Patent ID: 7877029

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: (a) a toner image carrier configured to carry a plurality of toner images; (b) a detection pattern forming section configured to form a series of detection patterns on the toner image carrier, each detection pattern formed between toner images on the toner image carrier; (c) a fogging level detection section provided opposite to the toner image carrier and configured to detect a fogging level associated with each detection pattern formed by the detection pattern forming section; (d) a memory section configured to store a target fogging level representing an upper limit of a fog area ratio of a detection pattern; and (e) a fog controller configured to adjust a fog control parameter that defines a discharge of a fog toner from a developing device onto a toner image, based on the fogging levels detected by the fogging level detection section and the target fogging level stored in the memory section, wherein the fog controller is further configured to control a fogging level below the upper limit of the fog area ratio by applying the fog control parameter to the image forming apparatus, so as to discharge fog toner from the developing device onto the toner image carrier having the plurality of toner images.