Abstract: Disclosed is an array of light emitting semiconductor components for use in a digital printer. Each component includes a driver and at least one light emitting device. The array includes data buses connecting to first subsets of components, forming a first partition of said component. The array further includes auxiliary buses connecting to second subsets of components, forming a second partition of the components. The first partition and the second partition are chosen such that each component can be uniquely identified by the subset of the first and second partition to which it belongs. The data buses are configured to supply instructions to the first subsets of components. Each component is configured to extract instructions on the basis of its membership of a particular subset according to the second partition.

Abstract: A light scanning unit and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus are provided. The light scanning unit includes a light source emitting the light beams according to an image signal, an incident optical system including a flux-limiting element limiting the flux of light beams emitted by the light source, an optical deflector deflecting the light beams emitted by the light source in a main scanning direction, and an image forming optical system including a scanning optical element imaging the light beams deflected by the optical deflector on a scanning target surface, the light scanning unit forming an electrostatic latent image by scanning the light beams to the scanning target surface of the image bearing member. The scanning optical element of the scanning optical elements of the image forming optical system is eccentrically arranged from a central optical axis of the image forming optical system in a sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: An exposure device includes a substrate, an optical member, and a housing. The substrate extends in one direction, and is mounted with light emitting elements. The optical member extends in the one direction, and images light from the light emitting elements on a target object. The housing includes a body portion and a pair of holding portions. The body portion extends in the one direction, and is attached with the substrate. The holding portions are formed integrally with the body portion, hold therebetween the optical member in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the one direction, and are formed with separating regions that separate in the perpendicular direction from opposite end portions in the one direction of the optical member.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes: a board that is mounted with a light-emitting element; an optical member that images light from the light-emitting element; and a housing that includes: a main body portion; a first protruding portion that protrudes from the main body portion to fix the board and is formed with a liquid crystal polymer flown into from the main body portion when the housing is molded; and a second protruding portion that protrudes from the main body portion to fix the optical member to a different direction from a protruding direction of the first protruding portion and is formed with the liquid crystal polymer flown into from the main body portion when the housing is molded.

Abstract: A scanning system for use in an imaging apparatus includes a mirror assembly having a rotating mirror with a plurality of facets, a motor operatively coupled to the rotating mirror and closed loop control circuitry coupled to the motor. The minor assembly generates a lock signal indicative of whether or not the motor is substantially at a target speed. A controller is communicatively coupled to the minor assembly for controlling rotation of the rotating mirror, the controller generating a reference signal received by the motor assembly indicating the target speed for the rotating minor. The reference signal is varied based at least in part upon an acceleration profile that accelerates the motor so that overshoot of the target speed is substantially reduced.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus, a system and a method of optical scanning independently determine illumination spot size and spacing. The apparatus includes an array of optical emitters to provide a plurality of optical beams and a plurality of microlenses to receive the optical beams. The microlenses form an intermediate image of the array at substantially unity array magnification. The apparatus further includes an adjustable collimator to receive the plurality of optical beams from the intermediate image, a beam scanner to scan the optical beams in an in-scan direction, and a scan lens to focus the scanned optical beams. An arrangement of illumination spots forms an image of the array.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for decoupling the mechanical drive systems of image scanners from the exposure system. A light source, such as an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), may be modulated in order to maintain a constant exposure for each scan-line, regardless of the document velocity. Accordingly, the present systems and methods allow for continuous document scanning at varying speeds. An automatic document feeder may dynamically adjust the velocity of a document without negatively impacting the exposure of the image scan. As the velocity of the document is changed, the modulation rate of the light source may be adjusted to maintain a constant exposure.

Abstract: A light emitting apparatus includes a light emitting element, a driving circuit which has a driving transistor having a gate, a drain, and a source, and a capacitor having one end connected to the gate, a power line, and first and second voltage lines, and, in a period in which the gate and the drain are short-circuited and the drain and the light emitting element are blocked, the source is connected to the first voltage line and the other end of the capacitor is connected to the second voltage line to hold a voltage in the capacitor, and, in a period in which the gate and the drain are disconnected and the drain and the light emitting element are connected, the source is connected to the power line, and the other end of the capacitor is connected to the source to supply a current to the light emitting element.

Abstract: A light-emitting substrate including: a first and second light-emitting devices each including terminals; and a substrate including a first hole and a second hole, the first hole and the second hole respectively having at least one receiving portion, wherein the receiving portion of the first hole receives the terminal of the first light-emitting device, and the receiving portion of the second hole receives the terminal of the second light-emitting device, a first line drawn through a center of the receiving portion of the first hole and a center of the first hole, and a second line drawn through a center of the receiving portion of the second hole and a center of the second hole are not aligned in line.

Abstract: An optical writing device forming an electrical latent image on a photoreceptor includes an optical writing unit configured to apply light to the photoreceptor, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the optical writing unit, a power supply status detector configured to detect a power supply status of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the optical writing unit, and output power supply information or power cutoff information, a power cutoff information retaining unit configured to retain the power cutoff information when the power cutoff information is output from the power supply status detector, and a power sensor configured to sense a power supply status of the power supplied by the power supply unit based on the power cutoff information retained by the power cutoff information retaining unit.

Abstract: The optical writing device includes: a light source including a plurality of light-emitting element assemblies; a line information storage for storing pixel information constituting an image; a light source driver for driving the light-emitting elements; an error information acquire for acquiring inclination error information and arrangement error information; a correction value generator for generating correction value information for correcting the inclination of the main scanning line; a correction value holder for holding the generated correction value information; and a driven pixel adjuster for adjusting positions in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the correction value generator generates the correction value information such that a position of the image to be shifted to correct the error of the arrangement of the light-emitting element assemblies is different from that to correct the inclination of the main scanning line.

Abstract: An optical writing control device includes: a light emission control unit which controls light emission of multiple light sources for respective different colors and exposes multiple image carriers; and a correction amount calculating unit which calculates a correction amount for each of the different colors on the basis of a difference between a central value of a distribution range of positional deviation amounts in a sub-scanning direction for the respective different colors and the positional deviation amount for a corresponding color. The light emission control unit delays light emitting timing of a light source, which is to be delayed, by delaying reading timing of pixel information stored in a storage medium, and delays timing at which the pixel information about colors other than a color, light emitting timing of a light source for which is to be advanced, starts to be obtained from an image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a driving unit configured to drive a light-emitting element for emitting a laser beam; a rotational polygon mirror scans a photosensitive member with the laser beam. The driving unit executes a first adjustment for causing the light-emitting element to emit light at a first light emission intensity to adjust a first driving current, and a second adjustment for causing the light-emitting element to emit light at a second light emission intensity to adjust a second driving current. During a time period after the polygon mirror has started rotating until a predetermined speed is reached, the driving unit performs the first adjustment and the second adjustment, after the polygon mirror has started rotating and before performing the first adjustment, performs the second adjustment.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit. The control unit is capable of executing a first mode for forming a toner image on the photosensitive member that rotates at a first speed and a second mode for forming a toner image on the photosensitive member that rotates at a second speed slower than the first speed, and the control unit causes the light illumination unit to perform the weak exposure in the first mode without thinning the scanning surface of the deflection scanning unit and perform the weak exposure in the second mode while thinning the scanning surface of the deflection scanning unit.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a rotating body having a rotating polygon mirror that deflects a light beam; a circuit board having a supporting member that supports the rotating member and a driving unit that drives the rotating body; a container containing the rotating body and the circuit board and having a positioning portion that positions a positioned portion of the rotating body, the positioned portion projecting from the circuit board; first and second fastening portions that fasten the circuit board to the container; and an adjusting portion that adjusts an angle of a rotating shaft of the rotating body with respect to the container. A virtual straight line connecting the first and second fastening portions passes through the rotating body when seen in an axial direction of the rotating shaft. The adjusting portion resides on a side of the virtual straight line opposite the rotating shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of correcting relative position in exposure position between laser beams that scan a photosensitive drum in a scanning direction of the laser beams. A semiconductor laser includes first and second light emitting elements for emitting first and second laser beams. These elements are arranged such that the laser beams expose positions on the photosensitive drum different in the sub scanning direction. A polygon mirror deflects the laser beams to scan the photosensitive drum. Relative position in the scanning direction between images to be formed on the photosensitive drum by exposure by the first and second laser beams is corrected based on correction data. An image data generation section generates drive signals associated with the respective light emitting elements. A semiconductor laser drive circuit causes the semiconductor laser to emit the first and second laser beams, based on the drive signals.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of correcting light amounts of light beams which expose a photosensitive member with simple construction. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, and a beam scanning device including a plurality of semiconductor lasers which emit light beams for exposing the photosensitive drum, and a memory which stores first correction data for correcting the light amount of each light beam in a manner associated with each of the plurality of semiconductor lasers. A CPU outputs second correction data for being commonly used in correcting the light amounts of the light beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor lasers to the beam scanning device. A laser driver IC provided in the beam scanning device controls the light amount of the light beam emitted from each semiconductor laser based on the first correction data and the second correction data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that can adjust an inclination deviation even after a laser scanner unit and a photosensitive drum are embedded. A CPU 601 selects at least two screen angles from among screen angles, and generates image signals corresponding to the respective selected at least two screen angles, based on these angles. The CPU 601 causes light emitting elements to emit light beams at different emission timings with reference to a timing on which a BD 803 detects the light beam, based on a generated image signal, thereby forming latent images of test images on a photosensitive drum. The latent images formed on the photosensitive drum are developed, and test images are formed on a recording medium.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source that emits first and second light beams, and an optical splitter to which the first and second light beams deflected by an optical deflector are incident. Principal rays of the first and second light beams incident to the optical splitter are nonparallel to each other in a plane orthogonal to a main-scanning direction. Transmitted light from the optical splitter out of the first light beam and reflected light from the optical splitter out of the second light beam are guided to corresponding scanning target surfaces, and transmitted light from the optical splitter out of the second light beam and reflected light from the optical splitter out of the first light beam reach none of the scanning target surfaces.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including plural photosensitive members on which developer images are formed by supplying developer to electrostatic latent images, respectively, an exposure device which illuminates light beams onto surfaces of the photosensitive members to form the electrostatic latent images, respectively. The developer images on the respective photosensitive numbers are transferred to a transferred medium which is moved in a moving direction while contacting the respective photosensitive members. The exposure device is configured such that a. beam diameter of light beam exposing a most-upstream photosensitive member in the moving direction on a surface of the most-upstream photosensitive member is larger than a beam diameter of light beam exposing a most-downstream photosensitive member in the moving direction on a surface of the most-downstream photosensitive member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for exposing light-sensitive materials, with an electronic picture memory (2) for storing a master image, with an exposure unit which comprises a light source (22), an electronically activatable light modulator (21) for representing a part picture (24) of the master image (2), and imaging optics (23) for the projection of the part picture (24) onto the light sensitive material (10), with a drive device consisting of motors (9) and of a motor control (12), for moving the exposure unit (8) parallel to the surface of the light-sensitive material (10), with a scroll means (7) for scrolling a picture strip (25, 26) of the master image through the light modulator (21), and with a control device (1) for synchronizing the drive device (9, 12) with the scroll means (7).

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for estimating exposure modulation in an image printing system is disclosed. The method includes determining a banding profile for an image printing system by a processor; determining an adjusted exposure modulation profile based on the banding profile using a least squares estimation by the processor; and printing an output based on the adjusted exposure profile.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a light emitting device. In the rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the width of the weak light exposure region on the photosensitive drum in which an exposing device emits weak light is larger than the width of a region corresponding to the width of a recording medium on which an image is formed, but smaller than the width of a region on the photosensitive drum charged by a charging roller.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus includes elements as follows. Light-amount storing section stores, in the main scanning line divided into a plurality of blocks, light amounts of a light beam irradiated on the blocks. Change-data storing section stores a plurality of change data items set in the vicinity of each of block boundaries of the plurality of blocks. The plurality of change data items are used to cope with each of a plurality of events that are likely to affect the image quality in the vicinity of the block boundary. Irradiation control section selects, out of the plurality of change data items, change data for coping with an event selected out of the plurality of events and instructs Pulse generating section to generate, in the vicinity of the block boundary, pulse signal from which analog signal indicating a change in a value represented by the selected change data is obtained.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source, a deflector, an incident optical system and one scanning lens. The scanning lens includes a first face and a second face. In a main scanning direction cross section of the scanning lens, when a scanning range is separated, with on axis as a reference, into an image height region of a first direction and an image height region of a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, the incident optical system is disposed on a side of the image height region of the first direction. Curvature of the first face in a sub scanning direction cross section decreases from on axis toward off axis in the main scanning direction, and curvature of the second face in the sub scanning direction cross section increases from off axis of the first direction toward the second direction in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source which emits a light beam, a deflector, an incident optical system and one scanning lens. The deflector reflects and then deflects/scans the light beam emitted from the light source. The scanning lens includes a first face facing the deflector and a second face on an opposite side to the first face, and performs imaging of the deflected/scanned light beam on a surface to be scanned. When a curvature radius of the first face in a main scanning direction cross section is R1, a curvature radius of the second face in a main scanning direction cross section is R2, a lens thickness in an optical axis direction at a center of the scanning lens in the main scanning direction is d, and a refractive index of the scanning lens is n, following Formula (1) and Formula (2) are satisfied: 0<R2<R1??(1) 0>R2?R1>?(n?1)d/n??(2).

Abstract: A light scanning device includes an optical unit. The optical unit includes a polygon mirror and a polygon motor. The polygon mirror includes n (n is an integer equal to or larger than 1) mirror surfaces and guides light in a main scanning direction of an image bearing member. The polygon motor includes m (m is an integer equal to or larger than 1 and is coprime with n) poles and rotates the polygon mirror.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes; an exposure unit configured to perform, based on the image data, first exposure for a photosensitive member and second exposure for the photosensitive member exposed by the first exposure; a determination unit configured to determine a type of the image to be formed based on image data; and a control unit configured to control the exposure unit such that a difference in an exposure amount between the first exposure and the second exposure performed based on the image data when the type of the image is a character is larger than the difference in the exposure amount between the first exposure and the second exposure performed based on the image data when the type of the image is a picture.

Abstract: A surface emitting laser array includes a light emitting unit having a lower reflection mirror, a resonator structure including an active layer, and an upper reflection mirror laminated on a substrate; an electrode for the light emitting unit; a wiring member that establishes electrical connection between the light emitting unit and the electrode; and the substrate on which more than one of the light emitting units, the electrodes, and the wiring members are arranged. The light emitting unit has anisotropic internal stress, and the distance between the center of a first light emitting unit and the center line of the corresponding wiring member is arranged to be different from the distance between the center of a second light emitting unit and the center line of the corresponding wiring member so that variations in the polarization directions of the light emitting units may be within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using the laser scan method or the LED method, which is capable of reducing a variation of spot diameter with a simple mechanism, and of forming a high-quality image by adjusting the density depending on the image resolution with a low cost. The image forming apparatus forms an image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed by irradiating a charged photoconductor with light emitted from a light source with developer. A detecting unit detects a distance between an attention pixel and an adjacent image that is adjacent to an image including the attention pixel across a white background. An adjustment unit adjusts a density of the attention pixel based on the distance measured with the detecting unit and a spot diameter of the light on a surface of the photoconductor.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a fixed frame, a slide frame, a head supporting frame, a cam structure, and an operation body. The fixed frame is arranged adjacent to a photosensitive body. The slide frame is supported in a slidable manner along a first axis line by the fixed frame. The head supporting frame is supported in a slidable manner along a second axis line, which intersects the first axis line, by the fixed frame, and supports an exposure head. The cam structure converts an operation in which the slide frame slides to an operation in which the head supporting frame slides. The operation body moves the exposure head between a separated position and a proximate position by sliding the slide frame.

Abstract: An optical writing unit includes in a housing a light source projecting a light beam, a deflector to deflect the light beam projected from the light source, a focusing lens, and a lens adjusting device. The focusing lens is long in a main scanning direction and focuses the light beam onto a scan target. The lens adjusting device rotates the focusing lens about a substantially center portion thereof as a rotation fulcrum on a plane perpendicular to an optical path of the light beam so as to adjust the position of the light beam illuminating the scan target. The focusing lens has an asymmetric cross-section relative to a center line of the focusing lens in a direction of the optical path in a sub-scanning plane perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and the center of gravity of the focusing lens is offset from the center line toward the rotation fulcrum.

Abstract: An optical writing device forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive element by a connected light source controlled by a light source control circuit that includes: a pixel data output unit; a pixel data correcting unit that corrects a skew between main scanning line of electrostatic latent image and photosensitive element and a local deviation of the electrostatic latent image on the main scanning line, and outputs pixel data; a pattern generating unit that outputs pixel data for forming a predetermined pattern in an electrostatic latent image; a first light source control unit for causing a first light source, that needs correction of the local deviation, to emit light; a second light source control unit for causing a second light source, that does not need correction of the local deviation, to emit light; and a switch that switches between a first transmission status and a second transmission status.

Abstract: When executing APC (Automatic Power Control), an optical scanning apparatus according to one aspect of this invention charges a hold capacitor for holding a voltage to be used to cause a light source (LD) to output a light beam to a preset predetermined voltage. After the hold capacitor has been charged to the predetermined voltage, the optical scanning apparatus supplies a driving current according to the voltage of the hold capacitor to the LD and causes the LD to output a light beam. In addition, the optical scanning apparatus charges or discharges the hold capacitor using the voltage generated in it as an initial value, thereby controlling the voltage of the hold capacitor such that the light power of the light beam detected by a PD approaches a target light power.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus, including: a light source configured to emit a light beam; a light deflector including: a rotary shaft; a bearing portion configured to support the rotary shaft; a rotor fixed to the rotary shaft; a stator fixed to the bearing portion; a drive circuit board configured to support the bearing portion and to drive the stator to rotate the rotor; and a mirror portion fixed to the rotor, the light deflector being configured to deflect the light beam emitted from the light source by the mirror portion; and a housing including: a bearing inserting portion into which the bearing portion is inserted; a fixing portion configured to fix the drive circuit board; and a recessed portion provided between the bearing inserting portion and the fixing portion.

Abstract: An image-forming position displaces from an ideal position occurring due to a portion of a support substrate bending in a direction approaching a photosensitive drum. This displacement is set as a first gap data. Spot size expansion caused by bending of the support substrate can be reduced by using light amount control data that has been corrected in response to this first gap data. Furthermore, by using light amount control data corrected in response to second gap data that indicates displacement to an ideal position from exposure areas occurring due to decentering of the photosensitive drum, spot size expansion caused by decentering of the photosensitive drum can be reduced.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus according to one aspect of this invention includes a light source that outputs a light beam having a light power based on a supplied driving current, a detection unit that detects the light power of the light beam, and a voltage holding unit that holds a charged voltage used to control the driving current. The optical scanning apparatus further includes a control unit that controls a charging unit so that the voltage holding unit is charged in a state where the driving current is not supplied to the light source, and controls the charging unit based on a detection result of the detection unit so that the voltage held in the voltage holding unit is controlled from the voltage of the voltage holding unit charged in the state where the driving current is not supplied to the light source.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source, a deflector for deflecting and scanning the beams of light, an imaging optical system, a housing, a synchronization sensor, a circuit board on which the light source and the synchronization sensor are mounted, and an adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism enables an adjustment of an interval between beams of light respectively emitted from the plurality of emission points on a surface to be scanned. The circuit board includes a first part on which the light source is mounted, a second part on which the synchronization sensor is mounted and an intermediate part between the first and second parts. The first part is arranged outside the housing, the second part is arranged inside the housing and the intermediate part passes through a wall surface of the housing. The adjustment mechanism fixes the light source using the housing with the interval adjusted.

Abstract: A light scanning includes an adjusting unit that displaces the optical member to adjust the optical axis of the laser beam. The adjusting unit includes a shaft portion, a shaft supporting portion, a turning portion, a driving portion, and a turning damping unit. The shaft portion is configured to bidirectionally move in a first direction and in a second direction while turning. The first direction is a direction where the shaft portion approaches the optical member. The second direction is a direction where the shaft portion moves away from the optical member. The shaft supporting portion supports the shaft portion, and moves the shaft portion in accordance with turning of the shaft portion. The turning portion turns the shaft portion. The driving portion turns the turning portion. The turning damping unit damps a turning force applied to the shaft portion by an external force.

Abstract: Provided is printing apparatus which includes: a light-emitting device array and a photoconductor, wherein the light-emitting device array includes the light-emitting devices of the number greater than the number of pixels of a single line of the print image, data of the single line of the print image are allocated to a portion of the light-emitting devices in the light-emitting device array, and in a period in which exposure of the photoconductor is halted, the light-emitting devices to which the data of the single line of the print image are allocated are shifted in position in the light-emitting device array.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit performing a first rotation control process of switching on and off current-supplying in accordance with a change in a first deviation between a first rotation speed of a brushless motor and a target speed regardless of a change in an integrated value of the first deviation; a second rotation control process of calculating an integrated value of a second deviation between a second rotation speed of the brushless motor and the target speed, and switching on and off the current-supplying in accordance with a change in the second deviation and a change in the integrated value of the second deviation; and a rotation control switching process of switching to the second rotation control process when it is determined that the first deviation has entered a prescribed range during the first rotation control process.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes a light source for projecting a light beam against a target, a deflector for deflecting the light beam, a coupling lens, an optical element, a light source support member, and a housing. The coupling lens directs the light beam to the deflector. The optical element focuses the light beam deflected by the deflector into a desired shape. The light source support member supports the light source. The housing houses the light source supported by the light source support member, the deflector, and the optical elements. The housing includes at least two coupling lens mounts on which the coupling lens is fixed on an optical path between the light source and the target, and accommodates multiple light source support members. The coupling lens is fixed to the coupling lens mount using an adhesive agent after an optical axis of the light beam is aligned.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms a first patch with a light amount obtained by reducing a target light amount of a light amount control unit by a predetermined percentage, and forms a second patch with a light amount obtained by a shading control unit reducing the target light amount by the predetermined percentage. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus determines a correction coefficient that is used for modification data for each scanning position in common so that there is no error between a detected value of the first patch and a detected value of the second patch.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus A includes: a light irradiation device 3 which irradiates laser light; an image carrying body 1 which is exposed to the laser light to form a latent image on the exposed portion; and an abutting member 31 which is fastened to the light irradiation device in abutting contact with a stationary member F for defining a reference position. The abutting member 31 changes in volume due to temperature fluctuation, and the light irradiation device 3 moves with respect to the stationary member F, in an opposite direction to a focal point shift which has taken place along an irradiation direction of the laser light due to the temperature fluctuation.

Abstract: A light source control apparatus that do not always require calculations for the upper limit of driving current when characteristic of a light source varies. The light source control apparatus controls a light source that exhibits a characteristic including an uptrend region where the light amount increases with increasing driving current and a downtrend region where the light amount decreases with increasing driving current. A determination unit determines whether the light source is in the uptrend or downtrend region based on signals from a light variation detection unit and a current variation detection unit. A control unit matches the light amount (L) with target light amount (T), by increasing the driving current when L<T in the uptrend region or when L>T in the downtrend region, and by decreasing the driving current when L>T in the uptrend region and when L<T in the downtrend region.

Abstract: Line width of images marked by an image marking device is adjusted by reading a calibration patch marked by the marking device, and then adjusting one or more settings of the marking device, such as exposure intensity or cleaning field intensity, independent of the digital control of the tone reproduction curve so that the line width of subsequently marked images becomes closer to a target value. A digital control may be implemented to compensate for the impact of the modification of the one or more settings on the tone reproduction curve.

Abstract: A first stepped structure configured to apply a reflectance difference and a second stepped structure configured to change a far field light intensity distribution are provided. A region in which a level difference of the first stepped structure is formed has a predetermined relationship with a region in which a level difference of the second stepped structure is formed.

Abstract: An optical writing device forms an electrostatic latent image and includes a pixel-information acquiring unit that acquires pixel information and stores the acquired pixel information in a storage medium with respect to each main scanning line; a tilt correcting unit that generates a tilt correction signal specifying a main scanning line from which the pixel information to be input to a light source is read out from the storage medium in order to correct a tilt of the electrostatic latent image; a position correcting unit that generates a position correction signal specifying a timing to input the pixel information to the light source in order to correct a position of the electrostatic latent image; and a pixel-information-input control unit that controls input of the pixel information from the storage medium to the light source in response to the tilt correction signal and the position correction signal.

Abstract: The data conversion unit of an image forming apparatus converts input image data into dot image data in which pixel values having gradation information are arranged in a matrix. A storage unit stores optical face tangle error information of each reflecting surface of a rotary polyhedron. An assignment unit assigns a number to each of the plurality of reflecting surfaces, specifies by which of the plurality of reflecting surfaces light emitted for each line of the dot image data is to be reflected and assigns the number of the reflecting surface to each line of the dot image data. A determination unit determines a light emission mode corresponding to the dot image data based on the optical face tangle error information and the number of the reflecting surface. An exposure control unit causes the light source to emit light in accordance with the determined emission mode.

Abstract: Provided is an LED device which is capable of reducing the emission size without changing the size of an LED and is capable of switching the emission size arbitrarily. The LED device includes, on a substrate, a carrier control layer, a lower current confinement layer, an active layer, and an upper current confinement layer. A p-type electrode is provided on the upper current confinement layer. Two n-type electrodes are arranged on the carrier control layer so as to dispose the p-type electrode between the two n-type electrodes in an in-plane direction of the substrate.