Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Hiroyasu Sumida

Toshiya Tagawa

Takashi Saitoh

Hiroshi Takahashi

Hiroshi Mori

Shigeo Kurotaka

Yukio Sakano

Shinji Yamakawa

Kyoji Omi

Yasuhiro Hattori

Michiyoshi Tachikawa

Hiromi Okubo

Kazuo Murai

Norio Michiie

Kouji Ishigaki

Yoshio Kaneko

Takeshi Ukai

Hiroomi Motohashi

Toshiya Hikita

Moriyuki Koike

Takahiko Uno

Midori Aida

Haruhiko Fukuda

Hisashi Ishiguro

Tadato Hashiguchi

Kouichi Kanaya

Akihisa Itabashi

Kan Tomita

Hiroyasu Shijo

Tsuyoshi Endoh

Fumio Kishi

Tomofumi Harada

Tsuyoshi Endo

Hiroshi Takashima

Hiroshi Fukano

Toshihiko Majima

Takeshi Ogiwara

Tomohumi Harada

An original image comprises a printed region on which a predetermined printed matter is realized and a background region on which no printed matter is realized. The shape of a peripheral zone in the original image comprises the shape of the background region, which shape exists particularly at the peripheral region of said original image. It is determined whether or not the original image comprises the special document by detecting the peripheral zone. Further, the original image has an outer-frame region, having a predetermined shape at the peripheral region of the original image. The determination is carried out using a result of measuring the width of the outer-frame region. Further, the width of the outer-frame region comprises a width along a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction extending along the outline of the original image.

Original-discrimination system for discriminating special document, and image forming apparatus, image processing apparatus and duplicator using the original-discrimination system

An image processing apparatus including an input device for inputting image data, a storage device for storing image data from the input device, and a controlling device. The controlling device controls the parallel operations of a) writing image data into the storage device, and 2) reading image data from the storage device. Therefore, fast output is possible. Moreover, in a book copying mode, when copying two facing-pages with a scanner, copies of the first of two facing-pages are printed while the second of the two facing pages is scanned. As a result, this apparatus and the corresponding method enable a document to be changed easily and prevent extended holding times by an operator when using book copy mode.

Image forming apparatus which forms an image based on stored image data

An image forming apparatus for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations includes a scanner for reading an original document, a memory for storing read image data, a printer for forming an image in accordance with the image data read from the memory, a ten-key pad for inputting instructions specifying a total number of sets of copies to be made, various functions to be performed by the apparatus for changing how the copying is performed and a sample set command by which the apparatus enters into a sample set command mode wherein one copy of the original document is output as a sample copy, and a controller for determining whether to use the image previously stored in the memory to output the rest of the total number of sets of copies to be made or performing an operation of reading the original document again depending upon types of functions input via the ten-key pad during the sample set command mode.

Image forming apparatus and method for detecting and eliminating

An image forming apparatus which stores image data of an image of each page of an original document into a memory and then outputs the image data stored in the memory in order of pages of the original document to record the corresponding image on a recording medium for producing a requested number of sets of copies of the original document. A controller determines, each time after image data for one page of the original document is stored in the memory, whether or not the memory will overflow if image data of a next page of the original document is stored in the memory. The controller prohibits reading of an image of the next page of the original document when it determines that the memory will overflow.

Image forming apparatus which determines if memory will overflow before

An original image comprises a printed region on which a predetermined printed matter is realized and a background region on which no printed matter is realized. The shape of a peripheral zone in the original image comprises the shape of the background region, which shape exists particularly at the peripheral region of said original image. It is determined whether or not the original image comprises the special document by detecting the peripheral zone. Further, the original image has an outer-frame region, having a predetermined shape, at the peripheral region of the original image. The determination is carried out using a result of measuring the width of the outer-frame region. Further, the width of the outer-frame region comprises a width along a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction extending along the outline of the original image.

Original-discrimination system for discriminating special document, and

In a digital copier of a type having plural paper trays for storing recording paper of different sizes and orientations, an automatic paper selection mechanism selects paper from a tray that produces the shortest time required to make a prescribed number of copies. Paper tray selection is based on the size of the original, magnification, paper tray position and time required to electronically rotate original image data for recording on a transversely oriented sheet of paper. These factors are used to compute a reference value that is compared to the number of copies of the original image to be made. In response, the selection mechanism will determine whether to copy the image to a longitudinal or transverse sheet on one of the trays, and rotate the image by 90.degree. if the tranverse sheet is selected.

Digital copying machine having selective paper feed based on copy

An image forming apparatus having a device capable of identifying an image orientation to allow adequate processing to be executed and a device capable of binding sheets by determining a binding position. When an image orientation cannot be identified on the basis of a predetermined reference object, it is identified on the basis of another object. When the image orientation of a reference image and the image orientations of the other images are not coincident, an adequate procedure is executed to avoid an undesirable result. An orientation of a document image matching a predetermined adequate binding position is surely and accurately determined.

Image forming apparatus having an image orientation identifying device

A copier with an editing function and operable in operable in a trimming mode for extracting part of an image printed on a document as a trimmed image and transferring it to a paper sheet, a masking mode for omitting part of the image as a masked image and transferring a non-masked image surrounding the masked image to the paper sheet, and a centering mode combinable with either one of the trimming mode and masking mode for shifting the center of the image on the document into register with the center of the paper sheet and transferring it to the paper sheet. Centering in the trimming mode transfers the trimmed image to the center of a paper sheet by using the trimmed image itself as a reference. Centering in the masking mode transfers the image on the document to the center of a paper sheet in the same manner as ordinary centering without taking account of the dimensions of the masked image, i.e., by shifting the document image by an amount matching the size of the paper sheet and the size of the document.

Copier having an editing function

When it is desired to provide a particular region of an image of a document with a background which is different in color from the background of the other region, an image forming apparatus controls the amount of toner supply for implementing the background of the particular region to produce a solid image of density which remains constant at all times in the particular region. The amount of toner fed to a developing unit for producing the solid image is controlled in matching relation to the area of a desired solid image region or a ratio of magnification change.

Background accenuating image forming apparatus

A mode setting device for an electrophotographic copier or similar office machine of the type having a machine body, a housing, an openable cover forming a part of the housing, and a power supply which is turned on and off in interlocked relation to the opening and closing of the cover member. The device includes a mode preservation commanding switch and a non-volatile memory which stores operation modes of the machine having been selected before the turn-off of the power supply. When the power supply is turned off after the commanding switch has been turned on and then turned on again, the operation modes of the machine stored in the non-volatile memory are automatically set up again. When the commanding switch is turned off, the operation modes of the machine are initialized as soon as the power source is turned on again. The need for manipulations otherwise required for re-setting operation modes due to opening and closing of the cover member is eliminated.

Device for setting operation modes of office equipment

A copy information output device for a copier for managing a number of modes by use of a RAM (random access memory). A paper sheet on which all the items and all the modes are printed is copied in a given test mode. Modes other than those currently set are smeared out by solid images so that only the current modes may be perceived by eyesight. Alternatively, modes other than current ones may be erased, and the current modes are transferred to a paper to facilitate confirmation.

Copy information output device for a copier

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Ichikawa, Japan

Hiroyasu Sumida