Abstract: A heater driving device for supplying AC power to a heater of a fixing device of an image forming apparatus. The heater driving device has self arc suppression type elements between an AC power source and the heater for controlling supply of AC power to the heater in accordance with a control signal supplied to the self arc suppression type elements. The control signal is obtained by modifying signal voltage corresponding to the temperature of the heater in accordance with an absolute value signal which is generated by reducing AC power and converting the reduced AC power to an absolute value, and then comparing the modified signal voltage and a pulse signal generated by a triangular wave oscillator.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder (ADF) for feeding a document across a platen is attachable to different types of copying machines which have different copying speeds. The ADF has a detector for detecting the copying speed of the copy machine and a controller for adjusting the document feeding speed of the ADF to the copying speed of the copy machine. The controller also controls the feeding speed of the document at a standard speed in a condition which does not lower copying efficiency and at a higher speed in a condition which lowers copying efficiency. A condition which does not lower copying efficiency is feeding documents other than the last document from the platen. A condition which lowers copying efficiency is feeding the first document to the platen and ejection of the last document from the platen.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus of a camera according to the present invention includes: a focus detector which detects repeatedly focus conditions of a photographic lens and outputs successively focus signals corresponding to the focus conditions; a drive unit for driving the photographic lens for focus adjustment; a predictor for predicting an in-focus point from the plurality of focus signals from the focus detector; a control unit for controlling the drive unit to drive the photographic lens toward the in-focus point predicted by the predictor; an auxiliary light projector for projecting auxiliary light onto an object to enable detecting operation of the focus detector; and a forbidding device for forbidding the control of drive by the control unit while the auxiliary light is projected by the auxiliary light projector.

Abstract: In a data processor, image data of a pixel matrix is subjected to orthogonal transformation to coefficient data, the coefficient data is quantized with a first quantization table for character image and a second quantization table for half-tone image, and the image data is discriminated to be character image data or half-tone image data according to the quantization data. The selected data is then coded. In another processor, image data are divided into first and second processing blocks of m*m and M*M pixel matrices wherein M>m and the second processing block includes one of first processing blocks and adjacent pixels. Image data in a first and second processing block are subjected to orthogonal transformation to coefficient data.

Abstract: A flash apparatus which allows flashlight photographing of various subjects in a photographing screen in appropriate exposure by simple operation without failure. The flash apparatus comprises a flashlight emitting section having a predetermined irradiation angle with respect to a light emission optical axis, and irradiating direction changing means for automatically changing the direction of the light emission optical axis of the flashlight emitting section in response to subject information such as distribution information of brightness values of or distances to subjects in a photographing screen. Also a camera is disclosed which assures photographing of a main subject with appropriate exposure even when the main subject is in a backlighted condition or when another body is positioned nearer to the camera than the main subject.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an ink-jet type recorder comprising reserving means for withholding a recording liquid consisting of a mixture of electroviscous liquids (EVL) and coloring materials, the reserving means including a plurality of nozzles from which a jet of the recording liquid spouts out, and a plurality of pairs of electrodes for impressing a voltage to the recording liquid withheld in the reserving means, wherein the impressed voltage to the plurality of pairs of electrodes is controlled in order to change the viscosity of EVL so that a jet of the recording liquid spouts out from the plurality of nozzles onto recording media.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin-layer component having a thin layer of (100)-oriented platinum or the other metals in Group VIII, which is formed on amorphous silicon dioxide, and further relates to a thin-layer producing system for producing such thin-layer components, the thin-layer producing system being a sputtering system wherein an auxiliary electrode is provided between two electrodes.

Abstract: A field frame changeover mechanism suitable for a single-lens reflex camera, which allows clear confirmation of the photo range without increasing the size of the camera.The mechanism has darkening plates movable between a darkening position where the plates cover a part of the focusing screen and an open position where the focusing screen is uncovered by the plates. When the mirror which reflects the light transmitted from the photo-taking lens of the camera to the optical system of the viewfinder of the camera moves from an observation position located in the path of light transmitted through the photo-taking lens to a photo-taking position, the darkening plates retract from the locus of the mirror's movement in a correlated manner.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder having a pick-up roller for feeding a document out of a tray, a conveyer belt for conveying and stopping the document on a platen and ejecting the document from the platen, and a register roller for stopping the document fed by the pick-up roller once and feeding the document onto the platen. A driving mechanism for driving the belt and the register roller is connected with the belt and the register roller with no clutches in-between. The driving mechanism is driven by pulses, and the document conveying amount is controlled by detecting the number of pulses. In the automatic document feeder, if two successive documents are of a size smaller than a half of the platen, the two documents are set on the platen side by side, and a next document is fed out of the tray. If a latter document of two successive documents is of a size larger than a half of the platen, feeding of a next document is inhibited.

Abstract: A camera system comprises a brightness measuring circuit, a exposure line choosing circuit, an operable switch, a film driver and a film driving mode selector. The brightness measuring circuit measures brightness of a photographic scene to send a brightness value. The exposure line choosing circuit chooses one of a plurality of exposure lines in which each lines selects a combination of an aperture value and a shutter speed value at each brightness value. The film driver drives a film in either of a first mode in which the film is wound only one frame in response to the operation of the operable switch and a second mode in which the film is wound frame by frame continuously as long as the operable member is operated. The film driving mode selector selects one of the modes in accordance with the exposure line chosen by the choosing circuit.

Abstract: An image density control apparatus for controlling an image density on a photoconductor surface has a charger for charging the photoconductor surface uniformly. A laser beam is scanned over the photoconductor surface to form a standard latent image having an electric potential distribution on the photoconductor surface. A potential detector detects an electric potential distribution of the standard latent image, and a developer develops a standard toner image from the standard latent image. A density detector detects a density of the standard toner image. Based on the detected electric potential distribution and the detected density, an appropriate gradation correction data is selected. The appropriate gradation correction data is selected by first selecting a gradation correction table group in accordance with the detected electric potential distribution and second selecting a gradation correction data from the gradation correction table group in accordance with the detected density.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a toner recycling mechanism for effecting toner recycling. The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit accommodating developer for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive member, a cleaning unit for recovering developer remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member after development, and a toner recycling assembly. The toner recycling assembly includes a developer conveyor pipe through which the developer recovered by the cleaning unit is conveyed to the developing unit for recycling of toner contained in the developer, and also includes a developer supply or transport pipe for supplying the developer accommodated in the developing unit to either the developer conveyor pipe or the cleaning unit.

Abstract: An image data processing system includes a still video camera having a detachable storing medium for storing an image data, and a digital image forming apparatus in which an image of an original document is read by an image sensor to generate an image data, and the image is formed on a paper with electrophotographic process based on the image data. Also, the image data is processed in the image forming apparatus to be stored on the storing medium of the still video camera loaded detachably from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A camera using a film cartridge in which whether the film is exposed or unexposed can be distinguished by the phase of rotation of a shaft to rewinding a film, wherein said camera comprising: a film chamber to receive the film cartridge, a lid of the film chamber to capable of receiving the film cartridge in the film chamber when the lid is opened, a driving member which is connected with the shaft of the film cartridge and for driving the shaft, and a block member for blocking opening of the lid of the film chamber when the driving member is not the phase of rotation corresponding to the phase of rotation of the shaft in which the film is exposed.

Abstract: A chromatic color pattern and a monochromatic color pattern are read by an image sensor. A masking coefficient in a color masking portion or a gamma conversion characteristic of a gamma correction portion are selected in accordance with the ratio V1/V0 of a read value V1 of the chromatic color pattern and a read value V0 of the monochromatic color pattern. An output of an image data is corrected by masking processing with the selected masking coefficient and the like.

Abstract: A still video camera includes a photographing device for photographing an object and a printer for printing a photographed image on print paper. The printer has a plurality of printing modes which can be desirably selected. A plurality of sorts of image data for the photographed image are produced. The sort of image data suitable for a selected printing mode is sent to the printer. The print paper is fed under a feeding condition suitable for a selected printing mode. The printing mode is selected in accordance with attachment of an ink ribbon and print paper to the printer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a laser beam irradiating device for irradiating a laser beam onto a record support member; a storage device for storing image data composed of a plurality of dots; a detection device which reads out the image data from the storage device so as to detect whether or not dots to be subjected to light emission by the laser beam are arranged continuously; and a control device for controlling an irradiation period of the laser beam irradiating device to a smaller value when the detection device has detected that the dots to be subjected to light emission are arranged continuously.

Abstract: A planetarium has a console, a host computer, and a plurality of mutually separate and independent projection apparatus for projecting a star field, the sun, moon and planets. Each projection apparatus incorporating a high performance CPU. Time and date and viewer coordinates inputted by the console are transmitted to the host computer. The host computer computes the Julian calendar date, and transmits the results to a plurality of the high performance CPUs in parallel. Each high performance CPU calculates in parallel data relative to the positional orientation of the projection apparatus which incorporate the high performance CPU in accordance with data transmitted from the host computer. The high performance CPU controls the positional orientation of the corresponding projection apparatus based on the results calculated.

Abstract: The present invention is characterized in that two magnetic poles of a magnetic member which are positioned to confront a nipping region between a sleeve and a photoreceptor in neighboring relation with each other are of the same polarity. These neighboring poles of the same polarity produce a distribution of magnetic flux density having first and second local maximum points and a local minimum point therebetween. A central angle .theta.1 between a line extending from a center of the magnetic member to the first local maximum point and a line extending the center to the local minimum point is smaller than a central angle .theta.2 between the line extending from the center to the local minimum point and a line extending from the center to the second local maximum point. Further, a developer material retained by the magnetic force of attraction generated by the neighboring magnetic poles of same polarity are kept in contact with the electorostatic latent image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a document transport mechanism for transporting a document to a reading station, an image reading unit for reading an image of the document at the reading station and for outputting image data descriptive of the image of the document, a image forming unit for performing an image formation based on the image data, a memory for storing the image data, a data writing unit for transferring and writing the image data to the memory, and a data reading unit for reading the image data from the storage means in readiness for a transfer of the image data to the image forming unit. A control unit is provided for controlling a data write operation, performed by the data writing unit, and a data read operation, performed by the data reading unit, so as to be accomplished independently and in parallel relation with each other.