1. A mobile electronic device comprising:
at least one memory comprising one of the following: firmware, software, and configuration information;
wherein the at least one memory comprises executable code for detecting at least one abnormal event during operation of the mobile electronic device;
wherein the at least one memory also comprises executable code for gathering at least one device characteristic of the mobile electronic device; and
wherein the mobile electronic device prompts a user to approve communication of the at least one device characteristic to a remote server, following detection of the at least one abnormal event.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one abnormal event comprises one of the following: a power-down, an interruption of operation, a device fault, a corruption during an update process, a firmware or software error, and a firmware or software exception.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises one of the following: a manufacture identifier, a model identifier, a firmware version number, a hardware version number, a battery level, a communication statistic, usage information, an error, an exception, event information and a serial number.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein a communication statistic comprises one of the following: a number of communication errors detected, and a ratio of dropped packets on a communication link.
5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:
in the at least one memory, executable code for saving information about the least one abnormal event occurring during invocation of an application in the mobile electronic device; and
wherein upon subsequent invocation of the application, the mobile electronic device prompts a user regarding the occurrence of the at least one abnormal event, and permits the user to retrieve update information for correcting the at least one abnormal event, or to use the invoked application.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory further comprises executable code for:
detecting a first request to invoke one of the following: an application and a feature;
before invoking, determining whether at least one known error exists for the at least one of the following: an application and a feature; and
before invoking, retrieving and applying update information, if at least one known error exists and update information for correcting the at least one known error is available.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein determining whether at least one known error exists comprises:
referencing a catalog of known errors.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the catalog of known errors is resident in the at least one memory.
9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the catalog of known errors is resident in the remote server.
10. The device according to claim 6, further comprising:
determining whether update information is available for correcting the at least one known error.
11. The device according to claim 6, wherein the update information for correcting the at least one known error is retrieved from the remote server.
12. The device according to claim 6, wherein the update information for correcting the at least one known error is retrieved from the at least one memory.
13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile electronic device comprises one of the following: a mobile handset, a cellular phone, a pager, and a personal computer.
14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device communicates wirelessly.
15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the wireless communication employs one of the following: a cellular network, a paging network, a local area network, and a wide area network.
16. The device according to claim 1 wherein the update information comprises a set of instructions for converting at least a portion of the at least one memory from a first version to a second version.
17. An electronic device comprising memory containing at least one of the following: firmware and software, the electronic device trapping at least one of the following: an error and an exception, encountered during execution of the at least one of the following: firmware and software, and automatically identifying, retrieving, and applying update information to correct an error in the at least one of the following: firmware and software, that caused the at least one the following: an error and an exception.
18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises one of the following: a mobile handset, a cellular phone, a pager, and a personal computer.
19. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein identifying comprises automatically gathering symptoms of the at least one of the following: an error and an exception, and generating an identifier used to retrieve the update information.
20. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein retrieving comprises:
transmitting at least one device characteristic to a remote server; and
receiving the update information.
21. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein update information comprises an update package.
22. The electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the update package comprises a set of instructions executable by the electronic device to convert an existing code version to an updated code version.
23. A method of operating a server for updating code and configuration information in a remotely located electronic device, the method comprising:
automatically retrieving update information for the electronic device using an identifier computed from at least one of the following: a type of an abnormal event and at least one device characteristic;
transmitting the update information to the electronic device via a public network; and
wherein the update information is selected for retrieval based upon a likelihood of correction of a cause of the abnormal event.
24. The method according to claim 23, wherein update information comprises one or more update packages.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the one or more update packages comprise a set of instructions executable by the electronic device to produce an updated code version from an existing code version, in the electronic device.
26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the identifier is received from the electronic device.
27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:
receiving, from the electronic device, the at least one of the following: a type of abnormal event and at least one device characteristic.
28. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:
receiving the identifier from the electronic device.
29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises one of the following: a manufacture identifier, a model identifier, a firmware version number, a hardware version number, a battery level, a communication statistic, usage information, an error, an exception, event information and a serial number.
30. The method according to claim 23, wherein the type of an abnormal event comprises one of the following: a power-down, an interruption of operation, a device fault, a corruption during an update process, a firmware or software error, and a firmware or software exception.
31. The method according to claim 23, wherein the public network comprises one of a cellular network, a paging network, a wireless local area network, a wireless wide area network, a wired network, and the Internet.
32. The method according to claim 23, wherein the electronic device comprises one of the following: a mobile handset, a cellular phone, a pager, and a personal computer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An ink comprising a first pigment, a second pigment, a polymer dispersant and an aqueous medium;
the first pigment being a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface directly or via an atomic group,
the second pigment being dispersed in the aqueous medium by the polymer dispersant, and
the polymer dispersant containing benzylmethacrylate as a monomer unit.
2. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the polymer dispersant is a copolymer of the benzylmethacrylate monomer unit and a methacrylic acid monomer unit.
3. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the benzylmethacylate monomer unit and the methacrylic acid monomer unit are present in a molar ratio of 1:1.
4. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the second pigment has a BET specific surface area of 300 m2g or less, and a DBP oil absorption of 150 mg100 g or less.
5. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the anionic group bonded to the first pigment is selected from the group consisting of COOM, SO3M, PO3HM and PO3M2, SO2NH2, SO2NHCOR, wherein M represents a hydrogen atom, alkaline metal, ammonium or organic ammonium, R represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group.
6. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the atomic group is selected from the group consisting of substituted or substituted alkylene of 1-12 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted phenylene, and substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene.
7. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the polymer dispersant has a weight average molecular weight of 2000-30000.
8. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the polymer dispersant has an acid value of 100-500.
9. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the polymer dispersant is contained in an amount of 10-200% by weight of the second pigment.
10. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the second pigment is dispersed in the ink by adsorbing the polymer dispersant on its surface.
11. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the first pigment is contained in a ratio to the second pigment of 955 to 5050.
12. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the ink contains a dye.
13. The ink according to claim 12, wherein the dye is an anionic dye.
14. The ink according to claim 13, wherein the anionic dye is selected from the group consisting of an acidic dye, a direct dye, and a reactive dye.
15. The ink according to claim 14, wherein the anionic dye has a disazo or trisazo structure.
16. An ink comprising a first pigment, a second pigment, a polymer dispersant and an aqueous medium;
the first pigment being a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface directly or via an atomic group,
the second pigment being dispersed in the aqueous medium by the polymer dispersant, and
the second pigment has a BET specific surface area not higher than 300 m2g, and a DBP oil absorption not higher than 150 ml100 g.
17. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the anionic group bonded to the first pigment is selected from the group consisting of COOM, SO3M, PO3HM and PO3M2, SO2NH2, SO2NHCOR, wherein M represents a hydrogen atom, alkaline metal, ammonium or organic ammonium, R represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group.
18. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the atomic group is selected from the group consisting of substituted or substituted alkylene of 1-12 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted phenylene, and substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene.
19. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the polymer dispersant is a copolymer containing a monomer unit having an aromatic ring.
20. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the monomer unit is selected from the group consisting of styrene, -methylstyrene, benzylacrylate, benzylmethacrylate, phenylacrylate and phenylmethacrylate,
21. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the monomer unit is benzylmethacrylate.
22. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the polymer dispersant has a weight average molecular weight of 2000-30000.
23. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the polymer dispersant has an acid value of 100-500.
24. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the polymer dispersant is contained in an amount of 10-200% by weight of the second pigment.
25. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the second pigment is dispersed in the ink by adsorbing the polymer dispersant on its surface.
26. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the first pigment is contained in a ratio to the second pigment of 955 to 5050.
27. The ink according to claim 16, wherein the ink contains a dye.
28. The ink according to claim 27, wherein the dye is an anionic dye.
29. The ink according to claim 28, wherein the anionic dye is selected from the group consisting of an acidic dye, a direct dye, and a reactive dye.
30. The ink according to claim 28, wherein the anionic dye has a disazo or trisazo structure.
31. The ink according to claim 1 or 16, wherein the ink is for ink-jet printing.
32. An ink-jet printing method comprising the steps of:
ejecting an ink to a printing medium by an ink-jet process, and
forming an image on the printing medium,
wherein the ink is an ink according to claim 31.
33. An ink-jet printing method comprising a step of:
applying a first ink and a second ink on a printing medium in such a manner that the first and the second inks come in contact in a liquid state on the printing medium,
wherein the first ink contains a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface, directly or via an atomic group, and
the second ink contains an anionic or nonionic polymer dispersant or both and a pigment which is dispersible with the aid of the polymer dispersant in an aqueous medium,
where the pigment in the second ink has a BET specific surface area not higher than 300 m2g, and a DBP oil absorption not higher than 150 ml100 g.
34. An ink-jet printing method comprising a step of:
applying a first ink and a second ink on a printing medium in such a manner that the first and the second inks come in contact in a liquid state on the printing medium,
wherein the first ink contains a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface, directly or via an atomic group, and
the second ink contains an anionic or nonionic polymer dispersant or both and a pigment which is dispersible with the aid of the polymer dispersant in an aqueous medium,
where the polymer dispersant contains benzylmethacrylate as a monomer unit.
35. An ink-jet printing apparatus comprising an ink-storing part containing an ink according to claim 31, and an ink-jet head to eject the ink.
36. The ink-jet printing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein at least part of an orifice area of the ink-jet head is water repellent.
37. The ink-jet printing apparatus according to claim 35 or 36, wherein at least part of an orifice area of the ink-jet head is covered with a water repellent silicon film.
38. An printing unit comprising an ink-storing part containing an ink according to claim 31, and an ink-jet head to eject the ink.
39. The printing unit according to claim 38, wherein at least part of an orifice area of the ink-jet head is water repellent.
40. The printing unit according to claim 38 or 39, wherein at least part of an orifice area of the ink-jet head is covered with a water repellent silicon film.
41. An ink cartridge comprising an ink-storing part containing an ink according to claim 31, wherein the cartridge is removable attached to an ink-jet head that ejects the ink, and supplies the ink to the ink-jet head when attached thereto.
42. The ink cartridge according to claim 41, wherein at least part of an orifice area of the ink-jet head is water repellent.
43. An ink cartridge comprising an ink-storing part containing an ink of claim 1 or of claim 16.
44. An ink set comprising a first ink and a second ink,
wherein the first ink contains a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface, directly or via an atomic group, and
the second ink contains an anionic or nonionic polymer dispersant or both and a pigment which is dispersible with the aid of the polymer dispersant in an aqueous medium,
where the pigment in the second ink has a BET specific surface area not higher than 300 m2g, and a DBP oil absorption not higher than 150 ml100 g.
45. An ink set comprising a first ink and a second ink,
wherein the first ink contains a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface, directly or via an atomic group, and
the second ink contains an anionic or nonionic polymer dispersant or both and a pigment which is dispersible with the aid of the polymer dispersant in an aqueous medium,
where the polymer dispersant contains benzylmethacrylate as a monomer unit.
46. An ink-jet printing apparatus comprising an ink-storing part separately containing a first ink and a second ink, and an ink-jet head to eject the first ink and the second ink,
wherein the first ink contains a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface, directly or via an atomic group, and
the second ink contains an anionic or nonionic polymer dispersant or both and a pigment which is dispersible with the aid of the polymer dispersant in an aqueous medium,
where the pigment in the second ink has a BET specific surface area not higher than 300 m2g, and a DBP oil absorption not higher than 150 ml100 g.
47. An ink-jet printing apparatus comprising an ink-storing part separately containing a first ink and a second ink, and an ink-jet head to eject the first ink and the second ink,
wherein the first ink contains a self-dispersing pigment having on its surface at least one anionic group bonded to the surface, directly or via an atomic group,
the second ink contains an anionic or nonionic polymer dispersant or both and a pigment which is dispersible with the aid of the polymer dispersant in an aqueous medium, and
the polymer dispersant contains benzylmethacrylate as a monomer unit.