Abstract: The image reader according to the present invention is able to set the accurate threshold level free of influence of dirt and dust even when the reference “white” level is requested for shading correction during the acceleration while the carriage is being accelerated without increasing the averaging frequency when the reflected light from the white board is read for shading correction. In addition, because the distance between the head end of the transparent glass and the home position as well as the distance between the home position and the reading window are shortened, the size of the image reader is reduced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to generate image data from an original document and to form an image includes a photoelectric conversion unit to sequentially convert an image of the original document scanned in a sub-scanning direction into image signals made of a plurality of pixels constituting one line in a main scanning direction, a white reference plate which is white reference for the image signals, a white reference signal generation unit to generate a white reference signal from image signals obtained by photoelectric converting an image for a given number of lines from a given read start position of the white reference plate in the sub-scanning direction by the photoelectric conversion unit, a shading correction unit to correct the image signals of the original document image photoelectric converted by the photoelectric conversion unit based on the white reference signal, and a read start position acquisition unit to calculate and acquire the read start position on the white reference plate, and the read

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in the present invention includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) for carrying an original document, a scanner unit and a printer unit, the scanner unit includes a carriage having a light source unit for exposing and scanning the original document and is capable of operating in a first reading mode (sheet-through system) for reading image information of the original document carried by the ADF with the carriage fixed and a second reading mode (platen system) for reading the image information of the original document by moving the carriage. When reading the original document, the scanning velocity is controlled, the reading resolution of the original document in the first reading mode is set to be lower than the resolution of image formation by the printer unit, and the reading resolution of the original document in the second reading mode is controlled to be substantially equal to the resolution of image formation by the printer unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique that makes it possible to realize highly accurate shading correction regardless of presence of dust or the like in a shading correction plate without preventing a reduction in a size of an apparatus. An image scanning apparatus determines an area where dust is present in a reference area, which is an object of scanning of reference data used for shading correction in the image scanning apparatus, scans the reference data from an area excluding the area where it is determined that dust is present, and performs shading correction on the basis of the reference data scanned from the area excluding the area where it is determined that dust is present.

Abstract: A sheet image scanner of the present invention has plural image sensors to output electric signals by detecting optical image data that are obtained by applying a light from a light source to documents, amplifiers to amplify outputs from the plural image sensors, and a peak detection processing unit to detect a peak value of sensitivity of at least one of the plural image sensors and set a gain value for each of amplifiers for the plural image sensors using the detected peak value.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus for reading a color document as a monochrome image, an image forming apparatus of the invention includes a composite light source that irradiates the color document and includes plural light sources different in spectral distribution, a sensor to detect the intensity of a reflected light from the color document, a light emission ratio setting unit to changeably set light emission ratios different for the respective light sources, and a light source control unit to control effective light amounts of the plural light sources with the set light emission ratios. According to the image forming apparatus of the invention, when the color document is monochromatically read, the reading is performed with the brightness close to the human visual sensitivity, the user can changeably set color sensitivity, and uneven density can be reduced.

Abstract: In an image-reading apparatus, the size of a document placed at a predetermined position is sensed by a document size sensor, an image is read from the document in the document size sensed, and image data indicative of the read image is subjected to certain processing executed by an image processing section. A power supply section is provided which includes a first power supply which supplies power to the image processing section, and a second power supply which supplies power to the document size sensor. The second power supply is supplied with power from the first power supply and can be turned on and off independently of turn-on and turn-off of the first power supply. A power supply control section is also provided which controls turn-on and turn-off of the second power supply.

Abstract: An MFP includes a scanner to read an image, and a printer to form the image on a sheet, in which the scanner includes a document table on which a document as an image reading object is placed, a platen cover that holds the document to the document table, a carriage that moves along the document table, a document size detecting element that detects a size of the document at a position in front of an image reading start position of the document in an image reading direction, and a control device that detects the document size based on an output of the document size detecting element. According to the MFP, it is possible to realize shortening of an image reading time while reduction in thickness of the apparatus and reduction in cost are kept.

Abstract: Black tapes 61 and 62 having optical reflectances different from that of the texture of a document D are stuck to the lower side of a platen cover 3. The black tapes 61 and 62 have the optical reflectances different from that of the texture of the document D. When the document D set on a document table 2 and the black tapes 61 and 62 are exposed by a light exposure lamp 5, at least one edge of the document D set on the document table 2 and the length of the edge are detected according to the amount of reflected light from the document D and that from the black tapes 61 and 62. The size of the document D set on the document table 2 is judged according to the detected length of the edge.

Abstract: Where a magnification (enlargement/reduction of image) has been set through operation keys of an operation panel, a main CPU sends information on read magnification to a scanner CPU of a scanner section. In this case, where the magnification is not set in particular, information of 100% magnification is sent to the scanner CPU. Based on a microstep division number of a step angle corresponding to the received information on read magnification, the scanner CPU controls the driving of a scan motor via a scan motor driver.

Abstract: An image scan apparatus includes a scanner including: a document table on which a document is placed; a carriage which scans a read area of an image; a stepping motor which moves the carriage; an image processing unit which processes an image signal resulted from scanning by the carriage; a scanner controller which performs a process necessary to read the image; and memory which stores information, wherein on the document table, a sub-scan magnification adjustment chart which expresses a predetermined shape in order to calculate an actual sub-scan magnification by the scanner controller is placed. According to the image scan apparatus, when error occurs in the actual sub-scan magnification, the sub-scan magnification can be automatically adjusted without an operator performing the adjustment work of the magnification in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: An image copier according to the invention comprises a scanner for reading an image and a printer for forming an image on sheet, and the scanner includes a document table for positioning an original document from which an image is to be read; a document holding cover holding the original document on the original document table and having a light-emitting element for detecting the size of an original document which emits light when the size of the original document is detected, a light source for irradiating the original document with light when an image on the original document is read, a light-receiving element for image reading which receives reflected light from the original document, a controller for the light-emitting element for detecting the size of an original document which controls the light-emitting element for detecting the thickness of the original document, a specific region determination unit for identifying a specific region based on the numbers of pixels in a main scanning direction and a sub

Abstract: An image copier of the invention includes a document table to position a document from which an image is read, a document holding cover to hold the document on the document table, a light source to irradiate light to the document when the image of the document is read, and an image reading light receiving element to receive reflected light from the document, and the document holding cover includes a document size detecting light emitting element to emit light at a time of document size detection. According to the image copier of the invention, the document size can be accurately detected independently of the kind of the document.

Abstract: An image reader of the present invention comprises a fluctuation detector that can be connected to the external equipment by means of an image data input-output section, and can subject image data, continuous in a first direction and outputted as image information on a test chart is photoelectrically converted by means of a CCD sensor when a mirror set or the test chart is moved in the first direction, to Fourier conversion, thereby obtaining the frequency of a fluctuation of the obtained image data and a maximum value of the amplitude thereof. If the obtained maximum value of the fluctuation amplitude is greater than a given value, the fluctuation detector is used to compare the frequency of the fluctuation and the natural frequency of a drive motor for generating driving force for moving the mirror set or the image. If the fluctuation frequency and the natural frequency are not equal, the value of current supplied to the drive motor is increased.

Abstract: An optical reading apparatus and a multifunction-type image forming apparatus, with a minimized thickness in a cabinet height direction and a housing shaped along an upper shape of discharge tray of the image forming apparatus provided thereunder. The optical reading apparatus comprises: platen glass defined with one end and the other end, on an upper surface of which an original document is placed; an optical reading unit that translates between the both ends on a lower surface of the platen glass, for obtaining image data by irradiating an original document surface with light through the platen glass; a control circuit board connected to the optical reading unit, for processing an electric signal; and a housing wherein a side on the side of the other end is thicker than a side on the side of the one end.

Abstract: A multicolor image forming apparatus is provided which is capable of suppressing rotational vibrations caused by a rotary unit thereby to carry out the formation of images of excellent quality even if the amount of remaining toner in the rotary unit changes. In the multicolor image forming apparatus (10), accelerations, uniform speeds and decelerations, which do not cause residual vibration of the rotary unit due to overshooting when the rotary unit (11) is changed from its acceleration rotation to its uniform rotation or vice versa, are stored in an acceleration and acceleration storage section (16) in correspondence to the amounts of toners held by the developing units.

Abstract: The image scanning apparatus capable of reading an image by scanning a carriage equipped with a light source, mirrors and the like in a sub-scanning direction of an original document O, is provided, and in this apparatus, the stepping motor is used to drive the carriage, and an open loop control and switching of the exciter are carried out. With this structure, the scanning speed of the carriage can be increased to be higher than the set speed once, and then reduced to the set speed, thus making it possible to shorten the time for the carriage to move from the home position to the top of the document to be scanned, while suppressing the load on the CPU.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading a document image to provide image data corresponding thereto, including a photoelectric conversion unit which converts a light-received image into an image signal, a photoelectric conversion unit which converts an optical image on a document into an image signal, an image processing unit which processes the image signal outputted from the photoelectric conversion unit, and provides the image data, a power source unit which supplies power to respective units including the photoelectric conversion units and the image processing unit of the image reading apparatus, and a power supply control unit which controls power supply from the power source unit to the photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a sensor section which includes a color line sensor which reads a color image and a monochrome line sensor which reads a monochrome image provided in parallel with and a specific distance away from the color line sensor, an input section which inputs a document image to the color line sensor and the monochrome line sensor, and a control section which, when reading an image from a document by use of the input section, starts the reading of an image by the color line sensor and the reading of an image by the monochrome line sensor with the same timing.

Abstract: Where a magnification (enlargement/reduction of image) has been set through operation keys of an operation panel, a main CPU sends information on read magnification to a scanner CPU of a scanner section. In this case, where the magnification is not set in particular, information of 100% magnification is sent to the scanner CPU. Based on a microstep division number of a step angle corresponding to the received information on read magnification, the scanner CPU controls the driving of a scan motor via a scan motor driver.