Abstract: In an image reading apparatus for reading a color document as a monochrome image, an image forming apparatus of the invention includes a composite light source that irradiates the color document and includes plural light sources different in spectral distribution, a sensor to detect the intensity of a reflected light from the color document, a light emission ratio setting unit to changeably set light emission ratios different for the respective light sources, and a light source control unit to control effective light amounts of the plural light sources with the set light emission ratios. According to the image forming apparatus of the invention, when the color document is monochromatically read, the reading is performed with the brightness close to the human visual sensitivity, the user can changeably set color sensitivity, and uneven density can be reduced.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus for reading a color document as a monochrome image, an image forming apparatus of the invention includes a composite light source that irradiates the color document and includes plural light sources different in spectral distribution, a sensor to detect the intensity of a reflected light from the color document, a light emission ratio setting unit to changeably set light emission ratios different for the respective light sources, and a light source control unit to control effective light amounts of the plural light sources with the set light emission ratios. According to the image forming apparatus of the invention, when the color document is monochromatically read, the reading is performed with the brightness close to the human visual sensitivity, the user can changeably set color sensitivity, and uneven density can be reduced.

Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus for forming, on a image carrier, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a document image, and then providing an image based on the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier, has first output device having a first output section for outputting a first signal corresponding to the temperature of the image carrier, a first unit having the first output device, second output device having a second output section for outputting a second signal with a level differing from the first signal, a second unit having the second output device, input device having a temperature signal input section which is to be connected to one of the first and second output sections for inputting a signal output from the one of the first and second output sections, and a detection device for detecting the one of the first and second output sections which is connected to the temperature signal input section, and also detecting the temperature of the image carrier.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a color processing circuit calculates a ratio of color components of an image signal supplied from a CCD sensor. In a marker pen registering mode, its color components are detected by a marker color detecting section and stored in memory of a marker registering/canceling section. When the color of the marker pen is canceled, its color components are deleted from memory of the marker registering/canceling section. Since it is possible to cancel/register the marker pen, any general-purpose marker pen, in addition to a marker pen used exclusively for the apparatus, can be used upon editing. Thus, image editing can be implemented without using any designating means specific only to the apparatus.

Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus comprises a thermal head which has a plurality of heat generating elements to generate a heat according to an image. A temperature of the thermal head is detected by a thermister. The thermal head is controlled by a thermal head controlling circuit which comprises a heat storage computing circuit for estimating a stored heat in the thermal head after the present driving signal will be supplied to the thermal head to generate heat. The pulse width of the driving signal is varied using the detected temperature of the thermal head, the modified pulse width and the estimated stored heat as the stored heat in the thermal head is increasing or decreasing during printing the present element.

Abstract: An image processor of this invention includes a designating unit for designating a prescribed region of a manuscript, a setting unit for setting an image formation magnification/reduction rate (or image modification rate) for the prescribed region designated by the designating unit, a first image forming unit for forming a manuscript image at a portion corresponding to the prescribed region designated by the designating unit on an image forming media in accordance with the image formation magnification/reduction rate (modification rate) set by the setting unit, and a second image forming unit for forming a manuscript image in a one-to-one correspondence with a manuscript image at a portion corresponding to a region other than the prescribed region designated by the designating unit on the image forming media.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detector for detecting light intensities of light from a light source, and a discrimination unit for obtaining the relative ratio of chroma signals of light with two or more wavelengths at the light intensities of the light source detected by the detector, to thereby discriminate life expiration of the light source. Data of the relative ratio of chroma signals of light with two or more wavelengths at a time of life expiration of the light source is obtained in advance. Thereafter, the light intensity of the light source is detected to obtain the actual relative ratio of the chroma signals of light with two or more wavelengths. Based on these data, the life expiration of the light source is discriminated.

Abstract: A color image data output section outputs color image data as a main image formed on an image forming medium. A positioning-mark data output section outputs positioning mark data representing a positioning mark to be formed at a predetermined position of the image forming medium for use after the image is formed. An image forming section forms the main image on the image forming medium by using a single- or multi-color agent and, at the same time, forms the positioning mark at the predetermined position of the image forming medium in accordance with the color image data and the positioning mark data.

Abstract: To shield electromagnetic waves generated from the inside of an image reading apparatus to the outside through the original mounting portion thereof, shielding means is attached to the platen cover thereof. The shielding means is any one of conductive materials such as metal sheet, paint, cloth, plastic, etc. To further effectively shield the field, the shielding means is grounded via connecting means to the apparatus body.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a thermal-transfer type color copying machine produces a positive multi-color print on paper using a thermal transfer ink ribbon having yellow, magenta, cyan, and black ink portions by driving a thermal head in accordance with yellow, magenta, cyan, and black image signals obtained by scanning an original. The used ribbon, which now contains negative yellow, magenta, cyan, and black ink images, is rewound and the thermal head is driven at full power to produce yellow, magenta, cyan, and black negative color separation films on plastic film. At this point, all of the ink on the thermal transfer ink ribbon has been used, and no ink images remain on the ribbon. In another embodiment, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black positive color separation films are produced on plastic film instead of producing a positive multi-color print on paper. The positive and negative color separations may be produced as prints on paper if desired.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, an image forming section forms an image corresponding to the image data on an image receiving medium by selectively using at least first and second image forming media different from each other. A gradation determinator determines first and second gradation methods corresponding to the first and second image forming media which are selectively used. A first gradation section performs gradation conversion corresponding to the first gradation method. A second gradation section performs gradation conversion corresponding to the second gradation method. A controller supplies the image data to the image forming section through the first or second gradation section in response to a determination result from the gradation determinator so that the image forming section forms a halftone-controlled image. In another aspect of the present invention, a color image data output section outputs color image data to be formed on an image receiving medium as a main image.