Abstract: A color space converter converts data points from one color space to another color space using a lookup table. Color space converters may be used in any device that involves image processing, such as displays and printers. An interface receives an input value in a first color space. A controller access a lookup table stored in memory to determine an upper bound and a lower bound of a subset of the color space. An output value is interpolated between the upper bound and the lower bound using interpolation values. The interpolation values of the last subset in any dimension of the color space are modified by a scale factor to approximate ideal values.

Abstract: Methods for determining toner color images are provided in which fluorescent toner is used create light in a fused toner mass that reduces the appearance of noise in a noise evident portion of the fused toner mass.

Abstract: Engine response curves (RCs) can be used for streak compensation for printed documents. A feedback control paradigm can be included to effect RC compensation. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) can be used to represent each RC in the collection of spatial RC data as a linear combination of basis vectors. RCs are approximated by selecting the first few basis vectors, the approximation aiding in noise rejection and reducing computation in the controller by reducing dimensionality of the RC data from gray levels to the number of SVD bases selected. An optimal subset of RCs is selectable from the set of approximated RCs by clustering the SVD weights, the clustered SVD weights producing TRCs that span all engine response RCs generated by a printer. Compensation RCs are constructible using reduced number of bases and clustered SVD weights.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a measuring device, which measures multi-colors in a multi-color toner image formed on a recording sheet that is output from the image forming apparatus. Based on the measured multi-colors, the image forming apparatus estimates an output value of each one of primary color toner images that constitute the multi-color toner image, and corrects an image forming condition of each one of the primary color toner images based on comparison between the estimated output value of the primary color toner image and a target value of the primary color toner image.

Abstract: A printing device includes a receiving part receiving print job data, an analysis part, a memory part, an image forming part that executes a print process of image information using first and second consumable products and that includes a remaining amount detecting part, and a print control unit that controls the print process. When the remaining amount of the first consumable product is detected to be lower than a predetermined amount, the print process using the first consumable product is temporarily suspended, the memory part stores the image information and the print information of the print job data that are sequentially received by the receiving part. When the print information for another print process not using the first consumable product is stored in the memory part, the print control unit deletes information relating to the print job data of the suspended print process.

Abstract: A method of evaluating electrophotographic overcoatability of a composition is provided. The method includes measuring a color (C1) of a toner image fixed on a sheet, dropping the composition on the toner image, and removing the composition from the toner image. The method further includes measuring a color (C2) of the toner image from which the composition has been removed, and calculating a color difference between the color (C1) of the toner image and the color (C2) of the toner image on which the composition is dropped and from which the composition is removed thereafter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses the difference in time taken for each patch to reach a color sensor, which occurs upon reversing the conveyance direction of a printing material. Due to this difference in time, the temperature of the printing material in detection by the color sensor differs among the respective patches. The error of a colorimetric value due to thermochromism is reduced by placing a patch with a colorimetric value which has a low temperature dependence so as to be detected earlier, and a patch with a colorimetric value which has a high temperature dependence so as to be detected later.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a color toner image forming portion for forming a toner image with a color toner on a recording material; a clear toner image forming portion for forming a toner image with a clear toner on the recording material, wherein the clear toner has a melt viscosity, at a fixing temperature, higher than that of the color toner; a fixing device for fixing the toner image formed on the recording material; an obtaining portion for obtaining information on an area in which designated glossiness is partly increased, partly decreased, or partly increased and decreased; and a control device for determining the order of formation of the toner image with the color toner and the toner image with the clear toner on the recording material depending on the information obtained by the obtaining portion.

Abstract: Methods for determining toner color images are provided in which fluorescent toner is used create light in a fused toner mass that reduces the appearance of noise in a noise evident portion of the fused toner mass.

Abstract: The colorimetry apparatus includes a light source for emitting light to a surface of a detected object, a diffraction grating for spectrally separating, for each wavelength, the light emitted from the light source and reflected by the detected object, and a line sensor including multiple pixels, for receiving the light, which is spectrally separated by the diffraction grating, for the each wavelength by the multiple pixels. The light source and the line sensor are arranged on the common substrate.

Abstract: The present image forming apparatus forms a reference developing material image on an image carrier using an exposure unit and a developing unit before executing auto tone correction processing, and detects the density of the reference developing material image formed on the image carrier. If the detection result indicates that the toner charge amount of the developing material contained in the developing unit is within a predetermined range, auto tone correction processing is executed, whereas if the detection result of the density detecting unit indicates that the toner charge amount of the developing material contained in the developing unit is outside the predetermined range, adjustment processing for adjusting the toner charge amount of the developing material contained in the developing unit to be within the predetermined range is executed before execution of auto tone correction processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an illuminating device including a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a line, the illuminating device illuminates an irradiation target by irradiating the irradiation target with light that is emitted from the light-emitting elements via a first and a second optical paths. In the illuminating device, a light diffusing portion for diffusing light is provided in one of the first optical path and the second optical path, and an irradiation light amount of said one of the first optical path and the second optical path in which the light diffusing portion is provided is larger than an irradiation light amount of the other optical path.

Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a white LED including an LED and a fluorescent material and configured to illuminate a document reading position with light, a reading unit having a color line sensor and a monochrome line sensor and configured to read an image of a document illuminated with the light emitted from the white LED, and a filter arranged on an optical path between the monochrome line sensor and the document, and wherein the filter is configured to suppress transmission of light at a peak wavelength of the LED so that, regarding an intensity of light to be received on the monochrome line sensor, the intensity of the light at the peak wavelength of the LED is smaller than the intensity of the light at the peak wavelength of the fluorescent material when the light emitted from the LED is received.

Abstract: A method for color printing includes the steps of determining a voltage level of electrical power supplied to an electrophotographic printing device having multiple colors of toner, the voltage level defining a fusing capacity, and selecting a color table, stored in memory, defining a maximum toner application level for each color of toner, based upon the fusing capacity.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body storage part, a determination part, and an initial adjustment part. The first image forming unit includes a first storage part storing first information indicative of whether or not an initial adjustment of the first image forming unit has been completed. The determination part determines whether or not the first information stored in the first storage part and the second information stored in the main body storage part satisfy respective prescribed conditions. The initial adjustment part causes the first and second image forming units to perform the initial adjustment when the first information indicates that the initial adjustment of the first image forming unit has not been completed and the second information indicates that the second image forming unit corresponds to an unused state.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus, while an image forming mode is executed, during a period from start of the image forming mode until a toner image to be transferred onto a recording material is primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer member from one of the plurality of image bearing members, which is positioned on the uppermost stream in a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member, a toner patch (T) is formed on at least one image bearing member and the toner patch (T) is provided to a primary transfer portion. Thus, without using waste toner as a lubricant, fluctuations in circumferential surface speed, which are generated in the intermediate transfer member during the image forming operation, may be reduced.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that forms an electrostatic latent image for detection on a photosensitive member by light irradiation and performs color-misregistration correction control on the basis of detection of a change in detection current due to the detecting electrostatic latent image passing through a processing unit disposed close to the periphery of the photosensitive member, the intensity of at least one of the apply voltage of the processing unit and the output of the light irradiation unit is set higher than that during normal image formation.

Abstract: Temperature of a printing medium 110 is sufficiently decreased by stopping the printing medium 110 in a discharge path, conveying the printing medium at a low speed, switching a conveyance path, or the like. If the temperature of the printing medium 110 can be sufficiently decreased, the thermochromism phenomenon is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of achieving highly accurate color matching and color stability.

Abstract: In printing processes, even when a process calibration under predefined printing conditions is used, it is possible for deviations in the gray balance to occur. Attempts have been made to correct the deviations, for example by changing the layer thickness of the printing inks in the printing process, but that can lead to color deviations in other regions. A gray balance correction method with which wastage that regularly occurs can be reduced and an occurrence of undesired color fluctuations can be avoided, is achieved by using differences between black and chromatic gray areas in gray balance areas to replace the measured values from a first process calibration with corrected measured values and carrying out a new process calibration.

Abstract: An electrostatic transfer control method that avoids undesired retransfer effects. A printing device develops and transfers several control patches. The patches are transferred at different electrostatic set points and a control strategy is utilized involving one or more density sensors to measure the transferred toner patches whereby the obtained density information can be used to compute the optimal value of electrostatic transfer bias. Print operators can adjust the bias value based on preferences for predetermined standards.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a color registration method thereof. The color registration method includes checking a change in a status of an image forming apparatus, selecting color registration patterns having a different length according to the status change, and performing color registration by printing the color registration patterns having the different length onto a transfer belt.

Abstract: A method for color measurement of printing materials produced in printing machines includes a first color measurement instrument in the printing machine measuring the color of printing materials, a second color measurement instrument outside the printing machine measuring the color of printing materials produced in the printing machine and a computer communicating with the instruments, storing nominal color values and regulating color in inking units of printing units with the first instrument based on deviations from the stored nominal color values, determined on the printing materials in the printing machine. Printing materials produced by the printing machine are recorded by the second instrument. The second instrument records deviations from an original based on the color measured values determined on printing materials.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a density detector that detects image density, and a memory that stores information relating image density to dot size. When a dot size is specified, the image forming device automatically obtains the corresponding image density from the information in the memory, prints a test pattern, compares its density with the density corresponding to the specified dot size, and adjusts an image forming parameter until the density corresponding to the specified dot size is obtained. Dot size can be accurately adjusted in this way without the need for elaborate measuring equipment. In particular, the size of dots used to embed invisible information in images can be accurately controlled.

Abstract: A method of processing a plurality of source documents into scanned images of the source documents includes evaluating the plurality of source documents to thereby assign one or more source document quality metrics indicative of source document image quality. The plurality of source documents are comprised by a project and the source documents of the project are from a common source document type. The source document types include, for example, book pages, paper documents, microfilm documents, machine-printed documents, handwritten documents, print media documents, public records, microfiche documents, and/or the like. The method also includes scanning each of the plurality of source documents to thereby create one or more electronic image files comprising the scanned images and coupling the source document quality metrics to the electronic image files such that the source document quality metrics are thereafter accessible for post-production activities.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a profile storage section that stores distortion characteristic of a scanning line, a correcting section that corrects image data by lines in the sub scanning direction, and a registration sensor that detects a pattern image for detecting color misregistration amounts in a sub scanning direction of images formed on an intermediate transfer member. When the pattern image is formed, the distortion correcting section shifts image data of the pattern image by lines in the sub scanning direction so that, with reference to a detection position of the registration sensor, a positional displacement amount of the pattern image in the sub scanning direction becomes less than or equal to ½ of a scanning-line distance, in accordance with a positional displacement amount of the scanning line in the sub scanning direction at a detection position of the registration sensor along a main scanning direction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first acquisition unit for acquiring a target value and a first surface characteristic value that is a surface characteristic of a first chart, a second acquisition unit for acquiring a second surface characteristic value that is a surface characteristic of a second chart, and a calibration unit for calibrating, when a difference between the first and second surface characteristic values is smaller than a threshold value, a mixed color using the target value and a measured value of the second chart.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming section which transfers a toner image according to image data onto a recording sheet, a first fixing section which fixes the toner image with heat of the first fixing roller, a clear layer forming section which forms a clear layer on the toner image which the first fixing section has fixed, a second fixing section which fixes the clear layer with heat of the second fixing roller and a control section which controls the clear layer forming section to increase the thickness of the clear layer in a recording sheet area corresponding to a fixed area during the second revolution of the first fixing roller on the recording sheet, compared with a recording sheet area corresponding to a fixed area during the first revolution thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a printing section loaded with a first toner group, and a second toner group having a higher chroma value than the first toner group; and a control section which is configured to: convert color information of each part of an image based on image data specified by a print job into values in a prescribed color space; make a first judgment of a toner group proper to the image by comparing the values in the prescribed color space with color reproducible range of previously registered each toner group; make a second judgment of the toner group proper to a recording sheet and/or a printing condition which being specified by the print job, by referring to previously stored correlation information; and determine the toner group to be used for printing the image, based on results of the first and second judgments.

Abstract: Methods and systems herein provide for color conversion. Such color conversion may be performed via a color conversion system that includes a converter operable to receive image data and convert color values of the image data to a color space for printing. The system also includes a color identification module operable to identify color regions in the image data for color component limitation and approximate color values in the color regions. The color identification module incorporates color limitations during these approximations computes numerical models based on the approximations that are used by the converter to convert the image data to the color space.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and image forming method capable of achieving both high-speed printing of less-than-full-color images and high quality printing of multicolor images. The apparatus includes a color shift pattern output unit, a correction amount acquisition unit, and a correction unit to correct at least one or more positions of an image in a sub-scanning direction on a recording medium when a first transfer member transfers an unfixed image and a second transfer member transfers an unfixed image.

Abstract: Methods and systems herein provide for color conversion of image data to another color space, such as that of a printer. Such color conversion includes linearly processing the color conversions when using radial basis functions for the conversions. One color conversion system herein includes a modeling module operable to generate a numerical model according to a radial basis function for converting the color values in the image data to the color space. The numerical model includes error approximations operable to form the radial basis function into a linear process. The system also includes a color converter operable to convert the color values in the image data to the color space based on the numerical model.

Abstract: Provided are an image forming apparatus and a method for print control which can carry out printing using appropriate toners without selecting an apparatus to be used from apparatuses loaded with different toner groups depending on a print object. In an image forming apparatus provided with an image forming section including photoreceptor drums, writing units to form electrostatic latent images on the photoreceptor drums, and development devices to carry out development by feeding toners to the latent image, there are loaded, as the toners, a first toner group (for example, normal toners) containing three colors of CMY; a second toner group (for example, Vivid toners) containing three colors of CMY with a wider color reproduction area than the first toner group; and a K (black) toner.

Abstract: A register control mark for the detection of positional deviations between at least two color separations printed over one another on a printing material in multicolor printing. The control mark has a pattern with parallel lines of a first color separation and, printed in parallel over the pattern, at least two parallel lines of a second color separation.

Abstract: This invention provides a color print control method of acquiring an optimum profile by a simple profile acquisition process in consideration of the clustering configuration. According to the color print control method of this invention, a printer manager (15) manages a combination of color printers as a virtual printer. A color setting manager (17) manages a color profile used for color matching in association with the virtual printer and output paper. A job controller (11) controls to accept a print job, whose destination is the managed virtual printer and which contains color matching settings, cause a rendering unit (18) to render the print job, acquire a profile for each virtual printer, and cause a color management processor (16) to perform color matching.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which includes a color detection unit that emits a light to a color material and a reference plate on a printing material and detects the reflected light and corrects an amount of the color material upon image forming based on a detection result, comprises: a storage unit that stores, in advance, the detection result of each of the color material and the reference plate detected; and a blot detection unit that estimates the detection result for the reference plate based on a relationship between a stored reference value of each of the color material and the reference plate and the detection result of the color material, and if a difference between the estimated detection result and the detection result of the reference plate is larger than a predetermined value, detects presence of a blot.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising image forming units, an image bearing member for bearing images, a table indicative of a correspondence relationship between temperature and an amount of a color misregistration. A pattern detection unit detects color registration patterns on the image bearing member. A calculation unit calculates the amount of the color misregistration based on the detection result of the patterns. A color registration adjustment unit has a first mode in which color registration adjustment is performed based on the amount of the color misregistration, and a second mode in which the amount of the color misregistration is predicted based on temperature using the table and the color registration adjustment is performed based on the predicted amount. An updating unit makes the image forming units form the color registration patterns when the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, and updates the table based on the amount of the color misregistration.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming information processor to process image forming information and an image forming unit to form an image on a recording medium by forming a toner image using colored-toner and a toner image using glossy toner based on the image forming information processed by the image forming information processor. The image forming unit forms a glossy image on the recording medium based on glossy toner image forming information, in which the glossy image is formable on the recording medium using the colored-toner toner image alone, or a glossy image is formed on the recording medium by forming a colored-toner toner image using colored-toner based on the colored-toner image forming information, and then forming the glossy toner image on the colored-toner toner image as a top layer of the glossy image based on the glossy toner image forming information.

Abstract: An image scanning method of an image scanning device, the method including: feeding multiply fed documents in a first path and scanning, by a scanning unit of the image scanning device, a first document of the multiply fed documents; outputting the first document through an exit unit; reversely driving the exit unit after the first document is output to reversely feed a second document of the multiply fed documents in a second path, and scanning the second document; and forming images of the first document and the second document, wherein the second path is used to reversely feed the second document to an upstream side of the scanning unit, in view of a feeding direction of the multiply fed documents.

Abstract: An image stabilization control system directed to an electrophotographic process is provided. The image stabilization control system includes a color measuring unit for measuring the color of a toner image after being fixed on a medium. The color measuring unit has an SCE color measuring function of measuring a component excluding specular reflection out of reflected light produced by light emitted from a light source being reflected at the toner image and an SCI color measuring function of measuring the reflected light including the specular reflection. A control value for a fixing step in the electrophotographic process is adjusted based on a first component attributed to a glossiness difference in chrominance, and a control value for a step other than the fixing step in the electrophotographic process is adjusted based on a second component attributed to another factor in the chrominance.

Abstract: An image-processing device includes a selection unit that selects either a first operation mode or a second operation mode for representing a primary color by a combination of a first developer having a relatively light color of substantially the same hue as the primary color and a second developer having a relatively dark color of substantially the same hue as the primary color, wherein in the second operation mode, a larger amount of the first developer and a smaller amount of the second developer are used to represent a given intensity of the primary color than in the first operation mode; and a first conversion unit that converts a primary color signal representing the primary color into a first developer color signal representing an amount of the first developer and a second developer color signal representing an amount of the second developer.

Abstract: A pattern detection sensor includes a light emitting element for specular reflection, light emitting element for diffuse reflection light, and light receiving element. When turning on the light emitting element for specular reflection to emit light, a light source switching unit keeps off the light emitting element for diffuse reflection light. When turning on the light emitting element for diffuse reflection light to emit light, the light source switching unit keeps off the light emitting element for specular reflection. An offset detection unit detects a difference between a detection timing by specular reflection light and another detection timing by diffuse reflection light as an offset value (mutual detection error).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms a stamp image with a stamp image developer having a color developing temperature at a color erasing temperature of an image forming developer, and forms a mask image with a mask image developer having a color re-developing temperature at a temperature not lower than a color re-developing temperature of the image forming developer. Accordingly, when a confidential document is color-erased, the stamp image develops color, and when the color-erased confidential document again develops color, it can not be read.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first toner image bearing member (drum); a second drum; an intermediary transfer member (belt); a secondary transfer member; a toner charging member; and a controller for controlling an operation in a single-color image forming mode and an operation in a multi-color image forming mode. The controller effects, in a post-processing operation after the operation in the single-color image forming mode in which the toner image is formed on the first drum is ended, control such that a separation state between the drum and belt is switched to a contact state between the drum and belt and then the toner deposited on the toner charging member is collected onto the second drum via the belt and then is collected by a cleaning device provided for the second drum.

Abstract: A printing control apparatus determines whether a limit to prohibit printing using a spot color printing material is imposed on, out of a plurality of objects included in document data, an object set to be printed using the spot color printing material. Upon determining that the limit to prohibit the printing using the spot color printing material is imposed on the object set to be printed using the spot color printing material, control is performed to prohibit issuance of a rendering command to print the object using the spot color printing material.

Abstract: A control apparatus configured to control an image forming system, in forming a transparent image so as to cover color images fixed on a sheet, applies a transparent toner on an area on which an image can be formed and which is other than an area that a user desires to increase the glossiness thereof.

Abstract: A method and system modify a rasterized digital image to reduce registration artifacts, the image having a black plane and a color plane by determining if a pixel is part of a connected black region and if the pixel is part of a connected color region. It is determined if the pixel is part of a connected black region and a connected color region that are contiguous. A dilation operation is performed on the color plane value of the pixel if the pixel is part of a connected black region and a connected color region that are contiguous.

Abstract: In a color misalignment detection method, an alignment pattern is obtained by designating a plurality of lines having line width and line intervals formed by superposing a line image of a black color as a reference color and a line image of a color other than the reference color, for example, a cyan line image, as one patch, and continuously forming these patches by shifting the relative position between the line images of the two colors by an optional quantity. An alignment pattern detection sensor has a light emitting diode and a photodiode. These elements are arranged along the scanning direction of the alignment pattern such that the photodiode can only receive diffused reflected light of reflected light from the alignment pattern. A spot shape of the light emitting diode and a spot shape of the photodiode are both formed in a square shape.

Abstract: A method of evaluating electrophotographic overcoatability of a composition is provided. The method includes measuring a color (C1) of a toner image fixed on a sheet, dropping the composition on the toner image, and removing the composition from the toner image. The method further includes measuring a color (C2) of the toner image from which the composition has been removed, and calculating a color difference between the color (C1) of the toner image and the color (C2) of the toner image on which the composition is dropped and from which the composition is removed thereafter.

Abstract: An image forming device has a full-color image formation mode to form a color image using color photoconductor drums and a monochrome image formation mode to form a monochrome image using a photoconductor drum. In the image forming device, a driving unit drives rotation of an intermediate transfer belt or a transfer transport belt. A control unit changes rotational speeds of the color photoconductors in a transition from the full-color image formation mode to the monochrome image formation mode to make a torque to the driving unit in the full-color image formation mode equal to a torque to the driving unit in the monochrome image formation mode. A separator unit separates the color photoconductors from the intermediate transfer belt or the transfer transport belt after the rotational speeds of the color photoconductors are changed by the control unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a measuring device, which measures multi-colors in a multi-color toner image formed on a recording sheet that is output from the image forming apparatus. Based on the measured multi-colors, the image forming apparatus estimates an output value of each one of primary color toner images that constitute the multi-color toner image, and corrects an image forming condition of each one of the primary color toner images based on comparison between the estimated output value of the primary color toner image and a target value of the primary color toner image.