The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 16, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 12, 1997
Shinichi Takemoto, Toyokawa, JP;
Yasuyuki Inada, Toyokawa, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, in order to control image forming conditions, first and second toner images are formed. The first standard toner image has toners of a uniform density, and the second standard toner image has a plurality of dots made of toners with predetermined spaces between them. A light scattered from the first standard toner image and a light normally reflected from the second standard toner image are detected, and image forming conditions are controlled according to the detected lights before an image is formed according to image data. Further, in an image forming apparatus where area gradation is used for forming an image, a plurality of second standard toner images having different area ratios is formed, and gradation can be changed by controlling the image forming conditions according to the lights reflected from the standard toner images.