Patents by Inventor Kazuho Satoh

Kazuho Satoh 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: 10944810
    Abstract: A system includes a device and one or more information processing apparatuses. The device includes a device-information generator configured to generate device information on the device; and an analyzer determining unit configured to determine any one of the device and the one or more information processing apparatuses as an analyzer for the device information. The one determined as the analyzer includes an analysis unit configured to perform an analysis based on the device information; and a service determining unit configured to determine a service to the device based on a result of the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ueda, Takenori Oku, Hiroshi Nishida, Satoshi Hatanaka, Takeyoshi Sekine, Yasushi Nakazato, Fumihiro Nagano, Tetsutaro Oishi, Kazuho Satoh
  • Patent number: 10228632
    Abstract: A powder detection device includes a detection mechanism including an oscillation unit and a vibrated member, a vibrating member, and a detection unit. The oscillation unit outputs a signal having a frequency according to a state of a magnetic flux passing a space facing the oscillation unit. The vibrated member affecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside a container to face the oscillation unit via the container is vibrated by the vibrating member in a direction of facing the oscillation unit. The detection unit acquires frequency information of the signal at predetermined periods, determines presence/absence of an error of the detection mechanism based on error information associating a type of the error with a state of the signal, detects vibration of the vibrated member based on a change in the frequency information, and detects a remaining amount of powder in the container based on the detected vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsufumi Yamamoto, Tetsuro Hirota, Kenji Kikuchi, Kazuho Satoh, Shingo Nishizaki, Ko Tokumaru
  • Patent number: 10029871
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that forms an image on a sheet material based on a sheet material setting relating to the sheet material. The image forming apparatus includes an accepting unit configured to accept a selection of a sheet material type, a thickness measurement unit configured to measure a thickness of the sheet material, and a setting determination unit configured to determine the sheet material setting that relates to the thickness of the sheet material based on the sheet material type accepted by the accepting unit and the thickness of the sheet material measured by the thickness measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Maejima, Shingo Nishizaki, Yuji Ikeda, Takuya Murata, Kazuho Satoh
  • Patent number: 10031016
    Abstract: A fluid detection apparatus to detect quantity of a fluid having flowability and stored in a casing includes an oscillator disposed outside the casing to output a frequency of an oscillation signal corresponding to a magnetic flux passing through a space near the oscillator, a vibrator made of material effecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside the casing, a vibration trigger disposed inside the casing to vibrate the vibrator, and circuitry to acquire frequency-related information related to the frequency of the oscillation signal output from the oscillator, detect the vibration of the vibrator based on a change of the frequency-related information, determine whether the vibration of the vibrator converges during a convergence-checking time period defined after the vibrator is vibrated by the vibration trigger, and detect the quantity of the fluid in the casing based on a convergence determination result of the vibration of the vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuho Satoh, Tomoki Shimohira, Tetsuhiko Mizuyama, Tetsuro Hirota
  • Publication number: 20170336748
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that forms an image on a sheet material based on a sheet material setting relating to the sheet material. The image forming apparatus includes an accepting unit configured to accept a selection of a sheet material type, a thickness measurement unit configured to measure a thickness of the sheet material, and a setting determination unit configured to determine the sheet material setting that relates to the thickness of the sheet material based on the sheet material type accepted by the accepting unit and the thickness of the sheet material measured by the thickness measurement unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita MAEJIMA, Shingo NISHIZAKI, Yuji IKEDA, Takuya MURATA, Kazuho SATOH
  • Publication number: 20170074713
    Abstract: A fluid detection apparatus to detect quantity of a fluid having flowability and stored in a casing includes an oscillator disposed outside the casing to output a frequency of an oscillation signal corresponding to a magnetic flux passing through a space near the oscillator, a vibrator made of material effecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside the casing, a vibration trigger disposed inside the casing to vibrate the vibrator, and circuitry to acquire frequency-related information related to the frequency of the oscillation signal output from the oscillator, detect the vibration of the vibrator based on a change of the frequency-related information, determine whether the vibration of the vibrator converges during a convergence-checking time period defined after the vibrator is vibrated by the vibration trigger, and detect the quantity of the fluid in the casing based on a convergence determination result of the vibration of the vibrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: KAZUHO SATOH, TOMOKI SHIMOHIRA, TETSUHIKO MIZUYAMA, TETSURO HIROTA
  • Publication number: 20160380847
    Abstract: A system includes a device and one or more information processing apparatuses. The device includes a device-information generator configured to generate device information on the device; and an analyzer determining unit configured to determine any one of the device and the one or more information processing apparatuses as an analyzer for the device information. The one determined as the analyzer includes an analysis unit configured to perform an analysis based on the device information; and a service determining unit configured to determine a service to the device based on a result of the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji UEDA, Takenori OKU, Hiroshi NISHIDA, Satoshi HATANAKA, Takeyoshi SEKINE, Yasushi NAKAZATO, Fumihiro NAGANO, Tetsutaro OISHI, Kazuho SATOH
  • Publication number: 20160349101
    Abstract: A powder detection device includes a detection mechanism including an oscillation unit and a vibrated member, a vibrating member, and a detection unit. The oscillation unit outputs a signal having a frequency according to a state of a magnetic flux passing a space facing the oscillation unit. The vibrated member affecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside a container to face the oscillation unit via the container is vibrated by the vibrating member in a direction of facing the oscillation unit. The detection unit acquires frequency information of the signal at predetermined periods, determines presence/absence of an error of the detection mechanism based on error information associating a type of the error with a state of the signal, detects vibration of the vibrated member based on a change in the frequency information, and detects a remaining amount of powder in the container based on the detected vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsufumi Yamamoto, Tetsuro Hirota, Kenji Kikuchi, Kazuho Satoh, Shingo Nishizaki, Ko Tokumaru