Photographic processing condition managing method, and method and apparatus for managing image forming devices

A method of managing photographic processing conditions of an image forming device equipped with means for immersing a photosensitive material for printing in a processing solution for photosensitive materials to process the photosensitive material for printing, said method comprising the steps of:

• immersing an unexposed photosensitive material for printing into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing to process the photosensitive material in said image forming device;
• dividing a density of the processed photosensitive material into a plurality of colors;
• measuring the the density of each of said colors;
• storing density values of each of said colors, respectively;
• periodically repeating the steps of immersing, dividing, measuring, and storing;
• and
• determining a state of the processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing of said image forming device, on the basis of the density values stored in said storing step.

A method for managing photographic processing conditions of an image forming device equipped with means for immersing a photosensitive material for printing into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing to process the photosensitive material, said method comprising the steps of:

• for a photosensitive material for printing, on which an original image has been exposed at predetermined exposure conditions and which has been immersed into and processed by a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing at said image forming device, dividing a density of an image developed on the photosensitive material into a plurality of colors;
• measuring the density of each of said colors;
• storing density values of the respective colors together with results of measuring density values of the original image for the respective colors and exposure conditions at the time the original image was exposed onto the photosensitive material;
• repeating the steps of dividing, measuring, and storing;
• and
• determining a state of the processing solution of said image forming device on the basis of stored density values of the image on the photosensitive material, stored density values of the original image, and the stored exposure conditions.

A method for managing photographic processing conditions of an image forming device equipped with means for immersing a photosensitive material for photographing into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for photographing to process the photosensitive material, means for exposing an original image recorded on the photosensitive material for photographing onto a photosensitive material for printing, and means for immersing the photosensitive material for printing into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing to process the photosensitive material, said method comprising the steps of:

• automatically immersing a photosensitive material for photographing, a portion of which includes a reference image has been exposed, into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for photographing to process the photosensitive material,
• automatically exposing the reference image developed on the photosensitive material for photographing onto a photosensitive material for printing at predetermined exposure conditions,
• automatically immersing an exposed photosensitive material for printing into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing to process the photosensitive material for printing,
• automatically dividing the densities of the reference image developed on the photosensitive material for photographing and the reference image developed on the photosensitive material for printing, respectively, into a plurality of colors,
• measuring the densities of each of said colors,
• automatically storing measured density values of the respective reference images for the respective colors and the predetermined exposure conditions;
• and
• determining a state of the processing solution for photosensitive materials for photographing on the basis of stored density values of the reference image on the photosensitive material for photographing, and
• determining a state of the processing solution for photosensitive material for printing on the basis of stored density values of the reference image on the photosensitive material for printing, the stored density values of the reference image on the photosensitive material for photographing, and stored exposure conditions.

An apparatus for managing image forming devices for managing method of a plurality of image forming devices respectively performing the steps of exposing an original image onto a photosensitive material for printing and immersing the photosensitive material for printing into a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing to process the photosensitive material for printing, said apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving density values for each color of an image developed on a photosensitive material for printing by exposing an original image onto the photosensitive material for printing and by immersing and processing the photosensitive material for printing in a processing solution for photosensitive materials for printing at each of the plurality of image forming devices, and density values for each color of the original image at each of the plurality of image forming devices, and exposure conditions at the time when the original image is exposed onto the photosensitive material for printing at each of the plurality of image forming devices;
• calculating means for calculating amounts of correction of the exposure conditions on the basis of values obtained by statistically processing the densities of images on the photosensitive materials for printing received from each of the plurality of image forming devices, the densities of the original images received from each of the plurality of image forming devices, and the exposure conditions received from each of the plurality of image forming devices;
• and
• correcting means for correcting the exposure conditions at the time of exposing images onto photosensitive materials for printing at each of the image forming thereto by the amounts of correction calculated by said calculating means.

An apparatus for managing image forming devices for managing each of a plurality of image forming devices respectively performing the steps of immersing a photosensitive material on which an image is exposed into a processing solution so as to process the photosensitive material, said apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving density values for respective colors of images developed on processed photosensitive materials and at least one of variables effecting compositions of processing solutions and variables expressing characteristics of processing solutions, the density values and variables being detected at each of the plurality of image forming devices;
• determining means for determining states of the processing solutions of the respective image forming devices on the basis of information received from each of the plurality of image forming devices;
• analyzing means for analyzing a cause of deviation from a standard state on the basis of said information received by said receiving means, in a case in which there is an image forming device for which it is determined by said determining means that the state of a processing solution has deviated from the standard state;
• and
• calculating means for determining, on the basis of results of analysis by said analyzing means, at least one of an amount of correction of exposure conditions at the time an image is exposed onto a photosensitive material and contents of change of maintaining/managing conditions of the processing solution.