Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes plural input filter sections controlling different types of input-processing performed by corresponding input devices to produce respective input image data sets each having a different input format, plural output filter sections controlling different types of output-processing performed by corresponding output devices that receive respective output image data sets each having a different output format, and an image processing section being made sharable by any given one of the input filter sections and any given one of the output filter sections, and converting an image data set from an input format of the one of the input filter sections to an output format of the one of the output filter sections.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes plural image outputting parts, an image processing part configured to process image data to be output by the plural image outputting parts, plural software control parts configured to selectively control the plural image outputting parts, a user service selecting part configured to share the image processing part in a case of processing the image data to be output from the plural image outputting parts and select plural user services that selectively use the plural software control parts, and a request executing part configured to sequentially receive plural image process requests and plural output requests from the plural software control parts and execute the plural image process requests and the plural image output requests in an order in which the plural image process requests and the plural output requests are sequentially received.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a device that performs a mechanical operation; a device control unit that controls the mechanical operation of the device; a process control unit that establishes communication with the device control unit and controls a process related to the device under the established communication; and an activation method setting unit that sets information on an activation method which is performed when the device control unit activates the device. The device control unit is provided with a unit that refers to information, which is set by the activation method setting unit before the communication is established by the process control unit, on an activation method of the device after a predetermined time elapses, and activates the device based on the reference information related to the activation method of the device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes plural image output units, plural output image data converting units disposed for the corresponding image output units for converting image data of a predetermined format into image data of a format for the corresponding image output units, a first memory unit which is used in common for storing image data in processes by the image output units and the output image data converting units, and a memory area adjusting unit which adjusts a memory area in the first memory unit for memory area obtaining requests from the image output units and the output image data converting units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, an image forming mechanism, an optical sensor, and a controller. The image forming mechanism performs an image forming operation for forming a reference toner image on the image carrying member under a specific setting associated with the image forming mechanism. The optical sensor is arranged in a vicinity to the image carrying member. The controller performs an optical toner test for checking, by using the optical sensor, optical characteristics of the reference toner image formed on the image carrying member and to adjust the specific setting based on a result of the optical toner test.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which comprises a toner density detection device for detecting the density of a toner inside a developing device, acquires the number of pixels from inputted image information, calculates the toner replenishment amount from the toner density detection value and the information on the pixels, and thereby performs replenishment control so that excessive replenishment or insufficient replenishment of the toner is not caused. The upper limit value of the amount of toner to be replenished at once to the developing device is changed in accordance with the amount of information on an input image such as the image area, pixels of the input image.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus a developing device develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with a developer that contains toner to obtain a toner image, a toner-amount detecting unit detects amount of toner attached to the toner image, and a toner-density detecting unit detects a density of toner in the developer. Moreover, a process control unit corrects a toner-density target value indicative of a target value of density of toner in the developer based on the amount of toner detected by the toner-amount detecting unit and the density of toner detected by the toner-density detecting unit, and a determines execution timing of next process based on corrected toner-density target value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers, an image forming mechanism, a seamless belt-like intermediate transfer body or a transfer material carrier, a detection mechanism, and an optical detecting apparatus. The optical detecting apparatus includes at least a printed board, and a plurality of photodetectors formed of a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and light-shielding members, which are mounted on the printed board. The optical detecting apparatus is disposed such that it detects a belt surface adjacent to rollers of the intermediate transfer body or the transfer material carrier, and either displacement of a transfer image or image density is detected by a plurality of photodetectors detecting pattern images which are transferred from the plurality of image carriers to the image transfer body or the transfer material carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes plural input filter sections controlling different types of input-processing performed by corresponding input devices to produce respective input image data sets each having a different input format, plural output filter sections controlling different types of output-processing performed by corresponding output devices that receive respective output image data sets each having a different output format, and an image processing section being made sharable by any given one of the input filter sections and any given one of the output filter sections, and converting an image data set from an input format of the one of the input filter sections to an output format of the one of the output filter sections.

Abstract: A developing unit supplies toner from a developing roller to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, and creates a visual image. A forced consumption unit causes, when a proportion of number of pixels used for forming the electrostatic latent image for a maximum image effective-width is equal to or less than a predetermined value, a forced consumption of toner by an amount corresponding to a difference between a toner amount corresponding to the number of pixels and a predetermined toner consumption amount. The forced consumption unit adds toner of an amount used in the forced consumption to an amount of toner to be supplied in a next imaging process.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes plural image outputting parts, an image processing part configured to process image data to be output by the plural image outputting parts, plural software control parts configured to selectively control the plural image outputting parts, a user service selecting part configured to share the image processing part in a case of processing the image data to be output from the plural image outputting parts and select plural user services that selectively use the plural software control parts, and a request executing part configured to sequentially receive plural image process requests and plural output requests from the plural software control parts and execute the plural image process requests and the plural image output requests in an order in which the plural image process requests and the plural output requests are sequentially received.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is secondarily transferred onto a transfer material by a secondary transfer roller in contact with the intermediate transfer belt. A relation A>B>C is satisfied, where A is a width of the intermediate transfer member, B is a width of the secondary transfer member, and C is a width of the transfer material. The intermediate transfer member includes a patch-pattern forming area that is not contacted by the secondary transfer member. The image forming apparatus includes a reflection-type photosensor that detects a patch pattern formed in the patch-pattern forming area.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus capable of implementing accurately and constantly an improved conversion of the amount of toner adhesion over the entire range of the amount of adhesion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member, and at least one optical sensor. In the image forming apparatus, it is determined that output values of the respective amounts of toner detected by the at least one optical sensor are affected by an impact caused due to a separation of the secondary transfer member from the intermediate transfer member and the output values are ignored as image adjustment input information, when the secondary transfer member separates from the intermediate transfer member during any of writing, developing, and transferring the plurality of image adjustment patterns, if the output values fall outside a given range and an interval between the output values of adjacent image bearing members is substantially equal to a distance between the two adjacent image bearing members for the primary transfer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a developing device that holds a two-component developer to develop an image, a detecting unit that outputs a reference output value and a second output value when the two-component developer is stirred and carried at a stirring/carrying speed corresponding to a second image forming mode, a stirring/carrying member that stirs and carries the two-component developer, and a controlling unit that controls the toner concentration based on the reference output value when forming an image in a first image forming mode, and controls the toner concentration, when forming an image in the second image forming mode, a corrected output value obtained by correcting an output value in the second image forming mode with a difference value between the reference output value and the second output value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes plural image output units, plural output image data converting units disposed for the corresponding image output units for converting image data of a predetermined format into image data of a format for the corresponding image output units, a first memory unit which is used in common for storing image data in processes by the image output units and the output image data converting units, and a memory area adjusting unit which adjusts a memory area in the first memory unit for memory area obtaining requests from the image output units and the output image data converting units.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is secondarily transferred onto a transfer material by a secondary transfer roller in contact with the intermediate transfer belt. A relation A>B>C is satisfied, where A is a width of the intermediate transfer member, B is a width of the secondary transfer member, and C is a width of the transfer material. The intermediate transfer member includes a patch-pattern forming area that is not contacted by the secondary transfer member. The image forming apparatus includes a reflection-type photosensor that detects a patch pattern formed in the patch-pattern forming area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member, and at least one optical sensor. In the image forming apparatus, it is determined that output values of the respective amounts of toner detected by the at least one optical sensor are affected by an impact caused due to a separation of the secondary transfer member from the intermediate transfer member and the output values are ignored as image adjustment input information, when the secondary transfer member separates from the intermediate transfer member during any of writing, developing, and transferring the plurality of image adjustment patterns, if the output values fall outside a given range and an interval between the output values of adjacent image bearing members is substantially equal to a distance between the two adjacent image bearing members for the primary transfer.

Abstract: A device for detecting image information includes an intermediate transfer member configured to hold a pattern image; a detecting unit configured to optically detect the pattern image; a secondary transfer unit configured to contact with and separate from the intermediate transfer member; and a control unit that controls the secondary transfer unit in such a manner that the secondary transfer unit does not contact the intermediate transfer member while the detecting unit is detecting the pattern image, and that controls the secondary transfer unit in such a manner that the secondary transfer unit contacts the intermediate transfer member after the detecting unit finishes detection of the pattern image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and a control device. The image forming mechanism performs an image forming operation under predetermined image forming conditions, and includes an image carrying member for forming an electrostatic latent image thereon, a development device for developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, and a transfer device for transferring the toner image to a recording medium. The control device controls an amount of toner replenished to the development device, sets a developer mixing time for evenly mixing developer in the development device, causes the development device to mix the developer for the set developer mixing time, causes the image forming mechanism to form toner image patterns, detects the toner image patterns, and determines the predetermined image forming conditions based on the detection of the toner image patterns. An image forming method is also described.