Image Forming Apparatus Selective Quality Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional image forming apparatuses determine the quality of all normal images on a recording medium as unsatisfactory if recording operation failure is detected from a test image, even if some normal images are formed with satisfactory quality, leading to incorrect assessment and unnecessary re-formation of all images.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that forms a combined image with normal images and test images on a recording medium, allowing for the detection of recording operation failures and determining the quality of each normal image based on positional information and failure detection, enabling selective re-formation of only unsatisfactory images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If recording operation failure is detected from a test image formed on the same recording medium as normal images, then the quality of normal images can be quickly and accurately determined, but all normal images are determined to have unsatisfactory quality even if some are formed with satisfactory quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the recording medium into multiple regions: normal image areas and test image areas. By segmenting the test image into multiple sub-test images corresponding to different normal image regions, the system can independently evaluate quality for each normal image area. This segmentation allows accurate quality determination at the individual normal image level rather than treating the entire recording medium as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality assessment by associating specific test image regions with specific normal image regions. Each sub-test image corresponds to a particular normal image area, enabling localized quality evaluation. This local quality approach allows the system to identify which specific normal images have quality issues and which are satisfactory, preventing unnecessary re-formation of good images.
2Reliability
If all normal images on a recording medium are re-formed when recording operation failure is detected, then quality issues can be addressed, but productivity decreases due to unnecessary re-formation of satisfactory images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the quality determination process to evaluate each normal image area independently through corresponding sub-test images. This segmentation enables selective identification of problematic regions, allowing the system to re-form only the specific normal images that have quality issues rather than re-forming all images on the recording medium, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing quality determination and selective re-formation only on the necessary portions of the recording medium. Instead of re-forming all normal images (excessive action), the system re-forms only those specific normal images that correspond to test image regions where recording operation failures are detected (partial action), thereby optimizing productivity while maintaining adequate quality assurance.
3Device complexity
If a single test image is formed to inspect all recording devices, then the inspection process is simplified, but the ability to determine quality of individual normal images is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the test image into multiple sub-test images, where each sub-test image corresponds to a specific normal image area and tests specific recording devices. This segmentation maintains relative simplicity in the inspection system while enabling precise quality determination for individual normal images. The segmented approach allows the system to track which recording devices formed which normal images, providing both simplicity and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional test image structure that serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it inspects multiple recording devices, evaluates multiple normal image areas, and provides quality determination for each individual normal image. This universal test image design maintains system simplicity while achieving detailed quality assessment through its multi-functional nature.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an image forming apparatus and a quality determination method by which the quality of each of a plurality of normal images allocated to a recording medium can be easily and appropriately determined. The image forming apparatus is provided with: recording means for applying color material to a recording medium in accordance with a recording operation of a plurality of recording elements; image forming control means for causing the recording means to form on the recording medium a composite image including a test image and a plurality of normal images to be formed, the normal images being allocated to a recording range on the recording medium; reading means for reading the image formed on the recording medium; failure detection means for detecting failures in the recording operation performed by the recording elements, from the test image read by the reading means; and determination means for determining the quality of each of the plurality of normal images on the basis of the result of the failure detection in the recording operation, obtained by the quality detection means, and arrangement information relating to each of the images in the composite image.