Patent ID: 7798634

Claim:
A recording apparatus that forms an image on a type of recording medium using a recording head, the recording apparatus comprising: a scanning device configured to reciprocate, in a first direction, a carriage on which the recording head is mounted; a conveying device configured to convey the recording medium in a second direction different from the first direction; a first irradiating unit configured to emit light toward a detection surface including a surface of the recording medium such that specular reflected light is obtained; a second irradiating unit configured to emit light toward the detection surface such that diffuse reflected light is obtained; a light-receiving unit including a plurality of light-receiving elements, each light-receiving element detecting an amount of the specular reflected light or the diffuse reflected light; a selecting device configured to select one of the first and second irradiating units from which light is to be emitted; and a detecting device configured to perform a detection operation based on the amount of the reflected light emitted from the irradiating unit selected by the selecting device, wherein the first and the second irradiating units and the light-receiving unit are provided on the carriage, the second irradiating unit including a plurality of light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-emitting elements being arranged in a direction different from both the first direction and the second direction, and the plurality of light-receiving elements being arranged in a direction diagonal to both the first direction and the second direction in the same plane, wherein the detecting operation includes detecting the type of recording medium, and wherein the selecting device selects the irradiating unit from which light is to be emitted in accordance with the type of recording medium detected.