frame along a first dimension. The electrical connector is pivotable relative to the frame along a pivot path about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the first dimension. The electrical connector includes a first guide post and a second guide post. The first and second guide posts are received by and movable within at least one elongated guide slot on the frame defining a path of movement of the electrical connector along the first dimension. The first guide post is fixed relative to the electrical connector and defines the pivot axis of the electrical connector. The second guide post is received by and movable within an elongated guide slot on the electrical connector defining the pivot path of the electrical connector. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329361 | ELECTRICAL CABLE CONNECTING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONNECTING ELECTRICAL CABLE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus main body (apparatus main body) and an automatic document feeder mounted on the apparatus main body are provided, and a cable-side connector provided at a front end of an electrical cable extending from the automatic document feeder is removably connected to a board-side connector provided on a circuit board of the apparatus main body. In this configuration, an opening portion is provided in a back face of a housing of the apparatus main body at a position opposing the board-side connector, a lid that covers this opening portion is attached to a front end portion of the electrical cable by an attachment member, and this lid is configured so as to be attachable to the opening portion by a hook and fixing by screwing by means of a screw insertion boss. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329362 | TONER CASE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME, TONER KIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME, PACKAGING BOX, AND TONER CASE SET - A toner case includes a case main body and a cover. The case main body stores a toner. The cover covers a face of the case main body at one end side in a longitudinal direction of the case main body. An inside projection or an inside recess is provided on an inner face of the cover at a position to be touchable from an outside. A number of the inside projection or the inside recess is determined based on a color of the toner stored in the case main body. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329363 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a cartridge including at least an image bearing member. The cartridge includes a tray drawable from the main assembly, wherein the cartridge is mountable to and dismountable from the tray in one direction and the opposite direction, respectively; and a light emission unit provided in the tray and including a plurality of light emission elements arranged in an axial direction of the image bearing member to form a latent image on the image bearing member. The cartridge is capable of being inserted into the tray by moving it in the one direction, in response to which the light emission unit is moved in a direction crossing with the one direction to an outside of a movement range of insertion of the cartridge. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329364 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING VORTEX TUBE - Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: an image forming section configured to form a toner image; a transfer portion configured to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium; a fixing portion configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium by heating the toner image; a vortex tube, which is configured to receive a compressed air generated by a compressor to generate a cold air having a temperature lower than a temperature of the compressed air and a warm air having a temperature higher than the temperature of the compressed air; and a cooling portion, which is configured to receive supply of the cold air generated by the vortex tube to cool the recording medium on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing portion, wherein a member inside the image forming apparatus is heated by the warm air generated by the vortex tube. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329365 | HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY DEVICE AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - Holographic display device and operation method thereof are provided. A holographic display device includes a light source device including a plurality of, light sources; and an imager including a plurality of imaging regions each corresponding to one light source. The imager includes at least one spatial light modulator configured to receive light from the plurality of light sources to form a plurality of holographic images. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329366 | IMAGE REPRODUCTION DEVICE, IMAGE REPRODUCTION METHOD, AND DIGITAL HOLOGRAPHY DEVICE - Proposed are an image reproduction device, an image reproduction method, and a digital holography device, by which the calculation load is reduced and a time required to reproduce an object image from hologram image data is shortened, compared with a conventional technology. An image reproduction device ( | 2018-11-15 |
20180329367 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A novel electronic device is provided. Alternatively an electronic device of a novel embodiment is provided. An electronic device includes a support and a display portion. The support has a first curved surface. The display portion is provided over the support. The display portion has a top surface and a side surface in contact with at least one side of the top surface. The side surface has a second curved surface. The top surface includes a first display region. The side surface includes a second display region. The first display region and the second display region are continuously provided. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329368 | TACTILE SWITCH FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - One embodiment of the disclosure includes an input module. The input module includes a switch, a rotatable and translatable input member operably connected to the switch and configured to actuate the switch, and an electrical contact operably connected to the switch and in electrical communication with the input member. During operation, the electrical connection between the input member and the electrical contact is maintained during translation and rotation of the input member. The input module may be used with a variety of electronic devices and can be used by a user to provide input to those devices. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329369 | GENERATING TIMER DATA - For generating timer data, a processor identifies a timer command from a command signal from an input device. The processor further identifies a timer interval and timer characteristics from the timer command. In addition, the processor generates timer data comprising a timer tag from the timer characteristics and the timer interval. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329370 | Method of Actuator Navigation And Electronic Device Comprising An Actuation Navigator Function - A method of setting/calibrating a feature or function in a setting/calibrating mode of an electronic device comprising at least one actuatable selector, wherein the setting/calibrating of the feature or function requires an actuation of the at least one selector, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one indicator hand coupled to an actuation mechanism that rotates the at least one indicator hand in at least one of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, wherein the method comprises the steps of using the at least one indicator hand to indicate the actuatable selector for actuation; setting/calibrating the feature or function; and exiting the setting/calibration mode. An electronic device that carries out the foregoing method is also disclosed. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329371 | DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM WITH LOGIC FUNCTIONAL SELF-CHECKING AND ASSOCIATED DATA PROCESSING METHOD - A data processing system includes a buffer, a design under checking (DUC), and a self-checking circuit. The buffer is used to buffer data generated from a source device. The DUC is used to perform a designated function upon data read from the buffer when operating under a normal mode. The self-checking circuit is used to apply logic functional checking to the DUC when the DUC operates under a self-checking mode. When the DUC operates under the self-checking mode, the buffer keeps buffering data generated from the source device. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329372 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREDICTIVE TIME-BASED CONTROL OF BATCH OR SEQUENTIAL OPERATIONS - A method includes identifying multiple planned sequences of operations involving industrial equipment. The planned sequences of operations include one or more sequences of operations currently being performed using the industrial equipment and/or one or more sequences of operations to be performed using the industrial equipment. The method also includes identifying information associated with prior executions of the sequences of operations. The information includes timing information associated with the prior executions of the sequences of operations. The method further includes generating timing predictions for operations in the planned sequences of operations using the identified information. In addition, the method includes generating an interface for presentation to an operator. The interface identifies the planned sequences of operations and the timing predictions for the operations in the planned sequences of operations. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329373 | Seismic Event Responsive Alert and Utilities Control System and Methodology - A method adapted to provide alert signals to individuals or institutions and/or control signals to utilities control units to automatically stop the flow of gas, water, electricity, oil, etc., such signals being delivered in response to the detection of seismic events, the detection occurring via ground-based monitoring systems and/or satellite-based monitoring systems. The alert and/or control signals are distributed through various broadcasting systems or similar channels of communication, such as radio frequency transmitters, Internet service providers, cell phone wireless carriers, satellite phone service providers and/or security monitoring service providers, to individuals and/or facilities through smartphones, landline telephones, tablets, PC's, voice-controlled web communication devices or the like and/or to signal receivers on utilities control units. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329374 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING AN ENERGY STORAGE DEVICE CHARGING SCHEDULE - Systems and methods for optimizing an energy storage device charging schedule are provided. In one example, a method may include calculating a merit value for a current time frame based on current data concerning predetermined criteria; calculating respective merit values for one or more future time frames based on the current data and historical data concerning the predetermined criteria; identifying, from among the current time frame and the one or more future time frames, a plurality of candidate charge adjustment time frames; and assigning, from among the plurality of candidate charge adjustment time frames, one or more charge adjustment time frames during which to adjust a charge level of an energy storage device based on at least the merit values associated with the plurality of candidate charge adjustment time frames. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329375 | Computing Device or Artificial Intelligence (AI) Device Including Shading Element or Shading System - An apparatus provides protection to a computing device housing. The computing device housing comprises one or more microphones, the one or more microphones to capture audio sounds; one or more processors; one or more memory modules; and computer-readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. The apparatus includes a support assembly connected to a top surface of the computing device housing and a shading assembly connected to an end of the support assembly, the shading assembly to provide shade from environmental conditions to the computing device housing. The computer-readable instructions are executed by the one or more processors to convert the captured audio sounds from the one or more microphones to one or more audio files and to communicate the one or more audio files, via the one or more wireless transceivers, to an external computing device, for voice recognition and conversion into command files. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329376 | MULTISITE VERSION AND UPGRADE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A multisite version and upgrade management system for controllers. The system may have a supervisor and one or more site controllers managed by the supervisor. The site controllers may be subject to commissioning for another version, an upgrade of software or an upgrade of a configuration for a site controller. The commissioning and upgrades may be implemented by the supervisor for a large number of site controllers in a much shorter period of time in contrast to a previous approach implementing the same items in a one by one approach. With the present approach, a significant number of site controllers may be selected for implementation of the commissioning and upgrades according to groups and categories. The implementation for the number of site controllers may be executed as a job. Licensing needed for the implementation may be procured by the present system. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329377 | SEISMIC EVENT RESPONSIVE ALERT AND UTILITIES CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING A UTILITIES CONTROL UNIT - A system adapted to provide alert signals to individuals or institutions and/or control signals to utilities control units to automatically stop the flow of gas, water, electricity, oil, etc., such signals being delivered in response to the detection of seismic events, the detection occurring via ground-based monitoring systems and/or satellite-based monitoring systems. The alert and/or control signals are distributed through various broadcasting systems or similar channels of communication, such as radio frequency transmitters, Internet service providers, cell phone wireless carriers, satellite phone service providers and/or security monitoring service providers, to individuals and/or facilities through smartphones, landline telephones, tablets, PC's, voice-controlled web communication devices or the like and/or to signal receivers on utilities control units. The system utilizes utilities control units having a signal receiving device adapted to receive the alert and utilities control signals from the broadcasting systems, and a central processing unit module in communication with the signal receiving device and one or more utilities control mechanisms. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329378 | Execution Windows For An Input Module Of An Industrial Controller - An input module for an industrial controller includes configurable execution windows. The execution windows are defined by a first parameter and a second parameter stored within the input module. A third parameter defines a status bit which is compared against the execution window to set a window output signal within the input module. The execution window may define a range between the first and second parameters against which the status bit is compared. Alternately, the first and second parameters may define setpoints against which the status bit is compared. At one of the setpoints, the window output signal is set and at the other of the setpoints, the window output signal is reset. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329379 | DASHBOARD AND BUTTON/TILE SYSTEM FOR AN INTERFACE - A system and approach having a display that shows a dashboard of smart buttons or tiles. The smart buttons or tiles may be situated in a matrix-like or other arrangement on the dashboard. The display may be customized. A smart button or tile may be operated like a standard button but conveniently pull summary information about a particular area of, for instance, a building controls system, for a user. The arrangement may permit the user to view the health of the whole system at a glance and permit the user a shortcut to see details of the particular area of the system quickly. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329380 | Seismic Event Responsive Alert and Utilities Control System and Methodology - A system adapted to provide alert signals to individuals or institutions and/or control signals to utilities control units to automatically stop the flow of gas, water, electricity, oil, etc., such signals being delivered in response to the detection of seismic events, the detection occurring via ground-based monitoring systems and/or satellite-based monitoring systems. The alert and/or control signals are distributed through various broadcasting systems or similar channels of communication, such as radio frequency transmitters, Internet service providers, cell phone wireless carriers, satellite phone service providers and/or security monitoring service providers, to individuals and/or facilities through smartphones, landline telephones, tablets, PC's, voice-controlled web communication devices or the like and/or to signal receivers on utilities control units. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329381 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENERGY SAFETY MANAGEMENT - A central safety management apparatus includes a safety management unit collecting safety management policies and regulations for each energy source and calculating operation criteria for each energy source; an accident precursor analysis unit collecting accident event related information of each energy source from a plurality of energy source safety management apparatuses managing different energy sources and analyzing occurrence possibility of safety accidents in advance based on the accident event related information and the operation criteria; and a safety enforcement unit transmitting a result of the analysis of the accident precursor analysis unit to the plurality of energy source safety management apparatuses. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329382 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING EXCESS POWER - A power system for connecting a power source, an energy storage unit and a grid includes a power inverter, an energy storage power converter and a controller. The power inverter is electrically coupled to the power source through a DC bus and converts DC power from the DC bus to AC power output to the grid. The power converter is electrically coupled between the DC bus and the energy storage unit and stores power in the energy storage unit and discharges power from the energy storage unit. The controller controls the power converter to store excess power from the power source that cannot be output to the grid in the energy storage unit, and control the energy storage power converter to discharge power stored in the energy storage unit to the power inverter to output to the grid. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329383 | EXTRACTING MAXIMAL FREQUENCY RESPONSE POTENTIAL IN CONTROLLABLE LOADS - Methods and apparatus are disclosed for extracting maximal frequency response potential in controllable loads. In one example, a method includes assigning a fitness metric to at least one electrical device coupled to a power grid, assigning a frequency threshold based on the fitness metric, and transmitting the assigned frequency threshold to the at least one electrical device. The fitness metric can be based at least in part on an availability component and a quality component associated with the at least one device and the frequency threshold can cause the at least one electrical device to activate autonomously based on a frequency of the power grid. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329384 | Modular Safety Monitoring and Warning System and Methods for Use Thereof - Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329385 | Safety Input System for Monitoring a Sensor in an Industrial Automation System - A safety input system for monitoring a sensor can include a voltage sensing circuit configured to produce a first detection output upon sensing a signal exceeding a voltage threshold, and a current sensing circuit configured to produce a second detection output upon sensing the signal exceeding a current threshold and/or voltage threshold. The signal can come from a sensor in an industrial automation system, such as a light curtain. The first detection output can be provided to a first processor, and the second detection output can be provided to a second processor, so that two processors can independently monitor the sensor. The signal can also be monitored by separate input systems. Periodically, for additional protection, the first processor can inject a first test signal into the input system for the second processor to detect, and the second processor can inject a second test signal into the input system for the first processor to detect. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329386 | I/O Expansion for Safety Controller - An industrial safety controller comprises a non-volatile memory configured for storing an industrial control program and at least one processing unit. The industrial safety controller, which may be a safety relay, further comprises a connector configured to communicatively couple the safety controller with an expansion module. The safety controller is configured to receive an input and/or provide an output via an I/O expansion module that is coupled to the safety controller utilizing the connector. The industrial safety controller may comprise an expansion module bay and the connector may comprise a bay connector. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329387 | PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER - The PLC according to the present disclosure includes a control module configured to perform a control operation according to a preset program; a first communication module configured to transmit a control command from the control module to at least one of first external devices; and a second communication module configured to transmit the control command from the control module to at least one of second external devices, wherein the first and second communication modules transmit external data to the control module via a data transmission cable which is shared with each other, and check interrupt signals therebetween to alternately transmit the external data to the control module, respectively. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329388 | INTELLIGENT FUNCTION UNIT AND PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER SYSTEM - An intelligent function unit includes an input selector selecting, as an input signal, an actual input signal or a simulated input signal generated in advance; an output selector selecting whether to output an output signal to the second controlled device; and a calculator causing an input/output controller in which combination and order of use of general circuit blocks are set to process the input signal one step at a time and transmit the output signal to an engineering tool or causing the input/output controller in which combination and order of use of the general circuit blocks are set to process the input signal consecutively for a set period of two or more steps, store the output signal for each step in a logger, and transmit an output signal corresponding to the set period and stored in the logger to the engineering tool. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329389 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING CONTINUOUSLY TRANSPOSED CABLE USING MULTIPLE LINEAR ACTUATORS - Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for producing a continuously transposed cable (CTC) by using a plurality of motors and a plurality of linear servo actuators instead of conventional apparatus and method for mechanically producing the continuously transposed cable by using a cam in the step of driving a continuously transposing head, which is the core of the manufacturing process of the continuously transposed cable. The apparatus comprises a continuously transposing head including at least four transposing devices; a control part being connected to the individual transposing devices in the continuously transposing head with wired or wireless connections; and a display input part for enabling a user to access and control it, the display input part being connected to the control part with wired or wireless connections, whereby the user can control the operation of the apparatus through the display input part, and continuously the control part can respectively control the individual transposing devices in the continuously transposing head in order to produce the continuously transposed cable. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329390 | MACHINE TOOL - In a machine tool, a control device performs control on an axis member rotating device and a stage rotating device such that when part of a placement region RE in a stage is arranged in a position opposite a spindle cutter in a third direction, in a direction which is at least one of a first direction and a second direction and in which accuracy is required, a screw axis length from a connection portion of the screw axis member of a ball screw and an axis member rotating device to a nut portion is minimized and that the part of the placement region RE in the stage is moved to the position opposite the spindle cutter in the third direction. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329391 | NUMERICAL CONTROLLER - A numerical controller analyzes a machining program, generates movement command data for moving a main spindle relative to a workpiece, causes an interpolation unit to perform interpolation processing based on the generated movement command data, and generates and outputs interpolation data for each interpolation cycle. Further, the interpolation unit performs provisional interpolation processing according to command speed F on a non-rotating coordinate system, converts a start point and an end point of provisional interpolation to positions on a rotating coordinate system to obtain speed F′ on the rotating coordinate system, obtains a ratio r of the speed F′ to the command speed F, and performs main interpolation processing at speed of F/r. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329392 | SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM WITH INTELLIGENT ROBOTIC SURVEILLANCE DEVICE - A surveillance system may comprise one or more computing devices and one or more robotic surveillance devices. The one or more computing devices may be configured to obtain video data captured by one or more cameras. The one or more computing devices may analyze the video data to determine whether there is any trigger event. In response to determining that there is a trigger event, the one or more computing device may determine an optimal robotic surveillance device among the one or more robotic surveillance devices based on the trigger event and provide an instruction to the optimal robotic surveillance device. The optimal robotic surveillance device may be configured to perform a responding action in response to receiving the instruction. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329393 | METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING DESIGN-FOR-MANUFACTURABILITY CHECKS - One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329394 | RAPID CONTROL PROTOTYPING SYSTEM - A rapid control prototyping system includes a power supply circuit, a control circuit coupled to the power supply circuit by a plurality of wirings and controls the power supply circuit, the control circuit including a delay amount measuring circuit that output pulses to the power supply circuit by the plurality of wirings and counts reflected pulses by an input of the power supply circuit, a processor that calculates a delay amount of each of the plurality of wirings according to count value of reflected pulses, calculates an offset amount which is a difference between a maximum value of the calculated delay amounts, and delays control signals of the power supply circuit by the offset amount in accordance with each of the plurality of wirings when the control circuit controlling the power supply circuit. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329395 | System and Method for Additive Manufacturing with Layer-by-Layer Curing - A system and method for additive manufacturing of otherwise thermosetting polymers, such as PAI, is disclosed. The system includes fast-curing hardware that facilitates curing each deposited layer before a successive layer is deposited. This reduces the time to provide a finished part from weeks to hours. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329396 | SUPPORT DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD OF SUPPORT DEVICE, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A support device that supports creation of a user program which is executed by an industrial control device, a control method of the support device and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium are provided. According thereto, overall programs including a sequence program and an NC program can be easily understood. In an embodiment, a tool includes a display control unit that displays a sequence program and an NC program which are to be synchronously executed on a single screen in an editable manner. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329397 | Safety Industrial Controller Providing Diversity in Single Multicore Processor - Different cores of a multicore processor are used to provide diagnostics of sophisticated hardware without full redundancy by static assignment of the cores during individual cycles of the control program and comparison of the outputs. A method of automatically generating diverse programs for execution by these cores may modify one program to compile two different instructions without functionally changing that program through the use of DeMorgan equivalents and diverse compiler optimizations. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329398 | Configuring Process Modules for Operation in Plants - A process module ( | 2018-11-15 |
20180329399 | ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION FOR SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS - The present invention discloses robotic process automation (RPA) of supply chain management (SCM) operations. In example embodiments the invention discloses RPA method and systems for supply chain management. The RPA systems include IOT devices and server as part of a sub network for secured communication relating to SCM operations like procurement operations. The system and method of the present invention utilizes AI based processing logic using a bot for automation of SCM operations thereby reducing the processing times and increasing efficiency. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329400 | MATERIAL MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND MATERIAL PREPARING METHOD - A material management apparatus (management computer) includes a production plan acquirer that acquires production plan information including a type of a material (cream solder) for bonding a component to a substrate, the material being used for production of a mounting substrate obtained by mounting the component on the substrate; a material status acquirer that acquires material status information on the material preserved in a material preservatory which preserves an accommodating portion (solder pot) in which the material is accommodated; and a material preparation instructor that creates and transmits an instruction to prepare the accommodating portion to be put out from the material preservatory, based on the production plan information and the material status information. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329401 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ASSIMILATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN AND PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT (SCPM) FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESS CONTROL AND AUTOMATION SYSTEM - A method includes obtaining information identifying transactions from multiple sources, the transactions related to multiple functional domains of a supply chain associated with at least one industrial process. The method also includes storing the information in a data store according to a unified model, the unified model representing all of the multiple sources. The method further includes generating one or more user-defined metrics and one or more user-defined analytics using the information. In addition, the method includes storing the metrics and the analytics in the data store. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329402 | ESTIMATION OF ABNORMAL SENSORS - Provided is an estimation apparatus including a memory device having program code stored thereon, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the memory device. The at least one processor is operable to execute program code stored on the memory device to calculate, for each of a plurality of sensor groups that each include two sensors among a plurality of sensors, a degree of outlierness of target data serving as an examination target relative to a reference data distribution of output from the sensor group, and to estimate a sensor among the plurality of sensors to be a source of outlierness, based on a comparison of the degrees of outlierness of the sensor groups that include the at least one sensor to the degrees of outlierness of the sensor groups that lack the at least one sensor. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329403 | METHOD, DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING LEVEL OF DAMAGE OF ELECTRIC DEVICE - The present invention concerns a method for estimating a level of damage of an electric device. The method comprises the steps of: —forming a histogram of operating cycles related to the electric device for which the level of damage estimation is performed, —comparing the formed histogram to histograms of a collection of histograms or to combinations of histograms of the collection of histograms, each histogram of the collection of histogram being associated to a level of damage, in order to determine the histogram of the collection of histograms or the combination of histograms which is the closest from the formed histogram, —determining an estimate of the level of damage of the electric device from the level of damage of the closest histogram or from the levels of damages of the histograms of the closest combination of histograms. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329404 | FAULT SIGNAL RECOVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD - Disclosed is a fault signal recovery system including a data processor configured to generate a signal subset U* by removing, from a signal set U for a plurality of tags, some tags including a fault signal, and a first learning signal subset X* by removing tags disposed at positions corresponding to the some tags from a learning signal set X containing only tags of normal signals, a modeling unit configured to generate feature information F extractable from the first learning signal subset X* and recovery information P on a plurality of recovery models usable for restoring the fault signal, and a recovery unit configured to estimate and recover normal signals for the some tags based on the signal subset U*, the first learning signal subset X*, the feature information F, the recovery information P on the plurality of recovery models, and similarity Z. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329405 | PATROL-TYPE PREVENTIVE INSPECTION SYSTEM FOR ELETROMECHANICAL DEVICES - A patrol-type preventive inspection system is provided for an inspection personnel to perform a patrol-type inspections upon a plurality of electromechanical devices located along a patrol path. In the patrol-type preventive inspection system, a portable inspection-device kit and a portable communication device are carried by the inspection personnel to a to-be-inspected position of a to-be-inspected electromechanical device out of the electromechanical devices along the patrol path, so as to perform a patrol-type inspection upon the to-be-inspected electromechanical device for obtaining at least one inspection data. When the inspection data complies with at least one preventive inspection standard, the portable communication device is provided for the inspection user to perform an interactive operation to generate a real rapid-screening result, further to generate a preliminary treatment suggestion, and to re-plan the patrol path. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329406 | ELECTRICAL DEVICE DEGRADATION DETERMINATION - A method collects from at least one power measuring device of an environment power consumption data indicating active power consumption during a timeframe by an electrical device in the environment. The method also collects operating parameter data indicating at least one operating parameter under which the electrical device operates during at least a portion of the timeframe. The method performs, based on observing an increase in power consumption of the electrical device during the timeframe, assessing extents of contribution by potential contributing factors to the increase in power consumption, the potential contributing factors including time-based degradation of the electrical device and the at least one operating parameter. The method outputs, based on the assessing, an indication of an extent of contribution of degradation of the electrical device to the increase in power consumption. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329407 | Motor Driven Equipment Maintenance Monitoring System - A system and method designed to track usage across multiple pieces of motor-driven equipment and to analysis the usage data in order to identify which pieces of equipment should be sent for preventative maintenance. For each piece of equipment, the system includes a durable recording device that fits onto a body part of a piece of equipment, such as a portable landscaping tool, and a companion reporting component. The recording device senses parameters as in-use time, but also operational frequency vibration levels of use. The reporting components from various pieces of equipment can be linked to an authorized electronic device, such as a Bluetooth-enabled mobile cell phone, tablet or the like, for the transfer of data from each piece of equipment, with the electronic device analyzing the operational data for preventive maintenance purposes. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329408 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TESTING SOFTWARE OF AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT OF A VEHICLE - A method for testing software of an electronic control unit of a vehicle includes, in a first step, executing a driving cycle, whereby input quantities and output quantities of the electronic control unit are recorded. In an additional step, the driving cycle in accordance with the first step is repeated without once again executing the driving cycle with the vehicle on the testing device so that additional output quantities are made available. It is ascertained that the software comprises a function that recognizes whether a driving cycle is being executed with the vehicle, based on there being a deviation between at least one output quantity that had been recorded in the first step and the corresponding output quantity provided in accordance with the additional step. Based thereon, a function of the electronic control unit is excluded from being further developed or processed during a subsequent development step. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329409 | PORTABLE MOBILE ROBOT AND OPERATION THEREOF - The present invention discloses a portable mobile robot, including: a capture module, configured to capture location information of the portable mobile robot; a processor module, configured to draw a room map of the room based on the captured location information, and perform positioning, navigation, and path planning according to the room map; a control module, coupled to the processor module, configured to send a control signal to control movement of the portable mobile robot in the room along the a path according to the room map; a motion module, configured to control operation of a motor to drive the portable mobile robot according to the control signal; and a tray with a concave bottom, which is mounted on the top of the portable mobile robot. In the present invention, the portable mobile robot and operation method thereof can provide home interaction service. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329410 | DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A MANEUVER OF A VEHICLE - A device is used for controlling a maneuver of a vehicle ( | 2018-11-15 |
20180329411 | MACHINE-LEARNING SYSTEMS AND TECHNIQUES TO OPTIMIZE TELEOPERATION AND/OR PLANNER DECISIONS - A system, an apparatus or a process may be configured to implement an application that applies artificial intelligence and/or machine-learning techniques to predict an optimal course of action (or a subset of courses of action) for an autonomous vehicle system (e.g., one or more of a planner of an autonomous vehicle, a simulator, or a teleoperator) to undertake based on suboptimal autonomous vehicle performance and/or changes in detected sensor data (e.g., new buildings, landmarks, potholes, etc.). The application may determine a subset of trajectories based on a number of decisions and interactions when resolving an anomaly due to an event or condition. The application may use aggregated sensor data from multiple autonomous vehicles to assist in identifying events or conditions that might affect travel (e.g., using semantic scene classification). An optimal subset of trajectories may be formed based on recommendations responsive to semantic changes (e.g., road construction). | 2018-11-15 |
20180329412 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COORDINATING TERRESTRIAL MOBILE AUTOMATED DEVICES - The invention relates to systems for controlling automated devices and can be used in the coordination of terrestrial mobile automated devices, namely robots. The technical result is an increase in the effectiveness of the coordination of the robots as a result of increasing the length of time that a suspended platform is in the air, in different conditions. The system contains one or multiple devices for tracking robots, mounted on suspended platforms; natural or artificial markers; and a central unit, to which all the information from all of the tracking devices is sent, for determining the coordinates and orientation of the robots. Furthermore, the suspended platform is a rotor device, capable of operating in 3 modes: autogyro, wind motor, and helicopter. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329413 | RETICLE CONTROL AND NETWORK BASED OPERATION OF AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE - The disclosed embodiments include methods, apparatuses and systems for network based operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle. One apparatus includes a controller. The controller is operative to receive a request for change in a camera view of a camera of a drone from a tele-operator, generate positioning of a reticle of a display of the tele-operator based on the received request for change in the camera view, and generate a camera attitude control based on the received request for change in the camera view, wherein the camera attitude control provides orientation control of the camera of the drone, wherein the positioning control of the reticle is more responsive than the orientation control of the camera. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329414 | DRIVE ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND DRIVE ASSISTANCE METHOD, AND MOVING BODY - Provided is a drive assistance device for assisting driving of a vehicle by using an automatic driving function. Assuming various conditions of the driver, a plurality of notification timings to notify of switching from an automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode is set. Notifying a driver who is drowsing at a notification timing of long premature time allows the driver to have sufficient time margin to be ready for manual driving and to shift to driving action more safely. A driver who is reading a book or operating a smartphone is expected to be able to shift to driving action immediately after a notification, and thus it is sufficient to notify at a notification timing of short premature time, which can reduce inconvenience for the driver. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329415 | DRIVER MONITORING APPARATUS AND DRIVER MONITORING METHOD - A driver monitoring apparatus includes: a biosensor signal acquiring portion configured to acquire a biosensor signal detected by a biosensor provided in a steering wheel, a biosensor signal storage portion configured to store first biological information acquired by the biosensor signal acquiring portion during the manual driving mode; a first determination processing portion configured to determine whether or not a driver who is to drive during the manual driving mode is gripping the steering wheel, based on second biological information acquired by the biosensor signal acquiring portion and the first biological information read out from the biosensor signal storage portion, if the autonomous driving mode is switched to the manual driving mode, and a first signal output portion configured to output a predetermined signal that is based on the result of the determination performed by the first determination processing portion. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329416 | AUTOMATIC DRIVING SYSTEM - An automatic driving system includes an electronic control device configured to: detect a driving operation input amount during an automatic driving control for a vehicle; determine whether the driver is able to start manual driving during the automatic driving control for the vehicle; output a signal for performing switching from automatic driving to the manual driving based on a result of a comparison between the driving operation input amount and a driving switching threshold that is a threshold for the switching from the automatic driving to the manual driving; set the driving switching threshold to a first driving switching threshold when it is determined that the driver is able to start the manual driving; and set the driving switching threshold to a second driving switching threshold exceeding the first driving switching threshold when it is determined that the driver is not able to start the manual driving. | 2018-11-15 |
20180329417 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EMULATING MODULAR AGNOSTIC CONTROL OF COMMERCIAL UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (UAVS) - A method for emulating control signals for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The method comprises using an integrated circuit installed on the UAV and communicatively coupled to a flight control processor and a companion processor for receiving flight control parameters from the companion processor, the flight control parameters are based data from a plurality of sensors communicatively coupled to the companion processor and mounted on the UAV, wirelessly receiving remote control signals from a remote control unit, modulating the flight control parameters to create emulated signals emulating a signals generated by a remote control designated to wirelessly control the UAV, the emulated signals encode instructions to maneuver the UAV, and switching between the remote control signals and the emulated signals during a flight time of the UAV. | 2018-11-15 |