A medium transportation device includes a supply roller configured to send a medium downstream, at least one stopper configured to be switched between a blocking state in which the at least one stopper blocks the transportation path and an open state in which the at least one stopper opens the transportation path, and a controller configured to perform skew correction control in which a leading edge of the medium is brought in contact with the at least one stopper in the blocking state to correct skew of the medium. The controller is configured to obtain information about a stiffness of the medium and, when a second medium having a lower stiffness than a first medium is transported, the controller switches the at least one stopper from the blocking state to the open state to end the skew correction control earlier than the skew correction control of the first medium.

An image abnormality detecting device includes an image reader, an abnormality detector, a pattern holder, and circuitry. The image reader is configured to read an image on a recording medium. The abnormality detector is configured to detect abnormality of the image based on read information of the image on the recording medium, read by the image reader. The pattern holder has a check pattern and is disposed within a reading area of the image reader. The circuitry is configured to inspect a detecting operation of the abnormality detector based on read information of the check pattern read by the image reader.

When a device main body acquires detection information corresponding to a second original document from a rigidity detecting unit in a state where the device main body is in a first posture, a control unit of an image reading device performs a first step of stopping transporting an original document and a second step of controlling a driving source to switch the posture of the device main body from a first posture to a second posture in which a sloped angle of the device main body is smaller than that in the first posture.

An image forming apparatus improved in a setting process for a recording medium to thereby make it possible to prevent print processing from failing to be executed. In the image forming apparatus including a plurality of sheet feeders for storing recording sheets, when recording sheets are stored in one of the sheet feeders, at least one of the recording sheets is conveyed from the corresponding sheet feeder, and the type of the conveyed recording sheet is identified. Then, the identified type of the recording sheet is set as the type of the stored recording sheets. This makes it possible to prevent occurrence of a situation in which print processing is not executed because the identified type of the recording sheet does not match the set type of the recording sheets, whereby it is possible to prevent print processing from failing to be executed.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image onto a sheet; a conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet through a conveyance path, the conveyance path including a curved path being bent; a sensor configured to read the image formed on the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path by the conveyance roller, the sensor being configured to read the image formed on the sheet when a part of the sheet is conveyed through the curved path; and a controller configured to obtain information related to a type of the sheet, and to control, based on the information, a conveying speed of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller when the sensor reads the image.

Provided are systems and methods for identifying, isolating, and/or aligning sheets. An identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet by (i) vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet from a zone of detection, and/or (ii) determining a reference axis of the sheet. An isolation system can facilitate accurate isolation of a sheet by (i) providing targeted air flow, and/or (ii) introducing a wave into the sheet. Identification systems and/or isolation systems described herein may facilitate isolation of sheets that were previously fastened together by one or more fasteners. An alignment system can facilitate accurate alignment of a first sheet at an upstream location relative to a second sheet at a downstream location via machine learning.

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: obtain characteristic values including smoothness and basis weight of a recording medium; and identify the type of the recording medium on the basis of the smoothness and the basis weight.

For a plurality of types of print media, a pre-trained model is prepared, the pre-trained model being generated by machine learning based on spectroscopic information of an unprinted area on the print medium and an identifier indicating the type of the print medium and using the identifier as a trainer. The spectroscopic information of the unprinted area on the print medium to print on is acquired. The acquired spectroscopic information is applied to the pre-trained model. Using a result thereof, auxiliary information about the type of the print medium is outputted. A specification of the type of the print medium using the outputted auxiliary information is accepted. When the type of the print medium is thus specified, printing is performed using a print condition suitable for the print medium.

An image forming apparatus includes a reading table, an image reading device, an image forming device with an exposure device, and circuitry. The reading device reads a pattern on a recording medium on the table, and generates image data of the pattern. The exposure device includes a light emitting element to form an electrostatic latent image, based on which the image forming device forms the pattern. Based on first and second correction values, the circuitry calculates a third correction value to correct a light amount of the light emitting element. The exposure device includes a driving device that drives the light emitting element based on the third correction value. The circuitry sets at least two or more determination areas in each of a white area and a pattern area of the medium, and determines whether the medium has a rise based on density data in the determination areas.

An image forming apparatus is configured to obtain user designation information indicating a type of a sheet onto which an image is to be formed, control an image forming unit to form the image on the sheet in a case where a condition for permitting image formation is satisfied, even when a detecting result from a sensor indicates a type different from the type indicated by the user designation information, and control the image forming unit to skip forming the image on the sheet in a case where the condition is not satisfied, in a case where the detecting result from the sensor indicates a type different from the type indicated by the user designation information.