Patents Examined by Rury Grisham
  • Patent number: 8817343
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of reading documents includes a reading unit including a light emitting element, a mechanism configured to move the reading unit, and a control unit configured to control the reading unit and the mechanism both to carry out reading by turning on the light emitting element and moving the reading unit and to temporarily stop moving the reading unit upon occurrence of a predetermined factor. The control unit sets a first current value which is caused to flow through the light emitting element when reading is carried out and sets a second current value which is less than the first current value and which is caused to flow through the light emitting element when the reading unit is temporarily stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Kubozono, Yasuyuki Shinada
  • Patent number: 8810866
    Abstract: An optical device is disclosed, including a surface emitting laser element having a surface emitting laser which emits a light in a direction which is perpendicular to a substrate face; a light receiving element which monitors the light of the surface emitting laser; a package provided with a region on which the surface emitting laser element and the light receiving element are provided; and a lid which has a window through which passes the light of the surface emitting laser, the window being formed with a transparent member, and which covers the surface emitting laser element and the light receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshishige Fujii
  • Patent number: 8810867
    Abstract: An LED module includes first through third LED chips and two Zener diodes for preventing excessive voltage application to the first and the second LED chips. A first lead includes a mount portion on which the first through third LED chips and the two Zener diodes are mounted. A resin package covers part of the first lead and includes an opening for exposing the three LED chips and two Zener diodes. A single insulating layer bonds the first and second LED chips to the first lead. A single conductive layer bonds the third LED chip and two Zener diodes to the first lead. The Zener diodes are arranged between the first, second LED chips and the third LED chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Sawada
  • Patent number: 8804209
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including, an input unit for inputting image data including a document region, a storage for storing the brightness of each pixel on a first main scan line outside the document region, a corrector for correcting the brightness of each pixel on the first main scan line in accordance with the brightness of pixels in a first part and the brightness of pixels in a second part on a second main scan line following the first main scan line, and an edge point detector for detecting an edge point of the document region situated on the second main scan line in accordance with the difference between the brightness of each pixel on the first main scan line corrected and the brightness of each pixel on the second main scan line respectively corresponding to each pixel on the first main scan line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Akira Iwayama, Masayoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8797608
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a reader unit configured to read an image of a conveyed document at a reading position, a transparent member arranged at the reading position and including a conductive layer, which is earthed, on a surface of the transparent member, a conveyance unit configured to convey the document to the reading position, and a guide member that is earthed, provided along the surface of the transparent member, and positioned so as to intersect with a conveyance direction of the document conveyed by the conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Seto
  • Patent number: 8797610
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a photosensor, a processing unit and a control unit. The control unit detects a light receiving signal output from the photosensor during a first light emission period and obtains a first detection result, and makes first determination based on the first detection result by determining whether the processing unit can execute a function. The control unit detects the light receiving signal after a waiting period and obtains a second detection result. The control unit makes second determination based on the second detection result by determining whether the processing unit can execute the function. The control unit makes the second determination in a second mode that requires small consumption power, and according to determination in the second determination in the second mode that the processing unit can execute the function, the control unit keeps the second mode and makes the first determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Hirata, Toru Tsuzuki, Shingo Itoh
  • Patent number: 8797557
    Abstract: An image storage system includes: an image storage apparatus; and a supporting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masahide Tanaka, Akira Ohmura
  • Patent number: 8786909
    Abstract: A communication apparatus which is capable of selectively using codecs appropriately. The communication apparatus is provided with a software codec configured to encode and decode images and a hardware codec configured to encode and decode images at higher speed than the software codec. In facsimile communication with an IP-FAX machine connected to an IP network, the communication apparatus causes the hardware codec to encode or decode an image. In facsimile communication with an analog facsimile machine connected to an analog network, the communication apparatus causes the software codec to encode or decode the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mikio Hama
  • Patent number: 8780418
    Abstract: A scanning focal plane sensor and method are described for image capturing of object space (or scenes). In one example, a focal plane sensor for a scanning imaging system is provided. The focal plane sensor for a scanning imaging system includes M×N Time Delay Integration (TDI) imaging Charge Coupled Device (CCD), where M is a number of TDI columns and N is a number of TDI stages per each column. A detector is connected to each TDI stage. The focal plane sensor includes an imaging controller configured to mechanize sampling the brightness value of each sensor pixel's initial footprint in object space and select a number of charge integrating TDI stages for substantially equalizing the inter sensor pixels' signal to noise ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Bluzer, Bron R. Frias, Paul A. Tittel
  • Patent number: 8780423
    Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus that can prevent a drop in quality of the image data while enabling stable conveyance of paper. The paper conveying apparatus includes a first image capture unit, a second image capture unit, a pair of conveyor rollers including a first roller and a second roller, a first conveyor guide, and a second conveyor guide, wherein a nip position of the pair of conveyor rollers is arranged above an extended plane of a top surface of the first image capture unit extended to the pair of conveyor rollers side, an axis of rotation of the second roller is arranged offset to the first image capture unit side compared with an axis of rotation of the first roller at projections on the extended plane, and the first conveyor guide guides the medium conveyed to above from the extended plane, to make the medium turn downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Shigeru Yonemura, Kouji Kawase, Hirotoshi Kakuda
  • Patent number: 8780420
    Abstract: A focal plane staring sensor is provided that includes an M×N sensor, where M is a number of rows of sensor pixels in the sensor and N is a number of columns of sensor pixels in the sensor, where M and N are integers greater than one. A control circuit samples a sensor pixel value for each sensor pixel of the M×N sensor at a plurality of different integration times corresponding to an amount of time that a photonic charge can be acquired in each sensor pixel of the M×N sensor, wherein the control circuit selects one sample from a set of samples to generate a scaled value to facilitate an equalization of a signal to noise ratio between the sensor pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Bluzer, James Halvis
  • Patent number: 8773736
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus to convey a sheet to be scanned to an image reader unit is provided. the image reading apparatus includes a sheet tray, in which the sheet to be scanned is stored, a separator, which frictionally picks up the sheet from the sheet tray and conveys the picked-up sheet toward an entry side of the image reader unit, through which the sheet enters a position above the image reader unit, to have a first side of the sheet scanned by the image reader unit, and a resisting force applier, which applies convey-resisting force to the sheet, of which first side has been scanned, being returned to the entry side of the image reader unit to have a second side of the sheet with the convey resistance scanned by the image reader unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiko Goto
  • Patent number: 8767275
    Abstract: A stationary scanner apparatus 10 comprises an image scanner 20 operable to read an item code, an imager attachment member 30 fixed to the image scanner 20, a support frame 40 configured to support the imager attachment member 30 in a state in which the image scanner 20 and imager attachment member 30 are rotatable about a horizontal axis with respect to the support frame 40, and a support portion 83 fixed to the support frame 40. The imager attachment member 30 has a first plate-shaped inclination holder 32a formed on one side of lateral sides of the imager attachment member 30 and a second plate-shaped inclination holder 32b formed on another side of the lateral sides of the imager attachment member 30. The support frame 40 has a first plate-shaped guide member 42a arranged in contact with the first inclination holder 32a and a second plate-shaped guide member 42b arranged in contact with the second inclination holder 32b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation
    Inventor: Hayato Mikami
  • Patent number: 8760729
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus, including a reading apparatus which reads an electronic recording card, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a reading unit which reads the electronic recording card via the reading apparatus and obtains read information; a generating unit which generates user management information of a user who owns the electronic recording card based on the read information obtained by the reading unit; and a holding unit which holds the user management information generated by the generating unit in a predetermined storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Futoshi Oseto, Naritake Kondoh
  • Patent number: 8760734
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit configured to sequentially feed documents loaded on a document positioning plate, a reading sensor configured to read a document of the plurality of documents fed by the sheet feeding unit, an acquisition unit to acquire an interval of the document between a trailing edge of a preceding document and a leading edge of a next document conveyed through the conveyance path, and a reading unit to execute a first reading mode using the reading sensor to read the document conveyed at a first conveyance speed, and a second reading mode using the reading sensor to read the document conveyed at a second conveyance speed that is lower than the first conveyance speed, wherein the reading unit executes the second reading mode after the first reading mode when the interval of the document is less than a predetermined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kuniaki Sato, Masaya Shimmachi, Haruo Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 8755091
    Abstract: A method for adding scan data to a computer work area is provided. The method includes the following steps. Location information corresponding to a registered location of a pointer is received. According to the location information, an image file format is determined. A document is scanned. Next, a scan image file corresponding to the document and the image file format is produced. The scan image file is added to a work area where the pointer is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Chieh Liao, Skies Hwang, Mitch Lin
  • Patent number: 8755094
    Abstract: A pupil splitting lens that splits a pupil of a light beam from a deflector into a plurality of light beams in a main scanning direction of the deflector and a pupil splitting lens that splits the light beam into a plurality of light beams in a sub-scanning direction are disposed relative to a light detection element. The light detection element detects image forming positions of the four light beams formed as a result of the splitting by the plurality of pupil splitting lenses. A CPU determines the amount of focus shift and the amount of image forming position shift from these four image forming positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuaki Otoguro
  • Patent number: 8749857
    Abstract: An image reader includes a light source that irradiates light to a recording material on which an image is formed, a generation section that receives light reflected from the recording material and generates image information from the received light, and a processing section that extracts information corresponding to a window region of the recording material set in advance, as correction information, from the image information generated by the generation section when light from the light source is irradiated to the recording material on which the image is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kazama, Kenji Hyoki, Masaki Fujise
  • Patent number: 8749859
    Abstract: A pressing unit configured to press a supporting surface for supporting a sheet, and a carriage configured to hold a sensor unit and to move on the pressing unit are integrated into one unit. There is provided a movement mechanism configured to move the unit between a first position in which the pressing unit presses the supporting surface during reading and a second position in which the pressing is released during movement of the sheet on the supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Sumioka, Junichi Kubokawa, Toshiaki Yamaguchi, Yukimichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8736925
    Abstract: The invention relates to scanning linear image sensors with signal integration, in which an image of a line of points from an observed scene is reconstructed by the addition of successive images taken by a plurality of photosensitive lines which successively observe the same line of the scene as the scene moves across the sensor perpendicularly to the lines. The sensor according to the invention uses charge transfer pixels (Pm,i,j) grouped into M groups of N lines; an analog charge summation is carried out in each group; and the results of this summation are read by read circuits (READm) associated with each group, and then digitized and added to those of the other groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: E2V Semiconductors
    Inventors: Frederic Mayer, Vincent Hibon, Henri Bugnet, Joel Vaillant