Patents by Inventor Muneaki IWATA
Muneaki IWATA 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).
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Publication number: 20230307407Abstract: A member includes a base material and a conductive layer. The conductive layer conducts heat or electricity. The conductive layer includes a conductive portion and a non-conductive portion. The conductive portion conducts heat or electricity. The conductive portion is disposed on at least one of an upper surface or a lower surface of the non-conductive portion and on a side surface of the non-conductive portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Tohru YASHIRO, Shinji MATSUMOTO, Takeshi ENDOH, Yuko KOMAI, Hiroshi KONDO, Hiroyuki TAKAHASHI, Muneaki IWATA, Tohru HASEGAWA, Ryuya MASHIKO, Shinichi HATANAKA, Hiroyuki HIRATSUKA
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Publication number: 20220410608Abstract: A substrate having a first pattern formed on a surface or in an inside of the substrate, or on the surface and in the inside of the substrate, wherein the first pattern is constituted by an aggregate of second patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2020Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Rie HIRAYAMA, Shigeaki IMAI, Hiroto TACHIBANA, Nobuyuki ARAI, Yoichi ICHIKAWA, Hirotoshi NAKAYAMA, Shohta KOBASHIGAWA, Asato TAMURA, Takuei NISHIO, Kazuhiro FUJITA, Muneaki IWATA
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Publication number: 20200298440Abstract: Provided is a method for forming a flying body using optical vortex laser, the method including irradiating an opposite surface of a base to a surface of the base, on which a light-absorbing material is disposed, with an optical vortex laser beam to generate a liquid column or liquid droplet having a diameter smaller than an irradiation diameter of the optical vortex laser beam from the light-absorbing material in an irradiation direction of the optical vortex laser beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Inventors: Jun Aoto, Muneaki Iwata, Kazumi Suzuki, Hiroyuki Suhara, Akihiro Kaneko, Takashige Omatsu, Ryosuke Nakamura
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Patent number: 10440227Abstract: An image processing device includes: a first matching circuit to determine whether an image matrix of image data of a first resolution matches a first pattern, and output a first determination result; a first converting circuit to, if the image matrix matches the first pattern, replace a target pixel of the image matrix with a first pixel pattern of a second resolution, and output first image data of the second resolution; a second converting circuit to convert the image data of the first resolution into image data of the second resolution, and output second image data of the second resolution; a detecting circuit to detect whether the target pixel is included in a fine line structure, and output a detection result; and a selecting circuit to output one of the first image data and the second image data based on the first determination result and the detection result.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Uekusa, Hayato Fujita, Muneaki Iwata
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Patent number: 10324397Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor drum, a latent-image forming device, a developing device, a density detecting device, and a processing device. The density detecting device is configured to detect densities at a plurality of positions in a main-scanning direction on a developed image. The processing device is configured to acquire at least two light-amount correction tables respectively associated with at least two positions of the plurality of positions in the main-scanning direction on the developed image, the light-amount correction tables being for reducing density variations in a sub-scanning direction at the at least two positions, and correct, for each scan, a set point for setting an amount of light of a light source based on a difference in corresponding correction data between two light-amount correction tables respectively associated with two adjacent positions of the at least two light-amount correction tables.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Muneaki Iwata, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Hayato Fujita, Takefumi Takizawa
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Patent number: 10298807Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image processor, a converter, a light source driver, an identifying unit, and a pattern generator. The image processor generates image data of first resolution and generates tag information indicating whether to perform image processing and associated with pixels of the image data of first resolution. The converter converts the image data of first resolution to image data of a higher second resolution. The light source driver drives a light source using a modulation signal corresponding to the image data of second resolution. The identifying unit identifies a target pixel to be subjected to image processing in the image data of first resolution based on the tag information. The pattern generator generates an image-processed pixel pattern of the second resolution according to the target pixel. The converter converts the target pixel in the image data of first resolution to the generated image-processed pixel pattern.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Muneaki Iwata, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Naoto Watanabe, Hayato Fujita
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Patent number: 10185269Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor drum; an optical scanner, having a light source, configured to scan the photoconductor drum with light to form a latent image; a developer configured to develop an image, based on the latent image; a cycle detector configured to detect a rotation cycle of the photoconductor drum, to produce a cyclic signal indicative of the rotation cycle; a density detector configured to detect density of the image; a measurer configured to measure the rotation cycle at each rotation, based on the cyclic signal; a generator configured to generate, based on the density, a correcting value for correcting intensity of the light, the correcting value having a correction cycle based on a measurement result of the measurer; and an adjuster configured to adjust the correction cycle based on the rotation cycle measured at each rotation, so that the correction cycle matches the rotation cycle.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.Inventor: Muneaki Iwata
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Patent number: 10168637Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, an optical scanner, a developing device, a density detector, and an exposure corrector. The photoconductor is rotatable in a direction of rotation. The optical scanner includes a light source, and drives the light source to form a latent image on a surface of the photoconductor. The developing device develops the latent image to form an image. The density detector detects variation in density of the image in the direction of rotation of the photoconductor. The exposure corrector generates exposure correction data for the optical scanner to reduce the variation in density. The exposure corrector adjusts output of the optical scanner according to the exposure correction data at a time different from a time when the exposure corrector updates the exposure correction data.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Muneaki Iwata
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Patent number: 10133971Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image processor configured to perform first image processing on image data having a first resolution and to add tag data to a target pixel where second image processing is to be performed; a resolution converter configured to convert the image data into image data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution, and to perform the second image processing based on arrangement of the image data having the first resolution and the tag data; a pulse generator configured to generate an on-off modulation signal and an application-current switching signal in accordance with the image data having undergone the second image processing; and a light source driver configured to drive the light source in accordance with a current setting value output from an application current setter depending on the application-current switching signal and the on-off modulation signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hayato Fujita, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Muneaki Iwata
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Patent number: 10070006Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first inverter to output binary image data having first resolution, as image data having pixel values that are inverted or image data having unprocessed pixel values, in accordance with an inversion signal; a thinning processor to convert the image data output from the first inverter from the first resolution to second resolution and perform a thinning process of thinning pixels of edge portions of the image data in units of the second resolution; and a second inverter to output the image data having the second resolution for which the thinning process is performed, as image data having pixel values that are inverted or image data having unprocessed pixel values, in accordance with the inversion signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hayato Fujita, Muneaki Iwata
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Patent number: 10012925Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a light source, and circuitry that receives: first image data including first pixels each indicating image density or one of turning on and off the light source; and tag data indicating an attribute of each first pixels. The circuitry sets specific data to identify a first target pixel subjected to change out of the first pixels, converts the first image data into second image data having a higher resolution than that of the first image data, and controls the light source according to the second image data to form an image. In conversion, the circuitry identifies a second target pixel corresponding to the first target pixel out of second pixels of the second image data according to the specific data and the tag data, and changes the second target pixel into a pixel to turn on the light source.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2017Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Muneaki Iwata, Hayato Fujita
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Publication number: 20180176414Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image processor, a converter, a light source driver, an identifying unit, and a pattern generator. The image processor generates image data of first resolution and generates tag information indicating whether to perform image processing and associated with pixels of the image data of first resolution. The converter converts the image data of first resolution to image data of a higher second resolution. The light source driver drives a light source using a modulation signal corresponding to the image data of second resolution. The identifying unit identifies a target pixel to be subjected to image processing in the image data of first resolution based on the tag information. The pattern generator generates an image-processed pixel pattern of the second resolution according to the target pixel. The converter converts the target pixel in the image data of first resolution to the generated image-processed pixel pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2015Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Muneaki IWATA, Masaaki ISHIDA, Atsufumi OMORI, Naoto WATANABE, Hayato FUJITA
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Patent number: 9961227Abstract: A light source drive control device includes: an image data generating part that generates line-thinned image data having been subjected to line thinning processing for thinning an edge pixel in image data by a first pixel width; an intensity information generating part that generates intensity information including a first intensity at which a pixel not included in a set second pixel width of an edge in the line-thinned image data is exposed and a second intensity at which a pixel included in the second pixel width is exposed and which is higher than the first intensity; and a light source driving part that drives a light source based on a light source modulation signal generated according to the line-thinned image data and a drive current data switched based on a drive current switching signal generated based on the intensity information.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Masaaki Ishida, Muneaki Iwata, Hayato Fujita
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Publication number: 20180004115Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, an optical scanner, a developing device, a density detector, and an exposure corrector. The photoconductor is rotatable in a direction of rotation. The optical scanner includes a light source, and drives the light source to form a latent image on a surface of the photoconductor. The developing device develops the latent image to form an image. The density detector detects variation in density of the image in the direction of rotation of the photoconductor. The exposure corrector generates exposure correction data for the optical scanner to reduce the variation in density. The exposure corrector adjusts output of the optical scanner according to the exposure correction data at a time different from a time when the exposure corrector updates the exposure correction data.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Applicant: Ricoh Company Ltd.Inventor: Muneaki IWATA
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Publication number: 20170343920Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a light source, and circuitry that receives: first image data including first pixels each indicating image density or one of turning on and off the light source; and tag data indicating an attribute of each first pixels. The circuitry sets specific data to identify a first target pixel subjected to change out of the first pixels, converts the first image data into second image data having a higher resolution than that of the first image data, and controls the light source according to the second image data to form an image. In conversion, the circuitry identifies a second target pixel corresponding to the first target pixel out of second pixels of the second image data according to the specific data and the tag data, and changes the second target pixel into a pixel to turn on the light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2017Publication date: November 30, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Muneaki Iwata, Hayato Fujita
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Publication number: 20170339308Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first inverter to output binary image data having first resolution, as image data having pixel values that are inverted or image data having unprocessed pixel values, in accordance with an inversion signal; a thinning processor to convert the image data output from the first inverter from the first resolution to second resolution and perform a thinning process of thinning pixels of edge portions of the image data in units of the second resolution; and a second inverter to output the image data having the second resolution for which the thinning process is performed, as image data having pixel values that are inverted or image data having unprocessed pixel values, in accordance with the inversion signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hayato FUJITA, Muneaki IWATA
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Publication number: 20170339309Abstract: An image processing device includes: a first matching circuit to determine whether an image matrix of image data of a first resolution matches a first pattern, and output a first determination result; a first converting circuit to, if the image matrix matches the first pattern, replace a target pixel of the image matrix with a first pixel pattern of a second resolution, and output first image data of the second resolution; a second converting circuit to convert the image data of the first resolution into image data of the second resolution, and output second image data of the second resolution; a detecting circuit to detect whether the target pixel is included in a fine line structure, and output a detection result; and a selecting circuit to output one of the first image data and the second image data based on the first determination result and the detection result.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru UEKUSA, Hayato FUJITA, Muneaki IWATA
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Publication number: 20170286814Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image processor configured to perform first image processing on image data having a first resolution and to add tag data to a target pixel where second image processing is to be performed; a resolution converter configured to convert the image data into image data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution, and to perform the second image processing based on arrangement of the image data having the first resolution and the tag data; a pulse generator configured to generate an on-off modulation signal and an application-current switching signal in accordance with the image data having undergone the second image processing; and a light source driver configured to drive the light source in accordance with a current setting value output from an application current setter depending on the application-current switching signal and the on-off modulation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: Hayato FUJITA, Masaaki ISHIDA, Atsufumi OMORI, Muneaki IWATA
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Patent number: 9760813Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image according to light emitted from a light source is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a first image processor that performs image processing on image data having a first resolution and outputs the resulting image data; a resolution converter that acquires the image data having the first resolution output from the first image processor and converts the image data to image data having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution; a modulation signal generator that modulates the image data having the second resolution according to a clock signal to thereby generate a modulation signal; a light source driver that drives the light source according to the modulation signal; and a second image processor that performs image processing on the image data having the second resolution to be modulated to the modulation signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTDInventors: Muneaki Iwata, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Hayato Fujita
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Patent number: 9703244Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor drum; an optical scanning device that drives a light source to scan a surface of the photoconductor drum and form a latent image on the surface; a developing device that develops the latent image; and a density detector to detect density variation of an image in a rotation direction of the photoconductor drum, the image being developed by the developing device. The optical scanning device includes a processing device that is capable of correcting a driving signal for driving the light source on a basis of an output signal of the density detector to adjust at least either one of a correction period and a correction strength of correction data for the driving signal for a rotation period of the photoconductor drum.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2016Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Muneaki Iwata, Masaaki Ishida, Atsufumi Omori, Naoto Watanabe, Hayato Fujita