Abstract: With this invention, color shifting correction is performed first based on shifting amount information indicating a shifting amount with respect to the scanning direction on an image carrier of each image forming unit, and halftone processing is then performed, thus suppressing generation of moiré due to the color shifting correction, and forming a high-quality image. To this end, an image forming engine has color shifting amount storage units C, M, Y, and K (black) which store actual shifting amounts with respect to ideal scan directions on image carriers C, M, Y, and K in image forming units C, M, Y, and K. Color shifting correction amount arithmetic units C, M, Y, and K calculate color shifting correction amounts for respective color components on the basis of the stored color shifting amounts.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus which performs printing by scanning a carriage that supports a printhead having a plurality of printing elements arrayed in a predetermined direction, on a printing medium in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, printing data of a raster format obtained by processing transmitted image information into data used for printing, or printing data transmitted in the raster format is stored in a printing data memory. The printing data stored in the printing data memory is stored in a buffer memory having a storage area corresponding to each printing element. This arrangement adopts a head parameter unit which stores information on the printhead arrangement. Processing of reading out the printing data stored in the printing data memory and storing the printing data in the buffer memory, and processing of reading out the printing data stored in the buffer memory are controlled in accordance with the information stored in the head parameter unit.

Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus for printing input gradational images, characters and figures by using multilevel density which can appropriately regulate the levels of the densities representing the gradational images etc.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive hot-melt image transfer sheet transfers an ink image to a recording sheet when selectively heated by the heating element of the thermal head of a thermal printer. The image transfer sheet comprises a base coated on a surface thereof with a matrix of circular hot-melt ink dots at a constant pitch. The hot-melt ink dots are selectively meltable with heat applied through the base by the heating elements for transferring an ink image to the recording sheet held against the matrix of hot-melt ink dots.

Abstract: An electric charge recording/reproducing apparatus for focusing an electromagnetic radiation ray containing a recording object information signal onto a photoconductive layer member (PCL) in an electric charge image recording medium (D) comprising a laminate of at least an electric charge retention layer, member (CHL), photoconductive layer member (PCL) and a first electrode (E) using an objective lens (318) which is driven and displaced in an optical axis direction by an actuator (ACT) of an automatic focusing system; and to integratedly connect and fix a moving electrode (Em) onto the objective lens (318), the moving electrode (Em) being intended to generate an electric field for positioning the electric charge image recording medium (D) in the electric field of a predetermined electric field intensity, towards the electrode in, the electric charge image recording medium (D).

Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus prints input gradational images, characters and figures by using multilevel density regulates the levels of the densities representing the gradiational images etc. to be printed by a linear thermal head having n heating resistors arranged in a row.

Abstract: In a control system for an information recording laser beam, an intensity of a laser beam is varied in a predetermined variation pattern during each of sequential one-pixel periods. The laser beam is periodically activated and deactivated in synchronism with a change of the one-pixel periods. A duration of the activating the laser beam within each of the one-pixel periods is controlled in accordance with a density of each of pixels of an image to be recorded.

Abstract: An electrophotography system for use in laser printers, printing machines and copying machines. The system includes a rototable drum having a photosensitive member which can take a first absorption spectrum state and a second absorption spectrum state, the variation from the first absorption spectrum state to the second absorption spectrum state being made by illuminating it with light whose intensity is above a predetermined threshold and whose wavelength is in a first predetermined wavelength region. Also included is an optical system including a light-emitting device for illumination of the photosensitive member so as to form thereon an electrostatic latent image, the optical system being arranged to directly illuminate the photosensitive member with light from the light-emitting device and further to illuminate it with reflected light from an original picture.

Abstract: A thermal printer comprises a thermal head and a printing data output circuit outputting printing data. A portion of the printing data is copied. The copied portion of the printing data is added to a head of the printing data to form a combination of the copied portion and the printing data. The data combination is outputted to the thermal head. The thermal head is driven with the copied portion to preheat the thermal head. Then, the thermal head is driven with the printing data to perform actual printing.

Abstract: A gradation control device for a thermal ink-transfer type printing apparatus controls an applying time of a current to each of heating elements of a thermal printing head depending on a voltage drop introduced between a power source and the thermal printing head, so that it is possible to constantly print the same gradation level with the same printing dot size regardless of the printing data.

Abstract: A color correcting circuit for thermal printer comprises a first circuit for obtaining a first degree correction operation result, a second circuit for obtaining a second degree correction operation result, and a difference limiting circuit for selectively outputting a correction data. The first degree correction operation makes the relationship between the density of an input image and the density of an output image linear for each primary color. The second degree correction operation reduces a difference between the density of the input image and the density of the output image by use of the method of least squares for each primary color.

Abstract: A color image pickup device comprises an image pickup tube, a color stripe filter comprising a plurality of stripe groups each having a plurality of stripes, and a circuit for obtaining a color multiplexed signal by multiplexing color components obtained via the color stripe filter in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction for every one stripe group. The color stripe filter is arranged on the image pickup tube so that a longitudinal direction of the stripes of the color stripe filter is substantially parallel to a scanning direction of the image pickup tube. A color demodulated signal and/or a luminance signal are/is produced from the color multiplexed signal.

Abstract: A color image pickup device comprises an image pickup tube, a color stripe filter comprising a plurality of stripes, a circuit for obtaining a color multiplexed signal by sampling color information from the color stripe filter and multiplexing color components obtained by the sampling in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and a circuit for producing a color demodulated signal by subjecting the color multiplexed signal to a color demodulation. The color stripe filter may be arranged on the image pickup tube so that a longitudinal direction of the stripes is approximately parallel to a scanning direction of the image pickup tube, and the sampling may be performed at sampling points which are deviated in the scanning direction for each scanning line.

Abstract: A structure of a thermal head of the type using an ink paper or a heat-sensitive paper is disclosed. The structure includes an array of units each comprising a single resistance body and a pair of electrode members which respectively correspond to a first and a second heat-generating portions positioned at both ends of the resistance body, the electrode members being adapted to energize the resistance body. At least one of the first and second heat-generating portions of the resistance body is divided into a plurality of heat-generating members, and so is done one of the electrode members which is associated with those heat-generating members.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a thermal transfer recording, uses an ink ribbon having a plurality of ink parts which are coated with ink of different colors. The ink parts are successively arranged in a longitudinal direction of the ink ribbon. First, when performing a recording with a first color ink, an information is recorded on a recording paper by use of the first color ink, and at the same time, synchronization marks are also recorded by use of the first color ink. Next, when performing a recording with a second color ink, the information is recorded on the recording paper which is pre-recorded with the first color ink, by use of a second color ink, in synchronism with the synchronization marks which are detected.

Abstract: A plurality of heat generating resistors (11a, 11b) arranged in line in a thermal head are driven such that two consecutive heat generating resistors (11a, 11b) are combined to cover a single picture element whose desired density is represented by each datum. A head drive circuit is provided so that only a first heat generating resistor (11a) is energized when the desired density is below a predetermined value, and that both the first and second heat generating resistors (11a, 11b) are energized when the desired density is equal to or above the predetermined value. The energizing duration of the second heat generating resistor (11b) is set to be within the energizing duration of the first heat generating resistor (11a) to reduce printing time, and the end of the energizing duration of the second heat generating resistor (11b) corresponds to the end of energizing duration of the first heat generating resistor (11a) so as to ensure linearity in tone value.