An apparatus including a control device, a first processing device, a second processing device, and one or more memories, wherein the first processing device issues a signal based on the first processing device having processed a predetermined amount of data in received image data so that an engine controller starts to obtain image data from the one or more memories, wherein the control device provides dummy data to the first processing device so that the first processing device processes the dummy data and issues the signal, wherein the control device provides to the one or more memories, not via the first or second processing device, image data to be printed, wherein the second processing device discards the dummy data processed by the first processing device, and wherein the engine controller obtains the image data to be printed from the one or more memories.

An image forming apparatus includes a print engine to form a page image on a printing sheet, a sheet conveyance unit to convey the printing sheet to the print engine in a non-stop conveyance mode, a video board to supply image data of the page image to the print engine, a controller board to execute predetermined image processing to generate the image data and transfer the image data to the video board, and a conveyance control unit to control the sheet conveyance unit. The video board includes a page memory, an image receiving unit, and an image output unit. The conveyance control unit causes the sheet conveyance unit to start conveyance of a printing sheet, on which the page image is to be printed, after completion of storage of the image data of the page image in the page memory of the video board.

For a dither matrix used when converting multivalued data into image data for an output apparatus, thresholds are set such that a first dot and a second dot alternately become larger until both of the first dot and the second dot reach a first dot size, after both of the first dot and the second dot reach the first dot size, the first dot becomes larger until the first dot reaches a second dot size while the second dot does not become larger, and, thereafter, the second dot becomes larger until the second dot reaches the second dot size while the first dot does not become larger, and after both of the first dot and the second dot reach the second dot size, the first dot and the second dot alternately become larger.

An image forming apparatus includes a document reader, a storage for storing image data, an image output unit and a control unit. The control unit includes: a function setup controller for setting up the image output conditions of output images; and a control-unit side controller having a function of displaying a function setup screen corresponding to the function setup controller, on a display panel. The function setup controller has an additional input mode having a function of reading documents a multiple number of times to form multiple sheaves of documents. The additional input mode includes: an individual setup function of setting up individual image output conditions for each sheaf of documents and an all-in setup function of setting up identical image output conditions for all sheaves of documents. When the additional input mode is set up, the control unit-side controller offers a display of a setup change suggestion of the image output conditions for the next input on the display screen at the stage where the first image data input has been completed.

An image forming apparatus configured to form an image in a first mode and in a second mode in which the image forming apparatus is operated under an image forming condition in which developer supplying capability from a developer carrying member to an image bearing member is increased to form the image, the image forming apparatus including: a determination unit configured to determine whether an input image is an image in a predetermined condition in which the input image is a fine line having a predetermined width or less, a miniature image, or a character having predetermined points or less; and a correction unit configured to set a line width thin or lighten density for an image determined as the image in the predetermined condition by the determination unit at a time of forming the image in the second mode.

An image processing apparatus capable of shifting to a power saving mode. The image processing apparatus includes a storing unit configured to store a document in a storage device, a notification unit configured to periodically notify an apparatus of a predetermined destination of information about a document that has been newly stored by the storing unit into the storage device, and a control unit configured to restrict shifting to a power saving mode in which the notification unit cannot make the notification after storage of a document by the storing unit has been completed and until the notification unit notifies at least information about the document.

There is provided an image forming apparatus for performing printing in a plurality of colors. The image forming apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive first print data in which an object to be printed in a spot color is designated in a first area in a document to be printed and second print data of the document to be printed from an information processing apparatus; convert the second print data received by the communication unit into image data of a predetermined color; extract an image of the first area from the image data obtained by conversion of the drawing unit; convert the image of the first area extracted by the spot color image control unit into the spot color; and generate image data of the spot color in which the image of the first area converted by the conversion unit is placed.

An image forming apparatus, including: a dividing the image data into regions including pixels; an obtaining a first ratio by dividing a total number of the pixels included in groups, the pixels having a density equal to or higher than a predetermined value and arranged consecutively in a predetermined direction, by a total number of the pixels having the density and included in each of the regions; an obtaining a second ratio by dividing the total number of pixels having the density and included in each of the regions by a total number of the pixels included in each of the regions; a determining a target temperature for maintaining a temperature of a fixing portion based on the first and second ratios; and a controlling power to be supplied to the fixing portion so that the fixing portion is maintained at the target temperature.

An image forming device that executes an image forming program for real-time mechanical control and another program, using a single cache memory for the image forming program and said another program. The image forming device includes: a cache lockdown unit that executes a cache lockdown to lock down a storage area of the cache memory that stores at least a portion of the image forming program necessary for image formation processing; and a print unit that executes the image formation processing while the storage area is locked down.

A printer includes a first printing unit responsible for one of preceding printing and subsequent printing that are to be performed on one sheet in overprinting, an other of the preceding printing and the subsequent printing being performed by a second printing unit; and a base-printing controller that causes the first printing unit to print a base for printing by the second printing unit in an operation of forming a test pattern for registration between the preceding printing and the subsequent printing on the sheet.