Patents Examined by Mark R. Milia
  • Patent number: 11979539
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a controller configured to: receive a function purchase instruction of an image forming apparatus and based on receiving the function purchase instruction, provide a mobile terminal with execution information, the execution information being for causing the mobile terminal to download a target application and to execute the target application, the target application being an application software for purchasing a function of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryoko Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11968336
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is configured to operate based on a contract concluded with a contractor related to a consumable for the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a mounting unit configured to receive the consumable, a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium using the mounted consumable, and a controller configured to execute acquisition processing of acquiring arrival time information of a first consumable delivered for the printing apparatus based on the contract, prediction processing of predicting a usable amount of the mounted consumable at an arrival time indicated by the arrival time information acquired in the acquisition processing, and decision processing of deciding an execution mode of maintenance save processing for weakening given maintenance processing of the printing apparatus based on the usable amount predicted in the prediction processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ayako Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11947854
    Abstract: There are provided an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a recording medium capable of proposing appropriate information to a user in a network printing technology. An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus that includes a processor and implements printing of an image sent from a first user by a second user side. The processor is configured to execute proposal processing of proposing information about an image to be sent to the second user, information about setting of the printing, or information about a material to be used for the printing to the first user or the second user based on a behavior history of the first user related to an image and a behavior history of the second user related to an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Yamaji
  • Patent number: 11949827
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a method for operating a printer apparatus that includes a print head. The method includes causing a media hub to retract a media in a retract direction along a media path. Further, the method includes causing a first media sensor to generate a first signal during retraction of the media. Furthermore, the method includes monitoring the first signal to detect at least one of a leading edge or a trailing edge of a label of the plurality of labels. Upon detecting the at least one of the leading edge or the trailing edge of the label, causing the media hub to retract the media by at least a predetermined distance, wherein the predetermined distance is a distance between the print head and the first media sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramanathan Alaganchetty, Boon Kheng Lim, Rajan Narayanaswami, Qibao Yu, Jian Zeng, Hongqiang Liu, Quanjin Shi, Zhiyong Zhu, Yun Huang, Xiaoming Yuan
  • Patent number: 11943405
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a feed roller configured to feed a document, a transport roller disposed downstream of the feed roller and configured to transport the document downstream; a transport motor being a drive source of the transport roller; a reading unit disposed downstream of the transport roller and configured to read the document; and a control unit configured to control the reading unit and the transport motor, wherein the control unit is configured to obtain information on a document type and an inclination detection reference value for an inclination of image data set in accordance with the document type and obtained from the reading unit, and when the inclination of the image data exceeds the inclination detection reference value in accordance with the document type, the control unit stops the transport motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromichi Kitsuki
  • Patent number: 11934714
    Abstract: There is provides an image forming apparatus including a main body control apparatus including a main body memory, a main body cassette, and additional cassettes different from the main body cassette and communicably coupled to the main body control apparatus. The main body memory has transmission queues that are provided for the respective additional cassettes communicably coupled to the main body control apparatus and temporarily store commands to be transmitted to the additional cassettes. When a plurality of commands are stored in each of the transmission queues, the main body control apparatus carries out for each of the transmission queues the process of generating a first combined command that is the combination of the plurality of commands stored in the transmission queue, and transmitting the first combined command to the additional cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Morishita
  • Patent number: 11899999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a former that performs image formation on a sheet conveyed on a conveyance path; a first hardware processor that detects a type of the sheet on which the image is formed; a second hardware processor that receives specification of a type of a sheet from a user; and a third hardware processor that receives a user setting regarding the image formation, wherein the user setting includes a setting for allowing the former to continuously perform the image formation in a case where the sheet type detected by the first hardware processor is different from the sheet type specified by the user received by the second hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Akinori Kimata, Kenichi Hayashi, Shiro Umeda, Yukinobu Iguchi, Satoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11856172
    Abstract: A multi-function device (MFD) is disclosed. For example, the MFD includes a communication interface to establish a communication path with a remote server, a user interface to receive a request to create an electronic file based on a scan of a document, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions. The instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to scan the document to create the electronic file of the document, generate an encryption code associated with the electronic file of the document that is scanned, and transmit the electronic file to the remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sanja Pstrocki-Porras, Dianne Colelli, Mirelsa Fontanes-Perez, Cheryl A. Nazzaro
  • Patent number: 11849087
    Abstract: In the case where a voice control device can communicate with a printing apparatus and a display apparatus, a user is provided with visual presentations of notifications on the display apparatus where print processing instructions are provided to the printing apparatus based on user instructions issued to the voice control device by voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Okamoto, Takuho Taguchi, Ryohei Saito
  • Patent number: 11842086
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to providing mechanisms, devices, systems, and methods for registering information about services of a management system and a print system in the management system and the print system based on a registration request for the management system from a client terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11838459
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming device, a display capable of displaying information, a microphone capable of acquiring a sound, and one or more controllers configured to function as a unit of performing control so as to display, on the display, a screen including an operation object that indicates, by a pointing position, a parameter related to a setting in forming the image, a unit of acquiring, based on voice information representing one-phrase voice expression acquired via the microphone, first identification information corresponding to the operation object and second identification information corresponding to an updating process on the pointing position, and a unit of performing control, based on at least information regarding a current pointing position indicated by the operation object, the first identification information, and the second identification information, so as to display a screen including the operation object updated in terms of the pointing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Naya, Toru Takahashi, Takeshi Matsumura
  • Patent number: 11825042
    Abstract: A server system obtains instruction information based on voice data transmitted by a voice control device that receives an instruction by voice, obtains information related to a printing apparatus, performs a determination related to a function of the printing apparatus in accordance with the obtained information, and transmits an operation request based on the obtained instruction information to the printing apparatus. In a case where the instruction information corresponding to a print instruction has been obtained, a print request as the operation request is transmitted to the printer, and in a case where the instruction information corresponding to a maintenance instruction has been obtained, a maintenance request as the operation request is transmitted to the printer if the printer has a function that is able to accept the maintenance request from the server system based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11822841
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for monitoring a print job, and an electronic apparatus. The method includes receiving a print job; analyzing the print job and acquiring creation time of the print job; comparing the creation time with current time, and continuing to print the print job if a time difference between the creation time and the current time is less than a first preset value; determining whether the print job satisfies a print cancellation condition if the time difference between the creation time and the current time is equal to or greater than the first preset value; and cancelling the print job if the print job satisfies the print cancellation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: ZHUHAI PANTUM ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Haixiong Li
  • Patent number: 11825054
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a communication interface, an operation interface, and a controller. The communication interface is configured to communicate with a server. In a case that an agreement is not established for subscription service using the server, the controller performs an operation disabling process to disable a specific operation using the operation interface. The specific operation is to cause the communication interface to communicate with the server. In a case that the agreement is established, the controller performs an operation enabling process to enable the specific operation using the operation interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuka Hattori
  • Patent number: 11792347
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a power source, a power monitoring unit configured to monitor an output voltage output from the power source, an acceptance unit configured to accept a user operation to turn off the electronic apparatus, and an execution unit configured to operate using power output from the power source, execute shutdown processing in response to the user operation accepted through the acceptance unit, and execute the shutdown processing when the output voltage monitored by the power monitoring unit is lower than a threshold voltage. The threshold voltage is higher than a guaranteed operation voltage of the execution unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Okuma
  • Patent number: 11783151
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a roller, a heater configured to heat the roller, an endless belt, a nip forming member, a supply roller configured to supply a sheet, and a controller. The sheet is nipped between the endless belt and the roller. The endless belt is nipped between the nip forming member and the roller such that a nip portion is formed. The controller is configured to supply a plurality of first kind of sheets by the supply roller at a first interval when the plurality of first kind of sheets are sequentially conveyed and supply a plurality of second kind of sheets by the supply roller at a second interval greater than the first interval when the plurality of second kind of sheets belonging to a kind in which curl occurs more frequently than the plurality of first kind of sheets are sequentially conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei Fukue, Shunsuke Ueki, Shintaro Sakaguchi, Yusuke Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11778107
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments for operating a retail photo kiosk and establishing a dedicated access for a remote mobile device to the photo kiosk. Certain embodiments of the photo kiosk incorporate anchored connector cables to connect remote mobile devices to the photo kiosk. According to one embodiment, the photo kiosk detects when a remote mobile device is connected to the kiosk via an anchored connector cable. Upon receiving user information, the photo kiosk generates and sends an access message comprising to the connected mobile device. Following the access message, the user may establish dedicated access to the photo kiosk through the mobile device, which allows the user to utilize and leverage photo processing features of the kiosk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KODAK ALARIS INC.
    Inventor: Michael Morba
  • Patent number: 11770482
    Abstract: Examples dis closed herein relate to displaying, proximate to a hand engagement interface, a plurality of user interface elements, receiving, via a freeform input interface associated with the hand engagement interface, a freeform input from a user, identifying a command associated with a first element of the plurality of user interface elements associated with the freeform input, and updating the display of the plurality of user interface elements according to the command associated with the first element of the plurality of user elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Ricardo Osuna
  • Patent number: 11765289
    Abstract: In an operation assistance system, an operation assistance method, and a computer-readable recording medium recording an operation assistance program, each of which assists with making an operation setting of an image forming apparatus by using a mobile communication terminal, the mobile communication terminal wirelessly communicates with the image forming apparatus, and at least two types of setting items among plural types of the setting items for the image forming apparatus are simultaneously set by a single touch operation on an operation screen of the mobile communication terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Yamanaka, Kohji Katamoto, Yuriko Terada, Megumi Ido, Masao Saeda
  • Patent number: 11755861
    Abstract: A printing system includes a printing unit, a position determiner that randomly determines a position where a first information code is to be set, a modifier that modifies print data for printing an image, the first information code, and a positional information code having recorded therein positional information at the time of printing that indicates the position determined by the position determiner so that the first information code is set at the position determined by the position determiner, an acquirer that acquires the position of the first information code on a print medium as positional information and acquires the positional information at the time of the printing from the positional information code, and a determiner that determines whether the printing result is a falsified matter based on comparison of the positional information after the printing with the positional information at the time of the printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ohashi, Shun Hara, Kenji Uchibori, Riku Maeda, Hirofumi Yanagisawa, Yu Tsumuraya, Kei Sadakuni