Abstract: Full color, single pass and two-pass imaging processes using black, magenta, cyan and yellow toners and Non-interactive Development without fringe field development. Corona discharge is utilized for voltage leveling certain developed images prior to their passage through DAD developer housings. A Raster Output Scanner (ROS) used for creating the latent electrostatic images is also used for voltage leveling of images developed on the first pass of the two pass imaging process in order to remove certain other images for eliminating fringe field images as well as other undesired images.

Abstract: A system for reducing toner or ink consumption in rendering images, in which reduced slope tone reproduction curve(s) or other draft/clip mode toner consumption reduction systems to render images on an object-oriented basis are used. Rendering systems including the use of single or multiple colors can be employed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptive color scanning/printing data correction to effectively adjust to an arbitrary combination of color image scanning input and printing output devices for reproducing color image at optimized resemblance. An improved back propagation algorithm is employed to reduce the learning error and accelerate the process of learning procedure by increasing the rate of convergence. A method of characteristics extracting functionalization is utilized to urge the successful convergence of the learning procedure of the neural network, and reduce the color discrepancy and accelerate the process of learning convergence. An enhanced grey-scale balancing scheme is also utilized to extract the grey component of a learning sample under a predetermined condition and re fetch again to the neural network for accelerated convergence of the learning behavior.

Abstract: An image communication apparatus has a read unit for reading a document sheet image and a battery power supply. The read unit has a voltage conversion unit for converting power supplied directly from the battery power supply. Other units, such as a recording head and a motor drive unit, may also receive power directly from the battery. A modified thermal head design is used to provide response equal to that obtainable with a higher-voltage supply.

Abstract: A technique for calibrating the hardware and software of a digital printing apparatus relies on making seven component test patches which completely characterize the printing system, and then measuring the actual reflectance of these seven test patches. The measured reflectances are then converted, by the Yule-Nielsen equation, to values representative of the ink area coverage characteristic of each component test patch, because ink area coverage is the parameter that can be directly controlled by the digital printer. This conversion step takes into account the non-linear relationship between the reflectance of a halftone area and the amount of ink area coverage on the halftone area.

Abstract: A color image processing apparatus includes arranging means for arranging intervals between dot positions on a scanning line at which dots are formed, and shifting means for shifting the dot positions on the scanning line by a shifting amount. At least one of the intervals and the shifting amount for a first color component are different from an interval and a shifting amount of a second color component. The processing apparatus also includes control means for controlling the arranging means and the shifting means so that n (n.gtoreq.3) adjacent dot positions at which the first color component and the second color component overlap correspond to vertices of a substantially regular polygon having n vertices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for reading a document image, digitizing the resulting image data, and then forming an image on the basis of the digitized image data. The apparatus is selectively operable in an ordinary mode for reading the document image every time an image is formed or in a high-speed mode for writing the digitized image data in a memory so as to form a plurality of images by a single scanning while reducing the interval between consecutive papers. A fixing unit is provided with a higher reload temperature in the high-speed mode than in the ordinary mode. This obviates a cold offset in the event of a start-up when the high-speed mode is selected.

Abstract: An image reading and printing apparatus having a housing, a printing part located in the upper part of the housing, an image reading part located in the lower part of the housing, a sheet feeding part located in the lower part of the housing below the image reading part and receiving thereinto a sheet inserted from the lower part of the front face of the housing, a C-like shape sheet conveying path through which the sheet is led from the sheet feed part to the printing part, and is discharged outside of the housing from the upper part of the front surface thereof, and a C-like shape document conveying path through which a document inserted from the lower part of the front face of the housing is led to the image reading part, and is then discharged outside of the housing from the front face of the housing, the C-like document conveying path being surrounded by the C-like sheet conveying path, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the image reading and printing apparatus and to absorb a shift between the ti

Abstract: A method of printing regular photographic prints on a strip of paper along with index prints--that is, prints with images that are smaller than those in the regular prints--from series of negatives on rolls of film. The smaller images are projected next to and one after another along the strip to produce an index print as wide as the strip. The regular prints and the index prints are printed at different points along the strip. The results of area-by-area measurements of the negatives obtained while the regular prints are being printed are exploited to control light quantities while the index prints are being printed. The distance the strip of paper advances from one printing point to the other is regulated to ensure that paper is advanced to the index print printing point once the last negative in a series has been projected onto the strip until the trailing edge of the last print arrives at the margin of the exposure area in the index print printing point.

Abstract: A method of exchanging a waste ink pack that stores waste ink discharged by repeated ink clearing operations performed on an ink jet head involves comparing a cumulative number of times the ink clearing operation have been performed using a particular waste ink pack with upper limit data based on the capacity of the waste ink pack. When the cumulative number reaches the upper limit data, an indication is provided that the waste ink pack should be exchanged for a new one, after which exchange a previous instruction to a recovery device to perform an ink clearing operation is performed. Ink clearing operations are then repeated with that waste ink pack until the number of such operations again reaches the upper limit data.

Abstract: The present invention is a super-scalar method and apparatus for the generation of halftone dot patterns in an image processing system. The super-scalar design employs at least one block of memory for the storage of at least one predetermined halftone dot pattern across a plurality of unique locations therein, and a sequencer for producing an index into said memory as a function of the position of the pixel along a scan line and the halftone dot characteristics. Also included is addressing circuitry for memory access control, to combine the index produced by said sequencer and a pixel value for the pixel to produce a memory address, the memory address being thereby employed to access one of said locations in memory and to cause said memory to output a signal representative of a portion of the halftone dot pattern stored at the unique addressed location.

Abstract: A halftone generator for generating tint dots that are more circular than typical Holladay dots. Two threshold arrays are used, one that is pixel-centered and one that is interstice-centered. For each signal input level, the one that will produce a more circular dot will be selected by a look-up table driven by the image signal input. A single array version can also be used. The stored array has pixel-centered thresholds at one end and interstice-centered thresholds at the other. The circuit can either choose an array output or an inverted array output to generate either pixel-centered or interstice-centered light and dark coverage.

Abstract: A method and system segments an original image to be scanned and reproduced by a digital copier utilizing a scannable window location carrier. To realize the segmentation, an original image is inserted between a transparent portion and a highly reflective portion of the scannable window location carrier. The scannable window location carrier has a standard sheet size. An edge of the transparent portion and an edge of the highly reflective portion are permanently bonded together, and the transparent portion and the highly reflective portion are of identical lengthwise and widthwise dimensions. The transparent portion is marked so as to create a boundary outlining an area of the original image that is to be segmented from another area of the original image. The original image is removed from between the transparent portion and highly reflective portion of the scannable window location carrier, and the scannable window location carrier is scanned.

Abstract: A laser-exposed thermal recording element comprising a flexible support having thereon the following imaging layers in sequence:a) an electrically conductive layer, andb) an electro-deposited black layer,with the proviso that the sum of the optical densities of layers a) and b) is between about 0.5 and about 5.

Abstract: A printer driver for a color printer employs an error-diffusion-type half-toning process in which different quantization thresholds are employed for different ones of the color components. The color component whose value is highest after augmentation by accumulated error is compared with a relatively low threshold to determine the binary output value for that component. The lowest error-augmented component value is compared with a relatively high quantization threshold, and the component whose value is between those of the other two is compared with an intermediate-valued quantization threshold. Varying the thresholds in this manner tends to discourage coincidences of different-colored imaging agents at the same pixels and thus tends to result in light colors' having a smoother appearance.

Abstract: An error detection apparatus and method for use with engravers, such as gravure engravers. An error value E corresponding to the difference between a set of predetermined setup parameters and actual measurement of a portion of an engraved area on the cylinder is determined. The error value E is then used to adjust the engraver to engrave an actual cut or etch in accordance with the set of predetermined setup parameters. The error detection and correction system a closed-loop system for engraving a cylinder. The apparatus and method may be used during initial setup or during normal operation of the engraver.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a recording section for recording an image on a thermosensitive sheet paid out from a roller with a record head and a platen roller, and a reading section for reading a document with a scanner and a conveyor roller. The apparatus holds the head, presses the head against a platen roller, and has a conveyor roller mounted to the recording section, each in a unique configuration so as to reduce the number of parts and facilitate assembly.

Abstract: An error detection apparatus and method for use with engravers, such as gravure engravers. An error value E corresponding to the difference between a set of predetermined setup parameters and actual measurement of a portion of an engraved area on the cylinder is determined. The error value E is then used to adjust the engraver to engrave an actual cut or etch in accordance with the set of predetermined setup parameters. Advantageously, an error detection and correction system is suitable for providing a closed-loop system for engraving a cylinder. The apparatus and method may be used during initial setup or during normal operation of the engraver. Other features include an autofocus routine to facilitate the auto-focus procedure. Also, image processing is further enhanced by gap filling, discontinuity removal, and light calibration methods which may be used alone, in combination with each other, or in combination with the automatic focus system and/or automatic shoe system.

Abstract: A digital color printing method is described for printing process black color over a background color, which modifies individual values of the process colors in a process black independent of other process colors whenever the black colorant is sufficiently opaque. An example described which controls excess total colorant in a process black while simultaneously controlling misregistration fringes, a result which is not possible with the standard approach of modifying all process colors uniformly. The result is obtained by preferentially reducing the process colorant value with the highest luminance instead of reducing all process colorants uniformly.In certain printing systems, printing problems can occur when process black, composed of a mixture of colorants such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK), is printed over a color background.

Abstract: The device includes a lens set inputting therein one of a plurality of input photic images of various sizes and outputting an output photic image through one of a plurality of various photic paths; and a reflection device cooperating with the lens set, and outputting the output photic image to be focused on the photoelectric transducing element through a reflection.