Abstract: Provided is a Raman scattering measurement apparatus including a light source which emits light to smoke particles, a filter configured to block light which is incident to the smoke particles and passes through the particle and to allow Raman scattered light to pass therethrough, and a photodetector which detects the Raman scattered light passing through the filter in order to distinguish fire smoke generated due to a true fire from non-fire smoke generated due to daily life or industrial activity. The present invention also provides a fire determination apparatus including a unit which reads a Raman shift from Raman scattered light detected by the photodetector of the Raman scattering measurement apparatus, estimates a smoke component from the read Raman shift, and determines fire/non-fire from the estimated smoke component and a method thereof.

Abstract: There is provided a camera module including a plurality of ball bearings to support the driving of a lens barrel at the time of compensating for unintended camera movement due to disturbance such as hand shake. The lens barrel may be driven in first and second directions, independently, by one driving force exerted in the first direction perpendicular to an optical axis and by another driving force exerted in the second direction perpendicular to both the optical axis and the first direction, thereby preventing driving displacement from being generated at the time of compensating for unwanted motion such as hand shake while securing reliability against external impact, and having reduced power consumption at the time of compensating for the disturbance.

Abstract: To control a cooling fan to cool a fusing unit of an image forming apparatus, it is determined whether the fusing unit is turned on or off. If the fusing unit is determined to be turned on or off, it is determined whether a condition to turn the cooling fan on or off is satisfied. If the cooling fan on/off condition is satisfied, the cooling fan is turned on or off. Thus, the driving of the cooling fan is minimized when the driving of the cooling fan is unnecessary so that the cooling fan is driven at a high efficiency.

Abstract: When the density of a toner image of a leading end of a printing sheet is no less than a predetermined reference density, a printing start time is delayed or printing data is deleted so that printing data is not printed in the leading end of the sheet. When the printing is performed in a state where a cover used for copying is opened, a printing start time is delayed or the printing data of the leading end of the printing sheet is deleted. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a fixing unit from being contaminated due to the toner image transferred to the leading end of the printing sheet.

Abstract: A fuser cleaning apparatus and method of operating a fuser cleaning apparatus for use with an image forming device. Heat is efficiently transferred to a guide member of a fuser, thereby allowing for relatively easy performance of a cleaning operation of the fuser, since a heating roller of the fuser is heated by a heater while the heating roller is not in motion. It is also possible to prevent melted toner remnants from contaminating the heating roller since a sheet of paper which has waited at an entrance of the fuser is conveyed and passed between the heating and pressure rollers of the fuser after the heating roller is heated while it is not in motion.

Abstract: To control a cooling fan to cool a fusing unit of an image forming apparatus, it is determined whether the fusing unit is turned on or off. If the fusing unit is determined to be turned on or off, it is determined whether a condition to turn the cooling fan on or off is satisfied. If the cooling fan on/off condition is satisfied, the cooling fan is turned on or off. Thus, the driving of the cooling fan is minimized when the driving of the cooling fan is unnecessary so that the cooling fan is driven at a high efficiency.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which control a paper pickup-related time to perform duplex printing, are provided. The apparatus includes a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, a counter, and a controller. A paper feed unit and a paper exit unit are provided in the first conveyance path where development, transfer, and fusing processes are performed. In the second conveyance path, paper is conveyed separately from the first conveyance path. The counter measures a conveyance period of time, during which a sheet of paper is conveyed along the second conveyance path, based on a sensing signal from a paper feed sensor and a paper exit sensor. The controller controls a paper pickup-related time to perform duplex printing according to the difference between the conveyance period of time measured by the counter and a reference period of time.

Abstract: When the density of a toner image of a leading end of a printing sheet is no less than a predetermined reference density, a printing start time is delayed or printing data is deleted so that printing data is not printed in the leading end of the sheet. When the printing is performed in a state where a cover used for copying is opened, a printing start time is delayed or the printing data of the leading end of the printing sheet is deleted. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a fixing unit from being contaminated due to the toner image transferred to the leading end of the printing sheet.

Abstract: A fuser cleaning apparatus and method of operating a fuser cleaning apparatus for use with an image forming device. Heat is efficiently transferred to a guide member of a fuser, thereby allowing for relatively easy performance of a cleaning operation of the fuser, since a heating roller of the fuser is heated by a heater while the heating roller is not in motion. It is also possible to prevent melted toner remnants from contaminating the heating roller since a sheet of paper which has waited at an entrance of the fuser is conveyed and passed between the heating and pressure rollers of the fuser after the heating roller is heated while it is not in motion.

Abstract: A control method to control a lamp, which is used as a heat generator, including detecting a temperature of lamp, comparing the detected temperature of the lamp with a predetermined reference temperature, turning off a power supply to the lamp when the detected temperature of the lamp exceeds the predetermined reference temperature, and when the lamp stays in a turned-off state for more than a first time amount, supplying a half wavelength pulse to the lamp at intervals according to a second time amount. According to the lamp control method, reducing the inrush of current to the lamp is possible without requiring additional hardware. When applied to electronic apparatuses, the lamp control method reduces maximum value of the inrush of current in the stand-by mode.