Author: claimsbot

1. A system comprising:
a device comprising:
a processor;
a projector; and
a light emitter configured to emit non-visible light;

a display medium that is physically separate from the device, the display medium configured to:
receive images projected onto a rear surface of the display medium by the projector, causing the images to be displayed for viewing on a front surface of the display medium at a first brightness level, and
allow non-visible light directed to the rear surface of the display medium to pass, at least in part, through the display medium to an environment in front of the front surface of the display medium; and

the device further comprising one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
determining that the image has decreased from the first brightness level to a second brightness level that is less than the first brightness level;
based at least partly on the image decreasing from the first brightness level to the second brightness level, causing an additional instance of the image to be projected onto the rear surface of the display medium;
detecting, based at least in part on an interaction of a user of the display medium with the non-visible light passed through to the environment, one or more gestures made by the user;
determining one or more operations to be performed based on the one or more gestures; and
performing at least one operation of the one or more operations.
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display medium comprises:
a first layer that allows the non-visible light to pass through at least in part; and
nano particles within the first layer, the nano particles being formed of at least one of phosphorescent material or fluorescent material to emit one or more colors of light in response to receiving the images projected from the projector.
3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display medium comprises a plurality of passive optical elements on a first layer, the plurality of passive optical elements configured to receive the images projected by the projector to the rear end of the display medium and cause the images to be displayed for viewing on the front surface of the display medium.
4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the light emitter is an infrared (IR) device configured to emit IR light.
5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the projector projects light having a plurality of different wavelengths, wherein a first wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths causes a first color to be displayed on the display medium and a second wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths causes a second color to be displayed on the display medium.
6. A system comprising:
a passive display medium having a front surface and a rear surface, the passive display medium configured to:
depict images on the front surface, and
allow non-visible light directed to the back surface to pass, at least in part, through the passive display medium to an environment in front of the front surface of the passive display medium;

a projector, that is physically separate from the passive display medium, to:
project images to the rear surface of the passive display medium, the images that are projected causing the images to be displayed for viewing on the front surface of the passive display medium at a first brightness level that decreases over time; and
based at least partly on a determination that the first brightness level has decreased to a second brightness level, project an additional instance of the images to the rear surface of the passive display medium; and

an interaction detection component configured to detect and interpret human interaction with the non-visible light passed through to the environment.
7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the passive display medium comprises particles to emit one or more colors of light in response to receiving the images projected from the projector to create the images to be displayed on the front surface.
8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the passive display medium comprises at least one of phosphorescent material or fluorescent material.
9. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the passive display medium comprises:
a first material to allow the non-visible light to pass through at least in part; and
nano particles within the first material, the nano particles being formed of at least one of phosphorescent material or fluorescent material to emit one or more colors of light in response to receiving the images projected from the projector.
10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more colors comprise blue, green and one of red or ultra violet.
11. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the passive display medium comprises:
a first layer;
a plurality of first optical elements on the rear surface to receive the light information from the projector; and
a plurality of second optical elements on the front surface of the display medium to present the images.
12. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the interaction detection component is configured to recognize facial expressions of a user of the passive display medium.
13. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the interaction detection component comprises an infrared (IR) device to direct IR light through the passive display medium and onto the environment.
14. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the interaction detection component comprises:
an infrared (IR) device to direct IR light through the passive display medium and onto the environment; and
a gesture detection component to determine gestures made by a user located in the environment based at least in part on detecting IR light scattered from the environment.
15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the gesture detection component is further configured to at least one of recognize facial expressions or authenticate the viewer.
16. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the interaction detection component comprises a gesture detection component to detect gestures made by a user located in the environment and to determine at least one operation to be performed based on the gesture.
17. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the interaction detection component comprises one or more microphones to detect sound.
18. A method comprising:
projecting, by a device, light onto a rear surface of a display medium that, upon receiving the light, is configured to display an image on a front surface of the display medium;
directing, by the device, non-visible light at least in part through the display medium to an environment in front of the front surface of the display medium;
based at least partly on an expiration of a pre-determined period of time, projecting an additional instance of the light onto the rear surface of the display medium; and
detecting, by the device and based at least in part on an interaction of a user of the display medium with the non-visible light passed through to the environment, one or more gestures made by the user.
19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the display medium comprises a passive display medium having a plurality of passive optical elements.
20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the display medium comprises at least one of phosphorescent material or fluorescent material.
21. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the display medium comprises an electronic paper display.
22. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising ceasing projection of the non-visible light, wherein the display medium is configured to display the image for a finite amount of time upon ceasing projection.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for distributing bank cards, comprising:
identifying, by at least one processor, a pool of potential new bank deposit account holders for a bank;
determining, by said at least one processor, if a person from the pool is an existing bank deposit account holder;
determining, by said at least one processor, whether the person is eligible for opening a new bank deposit account if the person is not an existing bank account holder;
creating an dead bank card comprising a dead deposit card associated with an inactive deposit account comprising a checking account or a savings account, the dead bank card and the inactive deposit account being unsolicited, the dead bank card including embossed information and magnetic stripe information specific to the person; and
distributing the dead bank card from the issuing bank to the person.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on the region or regions served by the bank issuing the new bank accounts.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on individuals applying for a new credit account.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on a life event comprising a move to a new residence.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on a life event comprising a marriage or divorce.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on a life event comprising a death of a partner or spouse.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on a life event comprising a birth.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pool is identified based on a life event comprising a new phone account.
9. The method of claim 1, further including determining whether the person was a previous bank account holder.
10. The method of claim 9, further including determining why the person closed the previous bank account in the event the person was a previous bank account holder.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the person is eligible comprises evaluating credit score information supplied by a credit bureau.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the person is eligible comprises determining whether the person is an existing or past credit card account holder with the bank and evaluating the payment history if the person is an existing or past credit account holder.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the person is eligible comprises evaluating the age of the person.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of prebuilding an account if the person is determined to be eligible, thereby permitting the bank to implement the new bank account quickly upon acceptance of the offer by the person.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the bank card is a debit card or check card.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the bank card is an ATM card.
17. A method of distributing bank cards, comprising:
receiving, via a communication interface, a customer application for a credit card to be issued by a bank;
processing, by at least one processor, the application to determine a decision on the credit card;
determining, by said at least one processor, whether the customer is an existing bank deposit account holder of the bank;
distributing a live credit card to the customer if the application is approved and the customer is an existing bank deposit account holder; and
distributing a live credit card and an unsolicited dead bank card comprising a dead deposit card associated with an inactive deposit account comprising a checking account or a savings account from the issuing bank to the customer if the application is approved and the customer is not an existing bank deposit account holder;
the dead deposit card and inactive deposit account being unsolicited and the dead bank card being delivered with embossed information and magnetic stripe information specific to the person.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of determining if the customer is eligible to be a bank account holder of the bank.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining if the customer is eligible comprises determining whether the customer resides within the bank account service footprint of the bank.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining if the customer is eligible comprises performing a credit check or risk analysis supplemental to that performed for the credit card application.
21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of determining whether the customer is a past bank account holder of the bank.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining the reason the past bank account was closed and evaluating the reason prior to the decision to distribute a dead bank card to the customer.
23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of providing an incentive to a customer who is not an existing bank account holder, a first incentive being provided to a customer who is not an existing bank account holder and who is not a past bank account holder, and a second incentive being provided to a customer who is not an existing bank account holder and who is a past bank account holder, thereby providing different incentives to new bank account customers and past bank account customers.
24. The method of claim 17, wherein the live credit card and dead bank card are communicated to the customer in a single mailing.
25. The method of claim 17, wherein the live credit card and dead bank card are communicated to the customer in different mailings.
26. The method of claim 17, further comprising prebuilding a new bank account for the customer prior to distributing the dead bank card.
27. A method of distributing solicited credit cards and unsolicited bank cards, comprising:
receiving, via a communication interface, from a customer an application for a credit card to be issued by a bank;
processing the application by at least one processor;
determining, by said at least one processor, if the customer is an existing bank deposit account holder with the bank;
distributing a live credit card to the customer if the application is approved and the customer is already an existing bank deposit account holder;
distributing a live credit card and an unsolicited dead bank card comprising a dead deposit card associated with an inactive deposit account comprising a checking account or a savings account from the issuing bank to the customer if the application is approved and the customer is not an existing bank deposit account holder;
the dead deposit card and inactive deposit account being unsolicited and the dead bank card being delivered with embossed information and magnetic stripe information specific to the person; and
processing a customer response to the dead bank card.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the customer response accepts the new bank account associated with the dead bank card, and wherein the processing comprises funding the new bank account.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the funding is from a customer-supplied source of funds.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the funding is from the credit account associated with the live credit card distributed with the dead bank card.
31. The method of claim 28, wherein the funding is an incentive deposit provided by the bank to incentivize the customer to accept the new bank account.
32. The method of claim 27, wherein the credit card and the bank card are linked through a reward or rebate program.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the credit card is a cobranded credit card offering first rewards or rebates based on credit card usage, and the customer also receives second rewards or rebates based on bank card usage.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first rewards or rebates and second rewards or rebates are the same.
35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first rewards or rebates and the second rewards or rebates are different, thereby offering different levels of incentive to the customer to use the credit card and the bank card.
36. The method of claim 27, wherein the credit card is a cobranded credit card offering first rewards or rebates based on credit card usage, and the bank provides the customer an incentive deposit of rewards or rebates to accept the new bank account associated with the dead bank card.
37. The method for distributing bank cards according to claim 1, the method further comprising the recipient of the dead bank card opening the inactive account.

1. A method for preparing a graphite negative material for an electrode of a lithium-ion battery, comprising:
loading a catalyst on the surface of a graphite material comprising a plurality of graphite layers to form a graphite material loaded with the catalyst;
forming a plurality of channels through the graphite layers of the graphite material loaded with the catalyst by reacting the graphite material loaded with the catalyst with a reaction gas, wherein the carbon carbons of the graphite material in contact with the catalyst are transformed to a gaseous product to be removed, the plurality of channels are capable of allowing lithium ions to pass therethrough freely, and a BET specific surface area of thus-obtained graphite negative material is in the range of 2.2- to 10.7 m2g;
wherein the catalyst comprises at least one selected from a group consisting ofTi, Zr, V, Nb, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Gd, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al, Ga, In, Sn, Sb, Bi and a compound thereof.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphite material comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of natural graphite, artificial graphite, graphitized meso-carbon microbead and modified graphite.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Gd and a compound thereof.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of Mn, Fe, V, Zn, Co, Cu, Ni and a compound thereof.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the compound is at least one selected from a group consisting of oxide, hydroxide, halide, nitrate, sulfate, carbonate, metallic acid salt and organic acid salt.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein a catalyst loading quantity is in a range from 0.010% to 40%.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein a catalyst loading quantity is in a range from 0.10% to 20%.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein a catalyst loading quantity is in a range from 0.50% to 10%.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein a grain diameter of the particles of the catalyst is in a range from 0.2 nm to 1.5 \u03bcm.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction gas is at least one selected from a group consisting of CO2, H2O, H2, N2O, NO and NO2.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein a reaction temperature of reacting the graphite material loading the catalyst with a reaction gas is in a range from 500\xb0 C. to 1500\xb0 C.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein a reaction temperature of reacting the graphite material loading the catalyst with a reaction gas is in a range from 700\xb0 C. to 1200\xb0 C.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein a reaction period of reacting the graphite material loading the catalyst with a reaction gas is in a range from 0.5 hours to 50 hours.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using a recording head in accordance with image data, said apparatus comprising:
conveying means for conveying said recording medium;
evaluation means for evaluating the distortion of the recording medium conveyed by the conveying means;
correction means for correcting the image data in accordance with the result of the evaluation made by said evaluation means; and
image forming means for forming an image on the recording medium by driving said recording head in accordance with the image data corrected by said correction means.
2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein boundary lines are formed at least on the surface of said recording medium such that tile-shaped areas are defined by said boundary lines, and wherein said evaluation means detects said boundary lines and evaluates the shape of said tile-shaped areas.
3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said boundary lines are formed with a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light.
4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and wherein said recording agent used to form said boundary lines contains a dye which does not color said cloth.
5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium includes boundary lines which are formed, before said recording medium is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye which can be detected using particular light into the form of a rectangular lattice.
6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium includes boundary lines which are formed, before said recording medium is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye which can be detected using particular light into the form of a triangular lattice.
7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said dye which can be detected using particular light is a dye which does not color the cloth.
8. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said cloth has boundary lines which are formed, before said cloth is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye, which does not color the cloth and which can be removed, into the forme of a rectangular lattice.
9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said cloth has boundary lines which are formed, before said cloth is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye, which does not color the cloth and which can be removed, into the forme of a triangular lattice.
10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said evaluation means includes detection means for detecting said boundary lines and said evaluation means evaluates the distortion of said recording means on the basis of the shape defined by said boundary lines.
11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:
said recording medium is a cloth;
said evaluation means evaluates the distortion caused by expansion or contraction of said cloth on the basis of the shape of the area defined by said boundary lines; and
said correcting means corrects the image data such that said image data has a shape corresponding to the shape of said area defined by said boundary lines.
12. An image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a memory for storing image data, wherein said correcting means restores the corrected image data into said memory.
13. An image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said correction means makes a correction by deforming said image data in accordance with the evaluation result given by said evaluation means.
14. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in addition to lattice-shaped boundary lines used to evaluate the distortion of the recording medium, said recording means also has bar-code information representing the areas defined by said boundary lines.
15. An image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said bar-code information is formed with a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light.
16. An image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said bar-code information is formed with a recording agent containing a dye which does not color said cloth.
17. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveying means includes an adhesive part for holding said recording medium.
18. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising drying means for drying said recording medium after an image has been formed on said recording medium by said recording head.
19. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head is an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
20. An image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said ink-jet head includes an electrothermal transducer for applying thermal energy to ink to generate a bubble in said ink thereby emitting ink.
21. A method of forming an image on a recording medium using a recording head in accordance with image data, said method comprising the steps of:
conveying said recording medium;
evaluating the distortion of the recording medium conveyed;
correcting said image data in accordance with the result of the evaluation made in said evaluation step; and
forming an image on the recording medium using said recording head in accordance with the image data corrected in said correction step.
22. A method of forming an image according to claim 21, wherein said recording medium has lattice-shaped boundary lines formed at least on the surface of said recording medium, and wherein said evaluation step optically detects said boundary lines and evaluates the distortion of said recording medium on the basis of the shape of the areas defined by said boundary lines.
23. A method of forming an image according to claim 22, wherein said correction step corrects the image data such that the resultant image data has a shape corresponding to the areas defined by said boundary lines.
24. A method of forming an image according to claim 21, wherein said recording medium is a cloth.
25. A method of forming an image according to claim 21, wherein said recording head is an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
26. A method of forming an image according to claim 25, wherein said ink-jet head includes an electrothermal transducer for applying thermal energy to ink to generate a bubble in said ink thereby emitting the ink.
27. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using a recording head in accordance with image data, said apparatus comprising:
conveying means for conveying said recording medium;
evaluation means for evaluating the distortion of the recording medium conveyed by the conveying means;
correction means for correcting the image data in accordance with the result of the evaluation made by said evaluation means; and
control means for controlling the image forming process such that an image is formed a plurality of times on the recording medium in accordance with the same image data, and such that at least in one of said plurality of image forming processes, said evaluation means evaluates the distortion of the recording medium and then said correction means corrects the image data and finally an image is formed in accordance with the corrected image data.
28. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein boundary lines are formed at least on the surface of said recording medium such that tile-shaped areas are defined by said boundary lines and wherein said evaluation means detects said boundary lines and evaluates the shape of said tile-shaped areas.
29. An image forming apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said boundary lines are formed with a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light.
30. An image forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and wherein said recording agent used to form said boundary lines contains a dye which does not color said cloth.
31. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording medium includes boundary lines which are formed, before said recording medium is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye which can be detected using particular light into the form of a rectangular lattice.
32. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording medium includes boundary lines which are formed, before said recording medium is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye which can be detected using particular light into the form of a triangular lattice.
33. An image forming apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said dye which can be detected using particular light is a dye which does not color the cloth.
34. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said cloth has boundary lines which are formed, before said cloth is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye, which does not color the cloth and which can be removed, into the forme of a rectangular lattice.
35. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and said cloth has boundary lines which are formed, before said cloth is conveyed by said conveying means, by weaving yarn dyed with a dye, which does not color the cloth and which can be removed, into the forme of a triangular lattice.
36. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising forming means for forming tile-shaped boundary lines on said recording medium and wherein said evaluation means detects said boundary lines and evaluates the shape of said tile-shaped areas.
37. An image forming apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said control means controls the image forming process such that said boundary lines are formed by said forming means when an earlier image processing process of said plurality of image forming processes is performed and such that the distortion of said recording medium is evaluated by said evaluation means when a later image forming process is performed.
38. An image forming apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said evaluation means includes detection means for detecting said boundary lines and said evaluation means evaluates the distortion of said recording means on the basis of the shape defined by said boundary lines.
39. An image forming apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:
said recording medium is cotton;
said evaluation means evaluates the distortion caused by expansion or contraction of said cloth on the basis of the shape of the area defined by said boundary lines; and
said correcting means corrects the image data such that said image data has a shape corresponding to the shape of said area defined by said boundary lines.
40. An image forming apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising a memory for storing image data, wherein said correcting means restores the corrected image data into said memory.
41. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein in addition to lattice-shaped boundary lines used to evaluate the distortion of the recording medium, said recording means also has bar-code information representing the areas defined by said boundary lines.
42. An image forming apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said bar-code information is formed with a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light.
43. An image forming apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said recording medium is a cloth and wherein said bar-code information is formed with a recording agent containing a dye which does not color said cloth.
44. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording medium is a cloth consisting of different types of fibers which need different types of dyes to color.
45. An image forming apparatus according to claim 44, wherein different recording agents containing different dyes are employed in the respective image forming processes performed under the control of said control means.
46. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said correction means makes a correction by deforming said image data in accordance with the evaluation result given by said evaluation means.
47. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said conveying means includes an adhesive part for holding said recording medium.
48. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein drying means for drying said recording medium after an image has been formed on said recording medium by said recording head.
49. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recording head is an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
50. An image forming apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said ink-jet head includes an electrothermal transducer for applying thermal energy to ink to generate a bubble in said ink thereby emitting ink.
51. A method of forming an image on a recording medium using a recording head in accordance with image data, said method comprising:
a first image forming step in which an image is formed on the conveyed recording medium in accordance with image data;
a conveying step in which said recording medium is conveyed;
an evaluation step in which distortion of the conveyed recording medium is evaluated;
a correction step in which said image data is corrected in accordance with the result of the evaluation made in said evaluation step; and
a second image forming step in which an image is formed on the recording medium using said recording head in accordance with the image data corrected in said correction step.
52. A method of forming an image according to claim 51, wherein said first image forming step includes a boundary line forming step in which in addition to the image, lattice-shaped boundary lines are also formed at least on the surface of the recording medium, and wherein said evaluation step evaluates the distortion of the recording medium by detecting said boundary lines.
53. A method of forming an image according to claim 51, whereinsaid recording medium has lattice-shaped boundary lines formed at least on the surface thereof, and wherein said first image forming step includes the steps of evaluating distortion of the supplied recording medium by detecting said boundary lines; and correcting said image data in accordance with the result of the evaluation made in said evaluation step, whereby an image is formed in accordance with the corrected image data.
54. A method of forming an image according to claim 51, wherein said evaluation step optically detects said boundary lines and evaluates the distortion of said recording medium on the basis of the shape of the areas defined by said boundary lines.
55. A method of forming an image, according to claim 54, wherein said correction step corrects the image data such that the resultant image data has a shape corresponding to the areas defined by said boundary lines.
56. A method of forming an image, according to claim 51, wherein a cloth is employed as said recording medium.
57. An image forming apparatus according to claim 56, wherein said cloth is a cloth consisting of different types fibers which need different types of dyes to color.
58. A method of forming an image according to claim 51, wherein said recording head is an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
59. A method of forming an image, according to claim 58, wherein said ink-jet head includes an electrothermal transducer for applying thermal energy to ink to generate a bubble in said ink thereby emitting ink.
60. An image forming apparatus comprising:
first recording means disposed at a location which allows said first recording means to face the principal surface of a recording medium, said first recording means serving to form an image on the surface of said recording medium by applying a recording agent, via a recording head, to the principal surface of said recording medium;
first conveying means for conveying said recording medium to said first recording means;
second recording means disposed at a location which allows said second recording means to face the back surface of said recording medium, said second recording means serving to form an image on the back surface of said recording medium by applying a recording agent, via a recording head, to the back surface of said recording medium;
second conveying means disposed on an extension of the conveying path of said first conveying means, said second conveying means serving to receive said recording medium from said first conveying means and convey it to said second recording means; and
both-side alignment controlling means for controlling the positions where images are formed so that the image formed on the back surface of said recording medium by said second recording means becomes coincident with the image formed on the principal surface of said recording medium by said first recording means.
61. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said first recording means includes tile boundary line printing means for printing boundary lines which divide the image to be formed on the principal surface into rectangular tile areas, using a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light, said boundary lines being printed together with the image data corresponding to the image to be formed on the principal surface.
62. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said first recording means includes tile information printing means for printing boundary lines which divide the image to be formed on the principal surface of said recording medium and also printing information representing the areas defined by said boundary lines, using a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light, said boundary lines and said information being printed together with the image data corresponding to the image to be formed on the principal surface.
63. An image forming apparatus according to claim 61, wherein said tile boundary line printing means prints boundary lines which divide into triangular areas the image to be formed on the principal surface of said recording medium together with image data corresponding to the image to be formed on the principal surface.
64. An image forming apparatus according to claim 61, wherein the recording agent used to form said boundary lines contains a dye which does not color a cloth and which can be removed in a processing step after completion of the printing process.
65. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, further comprising turning-overconveying means for receiving a recording medium having an image formed on its principal surface from said first conveying means and transferring it to said second conveying means after turning it over.
66. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, further comprising drying means for drying a recording agent immediately after said recording agent has been applied from said first recording means to the surface of the recording medium.
67. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, further comprising:
tile boundary line detecting means disposed on said second conveying means, for detecting said tile boundary lines before said second recording means performs a printing process on the back surface of the recording medium; and
back side printing area determination means for determining back side printing image data corresponding to the tile area detected by said tile boundary line detecting means.
68. An image forming apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said both-side alignment controlling means includes:
both-side distortion correcting means for deforming image data to be recorded in a tile area on the back surface of the recording medium in accordance with distortion in shape of the tile area surrounded by the detected boundary lines; and
distortion-corrected image storing means for storing the deformed image data in the tile area into an image memory area.
69. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said second recording means includes distortion-corrected image reading means for reading a part of the image data having a size corresponding to a printing width and a printing position from said distortion-corrected image storing means, and then printing said part of the image data within the tile area detected by said tile boundary line detecting means such that the image on the back surface of the recording means becomes coincident with the image on the principal surface.
70. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the image to be formed by said second recording means is obtained by converting the image formed by said first recording means to an image mirror-symmetric to said image formed by said first recording means.
71. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said first recording means and said second recording means form an image on the recording medium using an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
72. An image forming apparatus according to claim 71, wherein said ink-jet head includes an electrothermal transducer for applying thermal energy to ink to generate a bubble in said ink thereby emitting ink.
73. An image forming apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said recording medium is a cloth.
74. An image forming apparatus comprising:
conveying means for conveying a recording medium;
recording means disposed such that said first recording means faces the principal surface of the recording medium conveyed by said conveying means, said first recording means serving to form an image on the principal surface of the recording medium by applying a recording agent, via a recording head, to the principal surface of said recording medium;
recording medium storing means disposed on an extension of -the conveying path of said conveying means, said recording medium storing means serving to temporarily store the recording medium received via said conveying means while preserving the recording starting position;
recording medium turning-overconveying means for conveying the recording medium stored in said recording medium storing means from the recording starting position such that the back surface of said recording medium faces said recording means;
back surface image forming means for transmitting image data converted in a mirror-symmetric fashion in the conveying direction to said recording means; and
both-side alignment controlling means for controlling the positions where images are formed so that the image formed on the back surface of the recording medium conveyed by said recording medium turning-overconveying means becomes coincident with the image formed on the principal surface of the recording medium.
75. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein said recording means includes tile boundary line printing means for printing boundary lines which divide the image to be formed on the principal surface into rectangular tile areas, using a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light, said boundary lines being printed together with the image data corresponding to the image to be formed on the principal surface.
76. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein said recording means includes tile information printing means for printing boundary lines which divide the image to be formed on the principal surface of said recording medium and also printing information representing the areas defined by said boundary lines, using a recording agent containing a dye which can be detected using particular light, said boundary lines and said information being printed together with the image data corresponding to the image to be formed on the principal surface.
77. An image forming apparatus according to claim 75, wherein said tile boundary line printing means prints boundary lines which divide into triangular areas the image to be formed on the principal surface of said recording medium together with image data corresponding to the image to be formed on the principal surface.
78. An image forming apparatus according to claim 75, wherein the recording agent used to form said boundary lines contains a dye which does not color a cloth and which can be removed in a processing step after completion of the printing process.
79. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, further comprising drying means for drying a recording agent immediately after said recording agent has been applied from said recording means to the surface of the recording medium.
80. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, further comprising
tile boundary line detecting means disposed on the conveying path of said conveying means, for detecting said tile boundary lines before said recording means performs a printing process on the back surface of the recording medium; and
back side printing area determination means for determining back side printing image data corresponding to the tile area detected by said tile boundary line detecting means.
81. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein said both-side alignment controlling means includes:
both-side distortion correcting means for deforming image data to be recorded in a tile area on the back surface of the recording medium in accordance with distortion in shape of the tile area surrounded by the detected boundary lines; and
distortion-corrected image storing means for restoring the deformed image data in the tile area into an image memory area.
82. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein said recording means includes distortion-corrected image reading means for reading a part of the image data having a size corresponding to a printing width and a printing position from said distortion-corrected image storing means, and then printing said part of the image data within the tile area detected by said tile boundary line detecting means such that the image on the back surface of the recording means becomes coincident with the image on the principal surface.
83. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein the image to be formed on the back surface of the recording medium by said recording means is obtained by converting the image formed on the principal surface of the recording medium to an image mirror-symmetric about an axis along the conveying direction to said image formed on the principal surface.
84. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein said recording means forms an image using an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
85. An image forming apparatus according to claim 84, wherein said ink-jet head is a recording head which emits ink using thermal energy and which includes a thermal energy converter for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink.
86. An image forming apparatus according to claim 74, wherein said recording medium is a cloth.
87. A method of forming an image on a recording medium by applying a recording agent to said recording medium, said method comprising:
a first image forming step in which an image is formed on one surface of the recording medium by applying a recording agent in accordance with image data;
a conveying step in which the recording medium on which the image has been formed in said first image forming step is conveyed;
an evaluation step in which the state of the recording medium conveyed in said conveying step is evaluated;
a processing step in which said image data is processed in accordance with the result of the evaluation made in said evaluation step; and
a second image forming step in which in accordance with the image data processed in said processing step an image is formed on the surface opposite to the surface on which the image has been formed in said first image forming step.
88. A method of forming an image, according to claim 87, wherein said first and second image forming steps form the images on the recording medium using an ink-jet head for emitting ink.
89. A method of forming an image, according to claim 88, wherein said ink-jet head is an ink-jet head which emits ink using thermal energy and which includes a thermal energy converter for generating thermal energy.
90. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using a recording head, said apparatus comprising:
conveying means for conveying a recording medium;
evaluation means for evaluating the state of the conveyed recording medium;
processing means for processing image data to be recorded, in accordance with the result of the evaluation; and
recording process controlling means for controlling the image forming process such that an image is formed by said recording head on one surface of said recording means in accordance with image data, the state of the recording medium having the image formed on said one surface thereof conveyed by said conveying means is evaluated by said evaluation means, the image data is processed by said processing means in accordance with the result of the evaluation, and an image is formed by said recording head on the surface opposite to the surface on which the image has been formed.