Abstract: This invention obtains a high-quality output image in which a jaggy or a disconnection of a thin line hardly stands out. An edge detection unit detects whether the pixel of interest is an edge pixel or a non-edge pixel. A screen processing unit performs screen processing for the pixel of interest to determine the output value of the N-level tone. A calculation unit performs filtering processing having a preset visual sense characteristic for an area including the pixel of interest to calculate the target value of the pixel of interest, and corrects the value of the pixel of interest so as to come close to the target value, thereby determining the output value of the N-level tone. The selector selects, according to the detection result by the edge detection unit, either the result from the calculation unit or that from the screen processing unit.

Abstract: The present invention reduces deterioration in the output of a fuel cell caused by a high moisture concentration at an oxidant electrode. A control apparatus for a fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane, an oxidant electrode provided on one side of the electrolyte membrane, and a fuel electrode provided on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, in which electric power is generated from an oxidant gas supplied to the oxidant electrode and a fuel gas supplied to the fuel electrode, wherein when the current-voltage characteristics of the fuel cell fall below a predetermined reference level, and the electrolyte membrane has not dried beyond a predetermined reference level, the control apparatus executes a control operation that increases the gas pressure at the oxidant electrode.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a pattern generation unit configured to cause an image forming section to generate a plurality of image patterns that have periodicity unique to the image forming section and are different from each other, a selection unit configured to select one test pattern from the generated plurality of image patterns, and an image correction unit configured to correct an image based on the test pattern selected by the selection unit.

Abstract: This invention obtains a high-quality output image in which a jaggy or a disconnection of a thin line hardly stands out. An edge detection unit detects whether the pixel of interest is an edge pixel or a non-edge pixel. A screen processing unit performs screen processing for the pixel of interest to determine the output value of the N-level tone. A calculation unit performs filtering processing having a preset visual sense characteristic for an area including the pixel of interest to calculate the target value of the pixel of interest, and corrects the value of the pixel of interest so as to come close to the target value, thereby determining the output value of the N-level tone. The selector selects, according to the detection result by the edge detection unit, either the result from the calculation unit or that from the screen processing unit.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier (1217) supplies toner in a decided toner supply amount. A developing device (1206) agitates the supplied toner and supplies the agitated toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum (1203), thereby developing a toner image on the photosensitive drum (1203). A correction amount calculation unit (1106) estimates the toner charge amount by calculating a function model that approximates the variation characteristic of the toner charge amount using the toner consumption necessary for printing a print target image, the toner supply amount necessary for printing the print target image, and the toner agitation time. At least one of an image processing condition and a process condition is controlled using the estimated toner charge amount.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier (1217) supplies toner in a decided toner supply amount. A developing device (1206) agitates the supplied toner and supplies the agitated toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum (1203), thereby developing a toner image on the photosensitive drum (1203). A correction amount calculation unit (1106) estimates the toner charge amount by calculating a function model that approximates the variation characteristic of the toner charge amount using the toner consumption necessary for printing a print target image, the toner supply amount necessary for printing the print target image, and the toner agitation time. At least one of an image processing condition and a process condition is controlled using the estimated toner charge amount.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack comprises a stack of three or more fuel cells, each having an assembly in which an anode electrode and a cathode electrode are respectively joined to either side of an electrolytic membrane. The anode electrode is provided nearer to one end, in the stack direction of the fuel cell, than the cathode electrode. Temperature regulating parts for regulating the temperature of the anode electrode of one fuel cell of any two adjacent fuel cells and the cathode electrode of the other fuel cell are disposed at a plurality of positions arranged in the stack direction. The provided temperature regulating parts perform temperature regulation so that the heat dissipating capability of the anode electrode is different in the stack direction from that of the cathode electrode.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium using a light emitting unit including a plurality of light emitting elements includes a determination unit configured to determine a referential position of a threshold matrix corresponding to input image data based on a usage situation of each of the plurality of light emitting elements, for each processing target block, and a quantization unit configured to compare the threshold matrix determined by the determination unit with the input image data to quantize the input image data.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: detection means for detecting position information eating a scanning position; interval prediction means for predicting a first scanning line interval indicating a distance in the sub-scanning direction between the scanning line of interest and a succeeding scanning line to be scanned after the scanning line of interest; interval calculation means for calculating, by using the position information held by the holding means, a second scanning line interval indicating a distance in the sub-scanning direction between the scanning line of interest and the scanned scanning line; and rate calculation means for calculating a correction rate on an exposure amount for the scanning line of interest so that a predicted density calculated using the first scanning line interval and the second scanning line interval matches with a predicted density calculated using a predetermined reference scanning line interval.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum, serving as an image carrier, develops the image using toners of a plurality of colors, and transfers a toner image onto a printing medium in accordance with an electrophotographic process. A toner consumption amount detection unit detects the toner consumption amount of each of the toners of the plurality of colors, a decision unit decides upon a color to form a patch, based on input image data and the detected toner consumption amount of each color, a patch sensor detects the density of a patch of the decided color by generating the patch at a predetermined position on the photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier outside an area to form a color image, and an adjustment unit adjusts the printing density based on the detected patch density.

Abstract: Banding can be prevented and image-quality degradation can be reduced. An image processing apparatus includes first creation means configured to distribute density of image data to a pixel on another scanning line on the basis of a difference between an actual print position of the image data and a reference position and to create position-corrected image data, second creation means configured to correct the image data using a correction value corresponding to a position of the image data and to create density-corrected image data, and generation means configured to generate output image data using the position-corrected image data created by the first creation means and the density-corrected image data created by the second creation means.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier (1217) supplies toner in a decided toner supply amount. A developing device (1206) agitates the supplied toner and supplies the agitated toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum (1203), thereby developing a toner image on the photosensitive drum (1203). A correction amount calculation unit (1106) estimates the toner charge amount by calculating a function model that approximates the variation characteristic of the toner charge amount using the toner consumption necessary for printing a print target image, the toner supply amount necessary for printing the print target image, and the toner agitation time. At least one of an image processing condition and a process condition is controlled using the estimated toner charge amount.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of forming an image using a plurality of devices which make periodic movements by an electrophotographic method includes a control unit configured to control image formation using the devices, a gradation characteristic storage unit configured to store therein a gradation characteristic of each of the devices, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a phase in each of the devices corresponding to a position of a target pixel, a calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of density variation caused by each of the devices corresponding to the phase and an input value expressing the target pixel, and a correction unit configured to correct an input value expressing the image based on the density variation amount corresponding to each of the devices, wherein the calculation unit calculates the density variation amount based on the gradation characteristic.

Abstract: This invention provides a fuel cell system which can render the distribution of water in an electrolyte membrane even without lowing the pressure of a fuel system (1) comprises an electrolyte membrane (11), an oxidant electrode provided on one side of the electrolyte membrane (11), and a fuel electrode provided on the other side of the electrolyte membrane (11). An oxidant gas flow passage (14) for supplying an oxidant gas along the face of the oxidant electrode and a fuel gas flow passage (15) for supplying a fuel has along the face of the fuel electrode are provided so that the flow direction of the oxidant gas faces the flow direction of the fuel gas. A control unit (50) conducts control so that, when the electrolyte membrane (11) is dry, the flow rate of the fuel gas which flows through the fuel gas flow passage (15) is increased.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum, serving as an image carrier, develops the image using toners of a plurality of colors, and transfers a toner image onto a printing medium in accordance with an electrophotographic process. A toner consumption amount detection unit detects the toner consumption amount of each of the toners of the plurality of colors, a decision unit decides upon a color to form a patch, based on input image data and the detected toner consumption amount of each color, a patch sensor detects the density of a patch of the decided color by generating the patch at a predetermined position on the photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier outside an area to form a color image, and an adjustment unit adjusts the printing density based on the detected patch density.

Abstract: In a moving body system, a movable element of a linear motor is provided on a moving body, and stationary elements of the linear motor and position sensors are provided on the ground. The stationary elements are arranged between the position sensors to enable determination of a rough position of the movable element based on a change of inductance resulting from interaction with a magnet array. An initial position of the moving body when a power supply for the moving body system is turned on is determined based on the rough position of the movable element relative to the stationary element and a signal from the position sensor.

Abstract: The image densities of images formed with a plurality of laser beams on the basis of image data are measured. The quantity of each of the plurality of laser beams is adjusted in accordance with the measurement result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum, serving as an image carrier, develops the image using toners of a plurality of colors, and transfers a toner image onto a printing medium in accordance with an electrophotographic process. A toner consumption amount detection unit detects the toner consumption amount of each of the toners of the plurality of colors, a decision unit decides a color to be calibrated, based on the detected toner consumption amount of each color, a patch sensor detects the density of a patch of the decided color by generating the patch at a predetermined position on the photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier, and an adjustment unit adjusts the printing density of the color decided by the decision unit, based on the detected patch density.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided for performing image formation by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member using a recording material. The apparatus includes an input unit configured to input a color image to be formed, a specifying unit configured to specify an important color of the input color image, and a patch setting unit configured to set a patch on the basis of the important color. The apparatus also includes a calorimetric measurement unit configured to calorimetrically measure a developed patch obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image of the patch formed on the image bearing member, and a calibration unit configured to perform calibration on the basis of the calorimetric value obtained by the calorimetric measurement unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that uses a table generated in advance to correct a gradation characteristic of an image to be formed when carrying out image forming using an image carrier. A patch is formed in an area where the image is not formed on the image carrier. A density of the patch formed on the image carrier is measured. The table is modified based on the density of the patch that has been measured. The patch is formed concurrently with image forming of the image on the image carrier.