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US5070367A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Color image forming apparatus with an automatic color selection mode

Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
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Filing: 1991-01-24
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Granted: 1991-12-03
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Expires: 2011-01-24
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Abstract

Abstract A color image forming apparatus includes an image reading section which reads an image by scanning it and separating the colors of the image into a plurality of colors; and image processing section which processes the output of the image reading section and outputs the image information of these colors; a recording section which forms an image of these colors in the image region of a photoreceptor according to the image information and transfers the image onto a recording paper; an operating section which sets the copy conditions and controls the above-described sections, wherein the image forming apparatus can copy the document image according to an automatic color selection mode in which the color conditions of the document image is judged, and a color to be used and a copy process in accordance with the color to be used can be automatically determined. When the color image forming apparatus described above is in the automatic color selection mode, the first scanning is conducted for one of these colors described above and the necessity of image forming of other colors is judged during the first scanning.

Inventors

  • 👤 Masahi Sugano
  • 👤 Takashi Murahashi
  • 👤 Hiroyuki Maruyama
  • 👤 Jun Yokobori

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 14:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/01; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S347/00; Y10S347/90

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 164 words
A color image forming apparatus having an automatic color selection mode to determine a color to be used and a copy process to be conducted in accordance with the color obtained by distinguishing a color composition of an original document, comprising: (a) means for setting the automatic color selection mode; (b) an image reading means for reading the original document by scanning and for separating the original document into a plurality of colors, wherein, when the automatic color selection mode is set, a scanning for a predetermined color out of the plurality of colors is carried out to form an image for the predetermined color, and the presence of color other than the predetermined color is detected during the scanning; (c) an image processing means for outputting image information of the detected colors; and (d) a control means for judging the necessity of forming images for the detected colors based on the image information and for controlling the copy process for the detected colors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 164 words
A color image forming apparatus having an automatic color selection mode to determine a color to be used and a copy process to be conducted in accordance with the color obtained by distinguishing a color composition of an original document, comprising: (a) means for setting the automatic color selection mode; (b) an image reading means for reading the original document by scanning and for separating the original document into a plurality of colors, wherein, when the automatic color selection mode is set, a scanning for a predetermined color out of the plurality of colors is carried out to form an image for the predetermined color, and the presence of color other than the predetermined color is detected during the scanning; (c) an image processing means for outputting image information of the detected colors; and (d) a control means for judging the necessity of forming images for the detected colors based on the image information and for controlling the copy process for the detected colors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
The color image forming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the predetermined color is back.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4690543A Cited
US4711553A Cited
US4803516A Cited
US4970562A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-12-02 1995-06-03 1995-12-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-12-02 1999-06-03 1999-12-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-12-02 2003-06-03 2003-12-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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