A recording system includes a receiving apparatus and a recording apparatus. The receiving apparatus includes a creation section and a reservation control section. The recording apparatus includes a recording section and a recording control section.

An image processing apparatus sequentially displays time-series images. The apparatus includes a movement-direction-change image extracting unit that detects a movement between images constituting the time-series images and extracts an image of which a movement direction is changed based on the detected movement between images; and a display speed controller that controls display speeds of the image extracted by the movement-direction-change image extracting unit and images adjacent to the image at a level relatively lower than display speeds of other images.

Methods and apparatus for switching between a live video decoding and a recorded playback in a digital video and recording system. A received video data stream is transmitted to a first-in first-out video decoder buffer without first looping the video data stream through a playback buffer. The video data stream is transmitted from the video decoder buffer to a video decoder. If a “pause” command is received, the video data stream is transmitted to a first-in first-out playback buffer, while continuing to transmit the video data stream to the video decoder buffer. Transmission of the video data stream to the video decoder buffer is halted when the video decoder buffer fills up. The last byte of the video data stream that was transmitted to the video decoder buffer is marked. If a “play” command is received, the video data stored in the video decoder buffer is transmitted to the video decoder. The video data stored in the playback buffer is transmitted to the video decoder buffer starting at a point immediately after the data element that was marked previously.

Method and information processing apparatus for generating an edited work including a subset of a plurality of scenes in an image material. The information processing apparatus includes a memory configured to store the image material including the plurality of scenes. The information processing apparatus further includes a processor configured to select, for an n-th scene of the edited work, a plurality of first candidate scenes from the plurality of scenes based on at least one feature of a preceding (n−1-th) scene of the edited work and features of the plurality of scenes. The processor is also configured to generate a graphical user interface including a scene selection area and a preview area. The scene selection area includes one or more first candidate images corresponding to at least one of the plurality of first candidate scenes, and the preview area includes a preview of the preceding (n−1-th) scene.

A measuring apparatus for measuring a stereo video format includes an active space measuring circuit and a decision circuit. The active space measuring circuit is utilized for determining a position of an active space of a frame packing to generate an active space measuring result according to pixels values of a plurality of scan lines of the frame packing. The decision circuit is coupled to the active space measuring circuit, and is utilized for determining the stereo video format according to at least the active space measuring result.

A method of displaying a message received from a server during reproducing content includes: receiving the message provided to a user terminal, from the server, during the reproducing the content stored in a storage medium; determining an operation mode of the user terminal related to a priority order of the message; and providing the message according to the determined operation mode of the user terminal.

Methods and apparatuses for presenting targeted advertisements to DVR users are described. After a DVR has finished playing a recorded television program, or in response to other specified events, the DVR presents a screen which comprises a “save or delete” menu. In addition to the “save” and “delete” options, the menu additionally comprises one or more other options. Each of these other options may correspond to a separate promotional item. For example, a user's selection of such an option may cause the DVR to display or play an advertisement on the user's television set. Additionally or alternatively, these other options, when selected by a user, may cause the DVR to display a user interface through which the user can actually purchase a product or service. The product or service advertised or offered may be one that was featured or referenced in the television program that the user was just watching.

A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record a moving image signal in a recording medium, a setting unit configured to set a threshold based on a remaining recording capacity of the recording medium, and a control unit configured to control the recording unit to start recording the moving image signal, into a first moving image file in the recording medium, according to a recording instruction, wherein the control unit is configured to control the recording unit to divide the moving image signal into at least a second moving image file in the recording medium in the case that a size of the first moving image file has reached the threshold during recording of the moving image signal according to the recording instruction, and is configured to control the recording unit to delete the moving image file recorded first, from among the plurality of moving image files recorded after the recording instruction, if the remaining recording capacity of the recording medium is determined to have run out during recording of the moving image signal.

An information processing apparatus includes a controller that sets type information, which represents that an application for executing a process using a dependent view video stream is an application for reproducing a 3-D image, in a clip information file which describes information on a transport stream including the dependent view video stream out of a base view video stream and the dependent view video stream obtained by encoding a plurality of video data according to the a predetermined video coding format.

A data recording and reproducing apparatus supporting multi-path recording reproduction, and an information storage medium on which multi-path data is recorded. The information storage medium includes at least one clip that is a recording unit containing presentation data for respective paths, wherein presentation data in a selected path is continuously reproduced without changing paths, and additional path information regarding a block of the path is recorded separately from the presentation data. Accordingly, it is possible to more effectively use a recording space and reduce the frequency of jumping to clips, thereby effectively reading the multi-path presentation data from the information storage medium.

A system that enables an event or moments within an event to be captured and provided in a record that preserves at least some aspects of the participant's perspective of the event. In particular, the present invention involves centralized recording of the event in one or more modes including video, audio, and still image recordings and a system that enables a participant (i.e., one who perceives the event) to select portions of the event recording substantially contemporaneously with the event occurrence. A personalized record is made by duplicating the selected portions from the event record. In a particular example, the personalized record is recorded on a digital media such as a compact disc (CD) or digital video disk (DVD) or the like.

A reproduction apparatus comprises a reproduction unit configured to reproduce image data from a recording medium; a detection unit configured to detect users; and a generation unit configured to generate, for each of a plurality of users, management information for distinguishing a portion that has been reproduced and a portion that has not been reproduced in the image data recorded in the recording medium.

An image processing apparatus includes a generation unit configured to continuously generate still images from a moving image which is being read out from a recording medium and played back, a detection unit configured to detect a change of a playback state of the moving image which is being read out from the recording medium and played back, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the generation unit. The control unit performs control to stop generating of the still image when the detection unit detects that the playback state of the moving image during playback is changed.

An editing method comprises: generating, from a material data which is generated according to a first time and in which a first time range is specified, a playback data that is to be played back according to a second time different from the first time; and locating a second time range, which includes the material data within the first time range, in the playback data.

An image capture device includes: first and second shooting sections, each of which is configured to shoot an image of a subject; a disparity calculating section configured to generate a depth map based on first and second images that have been shot by the first and second shooting sections, respectively; and an image generating section configured to generate, based on the depth map and the first image, a third image that has as high a resolution as the first image and that forms part of a 3D image. The image generating section is controlled to determine whether or not to generate the third image based on at least one of the states of the first and second images, a zoom power during shooting, and the tilt of the image capture device during shooting.

A video processing apparatus that can be connected to a video playback apparatus includes an input unit configured to input video data from the video playback apparatus, an interpolation unit configured to generate interpolated frame image data of input video data, and an output unit configured to output the interpolated frame image data as interpolated video data, wherein the interpolation unit generates different interpolated frame image data according to a playback mode of the video playback apparatus.

A cutting bit adapted to cut wood or metal is disclosed. The cutting bit is prepared by a process which includes the step of performing a forming operation on a metal blank so as to create a formed metal part that includes (i) a shaft having a polygonal shaped drive surface and defining an axis, (ii) a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the body being attached to the shaft, the body further having a first shoulder and a second shoulder at the distal end thereof, the first shoulder defining a first cutting edge segment, and the second shoulder defining a second cutting edge segment, the axis extending between the first cutting edge segment and the second cutting edge segment, (iii) a central cutting member extending from the body so that the central cutting member is aligned with the axis, (iv) a first cutting spur extending from the distal end of the body, the first cutting edge segment being interposed between the first cutting spur and the axis, and (v) a second cutting spur extending from the distal end of the body, the second cutting edge segment being interposed between the second cutting spur and the axis. The process of preparing the cutting bit further includes the step of performing a carburization operation on the formed metal part after the first step so as to create the cutting bit. The cutting bit is particularly useful in performing a drilling operation on a metal construction wall stud to form a hole therein.

A cutting tap includes a body having an axial forward end and an axial rearward end. The body has a threaded body portion with spiral flutes adjacent the axial forward end, a cylindrical shank portion adjacent the axial rearward end. The threaded body portion includes a chamfered fluted section and a constant diameter section. The threads have a chamfer relief extending radially inward from the cutting edge to a heel of a land. The amount of chamfer relief reaches a maximum value at a point between the cutting edge and the heel, and then becomes smaller between the point of maximum relief and the heel of the land to provide a clearance that reduces the propensity of the tap to chip.

This invention relates to a screw tap which is rotatable about a rotational axis and has a number of thread-cutting teeth, which respectively have a radially outer tip cutter and are disposed mutually offset, with a predefined thread pitch, in an arrangement running spirally or helically around the rotational axis. In a lead region adjoining one end of the screw tap axially to the rotational axis, the maximum radial distance of the tip cutters of the thread-cutting teeth from the rotational axis increases with increasing axial distance of the tip cutters from one end of the screw tap according to a predefined radial distance function. At least some of the thread-cutting teeth in the lead region, at least in the region of the tip cutters, respectively have a defined cutter rounding between tool face and tool flank.

An electromagnetic field measuring apparatus capable of measuring an electromagnetic field for a minuscule area in which electronic devices are densely packed with a high sensitivity is provided. In an electromagnetic field measuring apparatus according to the present invention, the amplitude level of signal light (pf) is adjusted by the analyzer (34) by adjusting its angle with respect to the plane of polarization of the signal light (pf) based on an amplitude level control signal (eb) supplied from the calculation control unit (40). An amplitude level control signal (eb) is supplied from the calculation control unit (40) to the analyzer (34) based on the spectrum (ea) of an electric signal (ed) measured by an RF spectrum analyzer (39). The amplitude level ration between the carrier and the sideband contained in the signal light (ph) incident on the optical receiver (38) is controlled to a fixed value.

The power source apparatus is provided with a shunt resistor connected in series with batteries, and a current computation circuit that detects the voltage induced by current flow through the shunt resistor to compute battery current. The shunt resistor is provided with a pair of current flow terminals at two separated points on a metal plate connected in series with the batteries via connecting leads, and a pair of voltage detection terminals on a side of the metal plate between the pair of current flow terminals. Further, the shunt resistor has interval adjustment structures to adjust the distance (L) between attachment points where the connecting leads attach to the pair of current flow terminals. The distance (L) between lead attachment points is adjusted with the interval adjustment structures to finely adjust the voltage induced at the voltage detection terminals due to current flow between the two attachment points.

The object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus that allow production of metal plate chip resistors having a relatively low resistance with high accuracy and yield through simple process. The object is achieved by apparatus for manufacturing metal plate chip resistors including cutting mold for cutting intermediate product strip transversely to obtain worked product chip, ohm meter for measuring the resistance of the worked product chip, control device having a calculating part for performing a calculation using the resistance measured by the ohm meter to work out a width in which the strip is to be cut transversely so as to obtain a worked product chip of a desired resistance, and cutting width adjustor for making an adjustment so that the strip is to be cut transversely in the width obtained from the calculating part.

An apparatus and method for improved current shunt sensing in an electrical system, such as a renewable energy electrical system, is disclosed. A current shunt according to aspects of the present disclosure includes a conductive portion that is placed in series with an electrical system The current shunt includes a sensing element that is used to measure the voltage across the conductive portion of the current shunt. The sensing element has an increased width relative to the width of the conductive portion of the shunt. The increased width of the sensing element provides for improved current shunt sensing that results in more accurate voltage (and thus current) measurements across a wide range of frequencies.

A touch sensing apparatus has a plurality of unit regions, and each of the unit regions includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a spacer structure. The first substrate has a first electrode layer thereon. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate and has a second electrode thereon. The spacer structure is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. In particular, there are plural of sensing units in each of the unit regions, and sensing trigger forces of the sensing units in the unit region are not completely the same.

A welding workbench assembly comprises a base. The welding workbench assembly further comprises a first wraparound barrier comprising at least three panels, including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The second panel is adjacent to the first panel at a first end of the first panel and the third panel is adjacent to the first panel at a second end of the first panel. The welding workbench assembly further comprises a second wraparound barrier comprising at least three panels, including a fourth panel, a fifth panel, and a sixth panel. The fifth panel is adjacent to the fourth panel at a first end of the fourth panel and the sixth panel is adjacent to the fourth panel at a second end of the fourth panel.

A ski tip hold down assembly for holding the tip end of the ski. The ski tip hold down assembly having a base attached to a work bench and an upright stand affixed to the base. The upright stand having a ski rest on a top surface thereof and a ski tip hold down bar secured to the upright stand in spaced apart relation to the ski rest defining an opening adapted to receive a ski tip, with the ski oriented in a base-up configuration, with the ski tip extending underneath the ski tip hold down bar. The apparatus further including a tail rest assembly having a base adapted to be used on the work bench in spaced apart relation to the ski tip hold down assembly and further including an upright stand affixed to the base with a ski rest provided on a top surface thereof.

A support disk fixing apparatus which includes an upper surface to which a wafer is bonded, a lower surface, a cylindrical side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a chamfered portion between the upper surface and the side surface, includes a base upon which the support disk is placed; and a fixture that is provided on the base, and that has a first surface that abuts against the side surface of the support disk and covers the side surface of the support disk, and a second surface that abuts against the chamfered portion of the support disk and covers the chamfered portion of the support disk.

The bonding apparatus is capable of effectively increasing temperature of a substrate and reducing occurrence of position gaps and poor connection in a process of flip-chip-bonding semiconductor devices to the substrate. The bonding apparatus comprises: a supporting unit for supporting the substrate, on which the semiconductor devices have been adhered by a non-conductive; and a heating/pressing unit for heating and pressing the substrate, the heating/pressing unit having a built-in heat source and a clamping face, onto which the substrate supported by the supporting unit is pressed. The substrate supported by the supporting unit is moved toward the clamping face of the heating/pressing unit so as to preheat the substrate and the semiconductor devices by radiation heat. Then, the semiconductor devices are pressed onto the clamping face of the heating/pressing unit so as to cure the non-conductive adhesive and bond bumps of the semiconductor devices to terminal sections of the substrate.

An apparatus for supporting a workpiece during processing of the workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a chassis having a vacuum chamber that is connectable to a vacuum source; a supporting device rotatable relative to the chassis, the supporting device having a hollow compartment and a supporting surface for holding the workpiece; and at least one sealing device arranged between the chassis and the supporting device, to provide an air-tight seal between the chassis and the supporting device while allowing for rotation of the supporting device with respect to the chassis, so as to form a vacuum passage extending from the supporting surface of the supporting device through the hollow compartment of the supporting device and the vacuum chamber of the chassis to the vacuum source, to thereby hold the workpiece to the supporting surface of the supporting device during processing of the workpiece.

A turbine component repair apparatus includes: a first die having male and female halves for clamping a first section of a turbine blade with a platform and a root portion of an airfoil, the first die having a recess shaped to receive the root portion and retain a faying surface thereof in predetermined alignment; and a second die having male and female halves for clamping a repair section which defines a tip portion of the airfoil, the second die having a second recess shaped to receive the tip portion and retain a faying surface of the tip portion in predetermined alignment. The first and second dies have mating front faces configured to align their bottom surfaces in a common plane. A alignment device is removably attached to the second die to temporarily align the repair section in the absence of the male half of the second die.

A panel jig apparatus is provided which has first moving units that are respectively installed at the left and right sides of a base frame, and selectively reciprocate a first sliding plate provided on top of the base frame leftward and rightward on the base frame. Likewise, the second moving units are respectively installed at the front and rear sides of the base frame, and selectively reciprocate a second sliding plate provided on top of the base frame forward and rearward on the base frame. The first support units are movable leftward and rightward on the base frame by the respective first sliding plates, and movable upward and downward by an ascending and descending means so as to support a panel. The second support units are movable forward and rearward on the base frame by the second sliding plates, and provided to support the panel.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part including a recording head to form an image on a recording medium, a conveyance mechanism disposed opposite the image forming part to convey the recording medium, and a cover closably openable relative to a body of the image forming apparatus and disposed opposite the conveyance mechanism with the image forming part interposed therebetween. The recording head is detachably attachable to the cover and is configured to move away from the conveyance mechanism when the cover is opened.

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a conveyer configured to convey a recording medium along a conveying path in a conveying direction, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the recording medium being conveyed, a supporting member arranged in a position to face the image forming unit and configured to support the recording medium, and an aspirator configured to aspirate dust through an aspiration inlet, which is formed in a downstream position along the conveying direction with respect to the image forming unit and in proximity to a downstream end of the supporting member.

The present invention addresses the problem of improving the quality of recorded images in ink jet recording technologies in which a plurality of nozzle lines that discharge ink of the same color are used. As a solution, nozzle lines (10) of n columns (where n is a natural number of three or more) each record a recording pixel column (2) on a recording medium by discharging ink of the same color while scanning over the recording medium (1); and when the nozzle lines (10) of n columns each extract a recording pixel column (2), which is recorded in a single scan, for each n columns in the scanning direction, ink is discharged in such a manner that there are at least two permutation patterns for the nozzle columns (10) that record each column of the extracted recording pixel columns (3).

A full-line printhead includes a base in which a plurality of substrates each including arrayed print elements are arranged in the arrayed direction has the following arrangement. The base includes a terminal for inputting a first differential signal, a first pair of lines for transferring the first differential signal from the terminal to the substrates, a terminal for inputting a second differential signal, and a second pair of lines for transferring the second differential signal from the terminal to the substrates. Each substrate includes a first amplifier for amplifying the first differential signal transferred via the first pair of lines, and a second amplifier for amplifying the second differential signal transferred via the second pair of lines. Control is performed to change the gain of the first amplifier based on a control signal from outside.

A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle plate formed with a plurality of nozzle orifices; a drive unit configured to apply pressure vibration to pressure generating chambers communicating to the plurality of nozzle orifices; and a head casing including the drive unit and having a surface opposed to the nozzle plate. The plurality of nozzle orifices defines a first nozzle array group and a second nozzle array group which are staggered, and the surface has a first recess and a second recess which are staggered.

A liquid container includes a liquid which generates gases over time due to a chemical change in components; a liquid storage chamber in which the liquid is stored; a liquid flow port which communicates with the liquid storage chamber, via which the liquid inside the storage chamber flows out; and an information holding portion which holds time information on manufacturing of the liquid container.

A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a head including: a reservoir tank; an inlet opening; and ejection openings; an air-discharge passage for discharging air from the reservoir tank to an outside; a first sucking device for sucking air from the reservoir tank via the air-discharge passage; a semipermeable membrane dividing a space in the reservoir tank and the air-discharge passage, into a reservoir-tank-side space and a first-sucking-device-side space and allowing communication of the air and inhibiting communication of liquid between the reservoir-tank-side space and the first-sucking-device-side space; and a first valve mechanism dividing the reservoir-tank-side space into a first space on a semipermeable-membrane side and a second space on an inlet-opening side, inhibiting fluid from flowing from the first space to the second space, and allowing fluid to flow from the second space to the first space. The first space is located above the ejection openings.

A liquid cartridge is detachably attachable to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus. The liquid cartridge includes a cartridge case, an information memory element, and a holding unit. The cartridge case includes at least two dividable case parts. The at least two dividable case parts form a front face of the cartridge case to face the apparatus body when the liquid cartridge is attached to the apparatus body. An information memory element is held at the front face of the cartridge case. The holding unit is provided in one of the at least two dividable case parts to hold the information memory element with only the one of the at least two dividable case parts. The holding unit includes a groove to receive the information memory element and a displaceable claw to hold the information memory element between the groove and the claw.

A printing apparatus adapted to have a cartridge detachably mounted thereon includes a cartridge mounting structure, a printing material supply tube, a plurality of apparatus-side terminals and a lever used for attachment and detachment of the cartridge to and from the printing apparatus. The lever has an operating member, a first apparatus-side locking portion and an axis of rotation. When an external force is applied to the operating member of the lever from the +X-axis direction to the −X-axis direction, the lever moves the first apparatus-side locking portion about the axis of rotation from a specified locking position toward the +X-axis direction and disengages the first apparatus-side locking portion from a first cartridge-side restriction portion, so as to eliminate the restriction of motion of the cartridge. This ensures stable electrical connection between cartridge-side terminals and apparatus-side terminals.

There are provided an image processing apparatus and an image processing method which can shorten a drying time of inks in an edge region of an image, and can form a sharp image without bleeding of the ink applied onto the edge region into a blank paper. The image processing method generates applying data for forming an image on a print medium by a relative scan between print heads for ejecting a first ink and a second ink having the same color with the first ink and lower in surface tension than the first ink, and the print medium. The image processing method generates first data for applying the first ink to a predetermined region that is adjacent to an edge region of the image and that is included in an inside region inward of the edge region, and generates second data for applying the second ink to the edge region.

An image recording apparatus includes: a nozzle that discharges electromagnetic wave curable ink that is cured when an electromagnetic wave is irradiated onto a recording medium; and an irradiator for irradiating the electromagnetic wave, wherein a filter that transmits the electromagnetic wave is provided on the irradiator, and the filter has a first transmittance that causes the electromagnetic wave curable ink on the recording medium to be curable with respect to an electromagnetic wave that is incident at a first angle and a second transmittance that maintains a state in which the nozzle can discharge the electromagnetic wave curable ink with respect to an electromagnetic wave that is incident at a second angle.

A liquid ejection apparatus includes: (a) a storage device for storing an image data set representing a plurality of images; (b) a liquid ejection head for performing an image formation on each recording medium; (c) a curl reduction device for reducing curl caused in each recording medium having the corresponding image formed thereon by the liquid ejection head; (d) an output tray for receiving each recording medium whose curl has been reduced by the curl reduction device, such that the received recording media are stacked on the output tray; and (e) a control device configured to control the curl reduction device, such that the curl caused in an earlier one of the recording media is reduced by a smaller degree than the curl caused in a later one of the recording media that has been subjected to the image formation later than the earlier one of the recording media.

According to an aspect of the present invention, in a medium conveyance apparatus which securely supports and conveys a medium, by providing a function for applying a back tension to the medium, in a guide section which forms a guide for supporting the medium in a medium conveyance unit, it is possible to apply a back tension to the medium of which at least a portion is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit, thereby restricting the occurrence of creasing and floating when the medium is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit and maintaining the flatness of the medium which is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit.

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid toward a recording medium; a rib which projects in a direction toward the liquid ejecting head, and includes a support portion for supporting the recording medium; a detection target portion which is provided at a position lower than the support portion; a lower side portion located at a position lower than the detection target portion; a light emitting unit which irradiates the detection target portion with light rays; a light receiving unit which receives reflected light rays resulting from reflection of the light rays with which the detection target portion is irradiated, convers the received reflected light rays into photocurrent, and outputs the photocurrent as an output voltage; and a sensitivity setting unit which causes the light emitting unit to irradiate the detection target portion with light rays and sets the sensitivity of the light receiving unit.

A recording apparatus includes: a transporting roller which includes a cylindrical shaft having one joint from one end portion to the other end portion of the shaft and transports a recording medium by being driven to rotate; a driven roller which holds and transports the recording medium with the transporting roller; and a recording section which performs recording on the recording medium, in which the joint includes a plurality of protrusion sections which protrude in a direction intersecting with an axial direction of the transporting roller, in which the plurality of protrusion sections are disposed in positions which do not come into contact with both end portions of the recording medium in the axial direction of the cylindrical shaft.

A printing apparatus includes a housing, a carriage in which a print head is mounted, the carriage moving inside the housing, and an openable cover provided for the housing. A restricting member configured to restrict movement of the carriage during transport of the printing apparatus is attachable to the printing apparatus. While the restricting member is attached to the apparatus, the restricting member engages with the carriage, the cover in a closed position, and the housing and part of the restricting member is exposed outside of the cover in the closed position. When the part is pulled, the restricting member disengages from the carriage, the cover, and the housing and is detached from the apparatus.

In accordance with one embodiment, a duplex printer apparatus comprises a first printing section configured to use an inkjet mechanism for carrying out printing on a first surface of a paper wound in a roll shape; a second printing section configured to be arranged at the downstream side of the first printing section in a paper conveyance direction and use a thermal printing mechanism for carrying out printing on a second surface serving as the back side of the first surface of the paper; and a heat amount changing section configured to change, according to the difference of printing by the first printing section, a driving condition of the thermal printing mechanism when the second printing section applies heat to a paper.

The invention relates to a marking apparatus (10) for marking an object comprising a marking head (20) having a plurality of marking devices (40, 40a, 40b) for applying a marking on the object and a driving mechanism for providing a relative movement of the object relative to the marking head in an advance direction (16) during a marking operation. The marking head comprises in addition to the plurality of marking devices a plurality of sensor devices and the sensor devices (50) are arranged down-stream of the marking devices in the advance direction, so that the marking applied by the marking devices is detectable by the sensor devices, when the object is moved relative to the marking head in the advance direction. The invention also relates to a method for marking an object.

An optical writing controller that controls a light source to expose a photoconductor and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor calculates a correction value for correcting a superimposing position where the developed images for different colors developing each of the electrostatic latent images formed on each of the multiple photoconductors are superimposed based on the detection signal output by a pattern detection sensor that detects a pattern for correcting the superimposing position, controls the multiple light sources to draw a predetermined pattern repeatedly in the sub-scanning direction so that stepwise patterns whose width in the main scanning direction varies with repetition are formed, and determines the width in the main scanning direction of the patterns for correcting based on the strength of the detection signal output by the pattern detection sensor.