Abstract: A passenger counter that counts the number of persons who get on/off a vehicle comprising an imaging unit 2 installed at an inside of a vehicle platform; a setting unit 31 configured to set an inner area I corresponding to a passage inside the vehicle, one outer areas B surrounding the inner area I and inside the vehicle and other outer area A surrounding the inner area I and outside the vehicle; and a count determination unit 35 configured to count the number of persons who move from one outer area A(B) to the other outer area B(A) through the inner area I while a door of the platform is opened, not to count the number of persons while the door is closed, and to perform processing of determining a person existing in the inner area I when the opened (closed) door is closed (opened) to be counted.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided with an electrical storage device, a first connector capable of charging and discharging the power of the electrical storage device, a second connector capable of charging and discharging the power of the electrical storage device, and an ECU for controlling charging and discharging performed via the first connector and the charging and discharging performed via the second connector. The ECU selects and implements any one of the following according to the operation of an operation unit provided to a first plug connected to the first connector: discharging from the electrical storage device via the first connector, charging to the electrical storage device via the first connector, discharging from the electrical storage device via the second connector, and charging to the electrical storage device via the second connector.

Abstract: A passenger counter that counts the number of persons who get on/off a vehicle comprising an imaging unit 2 installed at an inside of a vehicle platform; a setting unit 31 configured to set an inner area I corresponding to a passage inside the vehicle, one outer areas B surrounding the inner area I and inside the vehicle and other outer area A surrounding the inner area I and outside the vehicle; and a count determination unit 35 configured to count the number of persons who move from one outer area A(B) to the other outer area B(A) through the inner area I while a door of the platform is opened, not to count the number of persons while the door is closed, and to perform processing of determining a person existing in the inner area I when the opened (closed) door is closed (opened) to be counted.

Abstract: A design support method of verifying control on a device of an image forming apparatus registers, in a storage device, trigger information for specifying a content of control to be executed when a start condition for switching the control state of the device is satisfied (S1002). The apparatus then registers, in the storage device, the allowable range of the state change of the device due to control switched when the start condition is satisfied (S1003). The apparatus then verifies whether the state change of the device due to the control switched when the start condition is satisfied falls outside the allowable range, by referring to the operation state of the device which is input through an input unit, and the trigger information registered in the storage device (S1004).

Abstract: A simulator apparatus simulates a behavior of an image forming apparatus in order to verify the behavior. The simulator apparatus includes a computing unit that performs a simulation operation on the behavior of the image forming apparatus, and a selection unit that selects a simulation speed of the computing unit.

Abstract: After the start of an image formation operation, feeding of a sheet on which an image is to be formed is started, and an image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto the fed sheet. On the other hand, after the start of the image formation operation, in a case that the sheet has not been detected within a predetermined time period in a predetermined position on the upstream side of a transfer position, transfer is stopped, and after the stoppage of the transfer, re-feeding of the sheet is performed. By the re-feeding, in a case that the sheet has been detected in the predetermined position, formation of an image to be transferred onto the sheet is started, then the timing of start of the feeding of the sheet is delayed from the timing of start of the feeding in normal times.

Abstract: A design support method of inspecting control on an image forming apparatus based on a simulation result of operation control on a virtual device which is modeled to simulate operation of the image forming apparatus includes the steps of referring to control definition information for determining whether an operation request is proper with respect to a virtual device for which the operation request is input, in accordance with an operating state of the virtual device, and determining, based on the control definition information referred to in the referring step whether operation of the virtual device can be performed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying system in which when a sheet is passed from a sheet conveying apparatus to another, each including a sheet conveyance controller, the receiving apparatus can smoothly control acceleration, deceleration, or stop of conveyance of the sheet. A first sheet conveying device includes a first conveying roller pair to nip and convey a sheet, a releasing mechanism to release nipping of the sheet by the first conveying roller pair, and a first controller to control the first conveying roller pair and the releasing mechanism. A second sheet conveying device includes a second conveying roller pair to nip and convey the sheet conveyed by the first sheet conveying device, a second controller to control the second conveying roller pair, and a detecting device to detect position of a sheet. In response to the detection by the detecting device, the second controller causes the releasing mechanism to release the nipping of the sheet by the first conveying roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, as well as an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of image input, and a control portion for changing between a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over between the first mode and the second-mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion. In the auto-selecting mode, movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out image formation on a recording medium such as plain paper without increasing the FCOT (First Copy Out Time) and is also capable of carrying out optimal image formation on a recording medium, such as thick paper, for which the processing speed is reduced with no registration misalignment between the leading ends of toner images and the leading end of the recording medium. An image is primarily transferred onto a rotatively driven image carrier, and the image on the image carrier is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium. An image writing reference position signal for starting image formation is issued based on the circumference of the image carrier which is the length of the image carrier in the direction of rotation thereof or based on a detected reference position on the image carrier.

Abstract: A design support method capable of verifying correct processing operation of software for controlling a paper transport mechanism by using a computer includes a displaying step of displaying a simulation screen relating to transport of virtual paper on a display unit of the computer, a jam setting step of presetting a condition for causing a paper jam with respect to the virtual paper, a jam causing step of causing the paper jam in accordance with the condition preset in the jam setting step, a selecting step of, when the paper jam is caused by the jam causing step, selecting a sheet of virtual paper, the sheet being subjected to the paper jam, by an instruction from a user, and a deleting step of deleting the sheet of virtual paper selected by the selecting step from the simulation screen.

Abstract: A sheet conveying system in which when a sheet is passed from a sheet conveying apparatus to another, each including a sheet conveyance controller, the receiving apparatus can smoothly control acceleration, deceleration, or stop of conveyance of the sheet. A first sheet conveying device includes a first conveying roller pair to nip and convey a sheet, a releasing mechanism to release nipping of the sheet by the first conveying roller pair, and a first controller to control the first conveying roller pair and the releasing mechanism. A second sheet conveying device includes a second conveying roller pair to nip and convey the sheet conveyed by the first sheet conveying device, a second controller to control the second conveying roller pair, and a detecting device to detect position of a sheet. In response to the detection by the detecting device, the second controller causes the releasing mechanism to release the nipping of the sheet by the first conveying roller pair.

Abstract: A design support method of verifying control on a device of an image forming apparatus registers, in a storage device, trigger information for specifying a content of control to be executed when a start condition for switching the control state of the device is satisfied (S1002). The apparatus then registers, in the storage device, the allowable range of the state change of the device due to control switched when the start condition is satisfied (S1003). The apparatus then verifies whether the state change of the device due to the control switched when the start condition is satisfied falls outside the allowable range, by referring to the operation state of the device which is input through an input unit, and the trigger information registered in the storage device (S1004).

Abstract: A design support method of inspecting control on an image forming apparatus based on a simulation result of operation control on a virtual device which is modeled to simulate operation of the image forming apparatus includes the steps of referring to control definition information for determining whether an operation request is proper with respect to a virtual device for which the operation request is input, in accordance with an operating state of the virtual device, and determining, based on the control definition information referred to in the referring step whether operation of the virtual device can be performed.

Abstract: After the start of an image formation operation, feeding of a sheet on which an image is to be formed is started, and an image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto the fed sheet. On the other hand, after the start of the image formation operation, in a case that the sheet has not been detected within a predetermined time period in a predetermined position on the upstream side of a transfer position, transfer is stopped, and after the stoppage of the transfer, re-feeding of the sheet is performed. By the re-feeding, in a case that the sheet has been detected in the predetermined position, formation of an image to be transferred onto the sheet is started, then the timing of start of the feeding of the sheet is delayed from the timing of start of the feeding in normal times.

Abstract: A simulator apparatus simulates a behavior of an image forming apparatus in order to verify the behavior. The simulator apparatus includes a computing unit that performs a simulation operation on the behavior of the image forming apparatus, and a selection unit that selects a simulation speed of the computing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out image formation on a recording medium such as plain paper without increasing the FCOT (First Copy Out Time) and is also capable of carrying out optimal image formation on a recording medium, such as thick paper, for which the processing speed is reduced with no registration misalignment between the leading ends of toner images and the leading end of the recording medium. An image is primarily transferred onto a rotatively driven image carrier, and the image on the image carrier is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium. An image writing reference position signal for starting image formation is issued based on the circumference of the image carrier which is the length of the image carrier in the direction of rotation thereof or based on a detected reference position on the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out image formation on a recording medium such as plain paper without increasing the FCOT (First Copy Out Time) and is also capable of carrying out optimal image formation on a recording medium, such as thick paper, for which the processing speed is reduced with no registration misalignment between the leading ends of toner images and the leading end of the recording medium. An image is primarily transferred onto a rotatively driven image carrier, and the image on the image carrier is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium. An image writing reference position signal for starting image formation is issued based on the circumference of the image carrier which is the length of the image carrier in the direction of rotation thereof or based on a detected reference position on the image carrier.

Abstract: When a plurality of toner containers mounted on a developing rotary unit are simultaneously determined as toner-absent toner containers, toner container replacement may not be efficient because toner containers are replaced at a replacement position. Therefore, when the toner containers mounted on the developing rotary unit are simultaneously determined as toner-absent toner containers, a toner container to be preferentially replaced is selected so as to be able to be placed at a replacement position by considering the usability of the toner containers.

Abstract: A design support method capable of verifying correct processing operation of software for controlling a paper transport mechanism by using a computer includes a displaying step of displaying a simulation screen relating to transport of virtual paper on a display unit of the computer, a jam setting step of presetting a condition for causing a paper jam with respect to the virtual paper, a jam causing step of causing the paper jam in accordance with the condition preset in the jam setting step, a selecting step of, when the paper jam is caused by the jam causing step, selecting a sheet of virtual paper, the sheet being subjected to the paper jam, by an instruction from a user, and a deleting step of deleting the sheet of virtual paper selected by the selecting step from the simulation screen.