Patents Examined by Jacky X. Zheng
  • Patent number: 11985281
    Abstract: A reading apparatus includes a reading unit that reads a document, a transport path, an output path for outputting the document read by the reading unit, a display unit that displays a setup screen, and a control unit configured to control the reading unit and the display unit. The output path includes a first output path and a second output path that separately lead to different document output destinations, and the output path is formed such that a use path used to output the document is changed between the first output path and the second output path. The control unit is configured to obtain path information indicating the use path and a reading setup. The control unit is configured to, based on the reading setup and the path information, cause the display unit to display a suggestion indication suggesting changing the reading setup or suggesting changing the use path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Haruya Eguchi, Nobu Tagawa
  • Patent number: 11985280
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: OPEX Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
  • Patent number: 11985272
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a storage that stores operation explanation information for explaining task contents to be performed on the information processing apparatus, an operation explanation display controller that displays operation explanation information related to a specific task to be performed on the information processing apparatus, a task information acquirer that acquires information about a task performed on the information processing apparatus when the operation explanation information is displayed, an erroneous task determiner that determines that an erroneous task is performed on the information processing apparatus when the acquired information about a task differs from contents information of the specific task indicated in the displayed operation explanation information, and a warning processor that notifies warning information indicating that a task different from the specific task indicated in the displayed operation explanation information is performed when it is determi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Saeda, Yasuhiro Nakai, Kohichi Murakami, Yasutomo Hayano, Emiko Matsuo, Manami Takao
  • Patent number: 11979537
    Abstract: An embedding component is described which embeds information in a scanned document. The embedding component includes a document acquisition component, which acquires a scanned document from an associated scanning device. An information acquisition component acquires variable information associated with the scanned document. An encoding component generates a machine-readable representation of the variable information. A pattern insertion component uses the machine-readable representation to insert at least one machine readable pattern in the scanned document, to generate a modified document. An output component outputs the modified document to an associated output device, such that when the modified document is rendered on print media, the machine-readable pattern is not noticeable to the unaided eye of a person. A processor implements the document acquisition component, information acquisition component, encoding component, pattern insertion component, and output component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Louis Jacques Gaiser, Kevin John Kopp, Bindu Bhaumik Choksi, Timothy Allen Beardslee, Marcel Wisman
  • Patent number: 11979534
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a registration unit that registers a speed license for setting an image forming speed, and an image forming unit that performs image formation at an image forming speed corresponding to the speed license registered by the registration unit. In addition, a control unit permits the image formation by the image forming unit in a case where the speed license is registered by the registration unit, and permits the image formation by the image forming unit in a case where an operation mode of the image forming apparatus is a predetermined mode different from a normal operation mode if the speed license is unregistered by the registration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosui Naito
  • Patent number: 11977791
    Abstract: An editing method being performed by a computer according to one aspect includes executing processing of: causing a display to display an editing screen on which a layout of an object is capable of being edited; and enabling switching of a selection condition for each object on the editing screen to be brought into one of a selected state and an unselected state based on an operation by a user. The switchable selection condition may include a combination of a first selection condition for bringing an object whose own area is entirely included in a range designated by an operation of designating the range into a selected state and a second selection condition for bringing an object whose own area is at least partially included in the designated range into a selected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Naruse
  • Patent number: 11972509
    Abstract: Method for acquiring local gonio-reflection characteristics of an image which is aggregation of dots. Sensory glossiness (L) of the image determined by equation (1) is 1.0 or more. The sensory glossiness (L) is determined based on a height of a peak (H), a height of a base (B) and a half width of a peak (W) of a distribution information of lightness with respect to light receiving angle, obtained by measuring reflected light of a measuring light irradiated into the image. The local gonio-reflection characteristics is acquired with a spatial resolution (A) for acquiring the local gonio-reflection characteristics and a resolution (B) which represents a distribution information of the dots within a region where the sensory glossiness (L) being 1.0 or more, satisfying formula (2). L=Log((H?B)/W)??Equation (1) 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ishikawa, Akihiko Itami
  • Patent number: 11973914
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a scanning unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor by scanning the photoconductor with one or more scanning beams in a main scanning direction based on an image signal, repetitively in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; a generating unit configured to perform halftone processing on image data to generate the image signal; and a storage unit configured to store correction information. The correction information is set such that start positions of a plurality of scanning lines are linearly displaced to either a negative side or a positive side of the main scanning direction along the sub-scanning direction, in accordance with a direction of a first vector forming a smaller angle with the sub-scanning direction among two vectors in the halftone processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Go Araki, Mitsuhiro Obara
  • Patent number: 11968346
    Abstract: A color correction apparatus has: an obtaining unit that obtains first color information of a first image formed by a first color formed on a recording medium and second color information of a second image formed by a second color superimposed on the first color formed on the recording medium; and a correction unit that finds a correction value for the second color by estimating color information of the second color based on the first color information and the second color information, the color information of the second color being varied due to an influence in correcting the first color information to a first target value of the first color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshige Kidera, Daiki Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11966651
    Abstract: A communication system comprising: a communication device; a server; and a terminal device. The communication device sends first history information indicating usage history of the communication device to the server and sends second history information indicating usage history of the communication device to the terminal device. In a case where the first history information is received from the communication device, the server sends first notification information related to the first history information to the terminal device. In a case where the first notification information is received from the server, the terminal device displays the first notification information on the display unit and in a case where the second history information is received from the communication device, the terminal device displays second notification information related to the second history information on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Megumi Hata
  • Patent number: 11956391
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes first and second first conveyance rollers, transparent members, reading units, and opposing rollers, and includes a driving unit. The first reading unit reads an image on a sheet first surface through the first transparent member at a first reading position. The first opposing roller is opposed to the first transparent member at the first reading position. The second reading unit reads an image on a sheet second surface through the second transparent member at a second reading position. The second opposing roller is opposed to the second transparent member at the second reading position. The second conveyance roller is arranged where a sheet trailing edge passes through the first reading position while the second conveyance roller conveys the sheet. The driving unit drives the first opposing roller so that a first opposing roller circumferential speed is faster than a second conveyance roller circumferential speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Nakagawa, Yukihiro Soeta, Teppei Nagata
  • Patent number: 11956396
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to evaluate a performance of each of a plural combinations of processes, each combination including a series of processes, the plural combinations being included in plural processes, the series of processes being configured to be performed on an image, the performance being evaluated on a basis of a result of performing the series of processes on a test image for each combination, and output an evaluation result for at least two combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shusaku Kubo, Junichi Shimizu, Kosuke Tomokuni, Mamiko Sato
  • Patent number: 11949830
    Abstract: If the printing protocol associated with a received print job is not an internet printing protocol, the number of times of printing is counted for each type of printing protocol. If the printing protocol associated with a received print job is an internet printing protocol, the number of times of printing is counted while distinguishing a transmission source application by identifying a transmission source application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ritsuto Sako
  • Patent number: 11947857
    Abstract: A network environment is built in an already-existing production line without significant cost to provide a novel and user-friendly inkjet printer system. A portable repeater 3 includes a carriageable storage unit and is interposed between an inkjet printer 6 and a server 5. The inkjet printer 6 and the repeater 3 are communicated with other over short-range wireless 2 to transmit print related data from the inkjet printer 6 to the repeater 3 or from the repeater 3 to the inkjet printer 6, and the repeater 3 and the server 5 are communicated with each other over a communication network 4 to transmit the print related data either from the server 5 to the repeater 3 or from the repeater 3 to the server 5. This enables building of the network environment in an already-existing production line without significant cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huilin Chen, Takahiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11934711
    Abstract: An information processing device includes: an image data input unit accepting an input of image data; a viewing condition setting acceptance unit accepting a setting of a first viewing condition and a second viewing condition; a color conversion unit converting the image data into first output image data adjusted to an appearance under the first viewing condition, based on a first profile including first spectral information corresponding to the first viewing condition, and converting the image data into second output image data adjusted to an appearance under the second viewing condition, based on a second profile including second spectral information corresponding to the second viewing condition; and a display information generation unit generating display information representing a display screen including the first output image and the second output image, based on the first output image data and the second output image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Kondo, Jin Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11936826
    Abstract: An image inspector includes a recording device and circuitry. The reading device is configured to read an image on a recording medium. The circuitry is configured to determine whether the recording medium has a wrinkle and an edge folding based on a plurality of positions on the image on the recording medium read by the reading device satisfying a predetermined relation. The circuitry is configured to determine whether the recording medium has the wrinkle based on the predetermined relation, and then determine whether the recording medium has the edge folding based on the predetermined relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakayama, Tohru Matsumoto, Kohta Aoyagi, Ryosuke Ebinuma, Ryoh Ishitsuka, Kimiharu Yamazaki, Tatsuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 11915071
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage media for outline character printing on a printing device are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: allocate cache memory of a printing device for registration of an outline character; register outline character data wherein the metadata portion comprises a description of the outline character and the data portion comprises a scanline table for the outline character; receive a print job data at the printing device; determine the print job data identifies the outline character in the cache memory at the printing device; render the scanline table accessed from the cache memory as a pattern of pixels for the outline character for the print job data received; and print, on the printing device, the pattern of pixels rendered from the scanline table accessed from the cache memory for the print job data received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Jayant Bhatt
  • Patent number: 11915073
    Abstract: A terminal device may generate a first label file based on a specific label file. The specific label file may include one or more object regions in which a print target object is to be placed and first text information written in a first object region of the one or more object regions. The first label file may include the one or more object regions and does not include the first text information. The terminal device may generate a first database file associated with the first label file. The first database file may store a first field name corresponding to the first object region and a first text obtained by using the first text information in association with each other. The terminal device may generate first print data by using the first label file and the first database file, and send the first print data to a label printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryoji Ban
  • Patent number: 11909934
    Abstract: A digital image processor includes a region proposal network configured to transform digital image inputs into region proposals and bounding box refinement logic configured to transform the region proposals by determining a first set of the region proposals exhibiting dense spacing, determining a second set of the region proposals exhibiting sparse spacing, executing a first transformation to merge at least some of the region proposals exhibiting dense spacing to generate refined region proposals, executing a second transformation to join at least some of the region proposals exhibiting sparse spacing to generate additional ones of the refined region proposals, and applying an expansion transformation to the refined region proposals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Waqas Rasheed, Dongpei Su, Kilho Shin, Sheng Li
  • Patent number: 11900002
    Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a communication interface configured to communicate with a plurality of communication devices on a network, a memory that stores setting data in which a plurality of different types of communication conditions are associated with each other, a display, and a processor configured to search the network for connectable communication devices, control the display to display a first screen indicating one or more of the communication devices that satisfy the communication conditions, and upon selection of a communication device through the first screen, determine the selected communication device as a communication target of the communication apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Suzuki