Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes light sources, a light intensity controller, an optical writing unit, a controller, and an image forming unit. The light sources are switchable between activated and deactivated conditions according to supplied image data. The light intensity controller controls light intensity of the light sources. In the optical writing unit, light beams output from the light sources are deflected in a main scanning direction. The controller sets a given number of light sources to activated condition to write a latent image on an image bearing member according to an image forming line speed. The controller instructs the given number of light sources to emit light beams onto an image area on the image bearing member, and instructs all of the light sources to emit light beams at a blank area on the image bearing member to execute a light intensity control for all of the light sources.

Abstract: Excess sludge production in a bioreactor of a wastewater treatment plant in which excess sludge is being produced is reduced by adding an activated sludge material having a chitinase specific activity of at least 150 Units/g-MLSS and a pectinase specific activity of at least 120 Units/g-MLSS to the bioreactor. After the addition of the activated sludge material, the bioreactor is controlled by adding the activated sludge material when any one of the chitinase activity, the pectinase activity, and the protease specific of the sludge in the bioreactor drops below the lower limits of 50 Units/L, 40 Units/L, and 0.3 Units/L, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method that detects a light beam deflected by a polygon mirror at least at two separate locations on the line in the horizontal scanning direction, measures the difference in time of passage between these locations, makes a comparison between the thus determined interval and a reference interval, and generates a proper amount of correction corresponding to the determined interval, such as either correction data adapted to change the frequency of a pixel clock, or further correction data to change the period of the pixel clock by pixels.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus at least includes a photoreceptor, a light emitter, a detector and a controller. The light emitter irradiates the photoreceptor with a laser beam so as to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. The detector detects an incident amount of the laser beam falling on a light receiving portion of the detector on a main scan line. The controller changes at least one of a detection sensitivity of the detector for a laser beam and an emission amount of the laser beam emitted from the light emitter when the incident amount of the laser beam detected by the detector is not greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light emission source, a polygon mirror, a plurality of image carrying members, an optical detection mechanism, and an instruction mechanism. The light emission source outputs a plurality of optical beams in accordance with image data. The polygon mirror receives the optical beams at different mirror points, and deflects the beams into a first plurality of scanning optical beams in given directions to scan on predetermined scanning lines in a main scanning direction. The plurality of image carrying members rotating in a sub-scanning direction receive the first plurality of scanning optical beams to form primary separate color images. The optical detection mechanism detects a second plurality of scanning optical beams included in the first plurality of scanning optical beams. The instruction mechanism instructs the light emission source to light on and off at timings based on a plurality of detection signals from the optical detection mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a compensation pattern forming device to form a predetermined compensation pattern to compensate image displacement in each key color, a plurality of detectors to detect two key colors in the predetermined compensation pattern, and a compensating device to compensate the image displacement of the two key colors detected by the detectors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source that emits a light beam in a main scanning direction according to image data to be used for image formation, a control unit that controls the light source, and detectors that detect the light beam. The main scanning direction is divided into areas and a cycle of a pixel clock is corrected in each area independently based on detection results of the detectors so as to correct an image position and image magnification.

Abstract: Image forming units each form an image of one color, which are superimposed to form a color image, and a pattern used for correcting deviation of the image. A first detector positioned at an image writing starting side, and a second and a third detector each detects the pattern. A first and a second correcting unit having different precisions correct a deviation of an image writing position based on detection by the first, second, and third detectors. A third and a fourth correcting unit having different precisions correct a total-width magnification error based on detections by the first and the third detectors. The fourth correcting unit further corrects a partial magnification error.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of properly performing an initialization of a control circuit including a laser diode driver circuit, includes a light source, a photoreceptor, a deflector, and a controller. The photoreceptor is built in the light source to detect incident light. The deflector deflects the laser light into a scanning laser beam. The controller controls the light source to light on and off, and obtains a laser light emission amount of the light source relative to a current flowing through the light source based on a detection of incident light by the photoreceptor. The controller determines the laser light emission amount of the light source during a time period when a path of the laser light from the light source is headed to a reflection surface of the deflector at an incident angle of approximately ninety degrees.

Abstract: A pattern forming unit forms a pattern for correcting a position shift of an image. A detecting unit detects the pattern. A measuring unit measures a time from a start of a control signal for controlling timing to start forming the image until a detection of the pattern. A control unit controls a position of forming the image based on the time measured by the measuring unit.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus forming a full color image by superimposing images of individual colors includes a correction possibility determination device to determine whether or not deviations in position and errors in magnification ratio of images of individual colors that are superimposed on top of one another to form a full color image can be correctly performed and a correction device to perform the operation of correcting deviations in position and errors in magnification ratio of individual colors that are superimposed on top of one another to form a full color image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a multicolor image by superposing single-color images of respective colors is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes an image formation control unit configured to select and form a misalignment correction pattern used in a misalignment correction process for correcting misalignment between the single-color images. The image formation control unit selects the misalignment correction pattern according to either a status change detected or the number of images formed after a previous misalignment correction process is performed.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a pattern forming unit forms a pattern for ameliorating image positional displacement, and a detecting unit detects the pattern. An ameliorating unit ameliorates an image positional displacement based on the pattern detected. If for example, the pattern cannot be detected, then e.g., monochrome printing is enabled, and a notifying unit notifies that the amelioration is not possible.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus at least includes a photoreceptor, a light emitter, a detector and a controller. The light emitter irradiates the photoreceptor with a laser beam so as to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. The detector detects an incident amount of the laser beam falling on a light receiving portion of the detector on a main scan line. The controller changes at least one of a detection sensitivity of the detector for a laser beam and an emission amount of the laser beam emitted from the light emitter when the incident amount of the laser beam detected by the detector is not greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light emission source, a polygon mirror, a plurality of image carrying members, an optical detection mechanism, and an instruction mechanism. The light emission source outputs a plurality of optical beams in accordance with image data. The polygon mirror receives the optical beams at different mirror points, and deflects the beams into a first plurality of scanning optical beams in given directions to scan on predetermined scanning lines in a main scanning direction. The plurality of image carrying members rotating in a sub-scanning direction receive the first plurality of scanning optical beams to form primary separate color images. The optical detection mechanism detects a second plurality of scanning optical beams included in the first plurality of scanning optical beams. The instruction mechanism instructs the light emission source to light on and off at timings based on a plurality of detection signals from the optical detection mechanism.

Abstract: A light beam scanning device is disclosed that includes a light emission source to emit a light beam, a deflection part to deflect the emitted light beam in the main scanning direction, first and second light beam detection parts to detect the deflected light beam at first and second positions, respectively, outside an image area on the opposite sides thereof in the main scanning direction, a time difference measurement part to measure the time difference between the light beam detections by the first and second light beam detection parts, and a control part to perform control so as to correct image magnification in the main scanning direction in the image area from the measured time difference. The control part performs control so that the condition of the amount of light at the time of detecting the light beam by the first and second light beam detection parts is constant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a compensation pattern forming device to form a predetermined compensation pattern to compensate image displacement in each key color, a plurality of detectors to detect two key colors in the predetermined compensation pattern, and a compensating device to compensate the image displacement of the two key colors detected by the detectors.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus and optical scanning apparatus each includes a light source, a deflector, an f? lens, and first and second light-beam detectors. The light source outputs light beams, and is turned on and is controlled in accordance with image data. The deflector deflects the output light beams in a main-scanning direction. The f? lens corrects the deflected light beams from constant-angular-velocity scanning to constant-velocity scanning. The first and second light-beam detector detect the deflected light beams at two spots along the main-scanning direction. The first light-beam detector is located at a scanning-start side, and the second light-beam detector is located at a scanning-end side. The light beam that is incident on the first light-beam detector is not transmitted through the f? lens, and the light beam that is incident on the second light-beam detector is transmitted through the f? lens.

Abstract: An optical recording apparatus includes a light source, a scanner, and a phase shift controller. The light source emits a light beam controlled to be lit on and off in synchronism with a pixel clock signal according to input image data. The scanner reforms the light beam emitted by the light source into a cyclic scanning light beam scanning in a main scanning direction a photosensitive surface moving in a sub-scanning direction. The phase shift controller performs an image magnification correction by a phase change for changing a phase of the pixel clock signal in units of one nth of a cycle of the pixel clock signal at one or more positions on the photoconductive surface in the main scanning direction, in which n is an integer greater than one. A method and apparatus of optical image forming is also described.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a modulation data storage, a pulse width modulator, and an optical writing mechanism. The modulation data storage stores different gray-scale pulse sets. Each set includes gray-scale pulses having pulse widths different from each other in steps of a predetermined value corresponding to gray-scale information possibly contained in image data to be input. Each gray-scale pulse includes at least two pulses including at least one of left-positioned and right-positioned pulses. The pulse width modulator selects a gray-scale pulse set from among the different gray-scale sets in accordance with gray-scale information and performs a pulse width modulation to control a light beam on and off at a density twice or more than twice a density of the input image data by using the gray-scale pulse set selected. The optical writing mechanism causes the light beam to scan a photosensitive member to form a latent image thereon.