Abstract: A fiber optic enclosure includes a housing and a cable spool assembly disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. The cable spool assembly has a first tear-away end and a second tear-away end. The first and second tear-away ends include at least one area of weakness extending from an inner diameter of the cable spool assembly to an outer diameter of the cable spool assembly. A mounting plate is rotationally engaged with the cable spool assembly such that the cable spool assembly and the housing selectively and unitarily rotate about an axis of the mounting plate.

Abstract: A fiber optic enclosure assembly includes a housing having an interior region and a bearing mount disposed in the interior region of the housing. A cable spool is connectedly engaged with the bearing mount such that the cable spool selectively rotates within the housing. A termination module disposed on the cable spool so that the termination module rotates in unison with the cable spool. A method of paying out a fiber optic cable from a fiber optic enclosure includes rotating a cable spool, which has a subscriber cable coiled around a spooling portion of the cable spool, about an axis of a housing of the fiber optic enclosure until a desired length of subscriber cable is paid out. A termination module is disposed on the cable spool.

Abstract: A strain relief device and method are provided for use with an optical fiber cable of an optical communications system. The strain relief device comprises a plurality of metal wires, or rods, grouped into a bundle of parallel metal wires and a clamping mechanism for clamping first and second ends of the metal wires to an optical fiber cable. The clamped bundle of metal wires forms a spring having a spring constant that provides it with a desired stiffness and a desired flexibility.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to method and media devices for synchronizing media playback between a receiving media device and sending media device, including: receiving, at the receiving media device, a plurality of messages from the sending media device, wherein the plurality of messages include a plurality of sender timestamps; generating a plurality of clock offset values based on the plurality of sender timestamps and a clock of the receiving media device; identifying a minimum clock offset value from the plurality of clock offset values; locating first media data for playback and a first presentation time associated with the first media data; and causing the first media data to be rendered at a first time that matches the first presentation time based on the minimum clock offset.

Abstract: A recording apparatus, including: a photographing unit which picks up a moving picture and a still picture; a first encoder which encodes the moving picture and the still picture by a first encoding method; a second encoder which encodes the still picture by a second encoding method which is different from the first encoding method; and a recorder which records a file of the moving picture encoded by the first encoding method, a file of the still picture encoded by the first encoding method and a file of the still picture encoded by the second encoding method, on a recording medium, wherein both of the file of the still picture encoded by the first encoding method and the file of the still picture encoded by the second encoding method, are based on one still picture picked up with a single photographing.

Abstract: The invention described herein covers methods, apparatus and computer architectures for reducing latency for viewing live video and for archiving the video. Embodiments of the invention include video cameras that generate meta data at or near the time of video acquisition, and tag video segments with that meta data for use by the architectures of the present invention. Alternatively, a live viewing server may tag the video segments with the meta-data upon arrival.

Abstract: There is provided a video recording apparatus including a content accumulation part accumulating video content, a feature extraction processing part extracting an image or voice as a feature from the video content accumulated by the content accumulation part, and obtaining word information from the extracted image or the extracted voice, a word information acquisition part acquiring sorted word information obtained using clustering processing on word information identified from an image captured by a camera, and a content retrieval part retrieving relevant video content from the video content accumulated by the content accumulation part based on the sorted word information acquired by the word information acquisition part and the word information acquired by the feature extraction processing part.

Abstract: A computing device plays at least one first video content segment. The video content segment may be a portion of an interactive video content sequence including multiple segments that may each be selected during play of one or more of the other segments. The computing device determines one or more second video content segments that are associated with the first video content segment. Such determination may be made by analyzing information describing an interactive video content sequence of which the video content segment is a part. The computing device attempts to load one or more second video content segments. In this way, play of the video content segments may reduce and/or avoid delays in changing the video content being played.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and computer program product for dynamically managing a slide presentation. On the basis of subject matter tags, audience tags, priority information, and other metadata associated with each slide in a slide presentation, the slide presentation can be automatically adjusted during creation and presentation of the slide presentation such that a target presentation time can be achieved. Elapsed presentation times can be displayed to a presenter and audience, along with an indication of whether the presentation is on schedule, or is running ahead of or behind schedule.

Abstract: A system of this invention is a video processing system for outputting additional information to be added to a video content. This video processing system includes a frame feature extractor that extracts a frame feature of a frame included in an arbitrary video content, a video content extractor that extracts a video content group having a scene formed from a series of a plurality of frames in the arbitrary video content by comparing frame features of the arbitrary video content extracted by the frame feature extractor with frame features of another video contents, the video content group including an original video content with the scene unaltered and one or more derivative video contents with the scene altered, and an additional information extractor that extracts additional information added to the scene of the extracted video content group. With this arrangement, additional information added to a video content group including an identical scene can be referred to from one video content.

Abstract: The invention involves a tap water structure for storing and heating tap water. The tap water structure contains storage devices, such as a tap water storage tank, for storing a certain amount of tap water. The storage devices are equipped with a tap water input for adding tap water to the storage devices, as well as a tap water output for removing water from the storage devices. The tap water structure is equipped with heating elements that will warm the tap water stored in the storage devices. The storage devices also include a heat exchanger supply and a heat exchanger return, as well as an additional heat exchanger return; these can all be connected to an external heat exchanger unit. The tap water device includes regulators to return the tap water to the storage devices either via the heat exchanger return and/or via the additional heat exchanger return.

Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes: a base; a first frame movably coupled to the base in a first direction; a first vibration axis that movably support the first frame; a first vibration unit that vibrates the first vibration axis; a first sensing unit that senses a position variation of the first frame; a second frame movably coupled to the first frame in a second direction that crosses the first direction; a lens coupled to the second frame; a second vibration axis that is disposed on the first frame to movably support the second frame; a second vibration unit that vibrates the second vibration axis; a second sensing unit that senses a position variation of the second frame; and a first elastic plate including a connecting portion that is connected to the first frame and a pressing portion that is bent from the connecting portion and presses the first vibration axis.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling one or more remote photographic flash devices from a camera. An antenna is connected to the camera housing. Wireless functionality within a camera provides wireless communication of a signal from within the camera body to one or more remote devices. In one example, a flash synchronization signal of the camera body may be wirelessly communicated using a wireless communication functionality within the camera body and the antenna. The wireless communication can be utilized for actuating one or more remote devices, such as for triggering one or more remote flash devices.

Abstract: A camera swing head includes a hub having a hole ring including a plurality of radially spaced apart holes. A swing plate is rotatably attached to the hub. An indexing and locking assembly allows the swing to be quickly and easily rotated to a desired position and then locked into place. The indexing and locking assembly may include a lever pivotally attached to the swing plate, and a plunger pivotally attached to a front end of the lever. Pivoting movement of the lever may move the plunger linearly on a radial axis intersecting a center of the hub. A release pin is movable from, a first position, wherein the release pin causes the plunger to be held out from engagement to with one of the radially spaced apart holes, to a second position, wherein the plunger is movable into engagement with one of the radially spaced apart holes.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter includes: a board including an opening; a leading blade and a trailing blade opening and closing the opening; first and second drive members respectively driving the leading blade and the trailing blade; first and second actuators respectively driving the first and second drive members; a first biasing member biasing the first drive member to move the leading blade away from the opening; and a second biasing member biasing the second drive member to move the trailing blade away from the opening.

Abstract: A blade drive device includes: a board including an opening; a blade movable between a position receding from the opening and a position covering at least a portion of the opening; a first actuator including a first rotor rotatable about a first axis and a first stator, and being capable of driving the blade; a second actuator including a second rotor rotatable about a second axis and a second stator, and being capable of driving the blade; first and second positioning portions respectively positioning the first and second actuators; and a first biasing member respectively biasing the first and second actuators toward the first and second positioning portions.

Abstract: A conversion adapter apparatus is provided that connects a camera body and an interchangeable lens. The conversion adapter apparatus includes a camera body side installation portion to receive a camera body, a lens side installation portion to receive an interchangeable lens, and a first communication contact group provided on the camera body side installation portion and connected to a communication contact group. The conversion adapter apparatus additionally includes a second communication contact group provided on the lens side installation portion and connected to the communication contact group and a conductive member that electrically connects the first communication contact group and the second communication contact group. A position of the first communication contact group around a camera optical axis and a position of the second communication contact group around the camera optical axis are different from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting and excluding a failed optical network termination (ONT) in a passive optical network (PON) system in which an Optical Line Termination (OLT) is connected to a plurality of optical network terminations (ONTs) by an optical passive device. The method for detecting and excluding a failed ONT includes receiving, by the OLT, an optical power level of the ONTs, comparing the received optical power level with a reference value, if the received optical power level does not exceed the reference value, determining that a failed ONT has occurred, and detecting and excluding the failed ONT.

Abstract: An optical transmitter includes: a modulator; an output light monitoring unit; and a control unit. The modulator includes a dividing unit dividing light inputted to the modulator into first and second branch lights; first and second modulation units performing phase modulation for the first and second branch lights, respectively; a rotator which rotates the polarization plane of one of the first and second modulated lights; and a polarization combining unit combining the first and second modulated lights. The output light monitoring unit monitors light intensity of the output of the polarization combining unit. The control unit controls at least one of the first and second modulation units, on the basis of a monitoring result by the output light monitoring unit. The control includes a light intensity control making the light intensity of the first and/or second modulated light smaller than a maximum value of a modulation curve light intensity.

Abstract: A scheduling method, apparatus, and system for avoiding a dual-end monitoring conflict for a submarine cable optical line are provided, where the method includes: sending a wavelength occupation request message to a peer-end equipment via a selected submarine cable optical line to be monitored, and receiving a wavelength occupation response message returned by the peer-end equipment; parsing the wavelength occupation response message to determine whether a requested wavelength is occupied by the peer-end equipment; and if the requested wavelength is occupied by the peer-end equipment and the wavelength can be switched, monitoring the selected submarine cable optical line to be monitored by using another wavelength after switching; and if the requested wavelength is not occupied by the peer-end equipment, monitoring the selected submarine cable optical line to be monitored by using the requested wavelength.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing an optical signal in a communication system are disclosed. The disclosed methods yield benefits for estimation and tracking of carrier phase of received signals at a digital coherent receiver. Specifically, phase ambiguity is removed by the insertion of pilot symbols into a transmitted data stream. Pilot symbols are detected from a received signal, and carrier phase is estimated for the detected pilot symbols. If carrier phase track of received data symbols was lost, a correction is applied to recover the track. Coherent symbol decoding may be used which has not been possible with prior art techniques due to the possibility of phase tracking loss.

Abstract: The embodiments provide an automatic bias control method and apparatus for an optical transmitter. The apparatus includes: a detecting unit configured to monitor output optical power of an I/Q modulator of the optical transmitter; a calculating unit configured to calculate bias voltage indicating values of the I modulator, Q modulator and phase modulator of the I/Q modulator according to the output optical power and known modulation data; and an adjusting unit configured to adjust respectively Direct-Current (DC) bias voltages of the I modulator, Q modulator and phase modulator according to the bias voltage indicating values of the I modulator, Q modulator and phase modulator. With the embodiments, known modulation data are used to realize automatic bias control by monitoring the evenness of distribution of the power of output optical signals of the transmitter in the four quadrants of an I/Q plane.

Abstract: An optical line terminal and operation of optical network are provided. A light signal of the optical network unit is uploaded to an optical line terminal via a first channel. The light signal is processed by wave filtering, conversion, amplification and sampling so as to obtain a sampling signal. The light signal is uploaded to the optical line terminal via a second channel when all sampling values in the sampling signal are less than a threshold value.

Abstract: An optical branching and insertion device includes an optical splitter that branches an input optical signal, and outputs the branched optical signal from a first output port and a second output port; a wavelength selective switch that allows passage of an optical signal of a predetermined wavelength from among optical signals input to a first input port from the first output port, and outputs the optical signal of the predetermined wavelength and an optical signal inputted from a second input port; and a processor that executes a process to expand a band through which the optical signal of the predetermined wavelength is allowed to pass, the process being executed when a channel allocated to a wavelength of the optical signal inputted from the second input port and a channel allocated to the predetermined wavelength are not adjacent.

Abstract: The invention provides a control layer for an Optical Burst Switch (OBS) system, said system comprising at least one stage configured with a closed optical burst switch addressing scheme and one or more ports for sending or receiving data packets. The control layer comprises a control addressing scheme independent of the closed optical addressing scheme and means to provide interconnectivity for each port with every other port. In one embodiment there is provided a closed optical burst switch ring network. The control layer encapsulates or maps the optical data at a port into an independent packet format and passes the independent packet format into a queuing system for transmission by the optical burst switch ring network to a destination port.

Abstract: Embodiments enable a half-duplex Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode for Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) or EPON over Coax (EPoC) networks. Specifically, embodiments provide systems and methods for enabling an Optical Line Terminal (OLT)/Coaxial Line Terminal (CLT) to share a physical medium spectrum in time with the Optical Network Units (ONUs)/Coaxial Network Units (CNUs) that it services. In an embodiment, the OLT/CLT includes an EPON scheduler that can schedule downstream and upstream transmissions over the same physical medium spectrum. In another embodiment, the OLT/CLT is equipped with a burst mode transmit physical layer (PHY) module, which can be controlled by an EPON Medium Access Control (MAC) module, to transmit in burst mode over the physical medium. In a further embodiment, there is provided an ONU/CNU with a burst mode receive PHY module. The burst mode receive PHY module can maintain clock timing even with non-continuous reception from the OLT/CLT.

Abstract: The optical signal to noise ratio is improved when the polarization multilevel signal light is demodulated. A optical polarization multilevel signal receiving apparatus is provided with a polarization multilevel receiver configured to generate at least one estimation symbol A1 to AN estimating a state of the symbol A by utilizing a polarization state of at least one polarization multilevel symbol received in a past before the symbol A, a past value of a decision variable, and a decision result, average the estimation symbols A1 to AN and the symbol A to calculate a reference symbol Ar, and use the calculated reference symbol Ar in place of the symbol A to calculate a decision variable corresponding to a polarization state change of the received symbol R, where R is a received symbol and A is at least one past symbol used as a reference for a change.

Abstract: A communication device includes a resource allocation module to allocate coax resources for signals to be transmitted over a cable plant and a coax physical layer device to transmit the signals over the cable plant using the allocated coax resources. The communication device also includes a media access controller, coupled to the multi-point control protocol implementation and the coax physical layer device, to provide to the coax physical layer device a bitstream that includes data for the signals and also includes information specifying the allocated coax resources.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a visible light communication method and apparatus. The visible light communication method includes determining whether a current location is the start of a symbol of a transmission signal, setting a sample index, a signal accumulated value for an accumulation region of a front half portion of the symbol, and a signal accumulated value for an accumulation region of a rear half portion of the symbol, determining whether the sample index belongs to an accumulation region of the front or rear half portion of the symbol, and accumulating samples of the transmission signal in accordance with the location to which the sample index belongs, determining whether a current location corresponds to the end of the symbol, and outputting a Variable Pulse Position Modulation (VPPM) communication signal corresponding to the transmission signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to allow a service provider to manage, query, and dynamically configure the protocols on network facing interfaces as well as the devices on that domain where the service provider may be provisioning services using the IEEE P1904.1 Standard for Service Interoperability in Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (SIEPON). Systems and methods are provided for using SIEPON to update an Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) configuration of a Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) device and for using SIEPON to gather information from a CPE device.

Abstract: Cable communication systems and methods to provide voice and/or data services to subscriber premises via a cable plant that conveys upstream information over an upstream path bandwidth via one or more upstream radio frequency (RF) signals. One or more RF signals include an encoded carrier wave having a carrier frequency of between 5 MHz and 16.4 MHz that is modulated using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) protocol or an Advanced time Division Multiple Access (ATDMA) protocol and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) with voice and/or data information constituting at least some of the upstream information. An aggregate deployed upstream capacity of the one or more RF signals to convey the upstream information in a portion of the upstream path bandwidth between 5 MHz and 16.4 MHz is at least approximately 12 Megabits per second (Mbits/s).

Abstract: The invention provides a tunable coherent optical receiver and a related method wherein the receiver uses low-frequency trace-tone modulation of optical WDM channels at transmission as channel IDs in order to detect which optical channels are present in the received optical WDM signal. The receiver than discriminates between the thereby detected optical channels by tuning a local oscillator to one of the received optical channels as determined based on the presence of the low-frequency tones in the received optical signal.

Abstract: An array reflector comprising a waveguide and a high reflectivity mirror is disclosed. The waveguide has an input end and a reflective end. The high reflectivity mirror is disposed at the reflective end. The array reflector also includes n?1 mirrors arrayed along the length of the waveguide, wherein n is an integer greater than two.

Abstract: A data expansion system that provides continuum of discrete wireless small cell coverage areas for mobile terminals includes a set of roadway reflectors configured to provide wireless broadband data services to a mobile terminal. Each reflector includes processing circuitry configured to establish communications between the mobile terminal and a backhaul network. Each reflector includes a wireless transceiver configured to transmit and receive data. Each reflector includes a power source that converts solar energy into electricity. Each reflector includes a housing configured to contain the processing circuitry, the transceiver, and the power source. The housing has a raised reflective surface.

Abstract: A gearbox IC is incorporated into an optical communications system to enable an optical link that incorporates the system to achieve data rates that are at least double that which are currently achievable in optical links. The gearbox IC performs data rate conversion and phase alignment. In the transmit direction, the gearbox IC receives N lanes of electrical data signals having a data rate of X Gbps and outputs N/2 lanes of electrical data signals having a data rate of 2X Gbps. In the receive direction, the gearbox IC receives N/2 electrical data signals having a data rate of 2X Gbps and converts the N/2 electrical data signals into N electrical data signals having a data rate of X.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an active optical antenna, a microwave transmitting system and an information sending method. The active optical antenna includes: a substrate; a ground disposed at the bottom of the substrate; a power supply grid and several antenna units that are disposed at the top of the substrate, and photodetector tubes that are disposed in the substrate and located between the antenna units and the ground, where the power supply grid supplies power to the photodetector tubes, the number of the photodetector tubes is equal to the number of the antenna units, and output ends of the photodetector tubes are coupled with the antenna units to output radio frequency signals; and optical waveguides which are disposed in the substrate and connected to the photodetector tubes.

Abstract: Distributed antenna systems in which the distributed antenna systems can be sectorized. Radio bands distributed by the distributed antenna systems are allocated to one or more sectors. The antenna units in the distributed antenna systems are also allocated to one or more sectors. In this manner, only radio frequency (RF) communications signals in the radio band(s) allocated to given sector(s) are distributed the antenna unit allocated to the same sector(s). The bandwidth capacity of the antenna unit is split among the radio band(s) allocated to sector(s) allocated to the antenna unit. The sectorization of the radio band(s) and the antenna units can be configured and/or altered based on capacity needs for given radio bands in antenna coverage areas provide by the antenna units.

Abstract: Provided is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device for visible ray communication, including: a substrate; a plurality of OLED pixels that are formed on the substrate and generate a red (R), green (G), or blue (B) visible ray; and a plurality of light receiving units that are formed on the substrate to sense a visible ray signal and convert the visible ray signal to an electrical signal.

Abstract: A method for providing visible notification by a device in a visible-light-communication system based on Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.15.7, wherein higher levels are allowed to invoke through one standardized interface a medium-access-control sub-layer to provide color-function support and enables invocation of a transmission of color, visibility, and dimming frames by a higher layer, which creates a unified interface between the MAC sub-layer and the higher layers, while providing a primitive for requesting, by the at least one upper layer to the at least one interface of the medium-access-control entity layer, a transmission of at least one visibility frame.

Abstract: An optical transceiver that copes with both the enhanced heat dissipation from heat generating components and the electrical isolation of components processing faint signals from other components generating EMI noises is disclosed. The optical transceiver provides, in addition to a bottom of a frame, a bottom cover made by material with higher thermal conductivity. The former components are directly mounted on the bottom cover through openings in the frame, while, other component to be electrically isolated from the chassis are mounted by putting an insulating support between them and the bottom cover.

Abstract: A Z-pluggable optical communications module (OCM) is provided that contains multiple parallel OCMs (POCMs) and that is configured to be removably plugged into an opening formed in a front panel of an optical communications system. When the Z-pluggable OCM is plugged in a forward Z-direction into the opening formed in the front panel, an actuator mechanism is actuated to impart motion to the Z-pluggable OCM in the downward Y-direction to cause the Z-pluggable OCM to be mounted on an upper surface of a motherboard PCB. In order to unplug the Z-pluggable OCM, the actuator mechanism is actuated to impart motion to the Z-pluggable OCM in the upward Y-direction to cause it to be dismounted from the motherboard PCB.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding device and method are provided for use with an optical communications module (OCM) that is configured to be plugged into a front panel of a box or housing of an optical communications system. The EMI shielding device is mechanically coupled to an end of a housing of the OCM such that when the OCM is fully inserted through an opening formed in the front panel, the EMI shielding device comes into abutment with the front panel to form an EMI seal around the opening that prevents, or at least helps prevent, EMI from escaping from the system housing through the opening formed in the front panel.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing optronic systems, of the type operating simultaneously on one and the same scene, each optronic system being intended to emit and/or receive light of a target of the scene and each optronic system having an internal precision clock and a module suitable for synchronizing the internal clock with a reference time signal, the method being characterized in that it has the following steps of receiving and generating a reference time signal by each synchronization module, the reference time signal being independent of the optronic systems and emanating from an item of equipment different from the optronic systems, and synchronizing the internal clock of each optronic system with the reference time signal by the synchronization module.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit in a PON and a method for using the same. The amplifier circuit may be used, for example in an ONU of the PON. In order to deal with varying customer requirements and the possibility of the ONUs or similar devices being installed at varying distances from the CO, a dynamically adjustable amplifier bias voltage is determined and applied to at least one amplifier in the amplifier circuit. The dynamic bias voltage is preferably a function of the input power to the ONU or the circuit output quality, or both. More than one dynamic bias voltage may be determined and applied in this fashion.

Abstract: To enable optical line terminal to detect input disconnection of optical burst signal accurately in spite of changes of transmission rate of optical-burst signal received from optical network unit, OLT (optical line terminal) includes photo-detector for converting the optical-burst signal received to current signal; preamplifier for converting the current signal to voltage signal; input disconnection detecting circuit for comparing output amplitude of preamplifier with threshold, and for outputting input disconnection signal indicating disconnection of input of the optical-burst signal; and control circuit for controlling conversion gain of preamplifier in a manner that the conversion gain becomes conversion gain corresponding to the transmission rate of the optical-burst signal received, and for controlling input disconnection detecting circuit in a manner that it outputs the input disconnection signal in response to the threshold corresponding to the transmission rate of the optical-burst signal received.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a container which contains plural sheets, an image forming unit which forms an image on each of the sheets supplied from the container, a detecting unit which detects an image density of the image formed on the sheets by the image forming unit, a blowing unit which blows air to the sheet contained in the container, and a blowing control unit which controls the blowing unit based on the image density detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: A malfunction inferring apparatus includes an obtaining unit and an inferring unit. The obtaining unit obtains, from a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which are used alternatively with each other by plural users, a first usage status of the first image forming apparatus and a second usage status of the second image forming apparatus. If a first change occurs in the first usage status and if a second change corresponding to the first change occurs in the second usage status, the inferring unit infers that a malfunction has occurred in any one of the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus, in accordance with the first usage status and the second usage status obtained by the obtaining unit.

Abstract: A toner-state predicting device includes a changing unit that changes a rotation speed of a stepping motor that drives a toner recovery mechanism in an image forming apparatus; a detecting unit that detects presence of synchronization loss of the stepping motor at the changed rotation speed; and a predicting unit that predicts toner clogging which will occur in future in the toner recovery mechanism, based on the rotation speed changed by the changing unit and the presence of the synchronization loss detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrier, including: a patch former that forms a solid and a non-solid patch on the image carrier under different image formation conditions; a measurer that measures amounts of toner adhering to the solid and the non-solid patch; a determiner that determines image density properties indicating a relationship between an image formation condition and an amount of adhering toner, based on both (i) a relationship between an image formation condition applied to the solid patch and the amount of toner adhering to the solid patch, and (ii) a relationship between an image formation condition applied to the non-solid patch and the amount of toner adhering to the non-solid patch; and a setter that sets an appropriate image formation condition for forming a toner image having a desired density on the image carrier according to the image density properties.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, includes a developer container configured to store developer, an image bearing member configured to be rotated and on which a latent image is formed, a developer bearing member configured to bear developer and to be rotated to develop the latent image, an agitation member configured to be rotated to agitate the developer stored in the developer container, and a control unit configured to control the rotations of the image bearing member, the developer bearing member, and the agitation member so as to rotate the agitation member while the image bearing member is not rotated.