Abstract: A 4-line CCD sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention has a monochromic reading line sensor section and a color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that amplification factors for amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section is the same as that of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that the amplification factors for the amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section is smaller than that of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the substrate has a first conductive type; a first trench extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate in a depth direction; and an epitaxial semiconductor layer having a second conductive type, wherein the epitaxial semiconductor layer is disposed in the first trench. The first trench includes an inner wall as an interface between the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial semiconductor layer so that the interface provides a PN junction. The first trench has an aspect ratio equal to or larger than 1.

Abstract: It is made possible to determine image characteristics in a reading image while the image of an original is being read. A first line sensor (9R2, 9G2, 9B2) is arranged on a board and reads the original image. A second line sensor (9K1) has a larger number of pixels than the first line sensor and is arranged on the board to read the original image earlier than the first line sensor. An image signal processing characteristic control unit (46) uses an output of the second line sensor as a control signal to control the processing characteristic of the image signal read by the first line sensor.

Abstract: A 4-line CCD sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention has a monochromic reading line sensor section and a color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that amplification factors for amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section is the same as that of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that the amplification factors for the amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section is smaller than that of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section.

Abstract: There is provide a technique which can contribute to reduction of data capacity of image data read from an original document in an image reading apparatus, and can contribute to realization of a flexible image processing to meet user's requests.

Abstract: There is provided a technique to make, in a case where a monochrome image is generated based on a color image, a chromatic image region on the color image distinguishable on the monochrome image. There are included a first image reading unit to acquire monochrome image data by reading an image in monochrome from an original document, a second image reading unit to acquire color image data by reading an image in color from an original document, an extraction image generation unit to generate image data by extracting a chromatic image region in the color image data read by the second image reading unit, and a luminance correction unit to make a correction to increase, based on the image data generated by the extraction image generation unit, luminance of a monochrome signal which is included in the monochrome image data read by the first image reading unit and corresponds to the chromatic image region extracted by the extraction image generation unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer; a p-n column portion over the first semiconductor layer and including second and third semiconductor layers, which are alternately arranged; and a peripheral portion adjacently to the p-n column portion and including a fourth semiconductor layer. An end second semiconductor layer has an impurity amount equal to or larger than a half of other second semiconductor layers. The third semiconductor layers include a large impurity amount portion adjacent to the end second semiconductor layer. The large impurity amount portion includes at least one third semiconductor layer having an impurity amount larger than an impurity amount of other third semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of first columns having a first conductivity type, a plurality of second columns having a second conductivity type, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The first columns and the second columns are alternately arranged on the substrate to provide a super junction structure. The first electrode is disposed on the super junction structure, forms schottky junctions with the first columns, and forms ohmic junctions with the second columns. The second electrode is disposed on the substrate on an opposite side of the super junction structure. At least a part of the substrate and the super junction structure has lattice defects to provide a lifetime control region at which a lifetime of a minority carrier is controlled to be short.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus applies a shading correction to an image read from a white reference board 18, and determines presence or absence of stripe-like noise in the image read therefrom after applying the shading correction. The apparatus exposes an area at which there is no noise in the white reference board 18 to create a white reference value for a shading correction for reading a document after that time.

Abstract: When a monochromatic original is read, a control is effected to transfer a charge accumulated in a monochromatic photodiode array to a rear stage, and not to accumulate charges in respective color photodiode arrays. When a color original is read, a control is effected to transfer charges accumulated in the respective photodiode arrays and not to accumulate a charge in the monochromatic photodiode array.

Abstract: When a monochromatic original is read, a control is effected to transfer a charge accumulated in a monochromatic photodiode array to a rear stage, and not to accumulate charges in respective color photodiode arrays. When a color original is read, a control is effected to transfer charges accumulated in the respective photodiode arrays and not to accumulate a charge in the monochromatic photodiode array.

Abstract: All electric charges accumulated in a line sensor are transferred via a first shift gate to a first analog shift register. By controlling the width of a shift pulse signal to be supplied to a second shift gate, the amount of an electric charge transfer when the electric charges on the first analog shift register are transferred to a second shift register is controlled. As a result, the amount of the electric charges on the first analog shift register is controlled to a desired value. Accordingly, the amplitude of an image signal outputted from the first analog shift register can be easily adjusted. Further, the sensitivity of a CCD line sensor and variation of light amount of a light source can be corrected.

Abstract: A 4-line CCD sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention has a monochromic reading line sensor section and a color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that amplification factors for amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section is the same as that of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that the amplification factors for the amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section is smaller than that of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section.

Abstract: A 4-line CCD sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention has a monochromic reading line sensor section and a color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that amplification factors for amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section is the same as that of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that the amplification factors for the amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section is smaller than that of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for color signal compensation are disclosed. A quality of one type of signal is enhanced using a second type of signal, wherein the second type of signal has a higher quality than that of the unenhanced first type of signal. This may be used in an image forming apparatus for scanning a color image, and using higher-resolution monochrome signals to enhance the resolution of lower-resolution color signals.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image reading apparatus having an image sensor unit. The image sensor unit may include a number of photodiode arrays. The photodiode arrays may have different qualities and the output of the photodiode arrays may be processed differently. Output of the photodiode arrays may be mixed to improve image qualities.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a super junction MOS transistor includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor layer on the substrate; a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer; a channel forming region on a first surface portion of the second semiconductor layer; a source region on a first surface portion of the channel forming region; a source contact region on a second surface portion of the channel forming region; a gate electrode on a third surface portion of the channel forming region; a source electrode on the source region and the source contact region; a drain electrode on a backside of the substrate; and an anode electrode on a second surface portion of the second semiconductor layer. The anode electrode provides a Schottky barrier diode.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading apparatus optically reading a document image to produce image data of the document image. This apparatus comprises a first line sensor performing the optical reading and having a predetermined number of pixels and a second line sensor performing the optical reading and having the number of pixels larger than the predetermined number of pixels. In this apparatus, using both of first image information outputted from the first line sensor and second image information outputted from the second line sensor, third image information reflecting resolution of the second image information is produced. Pieces of the first and third image information are then subjected to application of compression, the compression applied to the first image information and that to the third image information being mutually. Resultant pieces of the first and third image information are mutually synthesized to produce the image data of the document image.

Abstract: A light beam position detecting device detects the passage positions of a plurality of light beams for scanning the surface of a photosensitive drum. The light beam position detecting device has a sensor pattern for generating an output which is continuously changed in a wide range with a variation in the passage position of the light beam in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction of the light beam. The sensor pattern precisely detects the relative scanning position of the light beam in a wide range. The passage positions of the plurality of light beams for scanning the surface of the photosensitive drum are controlled to a preset position based on the output of the sensor pattern.

Abstract: A system control unit detects, prior to inputting an image of an original, color information of the original using 3-line image sensors, which are included in 4-line image sensors and have light receiving surfaces provided with color filters, determines whether the original is a monochromatic original or a color original, on the basis of the detected color information, inputs, when it is determined that the original is the monochromatic original, the image of the original using a 1-line image sensor, which is included in the 4-line image sensors and has a light receiving surface provided with no color filter, and inputs, when it is determined that the original is the color original, the image of the original using the 3-line image sensors, which are included in the 4-line image sensors and have the light receiving surfaces provided with the color filters.