IMAGE PRINTING APPARATUS AND COLOR REGISTRATION COMPENSATION METHOD CAPABLE OF COMPENSATING FOR CONCENTRATION OF COLOR REGISTRATION PATTERNS

摘要

An image forming apparatus having a function of compensating for densities of color registration patterns and a method for correcting color registration are provided to compensate for a density variation in the color registration patterns to achieve accurate color registration correction. An image forming apparatus includes a photo-sensor(250), a color registration correction value determination unit(260), an image controller(270), and a pattern density corrector(255). The photo-sensor reads color registration patterns formed on paper using color units. The color registration correction value determination unit determines a color registration correction value for controlling an exposure starting time of each of the color units on the basis of the read color registration patterns. The image controller forms an electrostatic latent image of an input image based on the color registration correction value. The pattern density corrector controls the thicknesses of the color registration patterns based on the densities of the color registration patterns.