Adjustment-control system for image forming apparatus

An adjustment control system for an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting individual control amounts;
• deviation computing means for computing a plurality of control amount deviations according to the control amounts detected by the detecting means and a predetermined target value;
• deciding means for deciding whether or not the individual control amount deviations are within a predetermined tolerance;
• operation amount determining means for determining an operation amount for compensating each of the plurality of control amount deviations when at least one of the control amount deviations is determined by the first detecting means to be out of the predetermined tolerance;
• a plurality of operating means for compensating the control amounts by performing operation by the operation amount determined;
• and
• a processing step controlling section for executing adjustment control that repeats the detection of the control amounts, the decision, the determination of the operation amounts, and the operation of the operating means until the control amount deviations computed are converged into the predetermined tolerance,
• wherein the operation amount determining means comprises:
• an adaptive control section for executing adaptive control, including operation selecting means for selecting the operating means for adjusting objective control amount deviations that are out of the predetermined tolerance according to a preliminarily provided adjustment rule, sensitivity detecting means for performing trial operations by a predetermined amount for the operating means selected and for thereby detecting the sensitivities of the control amount deviations which vary depending on the operation amount of the operating means, and first operation amount computing means for determining the operation amount according to the sensitivities detected for the operating means for reducing the objective control amount deviations;
• first storing means for storing control amount deviations and the operation amounts corresponding thereto on a basis of the detection and operation in a period when adjustment of the objective control amount deviations is started and the objective control amount deviations are adjusted to be within the tolerance;
• second storing means for computing the sum of the operation amounts which correspond to the control amounts in each compensation operation and stored in the first storing means and for storing the sum of the operation amounts as learning data when all the control amount deviations are adjusted to be within the tolerance;
• a learning control section comprising second operation amount computing means for determining the operation amount for the operating means according to the learning data stored in the second storing means and for executing a learning control method;
• determining means for determining whether or not learning data corresponding to the control amount deviations is stored in the second storing means;
• first control-method selecting means for determining the operation amount by selecting the adaptive control section when no corresponding learning data is determined by the determining means to exist and for determining the operation amount by selecting the learning control section when corresponding learning data is determined by the determining means to exist;
• and
• switching means for switching to the adaptive control by the adaptive control section when a control amount deviation is not converged into the predetermined tolerance as a result of the execution of the learning control by the learning control section.

An adjustment control system for an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• detecting means for detecting individual control amounts;
• deviation computing means for computing a plurality of control amount deviations according to the control amounts detected by the detecting means and a predetermined target value;
• deciding means for deciding whether or not the individual control amount deviations are within a predetermined tolerance;
• operation amount determining means for determining an operation amount for compensating each of the plurality of control amount deviations when at least one of the control amount deviations is determined by the first detecting means to be out of the predetermined tolerance;
• a plurality of operating means for compensating the control amounts by performing operation by the operation amount determined;
• and
• a processing step controlling section for executing adjustment control that repeats the detection of the control amounts, the determination, the determination of the operation amounts, and the operation of the operating means until the control amount deviations computed are converged into the predetermined tolerance,
• wherein the operation amount determining means comprises:
• an adaptive control section for executing adaptive control, including operation selecting means for selecting the operating means for adjusting objective control amount deviations that are out of the predetermined tolerance according to a preliminarily provided adjustment rule, sensitivity detecting means for performing trial operations by a predetermined amount for the operating means selected and for thereby detecting the sensitivities of the control amount deviations which vary depending on the operation amount of the operating means, and first operation amount computing means for determining the operation amount according to the sensitivities detected for the operating means for reducing the objective control amount deviations;
• first storing means for storing control amount deviations and the operation amounts corresponding thereto on a basis of the detection and operation in a period when adjustment of the objective control amount deviations is started and the objective control amount deviations are adjusted to be within the tolerance;
• second storing means for computing the sum of the operation amounts which correspond to the control amounts in each compensation operation and stored in the first storing means and for storing the sum of the operation amounts as learning data when all the control amount deviations are adjusted to be within the tolerance;
• a learning control section comprising second operation amount computing means for determining the operation amount for the operating means according to the learning data stored in the second storing means and for executing a learning control method;
• determining means for determining whether or not learning data corresponding to the control amount deviations is stored in the second storing means;
• control method selecting means for determining the operation amount by selecting the adaptive control section when no corresponding learning data is determined by the determining means to exist and for determining the operation amount by selecting the learning control section when corresponding learning data is determined by the determining means to exist;
• and
• learning-data deleting means for deleting learning data used in the learning control when the control amount deviations satisfy predetermined adjustment control completion conditions before the control amount deviations are converged into the predetermined tolerance as a result of execution of the learning control by the learning control section, the adjustment control completion conditions including a conditional case where the operation amount is out of a predetermined limit value and a conditional case where the number of operations of the operating means in the adjustment control reaches a predetermined maximum number of control operations.