Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942419-B2
Application number	US-201615215686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 6, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit, a detecting unit, and a creating unit. The forming unit forms a first image and at least one of second and third images on a recording medium. The first image is used to create correction data for gradation correction. The second image is used to detect a streak in a cross direction which is produced in the first image. The cross direction intersects a conveying direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The third image is used to detect the streak in the conveying direction which is produced in the first image. The detecting unit detects the streak by using at least one of the second and third images. When the detecting unit detects the streak, the creating unit creates the correction data on the basis of a portion other than a region corresponding to the streak in the first image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
at least one hardware processor configured to implement:
a forming unit that forms a first image and at least one of a second image and a third image on a recording medium;
a detecting unit that detects a streak portion in the first image by using at least one of the second image and the third image; and
a creating unit that, in response to the detecting unit detecting the streak portion, creates correction data on a basis of a portion other than a streak-portion region corresponding to the streak portion in the first image,

wherein the at least one of the second image and the third image is outside of the first image,
wherein the second image is formed in such a manner that lines arranged in a cross direction and included in the second image correspond to lines arranged in the cross direction and included in the first image, and
wherein the third image is formed in such a manner that the length of each of lines extending in the cross direction and being included in the third image corresponds to the length of each of lines extending in the cross direction and being included in the first image.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the forming unit forms at least one of the second image and the third image on the recording medium on a basis of image data that has not been subjected to gradation correction using the correction data.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein, in the case where the detecting unit detects the streak portion and where the area of the streak-portion region corresponding to the streak portion in the first image is equal to or more than a predetermined area value, the forming unit forms the first image and at least one of the second image and the third image on a different recording medium, the first image being obtained by reallocating a portion corresponding to the streak-portion region in the first image, at a position on the recording medium other than a position of the streak portion.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein at least one of the second image and the third image includes a plurality of images, and
wherein the forming unit forms the plurality of images at opposite positions on the recording medium, the plurality of images being located on opposite sides of the first image.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of the second image and the third image includes a plurality of images, and
wherein the forming unit forms the plurality of images at opposite positions on the recording medium, the plurality of images being located on opposite sides of the first image.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the case where the detecting unit detects the streak portion and where the area of the streak-portion region corresponding to the streak portion in the first image is equal to or more than a predetermined area value, the forming unit forms the first image and at least one of the second image and the third image on a different recording medium, the first image being obtained by reallocating a portion corresponding to the streak-portion region in the first image, at a position on the recording medium other than a position of the streak portion.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein at least one of the second image and the third image includes a plurality of images, and
wherein the forming unit forms the plurality of images at opposite positions on the recording medium, the plurality of images being located on opposite sides of the first image.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the second image and the third image includes a plurality of images, and
wherein the forming unit forms the plurality of images at opposite positions on the recording medium, the plurality of images being located on opposite sides of the first image.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to function as the detecting unit and the creating unit of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

10. An image forming method comprising:
forming a first image and at least one of a second image and a third image on a recording medium;
detecting a streak portion in the first image by using at least one of the second image and the third image which are formed; and
in response to detecting the streak portion, creating correction data on a basis of a portion other than a streak-portion region corresponding to the streak portion in the first image,
wherein the at least one of the second image and the third image is outside of the first image,
wherein at least one of the forming, the detecting and the creating is implemented by at least one hardware processor,
wherein the second image is formed in such a manner that lines arranged in a cross direction and included in the second image correspond to lines arranged in the cross direction and included in the first image, and
wherein the third image is formed in such a manner that the length of each of lines extending in the cross direction and being included in the third image corresponds to the length of each of lines extending in the cross direction and being included in the first image.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising:
at least one hardware processor configured to implement:
a forming unit that forms a first image and at least one of a second image and a third image on a recording medium, the first image being used to create correction data for gradation correction, the second image being used to detect a first streak portion which extends in a cross direction and which is produced in the first image, the cross direction intersecting a conveying direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, the third image being used to detect a second streak portion which extends in the conveying direction and which is produced in the first image;
a detecting unit that detects at least one of the first streak portion and the second streak portion by using at least one of the second image and the third image, the second image and the third image being formed by the forming unit; and
a creating unit that, according to the detecting unit detecting the at least one of the first streak portion and the second streak portion, creates the correction data on a basis of a portion other than a streak-portion region corresponding to the at least one of the first streak portion and the second streak portion in the first image,

wherein the second image is formed in such a manner that lines arranged in the cross direction and included in the second image correspond to lines arranged in the cross direction and included in the first image,
wherein the third image is formed in such a manner that the length of each of lines extending in the cross direction and being included in the third image corresponds to the length of each of lines extending in the cross direction and being included in the first image.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugimoto Shuichi
• Sakamoto Masaomi
• Sugi Shinsuke

Classifications

• H04N1/4097

  Removing errors due external factors, e.g. dust, scratches · CPC title

• H04N1/6008 Primary

  with primary colour signals, e.g. RGB or CMY(K) · CPC title

• H04N1/50

  Picture reproducers (for halftone screening H04N1/52) · CPC title

• H04N1/00045

  using a reference pattern designed for the purpose, e.g. a test chart · CPC title

• H04N1/00005 Primary

  relating to image data · CPC title