Patents by Inventor Hirobumi Nishida

Hirobumi Nishida has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8947742
    Abstract: A control device mounted in an image forming apparatus includes a region searching for unit searching for a region adapted to measure colors in an image; a color measurement unit configured to measure colors of the superimposed color toner image in the region; a storage unit storing measured colors and densities proportional to area ratios of primary color toner images in the superimposed color toner image in the region; and a correction amount determination unit determine correction amounts corresponding to the setting values expressing the tone reproduction curves to minimize the difference between the measured colors and the reference colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20130286442
    Abstract: A control device mounted in an image forming apparatus includes a region searching for unit searching for a region adapted to measure colors in an image; a color measurement unit configured to measure colors of the superimposed color toner image in the region; a storage unit storing measured colors and densities proportional to area ratios of primary color toner images in the superimposed color toner image in the region; and a correction amount determination unit determine correction amounts corresponding to the setting values expressing the tone reproduction curves to minimize the difference between the measured colors and the reference colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 8427724
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image using an electrophotographic process; a color measuring unit that measures a color of the image; a measured-value acquiring unit that acquires a measured value that is measured by the color measuring unit; and a set-value deciding unit that decides a set value related to formation of the image based on a difference between the measured value and a preset target value, wherein the set-value deciding unit determines the set value so that the image approaches a reference value in a period from a current state of the image to desired state of the image while optimizing a constraint evaluation function related to a constraint condition for the formation of the image by using an estimation equation for approximating time-series variation in a state of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 8321367
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes an input unit that receives input data, a calculating unit that calculates a feature vector, a selection receiving unit that presents processing options to a user and receives a user selection, a storing unit stores processing history information, and a predictor constructing unit that constructs a predictor for an identifying algorithm that predicts optimal processing for input data based on processing history information stored in a history database. An optimal function predicting unit predicts optimal processing based on a feature vector calculated for new data by using the predictor and an evaluating unit evaluates work efficiency for the predicted optimal processing, wherein the evaluating unit is configured to evaluate work efficiency for the optimal processing based on a prediction accuracy of the predictor and a user specific working time that is required for each user to select one of the processing options with the selection receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company. Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 8254669
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a feature-value calculating unit that calculates an image feature value indicating a feature of image data, a case database including a case set including a correspondence of image feature values and functions, and an optimum-function predicting unit that predicts an optimum function based on the case database and the image feature value calculated by the feature-value calculating unit. Due to the optimum-function predicting unit, work efficiency of a user can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 8244039
    Abstract: A first combination of feature and processing content of image data is stored in a storing unit in a first period, and a second combination of feature and processing content of image data is stored in the storing unit in a second period that is later in terms of time. When a change in processing content is detected between the first period and the second period, an updating unit updates the first combination to the second combination. An acquiring unit acquires a processing content for target image data based on a combination of feature and processing content stored in the storing unit. An output unit outputs the processing content acquired by the acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20120050760
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling image processing of an image forming apparatus specifies a color measurement area in image data, obtains a measured color of the color measurement area of a multi-color toner image of the image data, constructs an algorithm for image processing parameter correction, and determines a correction value of an image processing parameter of the image forming apparatus so as to make the difference between the measured color and an expected color to be smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20110279834
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus specifies a color measurement area in image data, obtains a measured color of the color measurement area of a multi-color toner image of the image data, constructs an algorithm for control parameter correction, and determines a correction value of a control parameter of the image forming apparatus so as to make the difference between the measured color and an expected color to be smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 8041113
    Abstract: A first area extracting unit extracts a first document area from document image data by dividing the document image data in units of a document area. A language determining unit determines a type of a language used in the document image data. A second area extracting unit extracts a second document area by dividing or combining the first document area based on a rule corresponding to the type of the language determined by the language determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20100296139
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image using an electrophotographic process; a color measuring unit that measures a color of the image; a measured-value acquiring unit that acquires a measured value that is measured by the color measuring unit; and a set-value deciding unit that decides a set value related to formation of the image based on a difference between the measured value and a preset target value, wherein the set-value deciding unit determines the set value so that the image approaches a reference value in a period from a current state of the image to desired state of the image while optimizing a constraint evaluation function related to a constraint condition for the formation of the image by using an estimation equation for approximating time-series variation in a state of the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7729013
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a character-area extracting unit that extracts a character area in which characters are displayed from image data including characters, a character-color converting unit that converts the color of characters in the character area extracted by the character-area extracting unit to a predetermined prescribed character color, and a background-color converting unit that converts a background color of the background, which is an area other than the characters in the character area extracted by the character-area extracting unit to a predetermined prescribed background color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7715624
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system, each capable of recognizing or reproducing a character color, are disclosed. An original image is divided into a character image and a background image. The color information of the character image is obtained to generate a color palette of the character image. A color, defined by the color palette, is assigned to each of the characters in the character image. The color palette may include a main color palette and a minor color palette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7676089
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, each capable of applying document layout analysis to a document image with control of a non-character area. A non-character area is extracted from a document image to be processed. A character image is generated from the document image by removing the non-character area from the document image. The character image is segmented into a plurality of sections to generate a segmented image. The segmented image is adjusted using a selected component of the non-character image to generate an adjusted segmented image. A segmentation result is output, which is generated based on the adjusted segmented image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7667876
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, and computer program and product, each capable of generating normalized image data from original image data are disclosed. To generate the normalized image data, feature information is extracted from the original image data, and predetermined image processing is applied to the original image data using the feature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Saitoh, Hirobumi Nishida, Takeshi Suzuki, Takashi Akutsu, Kazutoshi Takeya, Hisashi Tanaka, Yasuyuki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7619755
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, each capable of inputting an input image; obtaining an image object indicating image processing to be applied to the input image; and managing a state of the image object and transition of the state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushi Morimoto, Hirobumi Nishida, Keiji Kojima, Toshihiro Suzuki, Takashi Saitoh, Toshio Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 7616813
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, each capable of extracting a background area of a document image. The background area of the document image may be extracted by repeating recursively the acts of: extracting a set of white rectangles from a processed area of the document image; dividing the processed area into a plurality of segments using the set of white rectangles as a separator; storing the plurality of segments; and reading the plurality of segments in a predetermined order as a processed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20090234793
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a selection receiving unit that presents processing options to a user and receives a user selection from the processing options and a predictor constructing unit that constructs a predictor for an identifying algorithm that predicts optimal processing for input data based on processing history information stored in a history database. An optimal function predicting unit predicts optimal processing based on a feature vector calculated for new data by using the predictor and an evaluating unit evaluates work efficiency for the optimal processing predicted by the optimal function predicting unit. Finally, a presenting unit presents the optimal processing to a user when an evaluation result obtained by the evaluating unit is equal to or greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7525694
    Abstract: An image processing system is provided that performs object-oriented image processing and collectively manages image data, image elements, and the history and state of the image processing. In this image processing system, an original image object to be normalized is generated for image data to be processed. Next, the normalized image data is converted into the optimum image data format in compliance with the purpose of use, using an optimizing object. The generation of the object and the condition setting and changes are performed by the same methods (functions) in the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7508987
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and program for image processing are provided to perform operations of recognizing, reproducing, and enhancing an image, particularly one having character, symbol, or line-segment portions. An image obtainer obtains a multivalue image of color or grayscale. A brightness image generator generates a brightness image of the multivalue image, representing brightness values of respective pixels of the multivalue image. A topographic feature image generator generates a topographic feature image of the multivalue image, having a topographic feature corresponding to the brightness values. A topographic feature adder generates a binary image of the multivalue image, by using information contained in the topographic feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20090074288
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a feature-value calculating unit that calculates an image feature value indicating a feature of image data, a case database including a case set including a correspondence of image feature values and functions, and an optimum-function predicting unit that predicts an optimum function based on the case database and the image feature value calculated by the feature-value calculating unit. Due to the optimum-function predicting unit, work efficiency of a user can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventor: Hirobumi NISHIDA