Patents by Inventor Kazunori Tanaka

Kazunori Tanaka 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: 20220207694
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an anomaly detecting unit, and an anomaly unification processing unit. The anomaly detecting unit is configured to detect anomalies included in a target image. The anomaly unification processing unit is configured to unify specific anomalies among the detected anomalies. Further, if a type of an anomaly among the detected anomalies is the same as a type of another anomaly among the detected anomalies, the anomaly unification processing unit (a) determines whether the anomaly and the other anomaly should be unified or not on the basis of a relationship between a position of the anomaly and a position of the other anomaly, and (b) unifies the anomaly and the other anomaly if it is determined that the anomaly and the other anomaly should be unified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Rui Hamabe, Kazunori Tanaka, Kanako Morimoto, Takuya Miyamoto, Koji Sato
  • Publication number: 20220207705
    Abstract: A processor determines an image defect in a test image obtained through an image reading process performed on an output sheet output by an image forming apparatus. The processor derives a vertical data string that is composed of data about horizontal representative values serving as representative values of a plurality of pixel values in each line in a horizontal direction in the test image. Moreover, the processor determines the presence or absence of at least one periodicity set in advance in the vertical data string by performing frequency analysis on the vertical data string. Furthermore, the processor determines the occurrence or non-occurrence and the cause of periodic density unevenness serving as a type of the image defect according to the determination result on the periodicity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Kanako Morimoto, Kazunori Tanaka, Koji Sato, Takuya Miyamoto, Rui Hamabe
  • Publication number: 20220210277
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes: an abnormality detection unit configured to detect one or more abnormalities included in a target image and an abnormality exclusion processing unit configured to exclude a specific abnormality from the detected one or more abnormalities. In a case in which a detection area of a certain abnormality among the detected one or more abnormalities and a detection area of another abnormality overlap with each other and a type of the certain abnormality and a type of the another abnormality are different from each other, when brightness information of one of the certain abnormality and the another abnormality satisfies a specific condition, the abnormality exclusion processing unit excludes the one of the certain abnormality and the another abnormality from the detected one or more abnormalities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Rui HAMABE, Kazunori TANAKA, Kanako MORIMOTO, Takuya MIYAMOTO, Koji SATO
  • Publication number: 20220210293
    Abstract: A processor identifies a specific part composed of a plurality of significant pixels in a mixed-color test image. Furthermore, the processor identifies a color vector. The color vector represents a vector in a color space from one of a color of the specific part in the mixed-color test image and a color of a reference area including a periphery of the specific part to the other. Furthermore, the processor determines which of a plurality of image creating portions of an image forming device corresponding to a plurality of developing colors, is a cause of an image defect, based on the color vector identified from the mixed-color test image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Kazunori Tanaka, Takuya Miyamoto, Kanako Morimoto, Rui Hamabe
  • Publication number: 20220206425
    Abstract: A processor generates an extraction image by extracting, from a test image, a target specific part that is a horizontal stripe extending in a horizontal direction or a noise point. The processor derives a vertical data sequence from a target area in the extraction image and converts the vertical data sequence to primary conversion data of a frequency domain. The processor converts, to secondary conversion data of a space domain, correction data that is obtained by removing, from the primary conversion data, data of frequency bands other than a particular frequency band corresponding to a target specific part that was determined as having periodicities. The processor classifies the target specific parts into periodic specific part and non-periodic specific part by comparing positions of the target specific parts with a peak position in a waveform represented by the secondary conversion data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Takuya Miyamoto, Kazunori Tanaka, Kanako Morimoto, Koji Sato, Rui Hamabe
  • Publication number: 20220210278
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an anomaly detecting unit configured to detect anomalies included in a target image; and an anomaly exclusion processing unit configured to exclude a specific anomaly among the detected anomalies. Further, the anomaly exclusion processing unit excludes one of an anomaly and another anomaly among the detected anomalies, if (a) a detection area of the anomaly, a detection area of the other anomaly, and an overlapping area of the detection areas of the anomaly and the other anomaly satisfy a predetermined condition and (b) a type of the anomaly and a type of the other anomaly are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: RUI HAMABE, Kazunori Tanaka, Kanako Morimoto, Takuya Miyamoto, Koji Sato
  • Publication number: 20220207704
    Abstract: A processor identifies an original drawing part that is originally drawn in a test image. Furthermore, the processor identifies a noise point in the test image. Furthermore, the processor determines which of predetermined two types of cause candidates is a cause of the noise point by determining a degree of overlapping between the original drawing part and the noise point. The two types of cause candidates are: waste toner dropping in which waste toner that has adhered to a transfer body that transfers a toner image to a sheet, is transferred to the sheet in the image forming device; and carrier developing in which magnetic carrier that has been mixed with toner is transferred to a sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Kanako Morimoto, Kazunori Tanaka, Koji Sato, Takuya Miyamoto, Rui Hamabe
  • Publication number: 20220207701
    Abstract: A processor determines an image defect in a test image obtained through an image reading process performed on an output sheet output by an image forming apparatus. The processor creates an image to be processed including a horizontal line, extending in a horizontal direction, extracted from the test image. Furthermore, the processor determines the presence or absence of at least one periodicity set in advance in a vertical direction in the image to be processed and determines the cause of the horizontal line according to the determination result on the periodicity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Kanako Morimoto, Kazunori Tanaka, Koji Sato, Takuya Miyamoto, Rui Hamabe
  • Publication number: 20220207702
    Abstract: A processor determines a cause of an image defect based on a test image that is obtained through an image reading process performed on an output sheet output from an image forming device. The processor generates an extraction image by extracting, from the test image, a noise point that is a type of image defect. Furthermore, the processor determines a cause of the noise point by using at least one of, in the extraction image: an edge strength of the noise point; a degree of flatness of the noise point; and a pixel value distribution of a transverse pixel sequence that is a pixel sequence traversing the noise point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Kazunori Tanaka, Kanako Morimoto, Takuya Miyamoto, Koji Sato, Rui Hamabe
  • Publication number: 20220207703
    Abstract: A processor determines a cause of an image defect based on a test image that is obtained through an image reading process performed on an output sheet output from an image forming device. The processor extracts a vertical stripe part extending along a sub scanning direction in the test image. Furthermore, the processor determines which of predetermined two types of cause candidates is a cause of the vertical stripe part, based on a distribution of a pixel value sequence along a main scanning direction that crosses the sub scanning direction, in a target part including the vertical stripe part in the test image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Rui Hamabe, Kazunori Tanaka, Takuya Miyamoto, Kanako Morimoto, Koji Sato
  • Patent number: 11361474
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a wearable device includes displaying an image with a plurality of pixels for each of three primary colors using the wearable device, and determining RGB and XYZ values for each of the plurality of pixels. The method includes selecting a subset of the plurality of pixels to form a group of grid points, and dividing the image into a group of tile regions, with each tile region including a grid point. Grid XYZ values are determined for each grid point, based on averaging XYZ values of all pixels in a corresponding tile region, and a grid RGB-to-XYZ conversion matrix is determined for each grid point. The method also includes determining a correction matrix for each grid point by multiplying an inverse of the grid RGB-to-XYZ conversion matrix for the grid with an sRGB-to-XYZ conversion matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Tanaka, Lei Zhang, Etienne Gregoire Grossmann, Marshall Charles Capps, Robert Blake Taylor
  • Publication number: 20220128925
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device that forms a toner image, by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor drum, a charging device that electrically charges the photoconductor drum, a developing power source that applies a predetermined developing bias voltage to the developing device, and a calculation device that calculates a surface potential of the photoconductor drum, on a basis of the developing current flowing in the developing device. The developing power source applies the developing bias voltage in a plurality of levels, to the developing device. A current measurement device measures a developing current, with respect to the developing bias voltage of each level. The calculation device calculates the surface potential, on the basis of each developing current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori TANAKA, Yoshihiro YAMAGISHI, Tamotsu SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 11315233
    Abstract: A learning model generating device includes a first image reading device and a first control device. The first control device includes a processor and functions, through the processor executing a first control program, as a first segmenter, a learning model generator, and a first compressor. The first segmenter segments each of images of training prints obtained by reading performed by the first image reading device. The learning model generator learns segmented images to generate a first learning model for use in inferring a type of an image defect. The first compressor compresses each of the images of the training prints. The first segmenter segments each of compressed images obtained by compression performed by the first compressor. The learning model generator learns compressed and segmented images to generate a second learning model for use in inferring a type of an image defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11307512
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner charge amount predictor, a toner developing resistance calculator, and a determiner. The toner developing resistance calculator calculates a toner developing resistance on the basis of a bias voltage applied to a developing device and a measured developing current by dividing a value of the bias voltage by a value of the developing current when a developing device develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of an image carrier to form a toner image. The toner charge amount predictor predicts a toner charge amount of a toner which is supplied to the image carrier by the developing device on the basis of a density of the toner image and the developing current. The determiner determines a state of the developing device on the basis of the toner charge amount and the toner developing resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Tanaka, Kanako Morimoto, Tamotsu Shimizu, Kenichi Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20220091531
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging device, a developing device, a transfer device, a development power supply, a current measurement device, and a processor. The development power supply applies a predetermined bias voltage to the developing device. The processor functions as a calculator and a controller. The calculator calculates a surface potential of the image carrier based on the development current measured by the current measurement device. The controller controls the charging device, the developing device, the transfer device, and the development power supply. The controller sets a tentative transfer current to be flowed through the transfer device while the calculator calculates the surface potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro YAMAGISHI, Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Kazunori TANAKA
  • Patent number: 11240575
    Abstract: A speaker grill includes a diffusion plate, a base, and a support portion. The diffusion plate forms an opening facing a speaker and is arranged on an outer side of the opening so as to form a concave shape in a sound-emitting direction of the speaker. The base supports the diffusion plate at an outer circumference thereof. The support portion is provided at a front surface of the diffusion plate in the sound-emitting direction, having a support surface that covers at least a portion of the front surface of the diffusion plate, and having a plurality of partition walls forming slits in the sound-emitting direction. The support surface forms a virtual surface that covers an outer surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shibakusa, Kazunori Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20220004116
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging device, a developing device, a developing power source, a current measuring device, and a processor. On a surface of the image carrier, an electrostatic latent image is formed. The charging device electrically charges the image carrier. The developing device forms a toner image, by supplying toner to the image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier. The developing power source applies a predetermined bias voltage to the developing device. The current measuring device measures a developing current flowing in the developing device. The processor acts, by executing a control program, as a calculator that calculates a surface potential of the image carrier, on a basis of the developing current measured by the measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro YAMAGISHI, Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Kazunori TANAKA
  • Patent number: 11213982
    Abstract: An injection apparatus includes a heating cylinder having a nozzle for injecting resin material, a drop-port block that supports the heating cylinder, an injection stage extending so as to be orthogonal to the lengthwise axis of the heating cylinder while supporting the drop-port block, and a pair of injection-apparatus moving mechanisms that moves the heating cylinder. The drop-port block is provided with a supporting stage extending in the direction orthogonal to the lengthwise axis, and the injection-apparatus moving mechanism is connected to the supporting stage and to a stationary mount which supports a stationary mold. The supporting plate extends alongside the injection stage with a clearance therebetween so that deformation of the supporting stage when the nozzle is pressed into contact with the stationary mold is not transmitted to the injection stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11150574
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units, a developing voltage power supply, a current detection unit, and a control unit. The image forming units form an image by superimposing a toner image of a same color and a same type, and substantially same development conditions are set to evenly divide an image density among the image forming units. The control unit detects whether there is an anomaly in the image forming unit based on detecting a DC component of developing current, being either of current flowing through a non-exposed portion of an image carrier during image formation, and current flowing through an exposed portion of the image carrier. When an anomaly is detected in any image forming unit, the control unit inhibits use of the image forming unit, and resets the development conditions to evenly divide an image density among the usable image forming units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Kazunori Tanaka, Kanako Morimoto, Shiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11143980
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units, a developing voltage power supply, a density detection device, a current detection unit, and a control unit. The plurality of image forming units form an image and substantially same development conditions are set to evenly divide an image density among the image forming units. The control unit detects whether there is an anomaly in a developing device, based on a toner charge amount calculated based on a DC component of developing current when a reference image is formed on an image carrier by each of the developing devices and a density of the reference image. When an anomaly is detected in any of the developing devices, the control unit inhibits use of the image forming unit including the developing device, and resets the development conditions to evenly divide the image density among the usable image forming units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: YOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Kanako Morimoto, Kazunori Tanaka, Kenichi Tamaki