Patents by Inventor Minako Kobayashi

Minako Kobayashi 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: 11122172
    Abstract: A control apparatus may cause an image forming apparatus to execute processing based on contents of the processing instructed by voice. The control apparatus includes a hardware processor that may: cause a display apparatus of the image forming apparatus to display the contents of the processing prior to execution of the processing; acquire an operating state of the display apparatus; and decide contents of voice to be outputted to promote confirmation of the contents of the processing in accordance with the acquired operating state of the display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20200296236
    Abstract: A control apparatus may cause an image forming apparatus to execute processing based on contents of the processing instructed by voice. The control apparatus includes a hardware processor that may: cause a display apparatus of the image forming apparatus to display the contents of the processing prior to execution of the processing; acquire an operating state of the display apparatus; and decide contents of voice to be outputted to promote confirmation of the contents of the processing in accordance with the acquired operating state of the display apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20200195803
    Abstract: An image processing system includes an image processing apparatus and a cloud server, the image processing system being capable of operating the image processing apparatus through a cooperation process among the image processing apparatus, the cloud server, and an external device, wherein the cloud server includes: an acquirer that acquires from the external device a voice instruction for operating the image processing apparatus, the voice instruction being given by the user in a conversation between the user and the external device; and an instruction transmitter that transmits an instruction command based on the voice instruction to the image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus includes: an operation inputter; a setter; and a reset controller, and, when the image processing apparatus starts to be operated by the voice instruction, the reset controller of the image processing apparatus prevents execution of the auto reset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Minako KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10582071
    Abstract: A service use support device used for receiving a plurality of services, includes a hardware processor that: acquires one or more of target images to be processed; selects a preferred service from among the plurality of services for each of the one or more of target images on the basis of a degree at which each attribute satisfies a condition set for each of the plurality of services; and transfers each of the one or more of target images to a provider that provides each preferred service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20190387111
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a hardware processor, the hardware processor determining a job, and in the case where the job is to be controlled in response to acceptance of an instruction to control the job, even when the instruction to control the job is accepted based on speech, if the job is determined not based on speech, not controlling the job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventor: Minako KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190260885
    Abstract: A service use support device used for receiving a plurality of services, includes a hardware processor that: acquires one or more of target images to be processed; selects a preferred service from among the plurality of services for each of the one or more of target images on the basis of a degree at which each attribute satisfies a condition set for each of the plurality of services; and transfers each of the one or more of target images to a provider that provides each preferred service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Minako Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9667831
    Abstract: A controller of an information processing apparatus executes the steps of: generating a display image based on a page from a server; displaying the display image; generating print data for printing the display image; identifying whether a first display image is of the first kind; and determining whether an operation for enlarging or reducing the first display image is accepted. The print data generating step includes the steps of: generating print data for printing a second display image of the second kind corresponding to the first display image, if the first display image is of the first kind, or if the first display image is not of the first kind and an operation for enlarging or reducing is not accepted; and generating print data for printing the first display image if the first display image is not of the first kind and an operation for enlarging or reducing is accepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Minako Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20170070646
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an API in which a plurality of API functions is prepared is provided. The apparatus includes a determination portion configured to, when a condition necessary to use, among the API functions, an API function contained in an application to be executed in the image forming apparatus is not satisfied at this point in time, request a user to input in order to satisfy the condition, and configured to determine that the condition is satisfied when the input is correctly made and to determine that the condition is not satisfied when the input is not correctly made; and a permission portion configured to give a permission to use the API function contained in the application when the determination portion determines that the condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20160142582
    Abstract: A controller of an information processing apparatus executes the steps of; generating a display image based on a page from a server; displaying the display image; generating print data for printing the display image; identifying whether a first display image is of the first kind; and determining whether an operation for enlarging or reducing the first display image is accepted. The print data generating step includes the steps of; generating print data for printing a second display image of the second kind corresponding to the first display image, if the first display image is of the first kind, or if the first display image is not of the first kind and an operation for enlarging or reducing is not accepted; and generating print data for printing the first display image if the first display image is not of the first kind and an operation for enlarging or reducing is accepted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Minako KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9232094
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a position detection portion for detecting a position designated on a display, a data select portion for selecting data identified by a first image displayed on the display as target data, a clone image display portion for arranging a clone image corresponding to the first image at the detected position, a clone image moving portion for moving the clone image, a second image display portion for arranging one or more second images for identifying one or more kinds of processes executable on the target data at positions based on the position of the first image, a candidate process decision portion for deciding a process identified by the second image having a predetermined relative positional relation to the clone image as a candidate process, and an execution process decision portion for deciding the candidate process as an execution process when the position is no longer detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20150234555
    Abstract: A display device capable of displaying information corresponding to a setting state or an operation state of a function on an image processing device comprises: a display part; a browser configured to add a tab to each of multiple screens showing web contents and displaying the screen of the tab on the display part, and arranging the screen of the selected tab at the front of the screens of the other tabs; a managing part configured to manage if there is the tab showing the information on the screen among the tabs displayed by the browser; and a tab controlling part configured to delete the screen of another tab except for the screen of the tab when the tab managed as the one showing the information on the screen is not displayed at the front of the screen of the display part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8970887
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and an external terminal. The image forming apparatus generates first display data for a first operation screen that includes a key image for receiving an instruction to execute an external terminal program, on the basis of program information regarding the types of external terminal programs that are programs installed in the external terminal, and transmits the first display data to the external terminal. The external terminal displays the first operation screen on a display unit of the external terminal on the basis of the first display data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomonari Yoshimura, Yoshio Komaki, Minako Kobayashi, Hiroki Tajima, Yoshiaki Shibuta
  • Patent number: 8896870
    Abstract: An image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus and an external terminal. The image forming apparatus has a receiving part for receiving operation input information on an operation input into an operation screen from the external terminal, a specifying part for specifying a first program to which an execution instruction is given through the operation screen on the basis of the operation input information, a determination part for determining a second program having the same function as that of the first program as an execution object program on the condition that the second program is installed in the external terminal, and a notification part for notifying the external terminal that the second program is determined as the execution object program. The external terminal executes a processing in accordance with the second program and displays a result of the processing executed in accordance with the second program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Minako Kobayashi, Yoshio Komaki, Junichi Hase, Tomonari Yoshimura, Hiroki Tajima, Yoshiaki Shibuta
  • Publication number: 20140118781
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a position detection portion for detecting a position designated on a display, a data select portion for selecting data identified by a first image displayed on the display as target data, a clone image display portion for arranging a clone image corresponding to the first image at the detected position, a clone image moving portion for moving the clone image, a second image display portion for arranging one or more second images for identifying one or more kinds of processes executable on the target data at positions based on the position of the first image, a candidate process decision portion for deciding a process identified by the second image having a predetermined relative positional relation to the clone image as a candidate process, and an execution process decision portion for deciding the candidate process as an execution process when the position is no longer detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Minako KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8699046
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus; and a linking apparatus that is linked with the image forming apparatus. The linking apparatus is operable in any of a plurality of modes including a first mode of contacting the image forming apparatus and executing a specific operation and a second mode of not contacting the image forming apparatus for a purpose of executing the specific operation. The image forming apparatus includes a mode shift command unit that, when the image forming apparatus shifts to a power saving mode, notifies the linking apparatus of a shift command indicating that the linking apparatus should be shifted to the second mode. Moreover, the linking apparatus includes: an operation mode control unit that shifts the linking apparatus to the second mode based on the shift command; and an access control unit that, after the shift to the second mode, prohibits the contact with the image forming apparatus, which is performed for the purpose of executing the specific operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Minako Kobayashi, Katsuhiko Akita, Takeshi Minami, Kazuya Anezaki
  • Patent number: 8694143
    Abstract: In a management apparatus for managing a flow of linked jobs to be executed by a plurality of devices connected to a network, a storage device stores one or more flows. When a change of function in the devices is detected, one of the one or more flows stored in the storage device and affected by the change of function detected by the detector is corrected. Then the corrected flow is stored in the storage device. Alternatively, the corrected flow is presented to a user who owns the one of the one or more flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumi Sawayanagi, Hironobu Nakata, Masakazu Murakami, Minako Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8645475
    Abstract: An image transmission system includes an image transmission device and a server that provides recipient information including recipient specification information and a transmission method and destination for image data. The server records, in association with a recipient identifier, recipient-designated recipient information and display mode designation information indicating a display mode for the recipient information. Each time the recipient information and display mode designation information is updated, the server overwrites the recorded information with the updated recipient information and display mode designation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Akita, Minako Kobayashi, Hirohisa Miyamoto, Takehisa Yamaguchi, Okihisa Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8599404
    Abstract: A network image processing system that includes a plurality of apparatuses connected to a network and performs jobs in a linkage process in which an upstream apparatus passes a workflow specifying a job to be completed, together with image data to be processed, to a downstream apparatus according to a procedure specified in the workflow. The downstream apparatus has a completion notification transmitting unit that when a predetermined job assigned to the downstream apparatus has been processed completely, transmits to the upstream apparatus a completion notification indicating that the predetermined job has been processed normally. The upstream apparatus has a linkage unit that if the completion notification is not received from the downstream apparatus, updates the workflow to specify, as a new downstream apparatus, another apparatus that can process the predetermined job, and continues to process the predetermined job in the linkage process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Minako Kobayashi, Hironobu Nakata, Masakazu Murakami, Kazumi Sawayanagi
  • Publication number: 20130308159
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and an external terminal. The image forming apparatus generates first display data for a first operation screen that includes a key image for receiving an instruction to execute an external terminal program, on the basis of program information regarding the types of external terminal programs that are programs installed in the external terminal, and transmits the first display data to the external terminal. The external terminal displays the first operation screen on a display unit of the external terminal on the basis of the first display data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomonari YOSHIMURA, Yoshio Komaki, Minako Kobayashi, Hiroki Tajima, Yoshiaki Shibuta
  • Patent number: 8587799
    Abstract: An image processing device, which performs an image-related process about an image in cooperation with another image forming device via a network, is provided with a device configuration detection portion for detecting a function that is added to the image processing device itself, and a new function information notifying portion for notifying another image processing device that a function is added to the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Minako Kobayashi, Kazumi Sawayanagi, Hironobu Nakata, Masakazu Murakami