Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Fujifilm Corporation

Takashi Toyofuku

Akira Watanabe

Daisuke Nakaya

The present invention provides a highly productive printing system and a simple printing device included therein. Correcting data for correcting a printing state of an image are prepared for at least each of the printing devices and stored in a printer server. In the printer server, printing data input from a terminal device is converted into bit map data via an RIP processor, and the bit map data is transmitted from the printer driver to two of the same kind of printing devices. At this time, the printing device selects data corresponding to the respective printing devices and transmits them with the bit map data. When the printing devices print the transmitted bit map data, they correct the printing state based on the correcting data transmitted together with the bit map data.

Printing control method, control device, and printing system

An output instruction including output conditions that differ by page is instructed by the output instruction unit, the instruction data is analyzed by a data analysis unit, instruction data including instructed output conditions that differ by page is stored, the image data is image-processed by an image processing unit in accordance with the instruction data stored in the data analysis unit, to thereby create an output image, the output conditions of the printing mechanism are switched by an output control unit in accordance with the instruction data, and the output image generated at the image processing unit is printed by a printing mechanism. It is determined whether or not there are contradictions in the instruction data of the image data, resetting is prompted with respect to contradictions, and an appearance when image recording is actually effected in accordance with the instruction data is displayed.

Image recording device, system, and method

The present invention provides an image recording device, an image recording system and an image recording method which can improve a productivity by receiving image information simultaneously when the image information to be image recorded is sent from a plurality of host computers, even if a host computer having a slow rate of transmission for the image information is disposed. A buffer is provided in the image recording device and the image information sent simultaneously from the image information supplying devices is stored independently in the buffer. Thus, the time required for transferring the image information can be reduced such that the productivity can be improved.

Image printing system

When an image is recorded on a recording material while concurrently transferring print data and conveying the recording material, the recording material at the time when exposure is stopped can be placed in a state before unprocessed at a high probability. Conveying of a photopolymer plate started concurrently with transfer of print data, is temporarily stopped on standby immediately before punch-hole forming processing. Therefore, when transfer of print data is stopped, the photopolymer plate can be placed in a reusable state at a high probability, and the number of waste photopolymer plates can be reduced. The standby time and the time at which conveying is restarted are determined based on a transfer rate of print data and a remaining conveying time. As a result, there is no possibility that delay of image recording processing caused by temporary stop may occur.

Method of conveying recording material and device for controlling conveying of recording material

In order to minimize the amount by which a sheet material must be moved for positioning, using a small number of sensors, and to achieve improvement of the operation and stabilization of the positioning accuracy, the size of the sheet material is recognized in advance, a sensor, which requires the smallest amount of movement of the sheet material for positioning the sheet material at a predetermined position, is selected from a plurality of sensors based on the recognized size, and the sheet material is detected by the selected sensor.

Sheet material positioning method and apparatus

An image reading method and apparatus are capable of high-quality reading of a transparent original with an optimum light quantity by maintaining both a transmitting light source unit and a reading scanner at an adequate relative position to keep their optical axes in alignment during scan reading. Such alignment is achieved by providing synchronization in scanning speed by placing either one of the transmitting light source unit and the reading scanner at an arbitrary selected position, scanning the proximity of the selected position with the other, determining a light quantity distribution, determining a synchronous position from the distribution, carrying out such synchronous position detection at two or more distinct positions, and calculating the scanning speed ratio of the transmitting light source unit to the reading scanner from the result. Alternatively, alignment is achieved by carrying out similar synchronous position detection, determining the relative spacing between the base points of said transmitting light source and said reading scanner from the distances from the respective base points to the synchronous position, and matching the scan start positions of the transmitting light source unit and the reading scanner in accordance with the relative spacing.

Image reading method and apparatus determining synchronous position

A scan reading method according to this invention includes the steps of: causing a line memory to store original image data for one line; obtaining a density average value of the one-line image data or a variation rate thereof; and detecting the edge of the original by comparing the average density value or the variation rate thereof with a predetermined threshold value after finishing a scan over the original or during the scan. A scan reading method also includes the steps of: preparing a density histogram from the one line image data in the original region; optionally obtaining the average density value of the variation rate thereof; detecting the top end and terminal of the original from that value; and calculating highlight and shadow densities from the density histograms after finishing the scan over the original by use of a scanner. Based on the methods of the present invention, it is therefore possible to automatically detect the edge of the original and perform a density auto-measurement at low costs with a high accuracy with the aid of a small capacity line memory without adding a multiplicity of sensors and incorporating a large capacity buffer memory.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Takashi Toyofuku