Patents Examined by Mohammad Ghayour
  • Patent number: 9377978
    Abstract: A control method for controlling an image processing apparatus, includes causing a sheet processing apparatus to execute a sheet processing of a sheet to be printed by execution of a first print job stored in a storage unit configured to store a plurality of print jobs each of which has received an execution request, controlling a power supply required for the sheet processing to be executed by the sheet processing apparatus, determining whether a second print job in which the sheet processing is executed by the sheet processing apparatus is stored in the storage unit when the sheet processing of the sheet to be printed by the execution of the first print job is executed by the sheet processing apparatus, maintaining the power supply required for the sheet processing by the sheet processing apparatus when the determining step determines that the second print job is stored in the storage unit, and restricting the power supply required for the sheet processing by the sheet processing apparatus when the determin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9348546
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming job created and transmitted by an job creation unit including an image to be printed, a receiving unit that receives a request of print setting to the image, a display unit that displays a setting screen having a setting unit to designate a setting of rewritable print or permanent print per page in response to receive the request of print setting, a memory unit that stores the setting of rewritable print or permanent print per page set by operating the setting screen, in addition to the image as the image forming job, and an image forming unit that receives the image forming job from the job creation unit and forms images on a sheet based on the setting in the image forming job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hibino, Kengo Yaoi
  • Patent number: 9335957
    Abstract: A technology is provided for, when an error occurs in a communication apparatus (image forming apparatus), notifying a user of information relating to the error using NFC without a decrease in the user's convenience. A communication apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an NFC device (NFC controller) which can operate in either a reader/writer mode or a card emulation mode. The communication apparatus, when an error occurs, obtains information relating to the error, and sets, into the NFC device, the obtained error information as information which an external mobile terminal can read from the communication apparatus via NFC in the card emulation mode. The communication apparatus also sets the operation mode of the NFC device to the card emulation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shintaro Okamura
  • Patent number: 9338315
    Abstract: A present image communication apparatus performs voice communication with an external apparatus via a network, acquires image communication information indicating an image communication capability of the external apparatus, displays an operation screen that is related to image communication and includes at least information indicating whether or not voice communication can be continued when performing image communication based on the acquired image communication information, and controls image communication in accordance with user input that has been made via the operation screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiji Ohara, Shigeru Koizumi, Daisuke Suga, Michio Fukushima
  • Patent number: 9338327
    Abstract: A reproduction color storing section stores pieces of color information in association with a color range that is stored in a color range storing section and includes a fluorescent color targeted for detention. Each piece of color information specifies a reproduction color candidate usable for reproducing the fluorescent color. The pixel extracting section extracts, from image data, a pixel having the fluorescent color based on the color range. A display control section reads, from the reproduction color storing section, the pieces of color information corresponding to the fluorescent color of the extracted pixel and displays the reproduction color candidates specified by the pieces of color information on a display section. The reproduction color receiving section receives a reproduction color selected by a user from the displayed reproduction color candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Mitsuko Miyata
  • Patent number: 9335963
    Abstract: A method of managing print jobs addressed to a virtual print identity. The virtual print identity is associated with a first user, but not tied to a particular user device and the virtual print identity has at least one parameter relating to where the print job should be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Rajesh Bhatia, Harish B. Kamath
  • Patent number: 9332142
    Abstract: A portable information device includes a first display portion in which a parameter that defines a color for displaying an image is set, and a remote operation portion to display a remote operation screen on the first display portion and transmit a remote operation to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus-side display control portion to display an operation screen on a second display portion, and a remote control portion to transmit a remote operation screen to the portable information device and execute a process in accordance with a remote operation. One of the portable information device and the image forming apparatus acquires a distance between the image forming apparatus and the portable information device and determines an update parameter based on the acquired distance. The remote operation portion updates the parameter set in the first display portion with the update parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kubo, Atsushi Ohshima, Toshihiko Otake, Toshimichi Iwai, Takehisa Yamaguchi, Masaya Hashimoto, Tomoaki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9332154
    Abstract: Image binarization method and device for converting a grayscale image into a black and white binary image are provided. The grayscale image is divided into sub-images dynamically created from pixel to pixel containing a given pixel as well as neighboring pixels. A threshold for each pixel is determined based on the color values of all the pixels in the sub-image. Therefore, at a certain color value, this given pixel is converted to white and at another color value the pixel is converted black. The foregoing is effectuated pixel by pixel in a dynamic fashion evaluating each pixel relative to its neighboring pixels in order to produce a binary image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: IMDS AMERICA INC.
    Inventor: Yijun Zeng
  • Patent number: 9323490
    Abstract: An image processing device that displays a printed material, includes a first calculator configured to calculate display data based on: original data of an image printed on a sheet of paper; first data indicating diffuse reflection of the sheet; second data used for giving regular reflection texture of the sheet to a display image for displaying texture of the printed material; and third data used for giving regular reflection texture of the image to the display image for displaying the texture of the printed material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kei Yasutomi
  • Patent number: 9323493
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with printers includes: an application to set printing setting information as a document to be printed; a printer driver to generate printing data by employing the printing setting information specified by the application and the document; a determining unit to determine whether the printing setting information to be set using the printer driver is included in the printing setting information set using the application, using selected printer attributes and printing setting information set using the application; and a display to display information relating to printing settings to be set using the printer driver of the selected printer in a case the determining unit determines that the printing setting information to be set using the printer driver is included. If a printer is selected which cannot be controlled by a binding application, the binding application displays items to be set with a printer driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junko Sato
  • Patent number: 9324101
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods of providing a user customized card design system with a portal used to receive crowd-sourced artwork that users may select to include in customized greeting cards, games for bonuses that can be applied to customized greeting cards, and greeting card kiosks that may have different portions each having a dedicated functionality. The crowd-sourced content items may include items that are provided by various entities so that others may use the items in their own greeting cards. The crowd-sourced content items may be localized such that crowd-sourced content items within a proximity of a given location may be used to customize greeting cards at or in association with the given location. The bonuses may be won during gameplay and may include free or discounted customized greeting cards, free or discounted customization options, and/or other value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Card Isle Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Armido Donato, David Austin Henry, Stephan James Sabo
  • Patent number: 9317789
    Abstract: A printer, copier, or multi-function printing device (MFP) operates in a reduced power mode in which a controller identifies a path of motion of an object external to the printer with reference to signals from a proximity sensor housed in the printer. The controller connects one or more components to electric power to transition to an elevated power operating mode if the identified path corresponds to a path history that is stored in a memory of paths of object paths that have occurred prior to operation of the printer, copier or MFP. The activation of the components reduces a delay that an operator perceives as the printer, copier or MFP transitions from the reduced power operating mode to the elevated power operating mode thus significantly reducing power consumption during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Wilsher, Derek William Judd, Daniel Vila Marquez
  • Patent number: 9319542
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image acquiring section configured to acquire an image formation target page image; a display control section configured to perform processing for displaying the page image in a preview display area; an operation-input acquiring section configured to acquire a first operation input for designating a first position in a designatable area and a second operation input for designating a second position in the preview display area; a determining section configured to determine which allocation setting area corresponding to which number of page images is designated as an area where processing for setting a number of page images allocated to one sheet is executed; and a setting section configured to apply setting of a number of page images allocated to one sheet to the page image for which the first operation input is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Seiji Saito
  • Patent number: 9317234
    Abstract: A computer readable information recording medium stores a preview display program that performs, when executed by one or more processors, functions of a part configured to determine setting information for imposition type; a part configured to determine setting information for finishing; and a part configured to display preview images for a state after bookbinding in a case where the setting information for imposition type, determined by the part configured to determine setting information for imposition type, includes a setting of magazine or mini book and the setting information for finishing, determined by the part configured to determine setting information for finishing, includes a setting for carrying out the bookbinding, and display preview images for a state before the bookbinding in the other cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, LTD.
    Inventors: Mie Watanabe, Hiroyuki Nishiyama, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Kazuya Kurihara, Seiji Tokuoka, Shi Zhong Zhu
  • Patent number: 9317230
    Abstract: A management apparatus comprises: management unit which manages a power control rule for a change of a state of the one or more information processing devices; determination unit which determines whether or not the power control ability of the information processing device matches the power control rule; and setting unit which sets the managed power control rule to the information processing device if it has been determined that the power control ability of the information processing device matches the managed power control rule, and sets a new power control rule that matches the power control ability of the information processing device if it has been determined that the power control ability of the information processing device does not match the managed power control rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahito Hirai
  • Patent number: 9305438
    Abstract: The invention provides for optional printing at a pont of sale (POS). The invention provides a system and computer implemented method for printing information at a POS relating to a purchase transaction at the POS, comprising printing a second alternative instead of a default print, or printing both a default and a second print, in both cases dependent upon the second print being timely delivered to the POS printer. Preferably, the second print depends upon processing business rules related to color in the print.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey Mount
  • Patent number: 9298522
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and method. The apparatus comprises a generation unit configured to generate a named shared memory that can be accessed by both an application which runs with a first bit number and a printer driver which runs with a second bit number different from the first bit number. A storing unit is configured to store information in the named shared memory generated by the generation unit, and an acquisition unit is configured to acquire the information stored by the storing unit from the named shared memory generated by the generation unit. The storing unit is executed by the printer driver, and the acquisition unit is executed by the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideo Natori
  • Patent number: 9299015
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a template processing program for executing an editing accepting step, a template producing step, a text main body data acquisition step, and a template transmission step. In the template producing step, a template including at least one the print object is produced. In the search target setting step, a setting whether or not the print object included in the template is set to a key word search target is accepted. In the text main body data acquisition step, text main body data extracted from the print object to be set to the key word search target and expresses text contents of the print object, is acquired. In the template transmission step, the template is transmitted to a template server and stored therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Chitoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 9298404
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing printed page products includes defining a plurality of subbatches each comprising one or more of the pages, creating layouts for the pages in the plurality of subbatches, separating the plurality of subbatches into N groups each comprising a total number of pages equal or less than M, minimizing the difference between the total pages in the N groups and M×N, and printing the layouts of the pages on a stack of sheets each configured to contain layouts for N pages. The layouts of the pages in the stack of sheets are positioned in N columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Shutterfly, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Ray Niblett, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9294646
    Abstract: A novel electronic apparatus includes a main unit of the apparatus and a detachable control panel that can communicate with the main unit of the apparatus. The main unit of the apparatus includes a first power supply that supplies power to the entire main unit. The control panel includes a generating unit that generates power using external light, a voltage detection unit that detects the generated voltage by the generating unit, a second power supply that is charged by the generating unit and supplies power to the control panel, a control panel status detection unit that detects a status of the control panel, and a power supply control unit that controls supplying power to the control panel from at least either one of the first power supply or the second power supply based on the detection results by the voltage detection unit and the control panel status detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Senba