Patent ID: 9302497
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: B41J,G03G

Claim Text:
1. An optical writing device configured to form electrostatic latent images on a plurality of photosensitive elements, the optical writing device comprising: a plurality of light sources, each of the plurality of light sources including a plurality of light source elements arranged in an array, and being configured to form an electrostatic latent image on a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive elements; an image-data acquirer that acquires image data, the image data being data about an image to be formed as the electrostatic latent image; and a light-source controller that performs light-emission control on the plurality of light sources based on pixel data generated from the acquired image data, and performs a neutralization process to neutralize electrical charge on the corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive elements by controlling the plurality of light sources to expose the corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive elements to light, wherein during the neutralization process, the light-source controller divides a period during which light-on/off control can be performed on the plurality of light sources into sub-periods based on the pixel data input to the light-source controller, and causes a corresponding group of the plurality of light source elements of each of the plurality of light sources to be lit in a corresponding sub-period, while other groups of the plurality of light source elements of each of the plurality of light sources are maintained in a light-off state in said corresponding sub-period.