Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises a photosensitive drum which is replaceable, an intermediate transfer belt unit which is brought into contact with the photosensitive drum to operate and which is replaceable, and a separation motor configured to move the intermediate transfer belt unit in a direction toward the photosensitive drum and in a direction away from the photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus causes the separation motor to separate the intermediate transfer belt unit and the photosensitive drum from each other in a case where at least one of the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer belt unit reaches the replacement timing when the image forming apparatus shifts to a low-power state in which power consumption of the image forming apparatus is suppressed compared with that of the image forming apparatus in a normal operation.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises a photosensitive drum which is replaceable, an intermediate transfer belt unit which is brought into contact with the photosensitive drum to operate and which is replaceable, and a separation motor configured to move the intermediate transfer belt unit in a direction toward to the photosensitive drum and in a direction away from the photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus causes the separation motor to separate the intermediate transfer belt unit and the photosensitive drum from each other in a case where at least one of the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer belt unit reaches the replacement timing when the image forming apparatus shifts to a low-power state in which power consumption of the image forming apparatus is suppressed compared with that of the image forming apparatus in a normal operation. A document reading apparatus including a prediction unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a unique code generating unit generating an initial unique code which is a value unique to a device and includes an error in a random bit; a first error correcting unit correcting an error in the initial unique code to generate an intermediate unique code; a second error correcting unit correcting an error in the intermediate unique code to generate a first determinate unique code; and a decrypting unit decrypting, with the first determinate unique code, transmission data obtained by encrypting confidential information with key information generated on the basis of the intermediate unique code by an external device to generate confidential information.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in related art has a problem that security on confidential information stored is insufficient. A semiconductor device of the present invention has a unique code which is unique to a device and generates unique code corresponding information from the unique code. The semiconductor device has a memory region in which specific information obtained by encrypting confidential information is stored in a region associated with the unique code corresponding information. The specific information read from the memory region is encrypted with the unique code corresponding information to generate the confidential information.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in related art has a problem that security at the time of writing data cannot be sufficiently assured. A semiconductor device of the present invention has: a unique code generating unit generating an initial unique code which is a value unique to a device and includes an error in a random bit; a first error correcting unit correcting an error in the initial unique code to generate an intermediate unique code; a second error correcting unit correcting an error in the intermediate unique code to generate a first determinate unique code; and a decrypting unit decrypting, with the first determinate unique code, transmission data obtained by encrypting confidential information with key information generated on the basis of the intermediate unique code by an external device to generate confidential information.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a unique code generating unit generating an initial unique code which is a value unique to a device and includes an error in a random bit; a first error correcting unit correcting an error in the initial unique code to generate an intermediate unique code; a second error correcting unit correcting an error in the intermediate unique code to generate a first determinate unique code; and a decrypting unit decrypting, with the first determinate unique code, transmission data obtained by encrypting confidential information with key information generated on the basis of the intermediate unique code by an external device to generate confidential information.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in related art has a problem that security on confidential information stored is insufficient. A semiconductor device of the present invention has a unique code which is unique to a device and generates unique code corresponding information from the unique code. The semiconductor device has a memory region in which specific information obtained by encrypting confidential information is stored in a region associated with the unique code corresponding information. The specific information read from the memory region is encrypted with the unique code corresponding information to generate the confidential information.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in related art has a problem that security on confidential information stored is insufficient. A semiconductor device of the present invention has a unique code which is unique to a device and generates unique code corresponding information from the unique code. The semiconductor device has a memory region in which specific information obtained by encrypting confidential information is stored in a region associated with the unique code corresponding information. The specific information read from the memory region is encrypted with the unique code corresponding information to generate the confidential information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having improved installability and operability. The image forming apparatus has an operation unit thereof disposed on an arm extending from the apparatus and pivotable around a support member in substantially the horizontal direction, and has sensors for detecting the pivot position of the operation unit. An initial-screen setting screen determined based on the pivot position of the operation unit detected by the sensors is displayed on the operation unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in related art has a problem that security at the time of writing data cannot be sufficiently assured. A semiconductor device of the present invention has: a unique code generating unit generating an initial unique code which is a value unique to a device and includes an error in a random bit; a first error correcting unit correcting an error in the initial unique code to generate an intermediate unique code; a second error correcting unit correcting an error in the intermediate unique code to generate a first determinate unique code; and a decrypting unit decrypting, with the first determinate unique code, transmission data obtained by encrypting confidential information with key information generated on the basis of the intermediate unique code by an external device to generate confidential information.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in related art has a problem that security on confidential information stored is insufficient. A semiconductor device of the present invention has a unique code which is unique to a device and generates unique code corresponding information from the unique code. The semiconductor device has a memory region in which specific information obtained by encrypting confidential information is stored in a region associated with the unique code corresponding information. The specific information read from the memory region is encrypted with the unique code corresponding information to generate the confidential information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which makes it possible to resolve correction error of potential unevenness caused by insufficient mounting accuracy of an image carrier, in a relatively short time period without performing a conventional operation for removing the image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an exposure unit, an electrical potential sensor, a shading data ROM, and a CPU. Electrical potential data items associated with respective positions on the surface of the photosensitive drum are stored in the shading data ROM. The CPU corrects an exposure amount onto the photosensitive drum by the exposure unit, based on the electrical potential data read from the ROM, and based on the result of correction, adjusts timing for reading out the data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an informing portion that issues information; a storing portion that stores sheets; a sheet detecting portion that detects presence or absence of the sheets in the storing portion; a determination portion that determines a type of the sheets stored in the storing portion; and a control portion that causes the informing portion to issue a predetermined information in a case where the absence of the sheets is undetected by the sheet detecting portion and a change of the type of the sheets is determined by the determination portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus 80 includes a lifter plate 23 that is disposed in a sheet storage case 4 and stacks a sheet 7a, an air heater 14 and a fan 11 that blow heated air to the sheet 7a stacked on the lifter plate 23, and a control device 16 that changes a control condition of the heated air blown by the air heater 14 and the fan 11 based on a storage period of time of the sheet 7a on the lifter plate 23.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt. The belt feeding apparatus further includes a setting member for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a return angle to return the belt toward the normal zone. The setting member also sets, when a predetermined time elapses from the belt returning to the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle to keep the belt in the zone.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of shortening first copy time to thereby reduce wait time before execution of a print job and prolonging the service life of a scanner motor at the same time. An image forming apparatus that forms a latent image on a photosensitive drum in response to a copy start instruction signal. A scanner motor drives a rotating polygonal mirror that scans the photosensitive drum by reflecting light, for rotation. A counter counts the number of times of start of the motor. A control circuit causes the scanner motor to be started up before the signal is generated, if the count of the counter is less than a predetermined value, and to cause the scanner motor to be started up upon generation of the signal, if the count of the counter is not less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which makes it possible to resolve correction error of potential unevenness caused by insufficient mounting accuracy of an image carrier, in a relatively short time period without performing a conventional operation for removing the image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an exposure unit, an electrical potential sensor, a shading data ROM, and a CPU. Electrical potential data items associated with respective positions on the surface of the photosensitive drum are stored in the shading data ROM. The CPU corrects an exposure amount onto the photosensitive drum by the exposure unit, based on the electrical potential data read from the ROM, and based on the result of correction, adjusts timing for reading out the data.

Abstract: A communication message conversion device according to the present invention comprises a first receiving unit receiving a first message according to a first communication protocol, a first message storage unit storing the first message received by the first receiving unit in one of a plurality of buffer areas according to a first message identifier contained in the first message, a first identifier conversion unit converting the first message identifier contained in the first message stored in the first message storage unit into a second message identifier, a first message conversion unit packing a plurality of first messages converted with the first identifier conversion unit into a second message and a first transmission unit transmitting the second message converted with the first message conversion unit according to a second communication protocol.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which, when switching operation from color image forming operation to monochromatic image forming operation, forms a monochromatic image on each of a prescribed number of sheets by stopping a part of the functions of yellow, magenta and cyan image forming sections of the color image forming operation, and thereafter, forms a monochromatic image only with a black-only image forming section, thereby permitting extension of service life of the image forming sections, while improving the productivity.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that previously rotates a polygonal mirror drive motor before starting a job and forms a latent image by using an optical scanning unit including the polygonal mirror drive motor is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control such that, in the determination of the presence or absence of each of color toners before a previous rotation is started, if it is determined that any one of the color toners is absent, only the polygonal mirror drive motor corresponding to a black toner is previously rotated.