Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a program management system for, upon activation of a program updating operation, automatically performing according to a mode selected by preparing plural kinds of program updating modes and previously selecting one of them. There is disclosed a program management apparatus adapted to perform a program updating operation of a program by downloading the program from a server which manages an information of the program to a predetermined terminal device, comprising: pattern setting means, which retains plural kinds of patterns each serving as a mode for giving an information inclusive of a program and updating such a program, for allowing a user to select one of the patterns so as to previously set it as a selected pattern; and program updating means for, upon activation of a program updating operation, automatically performing said program updating operation according to said selected pattern set by said pattern setting means.

Abstract: There is provided a program management apparatus adapted to perform a program updating operation of a program by downloading the program from a server which manages an information of the program to a predetermined terminal device, including: a pattern setting unit, which retains plural kinds of patterns each serving as a mode for giving an information inclusive of a program and updating such a program, for allowing a user to select one of the patterns so as to previously set it as a selected pattern; and a program updating unit for, upon activation of a program updating operation, automatically performing the program updating operation according to the selected pattern set by the pattern setting unit.

Abstract: A color image reader according to the present invention has a reading object holder which is plate shape and which can transmit light and holds the subject to be read, a lighting device for illuminating the subject to be read on the reading object holder a reducing lens for providing convergence to the image light from the reading object, a 3-line CCD sensor for receiving the image light with convergence given by the reducing lens and outputting three electrical signals corresponding to the image light, and a lateral chromatic aberration correction circuit for designating one output signal of the three output signals outputted from the 3-line CCD sensor to the reference, comparing the two remaining output signals with the output signal used for the reference, and providing a predetermined correction to the two remaining output signals, and can suppress generation of image color deviation which depends on the distance between the 3-line CCD sensor and the optical axis of the reducing lens.

Abstract: A gradation pattern is printed, the gradation pattern is corrected with a gamma correction table TO based on a result in which the printed gradation pattern is read, the corrected gradation pattern is printed on a photosensitive drum or the like, and a measured density of the printed gradation pattern in S4 is stored as a reference value of density DR. Thereafter, without user's operation, at a set automatic timing, the read gradation pattern P is corrected with the gamma correction table TO and printed on the photosensitive drum or the like, density deviation &Dgr;D between a measured density D of the printed gradation pattern in S6 and the reference value of density DR is determined, and the latest gamma correction table T is generated and updated on the basis of the density deviation &Dgr;D. Consequently, high-quality image formation can be automatically performed.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a program management system for, upon activation of a program updating operation, automatically performing according to a mode selected by preparing plural kinds of program updating modes and previously selecting one of them.

Abstract: In the present invention, control amounts are input from plural sensors. Good/bad determination is performed to determine whether all deviations of control amount variables are within tolerable ranges. If a determination result is “bad”, it is determined whether a position in a control amount deviation space is present in success experiences learnt at this time point. If there is the experience, a learning control using the operation amount of the success experience is executed. Otherwise, the operation amount is determined based on an adaptive control.

Abstract: An adjustment control system compares multiple control amounts detected by a sensor with target values, thereby computing individual control amount deviations. When at least one of the control amount deviations is out of a predetermined tolerance, an operation-amount-determining section determines operation amounts for compensating the control amount deviations. When successful instances that have been used in the computed control amount deviations are available, the operation-amount-determining section executes a learning-control method that determines the operation amounts according to the control instances. When the successful instances are not available, the operation-amount-determining section executes an adaptive-control method and thereby determines the operation amounts.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus in which photosensitive member properties including potential properties of an exposed portion and unexposed portion of the surface of a photosensitive member irradiated with a light beam are estimated. An appropriate contrast potential and a developing bias voltage and charging grid bias voltage suitable for forming a high-density image are determined by a feedback control based on the photosensitive member properties. A laser power is changed to form an intermediate-density image whose density agrees with an intermediate-density target value. When the laser power is changed, the photosensitive member property changes. Therefore, the photosensitive member property is re-estimated, and the developing bias voltage and charging grid bias voltage are set again while maintaining the appropriate contrast potential.

Abstract: In the present invention, control amounts are input from plural sensors. Good/bad determination is performed to determine whether all deviations of control amount variables are within tolerable ranges. If a determination result is “bad”, it is determined whether a position in a control amount deviation space is present in success experiences learnt at this time point. If there is the experience, a learning control using the operation amount of the success experience is executed. Otherwise, the operation amount is determined based on an adaptive control.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an exposure portion to form an electrostatic latent image by exposing the surface of an image carrier, a developing device to form a developer image by developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with a developer and a detecting device that has a specified detecting area on the image carrier and detects the quality change of an image formed on the detecting area. The image forming apparatus of the present invention further includes a means to decide a minimum examination image forming area that is nearly in accord with the detecting area of the detecting device by forming an examination image for the image change detection on the image carrier by the exposure portion and the developing device, detecting the formed examination image by the detecting means and changing the examination image forming area according to the detection result of the detecting device.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus of this invention, an error diffusion processing means having a multi level signal conversion means changes the conversion characteristics of the multi level signal conversion means, e.g., corrects the output value of error diffusion processing, on the basis of an output from a means for detecting a variation in toner attachment amount or image forming condition. That is, this invention executes error diffusion processing as follows when an input dimension is different from an output dimension (e.g., input dimension=reflection factor or density, output dimension=number of gradation levels) with respect to a multi-value conversion means because error diffusion processing cannot be simply performed.

Abstract: Capacitors 32 connected to their corresponding matrix-shaped picture elements 33 are connected to an image forming unit 20 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. Switching elements 31 are also connected to the image forming unit 20. When the switching elements 31 are made conductive, their corresponding capacitors 32 are charged from a power source arranged outside, and a potential appears in each of their corresponding picture elements 33. Therefore, the electrostatic latent image can be more stably formed on these matrix-shaped picture elements over a time period which is determined by time constant. AS the result, electrostatic latent image formation can be achieved without using any ozone-generating pre-charger. In addition, the electrostatic latent image forming unit can keep its toner holding force even after the developing process to enable an image to be more reliably and clearly reproduced.

Abstract: According to an image forming apparatus and method of the present invention, an image of an original is read by an image reader unit, a correction of gradation reproduction or a pseudo gradation processing is provided to the read image data by an image processing section. When an image corresponding to the image-processed image data is printed out on a sheet material, a gradation chart for image forming conditions is outputted, a number of gradations corresponding to the image forming conditions, the image forming conditions corresponding to the number of gradations are detected, and a test pattern for gradation reproduction is outputted based on the detected image forming condition is outputted. The test pattern is read again by the image reader unit. Newly read gradation data and gradation data of the test pattern are compared with each other, and correction data for every gradation of the plurality of the gradation is calculated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conductive transparent member arranged between a photoconductive drum and a laser optical system for exposing the drum. The transparent member is electrically connected to a bias voltage power supply. In reversal development, the bias voltage power supply supplies the transparent member with a voltage ranging from a charging voltage to a developing voltage so as to generate an electric field between the transparent member and the drum. In normal development, the power supply supplies the transparent member with a voltage ranging from the developing voltage to ground so as also to generate an electric field between the transparent member and the drum.

Abstract: A toner depositing amount measuring apparatus for measuring the amount of toner deposited on a photosensitive drum includes a light source for irradiating the surface of the photosensitive drum with light and a photoelectric converting section for receiving the reflected light and converting the received reflected light into an electric signal. A logarithmic calculation is applied to the output signal of the photoelectric converting section in a logarithm-compressing section. The temperature characteristics of the logarithm-compressing section are compensated for in a temperature compensating section. The amount of the toner deposition is calculated in a toner depositing amount calculating section based on a difference between the data during non-deposition of the toner and the data during deposition of the toner, the data being obtained from the logarithm-compressing section.

Abstract: High and low density test patterns are formed from pattern generating unit as toner patterns on a photosensitive drum, and attached toner amounts corresponding to the test patterns are detected by toner density detecting unit under the control of a control circuit which calculates the differences between the attached toner amounts of the high and low density portions and respective target values, wherein, when the calculated differences do not fall within respective predetermined ranges, the exposure conditions of an optical system and the bias voltage of a developing unit, or the exposure amount of the optical system and the bias voltages of a charger and the developing unit, or the bias voltages of the charger and the developing unit and the light-emission period of the optical system are renewed.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus of the present invention, the adhesion amounts of developing agent on a high-density test pattern and a low-density test pattern are measured by a toner density measuring unit. On the basis of the measured adhesion amounts of developing agent on the high-density region and low-density region and the target values of the adhesion amounts, deviations of the adhesion amounts of the high-density region and the low density region are calculated. The renewal amount of contrast voltage and the renewal amount of background voltage corresponding to the high-density region deviation and low-density region deviation are inferred by an inference unit on the basis of inference data stored in a memory unit. The grid bias value and development bias value corresponding to the inferred renewal amounts of contrast voltage and background voltage are calculated. The grid bias voltage and development bias voltage are varied in accordance with the calculated grid bias value and development bias value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, forms a color image on an image bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a charging device for electrically charging the image bearing member, an exposing device for exposing a light beam on the image bearing member so as to form a latent image on the charged image bearing member corresponding to image data to be formed, and a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developing agent including toner.

Abstract: In a printer apparatus according to the present invention, the amount of charge applied to a photoconductor is measured at at least two points. A variation in dark decay which controls an image density, is recognized for the developing position of each developing unit. The grid bias voltage applied to the grid screen of the main charging device and the developing bias voltage applied to each of the developing units are set so as to satisfy the intensities of the contrast voltage and background voltage predetermined for each of the developing positions of the developing units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a measuring for measuring an amount of a toner agent deposited on the image carrier. The measuring device has measuring section facing the image carrier, and a conductive cover plate arranged between the measuring section and the image carrier. The cover plate is applied with a voltage whose polarity is equal to the polarity of the toner so that an electric field is generated between the image carrier and the cover plate. The electric field prevents the toner, dispersed from the image carrier, from reaching the measuring section. The toner may also be kept from adhering to the elements of the measuring section by placing a transparent plate between the image carrier and the measuring device.