Patents by Inventor Koichi Tsugimura

Koichi Tsugimura 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: 20240126488
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a consumer receptacle and a controller to determine whether the processing apparatus is in a contracted status where a delivery contract for consumables is concluded or in an uncontracted status before the delivery contract is concluded. The consumable receptacle is configured to hold any of an exclusive consumable that is unusable when the processing apparatus is in the uncontracted status and a non-exclusive consumable different from the exclusive consumable. When the processing apparatus is in the contracted status, and the non-exclusive consumable is held in the consumable receptacle, the controller determines whether a specific condition for execution of a first particular process in which the non-exclusive consumable is consumed is satisfied. The controller allows the execution of the first particular process when the specific condition is satisfied, whereas restricting the execution of the first particular process when the specific condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taichiro KIMOTO, Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Yushi DEURA, Yuki KITAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240109342
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a medium accommodating part, an image forming engine, a discharge part, a medium conveyer configured to convey a medium from the medium accommodating part to the image forming engine and to the discharge part, a medium holder configured to hold the medium discharged to the discharge part, and a controller. The controller selects a first discharge mode for causing the medium holder to continue to hold the medium when a holding condition is satisfied or a second discharge mode for causing the medium holder not to hold the medium or to hold the medium for a prescribed period and then release the medium. The holding condition includes at least one of a first condition being that material of the medium does not correspond to specific materials and a second condition being that a medium length is less than a first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Satoru ARAKANE, Masashi OHHASHI, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Haruka AZECHI, Yasuhiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20240064258
    Abstract: In a consuming device, a controller is configured to perform, when an operating mode is set to a non-billing mode: executing. The executing executes, in response to receiving an execution instruction, a prescribed operation consuming a consumable. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable irrespective of a permitted consumption quantity without decreasing the permitted consumption quantity. The controller is configured to perform: when the operating mode is set to a billing mode: acquiring; and executing. The acquiring acquires the permitted consumption quantity including a newly purchased consumption quantity paid for by a user. The executing executes, in response to receiving the execution instruction, the prescribed operation. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable and decreasing the permitted consumption quantity acquired in the acquiring until the decreased permitted consumption quantity reaches a predetermined quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Taichiro KIMOTO, Yushi DEURA, Yuki KITAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240002183
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a first container, a second container, an image forming device, a medium conveyer, a command acquiring device, and a controller, is provided. When a length of the medium to be conveyed is equal to or smaller than a first predetermined length, the controller controls the medium conveyer to convey the medium from the first container and the image forming device to perform an image forming operation on one of a first side and a second side of the medium, and, after the medium is accommodated in the second container in an orientation with the other of the first side and the second side to be used as the image-formable side, control the medium conveyer to convey the medium from the second container and control the image forming device to perform the image forming operation to the medium conveyed from the second container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi TSUGIMURA, Haruka AZECHI, Masashi OHHASHI, Yasuhiro NAKANO, Satoru ARAKANE
  • Publication number: 20230348215
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a conveyance mechanism conveying a sheet-shaped medium in a conveyance direction, a recorder recording an image on the sheet-shaped medium conveyed by the conveyance mechanism, and a controller. The controller receives image data including one or a plurality of images, each of the images being to be recorded on one page, from an external apparatus, and determines whether to perform a combination-recording in which a plurality of images are aligned in the conveyance direction and recorded on a single sheet-shaped medium. In a case where image data including the plurality of images is received and it is determined that the combination-recording is to be performed, the controller causes the conveyance mechanism to convey a single sheet-shaped medium, and causes the recorder to record a plurality of images aligned in the conveyance direction on the single sheet-shaped medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Masashi OHHASHI, Satoru ARAKANE, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Haruka AZECHI, Yasuhiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20230202217
    Abstract: An image forming device performs image formation on a medium selected by a computer. When a cutting device is unusable, a long sheet-type medium accommodated in a first medium container is unusable. However, a conveyance passage used for conveying a short sheet-type medium is usable in at least one of a first state where the cutting device is unusable or a second state where the sheet-type medium is unable to pass through the cutting device. A necessary condition to make both the long sheet-type medium and the short sheet-type medium selectable includes the detector detecting neither the first status nor the second status. A necessary condition to make the long sheet-type medium unselectable and make the short sheet-type medium selectable includes the detector detecting one of the first status and the second status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Masashi OHHASHI, Satoru ARAKANE, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Haruka AZECHI, Yasuhiro NAKANO, Ayaka HOTTA
  • Publication number: 20230107583
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, having a conveyer, a first conveyer path, a printer, a cutter assembly, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the printer to print images for at least two pages on a first side of a printing medium; after printing the images on the first side of the printing medium, controls the conveyer to move the printing medium to a second conveyer path being a different path from the first conveyer path through a switchback action and invert the printing medium by conveying in a second conveying direction; after inverting the printing medium, controls the printer to print an image in a predetermined part on a second side opposite to the first side of the printing medium; and after printing the image in the predetermined part on the second side of the printing medium, control the cutter assembly to cut the printing medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Yusuke ARAI, Isao KOBAYASHI, Koichi TSUGIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230094160
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, having a container to store a printing medium therein, an acquisition device to acquire image data, a printing device to print an image on the printing medium, a cutter assembly to cut the printing medium, and a controller, is provided. In a case where a size of the image contained in the image data acquired by the acquisition device is smaller than a size of the printing medium stored in the container, the controller generates rotated image data containing a rotated image, which is an image rotated from an original posture of the image in the image data acquired by the acquisition device, controls the printing device based on the generated rotated image data to print the rotated image on the printing medium, and controls the cutter assembly to cut the printing medium having the rotated image printed by the printing device thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Yusuke ARAI, Isao KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11093194
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data; store the compressed image data into a memory; individually identify partial compressed data in the stored compressed image data, the partial compressed data corresponding to separate images; store the partial compressed data into the memory or store information identifying each of the partial compressed data, into the memory; a first creating processing for decompressing one of the partial compressed data and creating print data based on partial decompressed data obtained by decompressing the one partial compressed data; and a first output processing for outputting the created print data. The controller repeats the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of the partial compressed data. The printing apparatus performs printing based on the print data output in the first output processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Tsugimura, Wataru Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11029904
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a job-management module causes a computer to: determine whether the computer executes a second conversion processing; when the second conversion processing is to be executed, input a first instruction to a first sub-module to execute a first conversion processing to store first converted data into the memory, input a second instruction to a second sub-module to execute a second conversion processing to store second converted data into the memory, and input a third instruction to a third sub-module to execute a third conversion processing to output print data; and when the second conversion processing is not to be executed, input a first ganged-fashion-execution instruction to the first sub-module to execute the first conversion processing to input the first converted data to an electronic circuit, and input a second ganged-fashion-execution instruction to the third sub-module to output the print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Hasegawa, Koichi Tsugimura
  • Patent number: 11003966
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data created by compressing image data for pages; store the compressed image data into a memory; individually identify partial compressed data corresponding to the pages in the stored compressed image data; store one of the partial compressed data into the memory or stores information identifying each partial compressed data in the compressed image data, into the memory; execute a first creating processing for decompressing the one partial compressed data and creating print data for one page based on decompressed page data; and execute a first output processing for outputting the created print data. The controller repeats the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of pages contained in the compressed image data. The printing apparatus performs printing based on the output print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Hasegawa, Koichi Tsugimura
  • Patent number: 10901670
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data created by compressing image data for pages; store the compressed image data into a memory; read the compressed image data to determine the number of pages contained in the compressed image data without decompressing the compressed image data; register page jobs for the respective pages; create print data based on image data corresponding respectively to the registered page jobs and output the created print data; determine whether there is a next page job based on the registered page jobs each time when the created print data is output; and when the controller determines that there is the next page job, drive a drive device to start rotating a supply roller before completion of printing on a sheet for the current page job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Tsugimura, Wataru Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20200272390
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a job-management module causes a computer to: determine whether the computer executes a second conversion processing; when the second conversion processing is to be executed, input a first instruction to a first sub-module to execute a first conversion processing to store first converted data into the memory, input a second instruction to a second sub-module to execute a second conversion processing to store second converted data into the memory, and input a third instruction to a third sub-module to execute a third conversion processing to output print data; and when the second conversion processing is not to be executed, input a first ganged-fashion-execution instruction to the first sub-module to execute the first conversion processing to input the first converted data to an electronic circuit, and input a second ganged-fashion-execution instruction to the third sub-module to output the print data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru HASEGAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA
  • Publication number: 20200272391
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data created by compressing image data for pages; store the compressed image data into a memory; read the compressed image data to determine the number of pages contained in the compressed image data without decompressing the compressed image data; register page jobs for the respective pages; create print data based on image data corresponding respectively to the registered page jobs and output the created print data; determine whether there is a next page job based on the registered page jobs each time when the created print data is output; and when the controller determines that there is the next page job, drive a drive device to start rotating a supply roller before completion of printing on a sheet for the current page job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi TSUGIMURA, Wataru HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200272396
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data; store the compressed image data into a memory; individually identify partial compressed data in the stored compressed image data, the partial compressed data corresponding to separate images; store the partial compressed data into the memory or store information identifying each of the partial compressed data, into the memory; a first creating processing for decompressing one of the partial compressed data and creating print data based on partial decompressed data obtained by decompressing the one partial compressed data; and a first output processing for outputting the created print data. The controller repeats the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of the partial compressed data. The printing apparatus performs printing based on the print data output in the first output processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi TSUGIMURA, Wataru HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200272869
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data created by compressing image data for pages; store the compressed image data into a memory; individually identify partial compressed data corresponding to the pages in the stored compressed image data; store one of the partial compressed data into the memory or stores information identifying each partial compressed data in the compressed image data, into the memory; execute a first creating processing for decompressing the one partial compressed data and creating print data for one page based on decompressed page data; and execute a first output processing for outputting the created print data. The controller repeats the first creating processing and the first output processing a number of times corresponding to the number of pages contained in the compressed image data. The printing apparatus performs printing based on the output print data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru HASEGAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA
  • Patent number: 10521686
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a processor; and memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform: acquiring target image data configured by a plurality of pixels and representing a target image including a character; acquiring a character code corresponding to the character in the target image; acquiring an index value relating to a number of a plurality of character pixels configuring the character in the target image by using the character code corresponding to the character in the target image; determining a first extraction condition by using the index value; and extracting the plurality of character pixels satisfying the first extraction condition from the plurality of pixels in the target image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Tsugimura
  • Patent number: 10051150
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a controller configured to perform: acquiring objective image data representing an objective image, the objective image data being obtained by optically reading a manuscript; analyzing the objective image data; generating an image processing command in which image processing to be executed for the objective image data is described, by using a result of analysis of the objective image data; and generating an image file including the objective image data and the image processing command. The image processing command is to be executed when a reproduction image is reproduced at a reproduction unit by using the image file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Tsugimura
  • Publication number: 20170220888
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a processor; and memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform: acquiring target image data configured by a plurality of pixels and representing a target image including a character; acquiring a character code corresponding to the character in the target image; acquiring an index value relating to a number of a plurality of character pixels configuring the character in the target image by using the character code corresponding to the character in the target image; determining a first extraction condition by using the index value; and extracting the plurality of character pixels satisfying the first extraction condition from the plurality of pixels in the target image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Koichi TSUGIMURA
  • Publication number: 20170223226
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a controller configured to perform: acquiring objective image data representing an objective image, the objective image data being obtained by optically reading a manuscript analyzing the objective image data generating an image processing command in which image processing to be executed for the objective image data is described, by using a result of analysis of the objective image data; and generating an image file including the objective image data and the image processing command. The image processing command is to be executed when a reproduction image is reproduced at a reproduction unit by using the image file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Koichi TSUGIMURA