Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image forming method each controlling fixing temperature

An image forming system comprising:

• an image forming unit configured to form an image by performing scanning with a laser beam in a main scanning direction based on image data;
• a fixing unit configured to fix the image formed on a recording material by the image forming unit;
• a transmission unit configured to transmit values relating to pixels that form the image in the image data, in each of a plurality of lines in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction;
• and
• a control unit configured to calculate, in a case where the values relating to the pixels that form the image are consecutively greater than or equal to a predetermined value in the sub-scanning direction, an integrated value of the values relating to the pixels that form the image,
• wherein the fixing unit is set to a first temperature in a case where the integrated value is a first value, and the fixing unit is set to a second temperature lower than the first temperature in a case where the integrated value is a second value smaller than the first value.

An image forming method for an image forming apparatus which forms an image by performing scanning with a laser beam in a main scanning direction based on image data and fixes the formed image on a recording material, the image forming method comprising:

• transmitting values relating to pixels that form the image in the image data, in each of a plurality of lines in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction;
• calculating, in a case where the values relating to the pixels that form the image are consecutively greater than or equal to a predetermined value in the sub-scanning direction, an integrated value of the values relating to the pixels that form the image;
• and
• setting the fixing unit to a first temperature in a case where the integrated value is a first value, and setting the fixing unit to a second temperature lower than the first temperature in a case where the integrated value is a second value smaller than the first value.