Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Furukawa

Hitoshi Furukawa 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).

  • Publication number: 20230264920
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a stacking member configured to stack a sheet, a discharging member configured to discharge the sheet stacked on the stacking member, a discharging tray on which the sheet discharged by the discharging member is stacked, a pushing-out member configured to push out the sheet from the stacking member toward the discharging member by being moved in a pushing-out direction, and a controller configured to select, on the basis of information of the sheet stacked on the stacking member, whether to move the pushing-out member to which position of a first position and a second position positioned on a side downstream of the first position with respect to the pushing-out direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventor: HITOSHI FURUKAWA
  • Patent number: 11493870
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a discharging portion configured to discharge a sheet, a supporting portion configured to support the sheet discharged by the discharging portion, a lifting portion configured to lift and lower the supporting portion, a transmissive sensor configured to output an output signal that changes in accordance with a position of an upper surface of the sheet supported by the supporting portion, a reflective sensor configured to output an output signal that changes in accordance with the position of the upper surface of the sheet supported by the supporting portion, and a controller configured to control the lifting portion and including a first determining portion configured to determine whether or not sheet detection by the transmissive sensor is possible and a second determining portion configured to determine whether or not sheet detection by the transmissive sensor is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11336786
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a first stacking unit to stack a sheet discharged by a first discharge unit, a second stacking unit disposed below the first stacking unit to stack the sheet discharged by a second discharge unit, and a lifting unit to lift and lower the first and second stacking units. A detection unit changes an output value based on contact of a matter with a lower surface of the first stacking unit, and a distance estimation unit estimates a distance between the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit. A separation process lifts the first stacking unit to increase a distance between the first and second stacking units in a vertical direction in a case where the output value changes based on contact of the matter with the lower surface of the first stacking unit and the estimated distance being smaller than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi Furukawa, Takao Izaki, Haruki Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 11336785
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a first discharge unit and a second discharge unit configured to discharge a sheet respectively, a first stacking unit configured to stack the sheet discharged by the first discharge unit, a second stacking unit disposed below the first stacking unit, and configured to stack the sheet discharged by the second discharge unit, a lifting unit configured to lift and lower the first and second stacking units, and a control unit configured to perform a separation process of moving at least one of the first and second stacking units so as to increase a distance between the first and second stacking units in a vertical direction in a case where a matter has come into contact with a lower surface of the first stacking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Izaki, Haruki Ishibashi, Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20220043385
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a discharging portion configured to discharge a sheet, a supporting portion configured to support the sheet discharged by the discharging portion, a lifting portion configured to lift and lower the supporting portion, a transmissive sensor configured to output an output signal that changes in accordance with a position of an upper surface of the sheet supported by the supporting portion, a reflective sensor configured to output an output signal that changes in accordance with the position of the upper surface of the sheet supported by the supporting portion, and a controller configured to control the lifting portion and including a first determining portion configured to determine whether or not sheet detection by the transmissive sensor is possible and a second determining portion configured to determine whether or not sheet detection by the transmissive sensor is needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20210289091
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a first discharge unit and a second discharge unit, a first stacking unit configured to stack the sheet discharged by the first discharge unit, a second stacking unit configured to stack the sheet discharged by the second discharge unit, a lifting unit configured to lift and lower the first and second stacking units, and a control unit configured to perform a separation process of moving at least one of the first and second stacking units so as to increase a distance between the first and second stacking units in a vertical direction in a case where a matter has come into contact with a lower surface of the first stacking unit and a distance between the sheet stacked on the second stacking unit and the lower surface of the first stacking unit is smaller than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Hitoshi Furukawa, Takao Izaki, Haruki Ishibashi
  • Publication number: 20210160389
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a first discharge unit and a second discharge unit configured to discharge a sheet respectively, a first stacking unit configured to stack the sheet discharged by the first discharge unit, a second stacking unit disposed below the first stacking unit, and configured to stack the sheet discharged by the second discharge unit, a lifting unit configured to lift and lower the first and second stacking units, and a control unit configured to perform a separation process of moving at least one of the first and second stacking units so as to increase a distance between the first and second stacking units in a vertical direction in a case where a matter has come into contact with a lower surface of the first stacking unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Takao Izaki, Haruki Ishibashi, Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20200372646
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes: a spectral sensor including, spectral means for dispersing reflected light from a living body or transmitted light that has passed through a living body according to a wavelength, and light receiving means including a plurality of pixels; detection means for detecting sample values indicating light reception results of the plurality of pixels at sampling timings; generation means for generating a biological signal relating to first biological information from sample values of a first pixel of the light receiving means at respective sampling timings; and determining means for determining a cycle of the biological signal. The detection means selects a sampling timing based on a cycle of the biological signal, and detects second biological information based on a sample value of at least one second pixel of the light receiving means at the selected sampling timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 10728399
    Abstract: The spectral colorimetry apparatus includes an LED, a diffraction grating; a line sensor that has multiple pixels and that receives light dispersed by the diffraction grating at the multiple pixels for respective wavelengths of the dispersed light and outputs voltages according to the intensity of the received light; and a sensor CPU that calculates spectral reflectivity of an object based on the intensity of light reflected from the object. The sensor CPU varies, with the multiple pixels, the number of detection times of detecting the light reflected from the object at each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20190298192
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes: a spectral sensor including a plurality of pixels; a unit configured to generate a biological signal from a light reception result of a predetermined pixel; a unit configured to detect a feature amount of the biological signal; a unit configured to set a measurement condition to the spectral sensor; a unit configured to determine whether or not the measurement condition needs to be changed based on the biological signal; and a unit configured to determine, if the measurement condition needs to be changed, in a first cycle of the biological signal, whether or not the measurement condition can be changed in a period from a timing at which the detection unit has detected the feature amount in the first cycle until an ending time of the first cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Hitoshi Furukawa, Nobutoshi Sugai
  • Publication number: 20190182387
    Abstract: The spectral colorimetry apparatus includes an LED, a diffraction grating; a line sensor that has multiple pixels and that receives light dispersed by the diffraction grating at the multiple pixels for respective wavelengths of the dispersed light and outputs voltages according to the intensity of the received light; and a sensor CPU that calculates spectral reflectivity of an object based on the intensity of light reflected from the object. The sensor CPU varies, with the multiple pixels, the number of detection times of detecting the light reflected from the object at each pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 10041834
    Abstract: A color measurement device includes a light source for illuminating an object with light; a dispersing portion for spectrally dispersing light emitted and reflected by the object; a light receptor for receiving the light dispersed by the dispersing portion; and a controller for effecting color measurement based on a result of light reception of the light receptor from the object which is an image formed on a recording material; wherein the emitted light has a first intensity of light in a first wavelength range and a second intensity lower than the first intensity in a second wavelength range, and wherein the controller deduces a value relating to color measurement for the second wavelength range on the basis of a result of light reception of the light receptor for the first wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nakai, Hitoshi Furukawa, Akihiko Uchiyama
  • Publication number: 20160041034
    Abstract: A color measurement device includes a light source for illuminating an object with light; a dispersing portion for spectrally dispersing light emitted and reflected by the object; a light receptor for receiving the light dispersed by the dispersing portion; and a controller for effecting color measurement based on a result of light reception of the light receptor from the object which is an image formed on a recording material; wherein the emitted light has a first intensity of light in a first wavelength range and a second intensity lower than the first intensity in a second wavelength range, and wherein the controller deduces a value relating to color measurement for the second wavelength range on the basis of a result of light reception of the light receptor for the first wavelength range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nakai, Hitoshi Furukawa, Akihiko Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9204012
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that reduces the downtime due to image density control is provided. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus obtains, using a sensor, background data at a plurality of measurement positions from a rotation member, and density data at a plurality of measurement positions from a patch image formed on the rotation member. Further, the image forming apparatus normalizes density data based on first background data and calculates first correction density data, and also normalizes density data based on second background data for which the measurement positions have been shifted from those of the first background data, calculates second correction density data, and acquires corrected density data in accordance with the first correction density data or the second correction density data that has a smaller variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8995004
    Abstract: An apparatus has an external memory control apparatus for controlling rewriting of a memory. The external memory control apparatus allows the memory to store the number of formed monochromatic images and changes a rewriting frequency of the memory according to the number of formed monochromatic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8964228
    Abstract: A printing system includes following components. Each printing apparatus prints print document information and outputs a document. A terminal transmits print document information stored therein and location information. A print server receives, from the terminal, the print document information and the location information, generates authentication information in association with the print document information, identifies one printing apparatus in accordance with the received location information and location information of the printing apparatuses, and transmits the generated authentication information to the identified printing apparatus. The identified printing apparatus displays authentication reference information in accordance with the received authentication information. The terminal receives input of information based on the authentication reference information and transmits the input information to the print server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Furukawa, Yoshitaka Itoh, Shintaro Murakami
  • Publication number: 20140055806
    Abstract: A printing system includes following components. Each printing apparatus prints print document information and outputs a document. A terminal transmits print document information stored therein and location information. A print server receives, from the terminal, the print document information and the location information, generates authentication information in association with the print document information, identifies one printing apparatus in accordance with the received location information and location information of the printing apparatuses, and transmits the generated authentication information to the identified printing apparatus. The identified printing apparatus displays authentication reference information in accordance with the received authentication information. The terminal receives input of information based on the authentication reference information and transmits the input information to the print server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi FURUKAWA, Yoshitaka ITOH, Shintaro MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20130290616
    Abstract: An apparatus has an external memory control apparatus for controlling rewriting of a memory. The external memory control apparatus allows the memory to store the number of formed monochromatic images and changes a rewriting frequency of the memory according to the number of formed monochromatic images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8565627
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which shortens the time taken for circumference detection and measures the circumference at high precision without obstructing downsizing of the apparatus. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus detects, at an arbitrary timing, the physical pattern of the image-formed surface of a rotation member that changes over time. In the second round, the image forming apparatus detects the second pattern at a timing a predetermined time after the arbitrary timing. By using the detected patterns, the image forming apparatus obtains information associated with the circumference of the rotation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kinukawa, Hitoshi Furukawa, Takao Kume, Kazuhiro Funatani, Masahide Hirai, Yoshiro Saito, Tomoaki Nakai
  • Patent number: 8493607
    Abstract: An apparatus has an external memory control apparatus for controlling rewriting of a memory. The external memory control apparatus allows the memory to store the number of formed monochromatic images and changes a rewriting frequency of the memory according to the number of formed monochromatic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Furukawa