Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of accurately detecting abnormal pixels caused by a contaminant such as dirt, stain, or flaw on a moving document reading glass being read. An image processing unit of the image reading apparatus performs a first abnormal pixel detection process to detect pixel signals representing abnormal pixels and output from image sensors for respective colors when a reading unit reads a guide plate in a main scanning direction in a state before an original passes through a moving document reading position, performs a second abnormal pixel detection process to detect pixel signals representing abnormal pixels and output from the image sensors when an original being conveyed is read by the reading unit in the main scanning direction, and detects a main scanning direction of abnormal pixels based on results of these detection processes.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus that makes it possible to reduce the influences of dirt on a white reference chart itself, stripes caused by dust, and the like, and thereby generate accurate data for shading correction. An image processor performs shading correction on image data read by a reader unit. The read image data is compared with threshold values set for each pixel, and a pixel which is out of a range of the threshold values is determined as a singular point pixel. Data of a pixel determined as a singular point pixel is interpolated from data around the singular point pixel. Data of a pixel which is not determined as a singular point pixel is adopted as valid shading correction data. An operation controller controls the number of effective sampling lines from start to termination of sampling to be performed.

Abstract: The image reading apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read the image of the original placed on the platen glass. The image reading apparatus determines whether the original is on the platen glass or not. If it is determined that the original is on the platen glass, the image reading apparatus determines whether the original is blank or not based on the image read by the reading unit. If it is determined that the original is not on the platen glass, or if it is determined that the original is blank, the image reading apparatus notifies the user that the original is not on the platen glass or the original is blank.

Abstract: A communication system having a main control portion (MCP) to transmit information destined to a device n cascade levels down, and create an error detection code (CRC code) for data that contains a count of remaining cascade levels until an n-th cascade level and the information. The code is transmitted to an upstream sub-control portion (USCP) with the data. The USCP creates a CRC code for the data, and compares the created and received codes. For a match, the USCP determines whether the information is destined to itself based on the remaining cascade level count. When the information is not so destined, the USCP creates new data with the remaining cascade level count reduced by 1, and a CRC code for the new data, and transmits the created code to a further device, with the new data.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus irradiates a document with light, and reads the document image based on the reflected light and includes a light source which includes a plurality of LEDs, and irradiates the document with light. The apparatus also includes an LED current adjusting unit which sets the amount of current to be supplied to each LED by changing the current amounts from the end portion to the central portion in the main scanning direction of document reading, and a driving circuit which drives the LEDs by the current amounts set by the LED current adjusting unit in correspondence with the LEDs.

Abstract: A control apparatus configured to receive instruction data from a transmission unit and to control a controlled apparatus based on the instruction data includes a determination unit configured to determine an error in reception of the instruction data from the transmission unit, a communication unit configured to receive the instruction data from the transmission unit and to transmit reply data according to a result of determination of the determination unit to the transmission unit, a module configured to control the controlled apparatus based on the instruction data, and a control unit configured to, if a content of current instruction data received by the communication unit matches a content of previous instruction data received by the communication unit, control the module not to control the controlled apparatus based on the current instruction data.

Abstract: A communication system having a main control portion (MCP) to transmit information destined to a device n cascade levels down, and create an error detection code (CRC code) for data that contains a count of remaining cascade levels until an n-th cascade level and the information. The code is transmitted to an upstream sub-control portion (USCP) with the data. The USCP creates a CRC code for the data, and compares the created and received codes. For a match, the USCP determines whether the information is destined to itself based on the remaining cascade level count. When the information is not so destined, the USCP creates new data with the remaining cascade level count reduced by 1, and a CRC code for the new data, and transmits the created code to a further device, with the new data.

Abstract: An optical filter is provided on photoelectric conversion elements for monochrome reading. Each of a reflecting optical system and the optical filter has an end portion and a central portion in a predetermined direction. The optical filter suppresses light at a peak wavelength of a light source such that a difference between a sensitivity of optical path via the end portion of the reflecting optical system and the optical filter and a sensitivity of optical path via the central portion of the reflecting optical system and the optical filter fall within a range of 5% at the peak wavelength of light source.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes first and second reading portions which read images of first and second faces of an original, an image forming portion which forms an image on a sheet based on image data read by the reading portions, a calculation portion which calculates difference between respective image data, a correction portion which calculates correction data to decrease difference of the image data based on the image data difference, and a control portion which controls the image forming portion so that an image for correction to correct the reading accuracy difference is formed on a sheet based on the correction data; and the calculation portion calculates difference between respective image data when the image for correction formed on a sheet is respectively read by the first and second reading portions, and the correction portion recalculates correction data based on the image data difference calculated by the calculation portion.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source which irradiates an original with light, an imaging unit which images by condensing reflected and scattered light from the original via a plurality of reflecting mirrors and imaging mirrors, and a photoelectric conversion unit which converts, into an electrical signal, the reflected and scattered light imaged by the imaging unit. The imaging unit is an imaging optical system which is adjusted such that the difference between the spectral characteristic at an end portion in the main-scanning direction of the image reading apparatus and that at the central portion in the main-scanning direction becomes 5% or less at the peak wavelength of the light source.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit configured to feed a recording sheet, a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image to the recording sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit, a fixing unit configured to heat the toner image transferred to the recording sheet by the transfer unit, a gloss imparting unit configured to impart gloss to an arbitrary region of the recording sheet heated by the fixing unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a shrinkage ratio of the recording sheet shrunk through heating by the fixing unit, and a correction unit configured to correct the region to which gloss is imparted by the gloss imparting unit according to the shrinkage ratio calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which approximates the MTF characteristics on the front and back surfaces of the original to each other, in reading a double-sided original, to thereby prevent a density difference and a color difference from being caused between the front and back surfaces of the original. A CCD line sensor and a CIS read front and back surfaces of the double-sided original to output image data. The filter coefficients of first and second MTF correction filters are set for use in a plurality of areas arranged by dividing respective reading ranges of the CCD line sensor and the CIS. The first and second MTF correction filters correct the MTF characteristics of the image data output from the CCD line sensor and the CIS, using the set filter coefficients for associated areas.

Abstract: An image reading device for reading front and back sides of an original using different reading units has a simple configuration and is capable of matching the input-output characteristic of the front side and the input-output characteristic of the back side and reducing a difference between color on the front side and color on the back side. Based on image data of a color chart read by a front-side reading unit and image data of the color chart read by a back-side reading unit, the image reading device calculates and sets adjustment values for the front and back sides for individual hues of color patches of the color chart and performs adjustment for the front and back sides in accordance with adjustment values corresponding to hue of an original image when the original is read.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of accurately detecting abnormal pixels caused by a contaminant such as dirt, stain, or flaw on a moving document reading glass being read. An image processing unit of the image reading apparatus performs a first abnormal pixel detection process to detect pixel signals representing abnormal pixels and output from image sensors for respective colors when a reading unit reads a guide plate in a main scanning direction in a state before an original passes through a moving document reading position, performs a second abnormal pixel detection process to detect pixel signals representing abnormal pixels and output from the image sensors when an original being conveyed is read by the reading unit in the main scanning direction, and detects a main scanning direction of abnormal pixels based on results of these detection processes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit configured to feed a recording sheet, a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image to the recording sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit, a fixing unit configured to heat the toner image transferred to the recording sheet by the transfer unit, a gloss imparting unit configured to impart gloss to an arbitrary region of the recording sheet heated by the fixing unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a shrinkage ratio of the recording sheet shrunk through heating by the fixing unit, and a correction unit configured to correct the region to which gloss is imparted by the gloss imparting unit according to the shrinkage ratio calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which irradiates a document with light, and reads the document image based on the reflected light includes a light source which includes a plurality of LEDs, and irradiates the document with light, an LED current adjusting unit which sets the amount of current to be supplied to each LED by changing the current amounts from the end portion to the central portion in the main scanning direction of document reading, and a driving circuit which drives the LEDs by the current amounts set by the LED current adjusting unit in correspondence with the LEDs.

Abstract: A massage apparatus (10) capable of improving a sensation of stretching around a pelvic bone performs stretching around the pelvic bone of a user by arching, twisting (pivoting and bending to the side), and bending forward and back as airbags (20a, 20b) provided to a back rest (13) and airbags (21a, 21b) provided to a seat (12) operate together with a mutual time difference.

Abstract: A chair type stretching apparatus in this invention comprises a seat, a backrest, a flexible sheet, a tension means, and a controller. The flexible sheet is disposed on a top of the seat to extend an entire width of the seat. The tension means is provided on the seat and is configured to apply tensional force to the flexible sheet so as to move a center of the flexible sheet toward an upper direction of the seat. The controller is configured to control the tension means in order to move the center of the flexible sheet to a vertical direction. The tension means is provided on at least one width end of the seat in order to apply the tensional force along a width direction of the seat to the flexible sheet, whereby the tension means moves the center of the flexible sheet to the vertical direction.

Abstract: Gains and offsets of the input-output characteristic of a second side reading unit are controlled so as to match input-output characteristic of a first side reading unit on the basis of image data of a gray chart read by the first side reading unit and the second side reading unit. Then, on the basis of image data of a color chart read by the first side reading unit and the second side reading unit, offsets of the input-output characteristic of the second side reading unit are controlled for individual color components such that differences between color read by the first side reading unit and color read by the second side reading unit are reduced.

Abstract: The chair type stretching apparatus in this invention comprises a seat, a backrest, a flexible sheet, a tension means, and a controller. The backrest has a width. The flexible sheet is disposed in front of the backrest to be movable between a normal position and a projected position. The flexible sheet in the normal position lies in a close relation with a front surface of the backrest. The flexible sheet in the projected position is spaced away from the front surface of the backrest. The tension means is provided on the backrest in order to apply tensional force to the flexible sheet so as to move a center of the flexible sheet toward a front direction of the backrest. The tension means is provided on at least one width end of the backrest in order to apply tensional force along a width direction of the backrest to the flexible sheet.