# US 2024/0201619 A1 · Image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201619 A1 - Document ID: US20240201619A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/338,292 - Filed: 2023-06-20 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19 - Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kiyotaka MURAKAMI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201619A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/2003: {using heat} - B41J 3/50: Mechanisms producing characters by printing and also producing a record by other means {, e.g. printer combined with RFID writer} - G03G 21/1657: {Wireless connection means, e.g. RFID} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a medium and write data to a wireless tag attached to the medium, includes a fixing device including a heater and configured to fix the image formed on the medium by heat, and a controller configured to control the fixing device to heat a first region of the medium to which the wireless tag is not attached at a first temperature, and control the fixing device to heat a second region of the medium to which the wireless tag is attached at a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a medium and write data to a wireless tag attached to the medium, comprising: a fixing device including a heater and configured to fix the image formed on the medium by heat; and a controller configured to: control the fixing device to heat a first region of the medium to which the wireless tag is not attached at a first temperature, and control the fixing device to heat a second region of the medium to which the wireless tag is attached at a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensor configured to detect the wireless tag of the medium and output a signal upon detection of the wireless tag, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a position of the wireless tag on the medium based on the signal, and determine the first and second regions based on the determined position of the wireless tag on the medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the fixing device to heat the first region at the first temperature when at least a part of the first region is in a target area defined along a conveyance path of the medium, and the controller controls the fixing device to heat the second region at the second temperature when at least a part of the second region is in the target area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a first timing at which the second region enters the target area and a second timing at which the second region exits the target area, and control the fixing device to heat the medium at the second temperature based on the determined first and second timings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing device includes an endless belt in which the heater is disposed and a pressing roller facing the endless belt, and the target area has a length in the conveyance direction that is substantially identical with a circumference of the endless belt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing device includes an endless belt facing the heater and a pressing roller facing the endless belt, and the target area has a length in the conveyance direction that is substantially half of a circumference of the endless belt. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a wireless tag communication device configured to communicate with the wireless tag, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a position of the wireless tag on the medium based on a strength of a signal received from the wireless tag by the communication device, and determine the first and second regions based on the determined position of the wireless tag on the medium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium includes another wireless tag, and the controller is configured to control the fixing device to heat a third region of the medium to which said another wireless tag is attached at the second temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second temperatures are between 120 and 135 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second temperature is at least 10 degrees lower than the first temperature. ### Claim 11 A method carried out by an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a medium and write data to a wireless tag attached to the medium and including a fixing device with a heater and configured to fix the image formed on the medium by heat, the method comprising: heating a first region of the medium to which the wireless tag is not attached at a first temperature; and heating a second region of the medium to which the wireless tag is attached at a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: detecting the wireless tag of the medium and outputting a signal upon detection of the wireless tag; determining a position of the wireless tag on the medium based on the signal; and determining the first and second regions based on the determined position of the wireless tag on the medium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the first region is heated at the first temperature when at least a part of the first region is in a target area defined along a conveyance path of the medium, and the second region is heated at the second temperature when at least a part of the second region is in the target area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: determining a first timing at which the second region enters the target area and a second timing at which the second region exits the target area, wherein the medium is heated at the second temperature based on the determined first and second timings. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the fixing device includes an endless belt in which the heater is disposed and a pressing roller facing the endless belt, and the target area has a length in the conveyance direction that is substantially identical with a circumference of the endless belt. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the fixing device includes an endless belt facing the heater and a pressing roller facing the endless belt, and the target area has a length in the conveyance direction that is substantially half of a circumference of the endless belt. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: communicating with the wireless tag by a wireless tag communication device; determining a position of the wireless tag on the medium based on a strength of a signal received from the wireless tag by the communication device; and determining the first and second regions based on the determined position of the wireless tag on the medium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the medium includes another wireless tag, and the method further comprises: heating a third region of the medium to which said another wireless tag is attached at the second temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and second temperatures are between 120 and 135 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a method of forming an image on a medium and write data to a wireless tag attached to the medium and fixing the image on the medium by heat, the method comprising: heating a first region of the medium to which the wireless tag is not attached at a first temperature; and heating a second region of the medium to which the wireless tag is attached at a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature.