Image recording apparatus with color detection

Claim 2

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: first recording means for recording an image on a recording material based input image data, a color in which said first recording means records the image being selectable; first detection means for detecting information indicating the color in which said first recording means records an image and for producing an output signal representing the detection; second recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data, a color in which said second recording means records the image being selectable; second detection means for detecting information indicating the color in which said second recording means records an image and for producing an output signal representing the detection; and selecting means for selecting image data supplied to said first and second recording means in accordance with the output signals produced by said first and second detection means.

Claim 3

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means comprises first and second memory means for storing image data including different color information, and comparator means for comparing the output signals produced by said first and second detection means with color information of image data stored in said first and second memory means, said selecting means supplying said first and second recording means respectively with image data corresponding to the output signals produced by said first and second detection means in response to the output of said comparator means.

Claim 4

An image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said selecting means comprises alarm means for providing a warning in the absence of detection of coincidence in the comparison by said comparator means.

Claim 5

An image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said selecting means comprises instruction means for supplying the image data to one of said first and said second recording means even in case of absence of detection of coincidence in the comparison by said comparator means.

Claim 6

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second recording means comprises latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on a recording member and a developing means for developing said latent image into a visible image.

Claim 7

An image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second detection means are adapted to detect information corresponding to the colors of the developer in said developing means.

Claim 8

An image recording apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising laser means for producing a laser beam for exposing said latent image forming means and wherein said latent image forming means is adapted to form the electrostatic latent image on said recording member corresponding to input image data by turning on and off said laser means.

Claim 9

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: first recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data, a color in which said first recording means records the image being selectable; first detection means for detecting color information indicating the color in which said first recording means records an image; second recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data, a color in which said second recording means records the image being selectable; second detection means for detecting color information indicating the color in which said second recording means records an image; and control means for comparing the color information detected by said first and said second detection means with color information representing input image data in accordance with which an image is to be recorded, and for selectively driving one of said first and said second recording means in coincidence with color information representing input image data in accordance with which an image is to be recorded.

Claim 10

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: first recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data, a color in which said first recording means records the image being selectable; first detection means for detecting color information indicating the color in which said first recording means records an image; second recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data, a color in which said second recording means records the image being selectable; second detection means for detecting color information indicating the color in which said second recording means records an image; and control means for comparing the color information detected by said first and said second detection means with color information representing input image data in accordance with which an image is to be recorded, and for selectively driving one of said first and said second recording means in coincidence with color information representing input image data in accordance with which an image is to be recorded.

Claim 11

An image recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said control means is adapted to control the transportation of the recording material in order to skip the one of said first and said second recording means not required in the recording operation.

Claim 12

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: recording means for recording an image on a recording material based in input image data, a color in which said recording means records the image being selectable; detection means for detecting color information representing the color in which said recording means is adapted to record; prohibiting means for comparing the color information detected by said detection means with the color of said input image data, and prohibiting the recording operation of said recording means in case no coincidence is determined in said comparsion; and cancelling means for cancelling the prohibiting operation of said prohibiting means, said cancelling means being adapted to enable recording operation by said recording means even when the color information detected by said detection means does not coincide with the color of the input image data as determined by said prohibiting means.

Claim 13

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: recording means for recording an image on a recording material based in input image data, a color in which said recording means records the image being selectable; detection means for detecting color information representing the color in which said recording means is adapted to record; prohibiting means for comparing the color information detected by said detection means with the color of said input image data, and prohibiting the recording operation of said recording means in case no coincidence is determined in said comparsion; and cancelling means for cancelling the prohibiting operation of said prohibiting means, said cancelling means being adapted to enable recording operation by said recording means even when the color information detected by said detection means does not coincide with the color of the input image data as determined by said prohibiting means.

Claim 14

An image recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said cancelling means includes switch means and is adapted to cancel said prohibiting operation by actuation of switching means.

Claim 15

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: recording means for recording an image in a first color on a first surface of a recording material based on input image data, said recording means further being operable, after completion of image recbrding on the recording material in the first color, to record an image on the first surface of the recording material in a second color different from the first color, the first and second colors being selectable; detection means for detecting color information relating to the recording operation of said recording means; and selecting means for selecting image data to be supplied to said recording means in accordance with the color information detected by said detection means.

Claim 16

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: recording means for recording an image in a first color on a first surface of a recording material based on input image data, said recording means further being operable, after completion of image recbrding on the recording material in the first color, to record an image on the first surface of the recording material in a second color different from the first color, the first and second colors being selectable; detection means for detecting color information relating to the recording operation of said recording means; and selecting means for selecting image data to be supplied to said recording means in accordance with the color information detected by said detection means.

Claim 17

An image recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said recording means comprises first recording means for image recording with a first color and second recording means for image recording with a second color, and said detection means comprises first detection means for detecting color information corresponding to said first color and second detection means for detecting color information corresponding to said second color.

Claim 18

An image recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said selecting means is adapted to select image data supplied to said first and second recording means according to color information detected by said first and second detection means.

Claim 19

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: first recording means for recording an image on a recording material based in input image data, a color in which said first recording means records the image being selectable; detection means for detecting information indicating the color in which said first recording means records an image; second recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data; and selecting means for selecting image data supplied to said first recording means in accordance with the output signals from said detection means.

Claim 20

An image recording apparatus for receiving input image data and for recording images on a recording material, said apparatus comprising: first recording means for recording an image on a recording material based in input image data, a color in which said first recording means records the image being selectable; detection means for detecting information indicating the color in which said first recording means records an image; second recording means for recording an image on a recording material based on input image data; and selecting means for selecting image data supplied to said first recording means in accordance with the output signals from said detection means.