Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and a process controller. The process controller is configured to instruct the image forming mechanism to perform an image forming operation and a control operation of image forming process conditions. The control operation includes at least two phases each executable at an individual time. The process controller instructs the image forming mechanism to perform the control operation by executing the at least two phases in order of execution frequency from the highest execution frequency to the lowest execution frequency, and discontinue sequential execution of the at least two phases in accordance with an image output command to preferentially perform the image output operation in accordance with the image output command. An image forming method is also described.

Abstract: A digital printing apparatus comprises a rotatable image receptor defining a plurality of test zones along a circumference thereof. Test patches on the image receptor are requested for each of a plurality of types of test routines. A table is used for scheduling test routines requested by the control means, the table having as inputs a plurality of test zones for each a plurality of future rotations of the image receptor, and as outputs constraints relating to types of test routines for each test zone in a plurality of future rotations of the image receptor.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a scanner with a direct control section configured to control a scanning operation of the scanner so as to input image information from an original document and a main body configured to process the image information. The main body includes a control section configured to perform an initializing process for the main body. Further, a homing operation of the scanner is performed by the direct control section independently of the initializing process of the control section of the main body, when power is supplied to the image processing apparatus or when the image processing apparatus is returned from a shutdown state.

Abstract: A printing device is provided that includes a housing having a media path therethrough. The printing device includes at least one sensor for detecting when a media jam occurs in the media path. At least one indicator is operatively associated with a processor to provide a series of indications that can be used to locate the media jam. The indicators can comprise lights, audible indicators or graphical indicators.

Abstract: There is disclosed a copying machine in which, to end a copy job, a reading-operation control process for causing a reading section to generate image data on an original document to be copied and a printing section control process for causing a printing section to print (output the copying result) in accordance with the image data are independently and concurrently carried out (time period t0 to t1, t2 to t4, t5 to t6). When the reading unit is not in reading operation (after time t2, and after time t5), the machine accepts a start command of a copy job.

Abstract: In the present invention, in an image forming apparatus for laminating images by using an intermediate transferring body, it is sensed that all toner images corresponding to image data for the same sheet material are formed on the intermediate transferring body in an arbitrary order, and the toner images are transferred onto the sheet material, regardless of the colors of the toner images held by the toner image holding section. Therefore, number of sheets output per unit time can be increased.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charger for electrically charging the photosensitive member at a charging position, an image forming system for forming an image on the photosensitive member charged by the charger, and an optical discharger for electrically discharging the photosensitive member. After a start of rotation of the photosensitive member, the optical discharger operates to discharge the photosensitive member and when a leading edge portion of a portion of the photosensitive member discharged by the optical discharger reaches the charging position the charger starts its charging operation.

Abstract: In the present invention, in an image forming apparatus for laminating images by using an intermediate transferring body, it is sensed that all toner images corresponding to image data for the same sheet material are formed on the intermediate transferring body in an arbitrary order, and the toner images are transferred onto the sheet material, regardless of the colors of the toner images held by the toner image holding section. Therefore, number of sheets output per unit time can be increased.

Abstract: An input processing system including a plurality of input apparatuses, a processing apparatus, a setter that sets an operation of the processing apparatus in accordance with an input entered through an input operation performed on an input apparatus, and a controller that determines an automatic-clear time for the input apparatus. A different automatic-clear time is determined for each of the plurality of input apparatuses. If another input operation is not performed on the input apparatus during the determined automatic-clear time, the controller executes an automatic-clear function to clear the set operation to an initially set default.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus judges whether first processing information of current sheet information is different from that of preceding sheet information. If they are different, the current first processing information is notified to a finishing device. The finishing device prepares for processing based on the first processing information. Upon completing the preparation, the finishing device notifies preparation completion information to the image processing apparatus. Upon receiving the preparation completion information, the image processing apparatus starts image formation processing on the next sheet and notifies second processing information to the finishing device. Upon receiving the second processing information, the finishing device calculates a processing time necessary to perform a finishing operation and notifies it to the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a digital copy machine to form an image on a group of sheets from an image of a group of documents, and a staple sorter sorting and discharging copied sheets from the digital copy machine. According to the staple sorter, control is provided so that a sheet of a long left period of time is transported from the bin to a nonsort tray when all of a plurality of bins provided in the staple sorter are used during a print operation. The left time of a sheet is monitored even when a print operation is not carried out. When the left time exceeds a predetermined time, control is provided so that the sheet left in the bin is transferred to the nonsort tray. As a result, a sheet discharge device is provided improved in operability of sheet discharge.

Abstract: The present invention includes individually (independently) a drive control section for driving/controlling an induction heating device of a fixing device and a main-body control section for entirely controlling an electronic copying machine. The start-up processing for the induction heating device is started prior to start-up processing for parts of the main body of the electronic copying machine other than the induction heating device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a driving method thereof are provided. A controller for controlling the image forming apparatus includes a central processing unit (CPU) for performing an initialization process when a reset signal is input, a display device control unit for controlling the display device, and an initial display control unit for controlling the display device control unit so that certain display information may be displayed on the display device while the CPU performs the initialization process when the reset signal is input, in which the display device control unit displays display information input from the CPU on the display device after the initialization process. The image forming apparatus and the driving method thereof can convey set display information to a user via the display device even during the process of initializing a system beginning when power is supplied.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a digital copy machine to form an image on a group of sheets from an image of a group of documents, and a staple sorter sorting and discharging copied sheets from the digital copy machine, According to the staple sorter, control is provided so that a sheet of a long left period of time is transported from the bin to a nonsort tray when all of a plurality of bins provided in the staple sorter are used during a print operation. The left time of a sheet is monitored even when a print operation is not carried out. When the left time exceeds a predetermined time, control is provided so that the sheet left in the bin is transferred to the nonsort tray. As a result, a sheet discharge device is provided improved in operability of sheet discharge.

Abstract: A printer or copier includes a high speed monochrome or two color printer portion and a slower full color printer portion. Print job signals are divided into monochrome and color printed pages and sent to the corresponding printer portion. The printers, or a paper handling path between the printers, is controlled to assemble the printed pages into a predetermined sequence order.

Abstract: A method for controlling the flow of paper objects in a paper processing system (PPS), having a main copier and/or printer unit with an output accessory manager (OAM) and at least one paper object processing device (POPD1, POPD2, . . . POPDn). The method is carried out by the following steps: generating a paper object header (POH) for each paper object (PO) in the output accessory manager (OAM); sending the paper object header (POH) to downstream paper object processing devices (POPDs) prior to the arrival of a paper object (PO) at the specific paper object processing device (POPD), wherein the paper object header (POH) is updated and modified by each paper object processing device (POPD); absorbing the paper object header (POH) in the last paper object processing device (POPD) in the route and generating in the last paper object processing device (POPD) a paper object header response (POHR) and sending the paper object header response (POHR) to the output accessory manager (OAM).

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes at least one processor which receives data from an input unit. A setting unit sets a time at which data may be input by the input unit, and a determination unit determines if the current time corresponds to the set time. When the current time corresponds to the set time, the input data is stored in a storage unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a charging member for charging a surface of the image bearing member while contacting thereto with a predetermined voltage applied to the charging member; exposure member for exposing the surface of the image bearing member to form an electrostatic latent image; a toner carrying member contacted to the image bearing member with a predetermined voltage applied to the toner carrying member to visualize the electrostatic latent image into a toner image with toner carried thereon; an image transfer member for urging a transfer material to contact the transfer material to the image bearing member with a predetermined voltage applied to the image transfer member to transfer the toner image onto the transfer material; a device for applying the predetermined voltages to the charging member, the toner carrying member and the transfer member; and a controller for controlling the device that applies the predetermined voltage, the controller being operable in a

Abstract: A printing apparatus is disclosed which comprises print means for printing input print data on a print recording medium, the print means driven by the input print data, storage means for storing the print data, storage control means for determining whether or not storage specification is set in the print data and storing the print data in the storage means as a file if the storage specification is set, attribute information transfer means for transferring attribute information of the file stored in the storage means to a source issuing the attribute information transfer request in response to an input attribute information transfer request, file conversion means for converting the file stored in the storage means into an image data file in response to an image data file transfer request input based on the attribute information, image data file transfer means for transferring the image data file to a source issuing the image data file transfer request, and reprint means for reading the file stored in the stora

Abstract: When a power supply of an image forming apparatus is turned on and also a power save function is released, the image forming apparatus initialize modules with respect to each of the modules. For example, when initializations of a communication control unit and a modulating/demodulating unit are accomplished, even when initializations of other modules are not yet ended, a facsimile service is provided. Also, when initializations of an image reading control unit and an image reading unit are accomplished, a scanner service is provided. In this manner, the services provided by such modules whose initializations have been accomplished are sequentially providable irrespective of states of the other modules.

Abstract: A time distance notifying system for an image forming apparatus sets an image forming mode composed of one or plural image forming parameters, generates attribute data to discriminate the set image forming mode, stores time data representing a time required for forming an image in the image forming mode represented by various attribute data, measures a time required for performing an operation of a predetermined unit during the set image forming mode, judges whether or not time corresponding to the generated attribute data has been stored in the memory, derives a time required for the image forming on the basis of a corresponding time data in a case where it is judged that a time data corresponding to the attribute data has been stored and for deriving a time required for the image forming on the basis of a time measured in a case where it is judged that a time data corresponding to the attribute data is not stored in a memory, and notifying a time derived.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging device, an image exposure device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a control device. The control device stops rotation of the electrophotographic photosensitive member after a region of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, which region opposes the transfer device at the time when operation of the transfer device is stopped while the rotation of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is not stopped, passes, by at least one revolution, a position opposing the charging device which is running. The electrophotographic apparatus requires no idle rotation, makes high speed processing possible, suppresses negative and positive ghosting, and suppresses variations in electric characteristics and in image densities between first and second copying operations, thereby enabling images of high quality to be prepared quickly and simply.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a printing machine including a member for storing a latent image thereon of a document is provided. The printing machine is adapted to produce a printed copy of the document on a substrate. The apparatus adjusts the printed copy output rate thereof. The apparatus includes a latent image generating device for generating the latent image of the document. The latent image generating device has a switch for initiating the generating the latent image of the document. The apparatus further includes an adjustable timer for setting an elapsed time between sequential generations of the latent image of the document and a controller for controlling the printed copy output rate of the printing machine. The controller is adapted to provide for a plurality of printed copy output rates based on the time elapsed between sequential generations of the latent image of the document.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus of electro-photography type in which a light image obtained by reflected light from an original document image by projecting light onto the original document image is changed in size at a set magnification rate to form an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member, and the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for controlling the insertion of one or more special insert sheets into a steam of regular imaged sheets. A coded sheet is placed into a sheet stack in a position where an insert sheet is to be placed. Sheets are removed from the stack one by one and transported along a path past a sensor toward a finishing apparatus. When the sensor detects a coded sheet, the coded sheet is diverted from the stream and later replaced with an insert sheet.