Patents Examined by Frantz Bataille
  • Patent number: 11726731
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a communication device performs data communication with an external user terminal apparatus, and a job managing unit receives a print job request from the user terminal apparatus using the communication device. Further, when receiving the print job request from the user terminal apparatus, the job managing unit determines whether there is a user who is physically directly using the image forming apparatus or not, if there is not a user who is physically directly using the image forming apparatus, allows the print job request and if there is a user who is physically directly using the image forming apparatus, determines whether the print job request should be refused or not, and if the print job request should not be refused, allows the print job request and if the print job request should be refused, refuses the print job request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kato, Keisuke Fukushima, Shigenaka Kanemitsu, Yasushi Tsukamoto, Akihiko Ikazaki
  • Patent number: 11726727
    Abstract: A server includes memory, a registration request receiver, a first determiner, and a first memory controller. The memory stores device identification information and service identification information in association with each other. The registration request receiver receives from an external device, a registration request including first service identification information and specific device identification information. The first service identification information identifies a first service to be provided to a user of a specific communication device. The specific device identification information identifies the specific communication device. In response to the registration request received from the external device, the first determiner determines whether to provide the first service to the user of the specific communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11709641
    Abstract: To provide a print control device, print control method, and storage medium with which, in a form where information related to the size of a sheet which is set in a printing apparatus is obtained and the size corresponding to the obtained information is displayed, the size corresponding to the obtained information is displayed more appropriately, in a case where the size corresponding to the information obtained by an obtaining unit matches any of multiple custom sizes corresponding to information stored by a storage unit before the information is obtained by the obtaining unit, all of the multiple custom sizes corresponding to the information stored by the storage unit before the information is obtained by the obtaining unit are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoichi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11711473
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of wireless communication with an operation device and that can be operated by the operation device via the wireless communication, the image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to perform image formation on a sheet based on a print execution instruction sent from the operation device via the wireless communication; a reading unit configured to perform reading of an image formed on the sheet based on a scan execution instruction sent from the operation device via the wireless communication; and a controller that, during a period of time from the time one user logs in the image forming apparatus until the user logs out, (1) is configured to prohibit the print execution instruction using an operation device by other user who has logged in using the operation device, and (2) is configured to permit the scan execution instruction using the operation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Takizawa, Yoshinobu Umeda
  • Patent number: 11704080
    Abstract: An installation method includes installing a universal printer driver for an image forming apparatus in a user terminal for use by a user; determining whether or not there is installed a dedicated printer driver in the user terminal; and upon determining that there is installed a dedicated printer driver in the user terminal, performing a presentation process of presenting to the user a function that will no longer be available for use if the dedicated printer driver is uninstalled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Ogata
  • Patent number: 11693613
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a communication section configured to perform wireless communication with a first external device using a first communication mode and with a second external device using a second communication mode, a printing section, a storage section configured to store first communication setting information, second communication setting information related, and print setting information, a detector configured to detect a predetermined input, and a controller. The controller determines a predetermined error state, generates, when the detector detects the predetermined input, based on the second communication setting information, symbol image information, and controls the printing section to print the symbol image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Takamoto
  • Patent number: 11696101
    Abstract: An exemplary method for indexing transceivers uses wireless ranging functionality. The method includes determining a ranging distance between at least one transceiver and each other transceiver in a plurality of transceivers, determining a transceiver spatial distribution based on the ranging distance between at least one transceiver and each other transceiver in the plurality of transceivers, and indexing each transceiver by applying the transceiver spatial distribution to a spatial distribution map using an electronic control unit (ECU).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sudhir Khed, Djordje Preradovic, Akshay Choudhari, Aaron Adler, Julio Kota
  • Patent number: 11689677
    Abstract: When a portable storage device is connected to a connector of an information processor provided with a plurality of functions, the information processor reads the unique identifier information of the connected portable storage device, specifies processing contents preliminarily associated with the read unique identifier information, and executes the specified processing contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuzuru Okubo
  • Patent number: 11687302
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided on which an application including a first module and a second module is installed. The first module is configured to determine whether to activate the second module based at least on a time set by a user, and activate the second module based on the first module determining to activate the second module. The second module is configured to cause the image forming apparatus to perform printing. In addition, the image forming apparatus includes an activation unit configured to activate the first module without activating the second module, periodically at each elapse of a predetermined time interval. In a case where it is determined that the second module is to be activated before a time when the first module is to be activated next, the first module is configured to set a timing to activate the second module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ikeda, Takeshi Kogure, Hiroaki Koike
  • Patent number: 11681485
    Abstract: A count destination management apparatus includes a processor configured to receive image information entered by a user having plural count destinations and specify a count destination corresponding to the image information among the plural count destinations on a basis of identification information included in the image information, the identification information being registered in advance for each of the plural count destinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Naoki Shibuya
  • Patent number: 11662969
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a processor configured to: obtain a print job in which setting-tray information is registered, the setting-tray information describing a tray and being specified according to a configuration of a second image forming apparatus, the second image forming apparatus being different from the image forming apparatus; and execute the print job by applying tray information, the tray information corresponding to the setting-tray information of the print job and according with a configuration of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11662966
    Abstract: Provided is a production printing system that enables more efficient and flexible processing. The production printing system X processes variable data for production printing. A variable document creation unit creates a variable document with a condition set for each record. A subset integration unit collects records of same type in any one or any combination of prepress, printing, post-processing, and output destination as a subset according to the condition set for each record of the variable document created by the variable document creation unit. A job ticket creation unit creates a job ticket corresponding to the subset collected by the subset integration unit. A variable processing unit performs processing of the job by the job ticket created by the job ticket creation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Taku Matsuo
  • Patent number: 11662968
    Abstract: An information processing system includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to: accept a job requesting print output of print data from an information terminal; determine one or more printing companies having a printing machine that can execute a job, among a plurality of printing companies, based on a state of a printing machine held by each one of the plurality of printing companies and a content of the job; and transmit information of the one or more printing companies determined, to the information terminal to display the information on the information terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsushima
  • Patent number: 11659103
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus to combine a plurality of processes to execute a job related to image formation, the image formation apparatus including: a communicator that sends and receives data to and from an external application via a network, an image data acquirer that acquires image data, an image former that forms an image based on the image data, a storage that stores temporary intermediate data involved in the image formation, a display that displays a message for a user, and a controller that controls the communicator, the image data acquirer, the image former, the storage, and the display; wherein upon performing a process of the plurality of processes, the controller determines whether a next process is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Kondoh
  • Patent number: 11659120
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that executes a job, based on a setting value, and is operative to store a history of the job, as a job history includes: a storage that stores the setting value of the executed job, as setting history information; a displayer that displays a selection screen for selecting the setting history information stored in the storage; and a controller that reads the setting value included in the selected history information. The controller determines whether to display setting history information of a newly executed job, based on a comparison result between the setting value pertaining to the newly executed job and the setting value included in the setting history information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsutomu Itai
  • Patent number: 11656806
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: generate an identification image in response to at least one of a thread and a digital document posted on the thread being specified, the thread being displayed on a service screen of a message exchange service, the identification image being linked with information for accessing the thread; and perform control to output the generated identification image in a readable format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Takuma Yamamoto, Kohei Kaibara, Toru Takahashi, Masakazu Ketsuka, Mitsuru Sato
  • Patent number: 11659108
    Abstract: A printing system acquires a first instruction given in response to speech input by a user, a second instruction given in response to input other than the speech input by the user, and a third instruction, the first instruction and the second instruction serving as image forming instructions each given to perform an image forming operation of a processed image on a recording medium, the third instruction serving as a transmission instruction to transmit a cancelable image forming instruction of the image forming instructions or as a cancellation instruction to cancel the cancelable image forming instruction, and executes an output process in which in response to the acquired third instruction given from an apparatus that gives the first instruction, information regarding the first instruction is output to the apparatus, the information being vocally notified to the user and indicating the cancelable image forming instruction of the first instruction and the second instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Shigeo Miyata
  • Patent number: 11656822
    Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, an image forming apparatus comprises a communication interface, an image forming unit, and a processor. The communication interface communicates with a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network and receives print jobs from the information processing apparatuses. The image forming unit executes printing according to a first print job. The processor determines a presence of a user associated with a second print job near the image forming apparatus, and then determines, based on the presence of the user, whether to execute the first print job or to transmit or forward the first print job to another image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Yuruzume
  • Patent number: 11656823
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that manages print processes of plural printing apparatuses, the information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to acquire execution information indicating an execution status of each printing apparatus from the plural printing apparatuses, in a case in which a predetermined condition regarding processing of converting print data into a raster image is satisfied in one printing apparatus, extract another printing apparatus capable of executing the processing of converting the print data into the raster image from among other printing apparatuses other than the one printing apparatus by using the execution information, cause the other printing apparatus, that is extracted, to execute the processing of converting the print data of a print job scheduled to be printed in the one printing apparatus into the raster image, and perform control to transmit the raster image created by the other printing apparatus to the one printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Jun Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 11652928
    Abstract: An operation setting selection apparatus includes, a physical property obtainer which obtains physical property information of a recording medium on which an image is formed; and a hardware processor. The hardware processor obtains from first information, in which operation failure information regarding contents of operation failure which occurs when an image forming operation is performed is associated to the physical property information of the recording medium used when the operation failure occurs and the operation setting regarding the image forming, the operation setting and the operation failure information associated to the physical property information obtained by the physical property obtainer. The hardware processor performs operation regarding selection of the operation setting regarding the image forming operation on the recording medium based on the physical property information, the operation setting and the operation failure information which are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Naoto Kubo