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EP0590884A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image forming method and apparatus

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1993-09-23
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2013-09-23
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Abstract

Abstract An image forming apparatus includes an input unit for inputting image data representing an image, a synthesizing unit for synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data, a forming unit for forming an image in accordance with the image data, a detecting unit for detecting a condition relating to an image forming by the forming unit, and a controlling unit for controlling the synthesis by the synthesizing unit based on the detection result of the detecting unit. An image forming method is also disclosed. <IMAGE>

Inventors

  • 👤 Rie C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Saito
  • 👤 Nobuatsu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sasanuma
  • 👤 Tetsuya c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Atsumi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 00:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00838; H04N1/00856; H04N1/00864; H04N1/00867; H04N1/0087; H04N1/23; H04N1/2307; H04N1/2323; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32293; H04N1/32309; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0091; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3205; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/3271

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim 76 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data representing an image; synthesizing means for synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data; forming means for forming an image in accordance with the image data; detecting means for detecting a condition relating to an image forming by said forming means; and controlling means for controlling the synthesis by said synthesizing means based on the detection result of said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information to be unnoticeable with respect to human eyes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information as a yellow pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined pattern is information unique to the apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined information is a manufacturing number of the apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said condition is an environmental state of the apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said environmental state is a temperature or a humidity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said condition is an image forming characteristic of said forming means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image forming characteristic is a y characteristic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising reference pattern generating means for causing said forming means to form a reference pattern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 56 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, for further comprising means for controlling at least one of a charge quantity of a charger, a developing bias of a developing unit, and a light quantity and an emission time of an exposure unit, said charger, said developing unit, and said exposure unit being included in said forming means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said condition is a use condition of the apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means detects image reproducibility of said forming means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative rotation amount of an image carrier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative copy count.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative use count of a developing unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said use condition is a cumulative power-ON time.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 78 words
An image forming method comprising steps of: input step of inputting image data representing an image; synthesizing step of synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data; forming step of forming an image in accordance with the image data; detecting step of detecting a condition relating to an image forming in said forming step; and controlling step of controlling the synthesis in said synthesizing step based on the detection result of said detecting step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 93 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data representing an image; correcting means for correcting the image data and outputting corrected image data; forming means for forming an image in accordance with the corrected image data; detecting means for detecting the image formed by said forming means; synthesizing means for synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data; and controlling means for controlling the correction by said correcting means and the synthesis by said synthesizing means in accordance with the detection result of said detecting means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information to be unnoticeable with respect to human eyes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information as a yellow pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said predetermined pattern is information unique to the apparatus.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said predetermined information is a manufacturing number of the apparatus.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 12 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said correcting means performs γ-correction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising reference pattern generating means for causing said forming means to form a reference pattern.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 56 words
An apparatus according to claim 25, for further comprising means for controlling at least one of a charge quantity of a charger, a developing bias of a developing unit, and a light quantity and an emission time of an exposure unit, said charger, said developing unit, and said exposure unit being included in said forming means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 85 words
An image forming method comprising steps of: input step of inputting image data representing an image; correcting step of correcting the image data and outputting corrected image data; forming step of forming an image in accordance with the corrected image data; detecting step of detecting the image formed in said forming step; synthesizing step of synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data; and controlling step of controlling the correction in said correcting step and the synthesis in said synthesizing step.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 72 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data representing an image; synthesizing means for synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data; forming means for forming an image on a medium in accordance with the image data; detecting means for detecting characteristic of the medium; and controlling means for controlling the synthesis by said synthesizing means based on the detection result of said detecting means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information to be unnoticeable with respect to human eyes.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said synthesizing means synthesizes the predetermined information as a yellow pattern.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said predetermined pattern is information unique to the apparatus.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said predetermined information is a manufacturing number of the apparatus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said characteristic of the medium is a material or physical value of the medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said characteristic of the medium is a spectral characteristic of the medium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 74 words
An image forming method comprising steps of: input step of inputting image data representing an image; synthesizing step of synthesizing a predetermined information with the image represented by the image data; forming step of forming an image on a medium in accordance with the image data; detecting step of detecting characteristic of the medium; and controlling step of controlling the synthesis in said synthesizing step based on the detection result of said detecting step.

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