Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image formation unit, a conveying unit and controller. The image formation unit includes a rotating photoreceptor, a latent image formation unit, a developing unit, a first transfer unit, and a second transfer unit. Regardless of forming or not forming on the photoreceptor a belt-shaped image which is not being transferred onto a recording medium, the controller controls the image forming unit such that formation of an image quality adjusting image that is not transferred to the recording medium starts from a predetermined position in a rotational direction of the photoreceptor, and such that the recorded image is formed further downstream in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor than an image quality adjusting image region.

Abstract: Streak compensation in a digital printer is provided utilizing a spatially varying Printer Model and Run Time updates to generate Spatially Varying Tone Reproduction Curves (STRCs) which are used as actuators to compensate for streaks during run time. A full width array sensor is used to measure streak profiles and the STRCs are used as actuators to compensate for streaks. Streak profile measurements taken at a limited number of area coverage levels combined with a Printer Streaks Basis Function Model are used to estimate and project the streak behavior at all area coverage levels and at all inboard-to-outboard spatial locations. The projection is then used in a pixel-wise error feedback control scheme to drive each profile to a desired shape, thereby compensating for streaks.

Abstract: In a method or system for generation of a toner image layer with a preset layer thickness on a surface of a photoconductor, the two-component mixture of electrically charged toner particles and carrier particles is directed on an auto-surface of a roller adjacent a surface of an applicator element to be inked. At least a portion of the toner particles is transferred onto the surface of the applicator element. An electrical field is generated that exerts at least one force on a portion of the electrically charged toner particles between the roller and the applicator element. A strength of the electrical field is varied to adjust a layer thickness of a layer of the toner particles transferred onto the surface of the applicator element and thus to adjust a thickness of the toner image layer on the photoconductor. A measurement arrangement detects a thickness of at least one region of the toner image layer inked on the surface of the photoconductor as a real value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to cause an image forming unit to form an adjustment image on an image bearing member, and a detection unit configured to detect the adjustment image, wherein the control unit controls gradation for forming an image by the image forming unit based on a detection result provided by the detection unit, and wherein, when causing the image forming unit to form a first adjustment image on the image bearing member at a photosensitive member and to subsequently form a second adjustment image that is different from the first adjustment image, the control unit causes the image forming unit to form the second adjustment image at a position different from a position for forming the first adjustment image in a longitudinal direction of the photosensitive member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus adjusts a gamma-LUT of a gamma correction circuit in accordance with density data on a measurement image formed on a photosensitive drum. A CPU selects a conversion table in association with the image formation condition such as laser power of a semiconductor laser, fixing temperature of a fixing device, or a charge in a developer. A luminance/density converting portion converts luminance data on the measurement image into density data using the conversion table selected by the CPU. The CPU adjusts a contrast potential and a gamma-LUT using this density data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of performing both of stabilization of image density on a short-term basis and that on a long-term basis in a compatible manner. A CPU predicts an amount of electrostatic charge of toner particles in a developer container, sets a potential forming condition for image creation, and forms a toner image to be fixed on a recording medium, on a photosensitive drum according to the set potential forming condition. The CPU forms a pattern image for controlling a toner replenishment amount, on the photosensitive drum, under a potential forming condition which is set independently of the potential forming condition for image creation, and controls the amount of toner to be supplied to the developer container such that density of the pattern image, detected by an optical sensor, becomes equal to a target density.

Abstract: In a reflective optical sensor in an image forming apparatus, an output from each N number of light-receiving elements (N?3), obtained when M number of light-emitting elements (M?3) included in a light-emitting unit emit detecting light, is separated into an amount of specularly reflected light and an amount of diffusely reflected light. The toner density of a pattern, which is formed on a supporting member in the image forming apparatus, is calculated based on a sum of the amounts of specularly reflected light and a sum of the amounts of diffusely reflected light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image forming portion; a supplying device for supplying a toner; a transfer device capable of transferring the toner image from the image forming portion onto a toner image receiving member; a first detecting portion for detecting a transfer current of the transfer device; a second detecting portion for detecting information on a toner amount of the transferred toner image; and a controller for controlling, during non-image formation, a supplying operation of the supplying device on the basis of a detection result of the first detecting portion when a toner image for measurement formed at the image forming portion is transferred by the transfer device at a transfer voltage lower than a discharge start voltage and on the basis of a detection result when the toner image for measurement transferred on the toner image receiving member is detected by the second detection portion.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an optical sensor including a light-receiving element that receives light reflected by a belt-like moving medium to produce an output corresponding to the amount of light received. This image-forming apparatus determines the density of a toner patch image formed by an image-forming unit by correcting an output produced when the optical sensor detects the toner patch image at a position on a roller disposed opposite the sensor on the basis of an output produced by the optical sensor in an area where no toner image is formed on the belt-like moving medium at the same position on the opposite roller as the position where the sensor detects the toner patch image.

Abstract: Patch background data at each position of a background where a toner patch is formed in the second rotation is estimated from background measurement data at a plurality of positions detected in the first rotation and patch neighborhood measurement data detected in the second rotation at a plurality of positions where no toner patch is formed. Since the apparatus can execute density measurement before the light emission amount of a density sensor stabilizes, the time required for density measurement can be shorter than before. Since the change ratio of the light emission amount and the variation of the reflected light amount from the background are reflected on the patch background data, the density measurement accuracy can be improved.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a control device recognizes expansion and contraction of a pattern image based on an output of an image detector. The control device calculates a driving motor velocity fluctuation cancellation pattern for driving a common drive source. The driving motor velocity fluctuation cancellation pattern creates a latent image expansion and contraction cancellation pattern capable of canceling the expansion and contraction of the pattern image detected by the image detecting device. A process of obtaining the cancellation patterns is executed except when a print job for forming the toner image is executed in accordance with image information. The control device controls the common drive source in accordance with the cancellation driving motor pattern.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a toner image forming device, an intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer device, a toner adherence detector, a secondary transfer device, and a controller. The toner image forming device forms a toner image and a toner pattern for detection of degradation of toner on the image bearing member. The primary transfer device transfers the toner pattern onto the intermediate transfer member with transfer conditions that deliberately reduce transfer efficiency compared with that for image formation. The toner adherence detector detects an amount of toner adhered to the toner pattern at multiple places. The controller calculates a degree of degradation of toner based on the difference in the amount of toner adhered to the toner pattern detected by the toner adherence detector and adjusts secondary transfer conditions for the secondary transfer device based on the obtained degradation of toner.

Abstract: An image information detecting apparatus comprises a light source comprising a light emitting surface, an image bearing member, a light receiving unit comprising a light receiving surface, an illumination optical system for causing the light emitting surface and the image bearing member to have a conjugate relationship and illuminating a pattern for detecting the overlap positional deviation with a beam; and a light receiving optical system for causing the image bearing member and the light receiving surface to have a conjugate relationship and guiding the beam for detecting the overlap positional deviation to the light receiving unit, wherein a straight line portion of a conjugate image of the light emitting surface on the image bearing member and a straight line portion of a conjugate image of the light receiving surface on the image bearing member are parallel with each other.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a toner image carrier that carries a toner image, a toner image detection sensor that detects a reference toner image on the toner image carrier, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature in the apparatus, and storage section for storing a correlation between each temperature and a drive value for the toner image detection sensor, in which calibration of the toner image detection sensor is performed by acquiring a corresponding drive value from the storage section based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and driving the toner image detection sensor at the acquired drive value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a transport unit, a transfer-performance-detection toner image forming unit, a density detection unit, and a selector. A toner image is held on the image holding member. The transfer unit transfers the toner image onto a recording medium. The fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the recording medium. The transport unit reverses the recording medium onto which the toner image has been fixed, and transports the reversed recording medium back to the transfer unit. The transfer-performance-detection toner image forming unit forms plural transfer-performance-detection toner images with different transfer settings of the transfer unit. The density detection unit detects densities of plural transfer-performance-detection toner images. The selector selects a transfer setting of the transfer unit in accordance with a detection result obtained by the density detection unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configures a normal transfer potential in a yellow primary transfer unit, and configures a transfer potential which does not cause any retransfer phenomenon of a yellow measurement image in image carriers located on the downstream side of the yellow primary transfer unit. When a color difference obtained from a reference density and a density of a measurement image on an intermediate transfer belt becomes equal to or larger than a prescribed value, the image forming apparatus determines that multinary-color density adjustment is required.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that accurately obtains the dynamic characteristic of the apparatus when a foreign substance is adhered to a driving roller for driving an endless belt, such as a facing roller. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus uses an optical sensor to detect information of a foreign substance on the facing roller. When it is determined that there is no foreign substance information, the image forming apparatus executes profile detection of an intermediate transfer belt using the nominal circumference of the facing roller. When the optical sensor detects foreign substance information, the image forming apparatus measures the circumference of the facing roller, and performs profile detection of the intermediate transfer belt using the measured circumference of the facing roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a control section which detects an offset of a recording sheet being conveyed, the offset being in a main scanning direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording sheet; performs an offset regulation control which adjusts a main scanning direction image area signal in accordance with the offset; and forms a patch at a non-transfer area on an image carrier, wherein the control section performs a first control based on the offset of the recording sheet for the offset regulation control while a sub scanning direction image area signal is active for image forming on the recording sheet, and performs a second control for the offset regulation control while the image area signal in the sub scanning direction is inactive.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a first detector including a first light emitting device, a first mixed-light receiving device and a first diffuse reflection light receiving device, a second detector including a second light emitting device and a second mixed-light receiving device, and a concentration correction unit. The first mixed-light receiving device detects a mixed light including regular and diffuse reflection light reflected from a transport member. The first diffuse reflection light receiving device detects the diffuse reflection light. The second mixed-light receiving device detects the mixed light. The concentration correction unit conducts concentration correction using detection results of the first and second detectors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of forming devices, a measuring device and a correcting device. In execution of a steady-deviation detection, the correcting device controls the forming devices to form a first pattern and detects a steady deviation amount of the image forming position on a basis of a measurement result of the first pattern. In execution of a varying-deviation detection, the correcting device controls at least one of the forming devices to form a second pattern and detects a varying deviation amount of the image forming position having a cycle on a basis of a measurement result of the second pattern. The correcting device determines necessity of executing the other one of the steady-deviation detection and the varying-deviation detection on the basis of the measurement result in the one of the steady-deviation detection and the varying-deviation detection.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer-sheet conveying member that rotates to convey a transfer sheet; a first image forming unit that directly transfers a color image onto the transfer sheet; an intermediate transfer member that rotates while an image is transferred thereon; a second image forming unit that transfers images onto the intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer unit that transfers the images on the intermediate transfer member onto the transfer sheet; a measuring unit that measures a surface velocity of the transfer-sheet conveying member and the intermediate transfer member; and a control unit that performs phase matching control by accelerating or decelerating the transfer-sheet conveying member or the intermediate transfer member so as to match a phase of fluctuation of the measured surface velocity of the transfer-sheet conveying member and a phase of fluctuation of the measured surface velocity of the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: There are provided an image forming apparatus, an image forming method for the image forming apparatus, and a program that can reduce misalignment among images in all colors. Rotation of at least one of a transfer-sheet conveying belt 8 and an intermediate transfer belt 6 is controlled so as to match the phases of fluctuation of the surface speed of the intermediate transfer belt 6 and fluctuation of the surface speed of the transfer-sheet conveying belt 8, whereby it is possible to keep the periodical speed fluctuations of both the intermediate transfer belt 6 and the transfer-sheet conveying belt 8 to the minimum and reduce misalignment among images in all colors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image carriers; an exposing unit that forms latent images on the image carriers; a developing unit that develops the latent images with toners of different colors from each other; a first transfer unit that forms a color image by superimposing and transferring the developed images onto a second image carrier; a test pattern forming unit that forms, on the image carriers, test patterns to be transferred onto the second image carrier; and test pattern detection units capable of detecting the test patterns transferred onto the second image carrier in different positions from each other in a main-scanning direction. The test pattern forming unit selectively switches, depending on a width of the test patterns in the main-scanning direction, whether to form each of the test patterns in a position detectable by the corresponding one of the test pattern detection units.

Abstract: A photosensor includes a light emitting element to emit light to a target object, a light receiving element to receive the light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected by the target object, and a circuit board on which the light emitting element and the light receiving element are mounted, including at least one protrusion thereon. The light emitting element and the light receiving element each have a terminal. The at least one protrusion is configured to support one of the light emitting element and the light receiving element in a contact manner in a state that the terminal is electrically connected to the circuit board.

Abstract: A method of automatically optimizing a printing apparatus based on media type of a substrate, comprising: (A) inputting a substrate into the printing apparatus; (B) determining the media type of the substrate; (C) automatically adjusting calibration settings according to at least one calibration setting preset, responsive to the determining; and, (D) performing image transfer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first reading device which reads a reference image formed on a sheet, a second reading device which reads a reference image formed on an image carrier, a control device which can execute a first control process for adjusting image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the first reading device, and a second control process for adjusting the image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the second reading device, wherein the control device executes the second control process before performing image formation based on the image data when the first control process has not been executed in a period from when mounting of the unit configuring the image forming device is detected to when image formation is performed.

Abstract: A toner image height measurement apparatus capable of accurately measuring heights of toner images of respective colors with a relatively simple construction and without being affected by toner colors. With motion of an image carrier, there occurs a change in reflection light amount detected by a photodiode of the height measurement apparatus in timing when laser light having been irradiated onto the image carrier starts to be irradiated onto or intercepted by a toner image and in timing when the laser light having been irradiated onto the toner image starts to be irradiated onto the image carrier. Based on a principle that these timings vary according to a toner image height, the height measurement apparatus detects the timing when the reflection light amount changes by a predetermined amount, thereby detecting the toner image height.

Abstract: A diagnostic method for color stability in an image printing system includes printing a test pattern onto output media; measuring, during the printing of the test pattern, an image of the test pattern on an image transfer surface using one or more image transfer surface sensors to obtain one or more image transfer surface signals; measuring a printed image of the test pattern on the output media using a printed image sensor to obtain a printed image signal; calculating correlation functions for the one or more image transfer surface signals and the printed image signal; and analyzing the correlation functions for the one or more image transfer surface signals and the printed image signal to identify a subsystem in the image printing system that causes variations in color within the plurality of prints of the test pattern.

Abstract: A circumferential length of a belt is measured within a short period of time. A plurality of marks is provided on a belt. Distances between the marks are set to be all different from each other. The distance between the marks is set to allow the mark to be identified by measuring a period of time between the detection of one mark and that of the next mark even if the length of the belt is changed to some degree by the expansion of the belt or the like. Then, a period of time between the identified mark and the next mark is accurately measured. The total circumferential length of the belt is measured based on the results of measurement.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: an extraction unit that analyzes an input print job and extracts a color used in a plurality of pages of the print job; a forming unit configured to form a patch image of the color extracted by the extraction unit; a determining unit configured to measure the patch image formed by the forming unit and to determine an amount of color fluctuation from a reference value for the extracted color; and a correction unit configured, when printing the input print job, to correct the extracted color by using the amount of color fluctuation determined by the determining unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer image carrier movably disposed; a developer image forming device configured to form a developer image; a detector configured to detect a density of the developer image formed on the developer image carrier; a controller configured to control an operation of forming of the developer image by the developer image forming device; an image forming unit configured to control the developer image forming device to form a density detection pattern including the same developer images at at least a first point and a second point with a predetermined distance therebetween; a density detector configured to obtain the density of the first point and the density of the second point of the density detection pattern via the detector; and a calculator configured to calculate a density difference between the first point and the second point based on the densities obtained by the density detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable belt member; a toner image forming unit which forms a toner image on the belt member; a first detection unit which detects the density of the toner image transferred to the belt member; a plurality of position marks which detects a position in the circumferential direction of the belt member; a second detection unit which detects the position marks; a calculation unit which calculates the position in the circumferential direction of the belt member based on a detection result of the second detection unit; and an adjustment unit which adjusts toner image forming conditions of the toner image forming unit based on the output of the first detection unit and the circumferential direction position calculated by the calculation unit; wherein the shape of each of the plurality of position marks is different at each circumferential direction position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a plurality of controlling operations. The image forming apparatus includes a detachable replaceable part having an information storing unit that stores predetermined information, an information reading unit that reads the predetermined information from the information storing unit, a determining unit that determines whether the replaceable part is a genuine part or not based on the predetermined information read by the information reading unit, a display unit capable of displaying the predetermined information, and a control unit that determines a controlling operation among the plurality of controlling operations based on a determination by the determining unit.

Abstract: An optical sensor unit includes: a light-emitting device; a light-receiving device that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting device and reflected from an object to be detected, and outputs an output value in accordance with the light; a shutter member that openably and closably covers an incident/exit plane having an exit part where light of the light-emitting device is emitted to the object to be detected and an incident part where light reflected from the object to be detected enters, and has a facing surface facing the incident/exit plane that is an inclined surface inclined to the incident/exit plane; and a corrector that corrects an output value of the light-receiving device when receiving light reflected from the object to be detected, based on an output value of the light-receiving device obtained by emitting light to the inclined surface of the shutter member.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a unit configured to judge a border between two patch images among a plurality of patch images formed on the recording material, based on change in the amount of the light beam of at least one noticed wavelength detected by a detection unit; a unit configured to calculate a color value of a patch image from the amount of the light beam of each wavelength detected by the detection unit; and a control unit configured to control an accumulation period of charge for the photoelectric conversion at the detection unit. The control unit is further configured to make the accumulation period of the detection unit shorter when judging the border between the two patch images than when calculating the color value of each of the two patch images.

Abstract: A method and apparatus saves on toner cost and improves productivity for running registration and color process controls in a printer by making dual use of patches for both functions. That is, the small patches normally used only for registration measurement are also used for xerographic process control measurements, thereby eliminating the need for large patches and obtaining registration information and color control information at the same time. The dual use of small patches to measures both registration and color process control is made possible by periodically establishing correlation between the density of large density patches and the smaller registration patches.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an exposure unit and a developing unit; a detection unit configured to detect a thickness and an area ratio of a toner layer of a pattern image formed by the image forming unit; a storage unit configured to store data indicating permissible ranges for the thickness and the area ratio of the toner layer; and a correction unit configured to change, when the thickness or the area ratio of the toner layer detected by the detection unit falls outside the corresponding permissible range indicated by the data stored in the storage unit, a spot diameter of the laser beam so that the thickness and the area ratio of the toner layer respectively fall within the permissible ranges.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier (1217) supplies toner in a decided toner supply amount. A developing device (1206) agitates the supplied toner and supplies the agitated toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum (1203), thereby developing a toner image on the photosensitive drum (1203). A correction amount calculation unit (1106) estimates the toner charge amount by calculating a function model that approximates the variation characteristic of the toner charge amount using the toner consumption necessary for printing a print target image, the toner supply amount necessary for printing the print target image, and the toner agitation time. At least one of an image processing condition and a process condition is controlled using the estimated toner charge amount.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of forming an image using a plurality of devices which make periodic movements by an electrophotographic method includes a control unit configured to control image formation using the devices, a gradation characteristic storage unit configured to store therein a gradation characteristic of each of the devices, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a phase in each of the devices corresponding to a position of a target pixel, a calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of density variation caused by each of the devices corresponding to the phase and an input value expressing the target pixel, and a correction unit configured to correct an input value expressing the image based on the density variation amount corresponding to each of the devices, wherein the calculation unit calculates the density variation amount based on the gradation characteristic.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a diffuse reflection output conversion method is executed in an apparatus detecting a plurality of gradation patterns. The apparatus includes a light emitter and light receiver, and detects specular reflection and diffuse reflection simultaneously. A region before specular reflection saturation is a region where the specular reflection component decreases and saturates at minimum level. A diffuse reflection detector is calibrated by: obtaining a diffuse reflection output resulting from an amount of attached powder at a border between the region before specular reflection saturation and the region after specular reflection saturation; calculating a ratio between the diffuse reflection output and a reference diffuse reflection output calculated in advance as a calibration coefficient; and multiplying a diffuse reflection output obtained from the gradation patterns by the calibration coefficient calculated at the calculating.

Abstract: In an apparatus which forms an adjustment toner image outside an image area in a direction orthogonal to a moving direction of an image bearing member, a toner change amount of the adjustment toner image which is directly transferred onto and adheres to a transfer roller without interposing a recording medium differs depending on a transfer electric field. Since the transfer electric field is in a direction for reversing a charging polarity of the toner, when the transfer electric field is large, the toner charge amount of the adjustment toner image is reduced. Therefore, in case that the transfer electric field is large, the cleaning electric field is set small. Thereby the toner of the adjustment toner image can be sufficiently cleaned off by an electrostatic cleaning member irrespective of the transfer voltage, and contamination on a back side of a recording material can be avoided.

Abstract: A system of measuring the bare belt signature of a surface that does not require the use of extra print jobs, or extra belt cycles, during the printing of the actual print job. Instead, the inter-document zone and other “toner-free” areas within the test job itself are used to extract an estimate of the bare belt signature. More specifically, prior knowledge of the job content and of the location of the area between image pitches is used to identify areas of the belt that should be toner-free. These areas are then treated as “bare belt” segments, and the sensor signal for these areas are extracted, aligned according to their spatial location along the belt, and then averaged to produce a final estimate of the bare belt signature.

Abstract: A image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing body, an exposing unit that irradiates the image bearing body to form a latent image, a developer bearing body that develops the latent image to form a developer image, a transfer unit that transfers the developer image to a recording medium, a feeding unit that feeds the recording medium, a density detecting unit that detects a developer density of the developer image transferred to the recording medium, and a speed difference control unit that controls a difference of a circumferential speed of the image bearing body and a feeding speed of the recording medium fed by the feeding unit. The speed difference is controlled based on a density of a thin line pattern transferred to the recording medium detected by the density detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image bearing member (drum); a second image bearing member (drum); a developing device for forming a toner image on the basis of an electrostatic latent image formed on the first drum; an electrostatic latent image forming portion for forming an electrostatic latent image mark on the first drum; a detecting portion for detecting a position of the electrostatic latent image mark; and an adjusting portion for adjusting, on the basis of a detection result of the position of the electrostatic latent image mark, superposition between the toner image formed on the first drum and the toner image formed on the second drum. An electrostatic latent image which is undetectable by the detecting means is formed between a formation region of the toner image on the first drum and a formation region of the electrostatic latent image mark on the first drum.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a control portion forms a restoring toner image (restoring toner band) at a position, in which the refreshing toner image overlaps with a control image with respect to a longitudinal direction of a secondary transfer roller, during post-rotation after image formation in an image forming job is completed. The restoring toner band is formed in a length corresponding to 3 full circumferences of the secondary transfer roller for one-sheet image forming job, 2 full circumferences of the secondary transfer roller for 5-sheet image forming job, and one full circumference of the secondary transfer roller for 10-sheet image forming job. In the case of an image forming job on 50 sheets or more, a lowering in cleaning performance of a secondary transfer member cleaning device for the secondary transfer roller is not caused to occur, so that the restoring toner band is not formed.

Abstract: Provided are an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of easily forming an output image having desired gradation characteristics and capable of reducing running cost. In an intermediate transfer-type image forming apparatus, an image forming section is configured by including a first image forming section which forms a color toner image on a photoconductor, and a second image forming section which is located on the upstream side of the first image forming section and forms a transparent toner image on the photoconductor. Further, after the transparent toner image is formed on an intermediate transfer member by the second image forming section, the first image forming section forms, on the basis of image data (correction gradation values) corrected by a gradation correcting section, a color toner image so that the color toner image is superimposed on the transparent toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image on the drum using toner, a temperature sensor that detects toner temperature in the developing device, an optical sensor that detects the density of a patch image formed on the drum, a controller that controls the amount of the toner supplied to the developing device based on the detection result of the density of the patch image, and a setting portion that sets an potential difference between the electric potential of an image portion at the time of forming the patch image and a DC bias applied to the developing device. The setting portion sets the electric potential difference so as to be increased according to an increase in the toner temperature based on the detection result.

Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing variations in components or subsystems in an image printing system is provided. The method includes identifying a plurality of image quality defects printed by the image printing system by a controller, said image quality defects each occurring with an associated frequency and each being associated with a component or subsystem of the image printing system; determining a phase difference of the image quality defects by the controller; and adjusting operation of each component or subsystem associated with the image quality defects, such that image quality defects are in phase.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided in which the accuracy of measurement of an amount of toner adhesion is improved by forming a toner image pattern according to a detection scheme for the amount of toner adhesion. In the image processing apparatus, a toner image pattern control unit 215 determines a detection scheme for the amount of toner adhesion of a toner image based on attribute information of the toner image, decides a toner image pattern according to the results of that determination, and forms that decided toner image pattern. A toner adhesion amount calculation unit 605 measures the amount of toner adhesion for the toner image pattern formed by the toner image pattern control unit 215.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a processor performs: a solid density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of solid toner images of solid tone patterns, a condition to form solid images with respective target image densities; a misregistration reduction of adjusting, in accordance with detection timing of position detection toner images of misregistration detection patterns, a condition to reduce misregistration of toner images; and a halftone density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of area coverage modulation toner images, a condition to form halftone images with respective target image densities.