Abstract: An image noise reducing method that can properly reduce CCD noise which emerges in an image imported from a digital camera is provided.

Abstract: An image noise reducing method that can properly reduce both block noise and mosquito noise without deterioration of the image quality is provided. The method includes creating a first luminance component image data with the boundaries of the blocks thereof smoothened, creating a second luminance component image data with its entirety smoothened from the first luminance component image data, creating edge image data by subtracting the second luminance component image data from the first luminance component image data, creating corrected edge image data by applying correction to the edge image data under given conditions, and creating third luminance component image data by adding the corrected edge image data to the second luminance component image data. For color-difference component image data, first color-difference component image data with its entirety smoothened is created from the color-difference component image data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by heating the medium having ink applied to its surface layer by a heater device, thereby to fix the ink applied to the surface layer to a fixing layer of the recording medium. A heating controlling section (78) for controlling the heater device (4) includes a fixing behavior evaluating means (9) for evaluating a fixing behavior of the ink to the fixing layer and then outputting a control amount to the heating controlling section (78) for controlling the heater device (4). The fixing behavior evaluating means (9) includes such functions as a sublimation degree evaluating function for evaluating a sublimation degree of the ink in the recording medium (1), a function for evaluating surface temperature distribution of the recording medium or a transferred energy evaluating function for evaluating transferred energy received by each area of the recording medium (1).

Abstract: In a printing device which prints a color image on a photosensitive material by allowing an exposing head to modulate light from a light source for each pixel in accordance with image information, the exposing head is constituted by superposing three LCS's in the light-axis direction. The respective LCS's control the transmission and interruption of only the respective blue, green and red color components so that color tones in the respective pixels with respect to an image printed on printing paper are controlled based upon the subtractive color process. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the generation of pixel offsets in an image printed on the photosensitive material by using a simple structure, and consequently to provide a printing device having a superior processability.

Abstract: To enable easy image file management, while allowing a user at an Internet terminal to access image files effortlessly, a printing control device uploads image files stored in an auxiliary storage section to an image management device connected via the Internet, and prints an image on the basis of the image file by means of a printer. In the printing control device, a URL acquisition section obtains a URL corresponding to a directory of the image management device on the basis of the input user ID; an image file transmission section uploads the image file to the acquired URL; and in a print processing section, it prints the acquired URL, along with an image based on the image file.

Abstract: An ink jet printer of the invention is comprised of: an ink cartridge including an ink pack enclosing an ink and an air injection pack arranged adjacent to the ink pack; and an air feed unit for feeding the air to the inside of the air injection pack on the basis of the control of a controller. When the air is injected from the air feed unit into the air injection pack, the volume of the ink pack is decreased so that the ink is discharged from the ink pack, as the volume of the air injection pack is increased. And, the ink, as discharged from the ink pack, is fed to a printing head so that it is discharged to a paper.

Abstract: An optical digital printer comprising a paper storage (PM1) for storing photographic paper in roll form, a digital printing unit (2) having an irradiating surface (42) for line-exposing the photographic paper based on image data, a developing unit (300) for developing the photographic paper exposed by the digital printing unit, a transport mechanism for transporting the photographic paper along a paper transport line extending from the paper storage to the developing unit, a first paper accommodating box (RB1) disposed between the paper storage (PM1) and the digital printing unit (2), and a second paper accommodating box (RB2) disposed between the digital printing unit and the developing unit (300).

Abstract: An image printing system is a system which forms images continuously on a long photosensitive material. The image printing system includes an inputting unit for making reservations for cutting of the photosensitive material by the unit of order. The reserved orders for which a cut is reserved by using the inputting unit are memorized in a RAM. The photosensitive material is cut by a paper cutter at a point behind a place where the formation of images is complete for the reserved order.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the invention includes carrying means for carrying an image-forming medium; a first position restricting member, unmovable in a widthwise direction of the image-forming medium, for restricting a position of one widthwise end of the image-forming medium carried by the carrying means; a second position restricting member, movable in a widthwise direction of the image-forming medium, for restricting a position of the other widthwise end of the image-forming medium; and an image-forming member for forming an image on the image-forming medium carried by the carrying means, the positions of both widthwise ends of the image-forming medium being restricted by the first position restricting member and the second position restricting member. Accordingly, the positions of both widthwise end of the image-forming medium carried by the carrying means are restricted by the first position restricting member and the second position restricting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit having a print head for applying ink to a surface layer of a recording medium transported thereto; a loop-forming unit capable of temporarily storing the recording medium discharged from the printing unit; and a heating unit for heating the recording medium fed from the loop-forming unit for fixing the ink applied to the surface layer onto its fixing layer. The heating unit includes a preliminary heating subunit for heating the recording medium from a normal temperature level to a ink fixing temperature level, a main heating unit for heating the recording medium at the ink fixing temperature level and a slow cooling subunit for slowly cooling the recording medium to the normal temperature level.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus fixes, by heating, an image formed on a sheet-like recording medium thereto with sublimating ink. The apparatus includes a heating fixing unit for receiving and heating the recording medium and then discharging the heat-fixed recording medium, the heating fixing unit including a heating space for heating the recording medium and a transporting mechanism for transporting the medium in the heating space. The apparatus further includes a smoothing-out mechanism for discharging the recording medium from the heating space while smoothing out or flattening the recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading images of a photographic film disposed on an image reading optical path, with a light source (31a) for emitting visible light and infrared light into the image reading optical path to irradiate the photographic film, and a zoom lens unit (32a) for the visible light and infrared light irradiating the photographic film. A visible light sensor and an infrared light sensor are disposed separately for detecting a visible image based on the visible light from the zoom lens unit, and for detecting an infrared image based on the infrared light from the zoom lens unit, respectively. A focal position varying transparent element (FT) is provided for shifting a focal position of the zoom lens unit along an optical axis. The transparent element is movable to and from a position between the zoom lens unit and infrared light sensor to correct variations in the focal position occurring with variations in magnification of the zoom lens unit.

Abstract: In a photographic printer using a laser scanning unit for exposing a latent image corresponding to an image data on a sensitized surface of a photographic paper, intensities of the laser beams exposing the photographic paper are adjusted corresponding to a variation of an actual sensitivity of the photographic paper and deterioration of a developer with respect to nominal values of them. At least the intensities directly emitted from laser light sources, or values of optical modulation data for modulating the laser beams corresponding to the image data are varied. Alternatively, transmittances of optical elements such as polarizing beam splitters provided on optical paths are varied for adjusting the intensities of the laser beams.

Abstract: A laser beam scanner for scanning primary colors of red, green and blue laser beams on the same scanning plane includes three sets of a laser light source, an acousto-optic modulator, an adjustable mirror corresponding to the primary colors, and a polygon mirror, an f&thgr; lens, and a pair of mirrors. One of the mirrors serves as a beam splitter for splitting the laser beams into a first way for introducing the laser beams to the scanning plane and the second way for introducing a position sensor disposed on a plane optically conjugated with the scanning plane. The adjustable mirrors are adjusted in a manner so that the red and blue laser beams are to be overlapped on the green laser beam by monitoring the positions of laser beams sensed by the position sensor.

Abstract: When images in the order of photographing are printed on papers being conveyed in parallel, the images are allotted to each paper such that the order of an image to be printed in a predetermined order from the leading end of the paper closer to a tray is one smaller than that of the other paper, and the order of images to be printed on each paper gradually increase by twos toward the tail end of each paper. The papers cut with a cutting unit after each image is printed are conveyed with a conveyor belt and piled on the tray in the order of photographing.

Abstract: A print-order receiving apparatus is capable of receiving a customer's order for photographic prints through a recording medium electronically recording image data therein. The apparatus includes a box-like apparatus body, a slot formed in the apparatus body for attaching the recording medium and a reading driver unit for reading the image date from the recording medium as attached in the slot. The slot defines an aperture plane with its peripheral edges, the aperture plane being upwardly inclined.

Abstract: A photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention exposes photographic papers using a laser beam modulated based on image data and includes a laser beam emitting device. A changeover part changes the level of a driving signal to any one of a plurality of discrete levels according to a coloring characteristic of the photographic paper. The level of the driving signal determines the intensity of the laser beam outputted from the laser beam emitting device in a plurality of levels (for example, three levels consisting of a high level, a middle level and a low level). A filter is also provided to reduce the intensity of the laser beam outputted from the laser beam emitting device.

Abstract: An image data storage apparatus comprising an image data recording means for retrievably recording a scanned imaged data, and a branch transmission path for transmitting the scanned image data from a film reader to the image processor and/or the image data recording means. The apparatus further comprises means for switching the transmission mode to enable the image processor to receive the scanned image data retrieved from the image data recording means.

Abstract: A photographic film developing apparatus maintains a photographic film, a developer solution and a second processing solution at a specific temperature while performing film development operation by directly applying the individual solutions to an emulsion side of the photographic film. After the developer solution and the second processing solution have been applied from respective processing solution application heads to the emulsion side of the photographic film, the quantity of each solution on the emulsion side is adjusted to form a layer of a specified thickness. While transfer belts advance each successive portion of the photographic film up to a processing solution wipe-out device, heaters provided close to the transfer belts heat the individual solutions applied to the photographic film through the transfer belts to maintain the solutions at the specific temperature.

Abstract: A film scanner useful in a digital printing system. A first light source projects light onto film which holds an original image. A scanner registers an image corresponding to the original image by scanning light transmitted through the film. Insufficient light quantity caused by irregularities in the surface of the film is compensated. The compensation is preferably provided in a domain on a side of the film opposite the scanner. The compensation may be provided by a second light source having a plurality of light emitters having different respective spectral characteristics. Light quantity of the second light source is adjustable. Preferably the light emitters of the first light source have directivity in a plurality of directions intersecting with a light axis from the first light source to the scanner and the directivity of the light emitters is adjustable.