Abstract: A belt driving control device includes an endless belt looped over a plurality of supporting rollers, a driving source supplying rotational driving force the supporting rollers, a detecting section detecting a periodical thickness deviation of the endless belt in a circumferential direction of the endless belt and carrying out data sampling for detection of the thickness deviation simultaneously with rotation of the endless belt, a memory storing data on the thickness deviation obtained based on the data sampling, and a control section controlling drive of the driving source such that the detected thickness deviation of the endless belt is canceled out based on the data on the thickness deviation stored in the memory, and such that the endless belt is driven to travel one rotation upon detecting a predetermined condition to carry out the data sampling for one rotation and update the stored data with new data.

Abstract: A control unit controls a starting process and a stopping process of an image forming unit in a stepwise manner. Upon receiving an instruction for executing an image forming process during the stopping process, a determination unit inquires of the control unit about a stage of the stopping process and determines whether the stopping process in the stage is interruptible. A shutdown unit instructs the control unit to interrupt the stopping process during or after the stage, based on a result of determination by the determination unit. A start-up unit instructs the control unit to perform the starting process after interrupting the stopping process.

Abstract: A belt driving control device includes an endless belt looped over a plurality of supporting rollers, a driving source supplying rotational driving force the supporting rollers, a detecting section detecting a periodical thickness deviation of the endless belt in a circumferential direction of the endless belt and carrying out data sampling for detection of the thickness deviation simultaneously with rotation of the endless belt, a memory storing data on the thickness deviation obtained based on the data sampling, and a control section controlling drive of the driving source such that the detected thickness deviation of the endless belt is canceled out based on the data on the thickness deviation stored in the memory, and such that the endless belt is driven to travel one rotation upon detecting a predetermined condition to carry out the data sampling for one rotation and update the stored data with new data.

Abstract: A control unit controls a starting process and a stopping process of an image forming unit in a stepwise manner. Upon receiving an instruction for executing the image forming process during the stopping process, a determination unit inquires of the control unit about a stage of the stopping process and determines whether the stopping process in the stage is interruptible. A shutdown unit instructs the control unit to interrupt the stopping process during or after the stage, based on a result of determination by the determination unit. A start-up unit instructs the control unit to perform the starting process after interrupting the stopping process.

Abstract: A thermal head in a thermal printer has heating elements, a glaze layer and a ceramic board. Equations are used for correcting heat accumulation. Eg1(M+1,N)=(1?k1).E(M,N)+(1?k2).Eg1(M,N) Eg2(M+1,N)=k2(1?k3)(1?k4).Eg1(M,N) Ec1(M+1,N)=k2(1?k3).k4.Eg1(M,N)+(1?k5).Ec1(M,N) E(M,N): heat data of an Nth pixel of an Mth line after heat accumulation correction; Eg1(M,N): accumulated heat data of the glaze layer at point Pg1 and obtained in the correction of an (M?1)th line; Eg2(M,N): accumulated heat data of the glaze layer at point Pg2 and obtained in the correction of the (M?1)th line; Ec1(M,N): accumulated heat data of the ceramic board at point Pc1 and obtained in the correction of the (M?1)th line.

Abstract: A thermal head in a thermal printer has heating elements, a glaze layer and a ceramic board. Equations are used for correcting heat accumulation. Eg1(M+1,N)=(1?k1).E(M,N)+(1?k2).Eg1(M,N) Eg2(M+1,N)=k2(1?k3)(1?k4).Eg1(M,N) Ec1(M+1,N)=k2(1?k3).k4.Eg1(M,N)+(1?k5).Ec1(M,N) E(M,N): heat data of an Nth pixel of an Mth line after heat accumulation correction; Eg1(M,N): accumulated heat data of the glaze layer at point Pg1 and obtained in the correction of an (M?1)th line; Eg2(M,N): accumulated heat data of the glaze layer at point Pg2 and obtained in the correction of the (M?1)th line; Ec1(M,N): accumulated heat data of the ceramic board at point Pc1 and obtained in the correction of the (M?1)th line.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a print system and a printer which enable a user to identity the printer having produced a print on the basis of this print without impairing the quality of the print. A host section transmits print data to a plurality of printers to instruct them to carry out printing. Each printer carries out printing as instructed by the host section. Prints from each printer are discharged to a particular area. Various printers discharge prints to the particular area. However, each print is provided with mark dots at a position that varies with the printers. Accordingly, examining the print enables a user to identify the printer having produced this print. A gradation value for the mark dots is determined taking a gradation value for surrounding dots into account.