Color image recording apparatus

A color image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image input portion arranged to input image data;
• an image forming portion arranged to be provided for every recording color component and to form an image based on the image data inputted by the image input portion;
• a recording mode setting portion arranged to set whether an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is used or not by analyzing the image data inputted by the image input portion;
• a discriminating portion arranged to discriminate, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the image inputted by the image input portion is a color image or a monochrome image;
• a preparatory operation control portion arranged to cause the image forming portion to make a preparatory operation in the monochrome recording mode before obtaining a result of the discrimination by the discriminating portion;
• and
• an image forming control portion arranged to cause, if the discriminating portion judges that the input image is the monochrome image, the image formation to be executed in the monochrome recording mode and to cause, if the input image is judged to be the color image, the image formation to be executed in the full-color recording mode by a shift from the monochrome recording mode to the full-color recording mode.

A control method of a color image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image input step for inputting image data;
• an image forming step for forming an image on the basis of the image data inputted in the image input step by an image forming portion provided for every recording color component;
• a recording mode setting step for setting whether an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is used or not by analyzing the image data inputted in the image input step;
• a discriminating step for discriminating, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the image inputted in the image input step is a color image or a monochrome image;
• a preparatory operation control step for causing the image forming portion to make a preparatory operation in the full-color recording mode before obtaining a result of the discrimination in the discriminating step;
• and
• an image forming control step for causing, if it is judged in the discriminating step that the input image is the monochrome image, the image formation to be executed by a shift from the full-color recording mode to the monochrome recording mode and for causing, if the input image is judged to be the color image, the image formation to be executed in the full-color recording mode.

A control method of a color image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image input step for inputting image data;
• an image forming step for forming an image on the basis of the image data inputted in the image input step by an image forming portion provided for every recording color component;
• a recording mode setting step for setting whether an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is used or not by analyzing the image data inputted in the image input step;
• a discriminating step for discriminating, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the image inputted in the image input step is a color image or a monochrome image;
• a preparatory operation control step for causing the image forming portion to make a preparatory operation in the monochrome recording mode before obtaining a result of the discrimination in the discriminating step;
• and
• an image forming control step for causing, if it is judged in the discriminating step that the input image is the monochrome image, the image formation to be executed in the monochrome recording mode and for causing, if the input image is judged to be the color image, the image formation to be executed in the full-color recording mode by a shift from the monochrome recording mode to the full-color recording mode.

A color image forming apparatus comprising:

• a scanner control portion arranged to control an input of image data;
• an image control portion arranged to cause the image data from the scanner control portion to undergo image processing for printing;
• and
• a printer control portion arranged to control an image forming operation based on the image data processed by the image control portion, wherein:
• the image control portion includes:
• a recording mode setting portion arranged to judge whether the use of an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is set or not by analyzing the image data inputted, and to notify the printer control portion of a result of the judgement;
• and
• a discriminating portion arranged to discriminate, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the inputted image is a color image or a monochrome image, and to notify the printer control portion of a result of the discrimination;
• and
• the print control portion includes:
• a first control portion arranged to execute a preparatory operation of forming the image in the monochrome recording mode before obtaining the result of the discrimination by the discriminating portion;
• and
• a second control portion arranged to execute, if the discriminating portion judges that the input image is the monochrome image, forming the image in the monochrome recording mode, and to execute, if the input image is judged to be the color image, forming the image in the full-color recording mode after a shift from the monochrome recording mode to the full-color recording mode.

A color image forming apparatus comprising:

• a scanner control portion arranged to control an input of image data;
• an image control portion arranged to cause the image data from the scanner control portion to undergo image processing for printing;
• and
• a printer control portion arranged to control an image forming operation based on the image data processed by the image control portion, wherein:
• the image control portion includes:
• a recording mode setting portion arranged to judge whether the use of an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is set or not by analyzing the image data inputted, and to notify the printer control portion of a result of the judgement;
• and
• a discriminating portion arranged to discriminate, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the inputted image is a color image or a monochrome image, and to notify the printer control portion of a result of the discrimination;
• and
• the print control portion includes:
• a first control portion arranged to execute a preparatory operation of forming the image in the full-color recording mode before obtaining the result of the discrimination by the discriminating portion;
• and
• a second control portion arranged to execute, if the discriminating portion judges that the input image is the color image, forming the image in the full-color recording mode, and to execute, if the input image is judged to be the monochrome image, forming the image in the monochrome recording mode after a shift from the full-color recording mode to the monochrome recording mode.

A control method of a color image forming apparatus, said color image forming apparatus including:

• a scanner control portion arranged to control an input of image data;
• an image control portion arranged to cause the image data from the scanner control portion to undergo image processing for printing;
• and
• a printer control portion arranged to control an image forming operation based on the image data processed by the image control portion, said control method comprising:
• a step of causing the image control portion to execute a method comprising:
• a recording mode setting step for judging whether the use of an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is set or not by analyzing the image data inputted, and for notifying the printer control portion of a result of the judgement;
• and
• a discriminating step for discriminating, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the inputted image is a color image or a monochrome image, and for notifying the printer control portion of a result of the discrimination;
• and
• a step of causing the print control portion to execute a method comprising:
• a first control step for executing a preparatory operation of forming the image in the monochrome recording mode before obtaining the result of the discrimination in the discriminating step;
• and
• a second control step for executing, if judging in the discriminating step that the input image is the monochrome image, forming the image in the monochrome recording mode, and for executing, if the input image is judged to be the color image, forming the image in the full-color recording mode after a shift from the monochrome recording mode to the full-color recording mode.

A control method of a color image forming apparatus, said color image forming apparatus including:

• a scanner control portion arranged to control an input of image data;
• an image control portion arranged to cause the image data from the scanner control portion to undergo image processing for printing;
• and
• a printer control portion arranged to control an image forming operation based on the image data processed by the image control portion, said control method comprising:
• a step of causing the image control portion to execute a method comprising:
• a recording mode setting step for judging whether the use of an auto color discriminating function of determining a full-color recording mode or a monochrome recording mode is set or not by analyzing the image data inputted, and for notifying the printer control portion of a result of the judgement;
• and
• a discriminating step for discriminating, if the use of the auto color discriminating function is selected, whether the inputted image is a color image or a monochrome image, and for notifying the printer control portion of a result of the discrimination;
• and
• a step of causing the print control portion to execute a method comprising:
• a first control step for executing a preparatory operation of forming the image in the full-color recording mode before obtaining the result of the discrimination in the discriminating step;
• and
• a second control step for executing, if judging in the discriminating step that the input image is the color image, forming the image in the full-color recording mode, and for executing, if the input image is judged to be the monochrome image, forming the image in the monochrome recording mode after a shift from the full-color recording mode to the monochrome recording mode.