An image forming apparatus forms a color image on a recording medium by superimposing images of colors formed by image forming units. The apparatus includes a processor that: acquires a read image by reading the recording medium on which the color image has been formed; forms a register patch outside a job image forming region of the recording medium; and corrects image forming positions of the image forming units based on the read image that includes the register patch. The register patch includes: a leading end patch and a rear end patch formed with a reference color material; and one or more measurement target color patches formed with measurement target color materials between the leading end patch and the rear end patch. The hardware processor corrects the image forming positions based on relative positions of the leading end patch, the rear end patch, and the measurement target color patches.

An information processing apparatus includes: a setting unit configured to set one or more colorimetric regions in an image to be formed based on image data; and a transmission unit configured to transmit a print job to an image forming apparatus, the print job including the image data and colorimetric region information indicating the one or more colorimetric regions. The setting unit has a first mode under which the setting unit selects, based on a selection criterion, a colorimetric region in the image to be formed based on the image data, and a second mode under which a user designates the colorimetric region.

An image forming apparatus, including: a temperature detecting element provided on an opposite side of a first and a second light sources with respect to a deflection unit in an optical box and provided between a first lens and a second lens, which a first and a second light beams emitted from the first and second light sources and deflected by a rotary polygon mirror enter first, respectively, the temperature detecting element being configured to detect an internal temperature of the optical box; and a control unit configured to control lighting-up timings based on image data of the first and second light sources based on a detection result of the temperature detecting element so that misregistration between a first toner image and a second toner image transferred from the first and second photosensitive members onto the sheet is suppressed.

A laser scanning unit includes a light source portion, a scanning portion, a first correction portion, and a second correction portion. The light source portion outputs a plurality of light beams. The scanning portion scans the plurality of light beams to form a plurality of electrostatic latent images, respectively corresponding to a plurality of colors including at least one reference color and at least one non-reference color, in an image forming portion. The first correction portion applies an external mechanical force to an optical element located in a path of a reference beam, corresponding to the reference color, among the plurality of light beams to correct distortion of a scan line of the reference beam. The second correction portion controls the light source portion to correct distortion of a scan line of a non-reference beam, corresponding to the non-reference color, among the plurality of light beams.

An image formation apparatus that includes: first to third image formation units provided in this order in a traveling direction of a transfer target medium; a detector configured to detect first to third correction pattern formed on the transfer target medium by the first to third image formation units, respectively; and a control unit programed to control image misregistration correction based on a result of detection by the detector. The control unit causes the first and third image formation units to form the first and third correction patterns on the transfer target medium, respectively. When an amount of image misregistration between the first correction pattern and the third correction pattern is less than a predetermined value, the control unit neither causes the second image formation unit to form the second correction pattern, nor executes the image misregistration correction.

An image forming apparatus transfers toner images of respective colors, formed on photosensitive drums, onto an intermediate transfer belt conveyed in a predetermined direction to thereby form a color toner image. A steering roller tilts the intermediate transfer belt in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. A first sensor detects a position of a belt lateral end of the belt, and when controlling driving of the steering roller based on a detection result of the first sensor, a controller performs predetermined filtering on the detection result, to thereby control the driving of the steering roller according to the detection result subjected to the predetermined filtering.

An image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of image forming units, an intermediate transfer member, a detection unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the plurality of image forming units to form, on the intermediate transfer member, a pattern image including a first detection image having a reference color among the plurality of detection images and a second detection image having another color among the plurality of detection images. The first detection image and the second detection image are superimposed on a predetermined detection image. The controller is configured to control the detection unit to detect the amount of color misregistration which is related to a relative position of the first detection image and the second detection image, and to determine an adjustment value for adjusting an image write start timing of the other color different from the reference color.

An image forming apparatus and method for color registration are provided. The image forming apparatus according to an example includes a communication device to receive print data, a print engine including a plurality of photosensitive drums, and a processor to control the print engine to print the received print data on a plurality of printing papers, and to form a predetermined pattern for color registration in an inter-paper distance section between two of the plurality of printing papers on a paper feeding path.

An image forming apparatus includes a processor. The processor is configured to emit a laser beam reflected by a polygon mirror, the polygon mirror rotated by a polygon motor, form an image based on a latent image carried on a photoconductor by the laser beam, store an execution frequency of an image quality self-check of the image formed and a rotation duration of the polygon motor during a standby operation period of image formation, accept a change in the execution frequency, change the rotation duration based on the change in the execution frequency, execute the image quality self-check based on the execution frequency, and continuously rotate the polygon motor during the standby operation period based on the rotation duration stored.

A color management system for a printing system includes a fleet color management service that manages color calibration for printing devices. Calibration target print jobs are sent to the printing devices within a group. The calibration target print jobs are measured to capture color printing data. The measured data is uploaded to the fleet color management service, which determines color printing parameters for the group, including an aggregate maximum end point target. The fleet color management service generates a tone reproduction curve for all of the printing devices based on the color printing parameters. Validation of the color printing capabilities are performed using a validation set of the printing devices to determine the validation set printing devices can meet the aggregate maximum end point target.