Abstract: An image reading apparatus that, in a case where the light amount of light illuminated from an image reading lamp has decreased, maintains the quality of a read image without decreasing productivity, and a method for controlling that image reading apparatus, are provided. To accomplish this, this image reading apparatus is provided with RGB line sensors that read a color image, and a monochrome line sensor that reads a monochrome image and has a faster horizontal transfer speed than the RGB line sensors. Further, this image reading apparatus reads a monochrome image using the RGB line sensors even in a monochrome mode in a case where the light amount of the lamp for illuminating an original decreases and so an output level for reading an image with good quality cannot be obtained from the monochrome line sensor.

Abstract: A rolled copper foil consisted of at least either of silicon (Si) and iron (Fe), boron (B), silver (Ag), oxygen (O) of 0.002 mass % or less, and a balance consisted of copper (Cu) and inevitable impurities.

Abstract: There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus capable of shortening the recording duration even when an image to be recorded includes a high-duty area having a large amount of ink to be discharged in the case of two-sided recording on a recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus, which reverses the recording medium to enable two-sided recording, performs dividing the image to be recorded on a high-duty area having a large amount of ink to be discharged into two (first and second) planes, first plane recording involving a unit area to be subjected to an ink discharge amount below a predetermined amount, reversing the recording medium, and recording on the rear surface, and reversing the recording medium again, and second plane recording.

Abstract: While a conveying error of a roller depends on the eccentricity of the roller, the amount and the state of the eccentricity sometimes makes the roller have different conveying errors from one point in the longitudinal direction of the roller to another. There is provided a construction for obtaining a correction value that is suitable for the correction of the conveying error even in such a case as described above. To this end, plural test patterns are formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. Then, a suitable correction value for correcting the conveying error that depends on the eccentricity of the roller is obtained on the basis of these test patterns.

Abstract: The present invention aims to obtain preferable correction values to correct the conveying error of a conveying roller in accordance with the size of a printing medium, even when the conveying error caused by the eccentricity of the roller varies from a point to another in the longitudinal direction of a roller, depending on the amount and the state of eccentricity of the roller. To achieve this object, correction values are acquired using the whole part of or only a part of plural test patterns formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. The correction values thus acquired correspond to the respective zones where the test patterns are formed.

Abstract: While a conveying error of a roller depends on the eccentricity of the roller, the amount and the state of the eccentricity sometimes makes the roller have different conveying errors from one point in the longitudinal direction of the roller to another. There is provided a construction for obtaining a correction value that is suitable for the correction of the conveying error even in such a case as described above. To this end, plural test patterns are formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. Then, a suitable correction value for correcting the conveying error that depends on the eccentricity of the roller is obtained on the basis of these test patterns.

Abstract: A user is prompted to select one coating mode from a plurality of coating modes having different methods of applying a transparent recording agent. If the selected coating mode is not available in a preset print setting, a print setting available in the selected coating mode is presented to the user, and the set print setting is changed.

Abstract: Generation of shading correction data is started before an instruction to start reading of the document is input in a case in which time to generate shading correction data corresponding to a document reading mode is longer than time since the instruction to start reading of the document is received until the document is fed to reach a reading point, and generation of shading correction data is started after an instruction to start reading of the document is input in a case in which time to generate shading correction data corresponding to a document reading mode is shorter than time since the instruction to start reading of the document is received until the document is fed to reach a reading point.

Abstract: While a conveying error of a roller depends on the eccentricity of the roller, the amount and the state of the eccentricity sometimes makes the roller have different conveying errors from one point in the longitudinal direction of the roller to another. There is provided a construction for obtaining a correction value that is suitable for the correction of the conveying error even in such a case as described above. To this end, plural test patterns are formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. Then, a suitable correction value for correcting the conveying error that depends on the eccentricity of the roller is obtained on the basis of these test patterns.

Abstract: For a serial color ink jet printing apparatus that forms an image using a symmetric printing head that ejects large dots and small dots, the configuration of a printing head is provided for suppressing, to the extent possible, a cyclic fluctuation in the main scanning direction. According to the present invention, individual nozzle arrays are arranged so that two nozzle arrays, i.e., a cyan nozzle array c1 and a magenta nozzle array m1, that are located nearer each other, form dots on adjacent scan lines. With this arrangement, a high quality image, having neither an uneven density nor an uneven color, can be formed when a printing head is inclined, or when a cyclic shift in printing positions occurs, depending on the position of the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus includes a document tray configured to receive a document placed thereon and to move up and down, a start key configured to issue a command to start a process accompanied by a document feeding of the feeding unit, and an operation key configured to be used to set a condition for the process. The document feeding apparatus is operable in a first mode or second mode, wherein the first mode the document tray is raised in response to an operation of the start key and in the second mode, the document tray is raised in response to an operation of the operation key.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus which can restrict each of coloring of reflected light and image clarity within an allowable range required in each of a color mode and a monochromatic mode in any of the modes to output an image with a high grade. For this end, a print duty of each of the first image improving liquid and the second image improving liquid is set in such a manner that a ratio of the print duty of the first image improving liquid having low penetratability to the print duty of the second image improving liquid having high penetratability is higher in the monochromatic mode than that in the color mode. Thereby, an appropriate ratio and an appropriate amount of appropriate kinds of the image improving liquids are applied to each of the color mode and the monochromatic mode.

Abstract: The first print data indicating the discharging amounts of color and clear inks is generated in correspondence with an image to be printed with the color and clear inks. The second print data for designating a region for expressing decoration is generated. The discharging amount of the clear ink in the region for expressing decoration in the first print data is changed based on the second print data. Printing is done by scanning a printhead a plurality of number of times based on the changed first print data to execute the print scan of the clear ink after that of the color ink.

Abstract: An image processing method includes a conversion step of converting input image data into ink color data corresponding to respective use amounts of one or more types of color inks and a clear ink. In the conversion step, the input image data is converted into ink color data so that the use amount of the clear ink used in ink color data using a black carbon-containing ink becomes equal to or larger than that of the clear ink used in ink color data using no black carbon-containing ink.

Abstract: An inkjet printing device using a print head including a first nozzle array for ink ejection and a second nozzle array for ejection of an image quality improvement liquid (CL), the device printing an image on a print medium by repeating a print scan, the inkjet printing device including control means for, during a first print scan, allowing nozzles on an upstream side of the first nozzle array in the conveying direction to eject the ink; control means for, during the first print scan, allowing nozzles on an upstream side of the second nozzle array in the conveying direction to eject the liquid (CL) into an ink ejection area; and control means for, during a second print scan after the first print scan, allowing nozzles on a downstream side of the second nozzle array in the conveying direction to eject the liquid (CL) into the ink ejection area.

Abstract: The present invention suppresses a bronzing phenomenon that occurs easily in inkjet printing that uses pigment ink, and minimizes other effects on the image quality by particularly minimizing the change in gray balance. Of at least first and second achromatic inks having different densities of pigment coloring material, the amount of resin in the second achromatic ink (light gray ink) having the lowest density of coloring material is increased, and on the achromatic color axis, a specified amount of light gray ink is used up to gradations other than highlighted areas, and light gray ink is printed in scans after all the inks that include the second achromatic ink. As a result, it is possible to reduce the bronzing phenomenon.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method are provided by which, when an image is printed by a plurality of printing modes using different printing elements, a plurality of printing elements can have an equalized use frequency to thereby maintain the uniformity of quality of the printed image. In a first multipath printing control, a use rate of a nozzle group that is not used in the first multipath printing control and that is used in a second multipath printing control is higher than that of a nozzle group that is used in the first and second multipath printing controls.

Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a document positioning plate configured to position a document, a carriage configured to move a light source along the document positioning plate, a reading unit configured to read an image of a document illuminated by a light source of the carriage, a white reference member provided in the displacement range of the carriage, an input unit configured to input a reading start instruction for a document, and a control unit configured to move the carriage along the document positioning plate in response to a reading start instruction input via the input unit. The control unit moves the carriage to a first position at which the white reference member is provided, cause the reading unit to read the white reference member, moves the carriage to a second position that is an acceleration start position for accelerating toward the reading start position of the document positioning plate, and waits for a reading start instruction input from the input unit.

Abstract: A rolled copper foil consisted of at least either of silicon (Si) and iron (Fe), boron (B), silver (Ag), oxygen (O) of 0.002 mass % or less, and a balance consisted of copper (Cu) and inevitable impurities.

Abstract: For a serial color ink jet printing apparatus that forms an image using a symmetric printing head that ejects large dots and small dots, the configuration of a printing head is provided for suppressing, to the extent possible, a cyclic fluctuation in the main scanning direction. According to the present invention, individual nozzle arrays are arranged so that two nozzle arrays, i.e., a cyan nozzle array c1 and a magenta nozzle array m1, that are located nearer each other, form dots on adjacent scan lines. With this arrangement, a high quality image, having neither an uneven density nor an uneven color, can be formed when a printing head is inclined, or when a cyclic shift in printing positions occurs, depending on the position of the main scanning direction.