Patents by Inventor Nobuyuki Bannai

Nobuyuki Bannai 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: 20120120457
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 8154779
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20110242563
    Abstract: An image combining apparatus and a control method for an image combining apparatus that allows a user to write a handwritten image on a writing sheet while confirming the positional relationship between the handwritten image and a photograph to be combined. When a writing sheet having a handwriting area in which a user writes the handwritten image to be combined with a photograph is printed, a reference image generated on the basis of the photograph is printed in the handwriting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Maeda, Seiya Fujinaga, Yoshiyuki Hirai, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 7986832
    Abstract: An image combining apparatus and a control method for an image combining apparatus that allows a user to write a handwritten image on a writing sheet while confirming the positional relationship between the handwritten image and a photograph to be combined. When a writing sheet having a handwriting area in which a user writes the handwritten image to be combined with a photograph is printed, a reference image generated on the basis of the photograph is printed in the handwriting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Maeda, Seiya Fujinaga, Yoshiyuki Hirai, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20100328390
    Abstract: The present invention includes a recording control unit configured to record a recording position adjustment chart including a pattern for adjusting a recording position of a recording head for discharging ink, and a determination unit configured to determine an adjustment value for adjusting the recording position based on data of the pattern included in the recording position adjustment chart read as image data, in which the recording position adjustment chart includes a mark for detecting an inclination in reading the recording position adjustment chart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Bannai, Hideyuki Kido
  • Publication number: 20100202027
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 7769245
    Abstract: An image combining apparatus and a control method for an image combining apparatus that allows a user to write a handwritten image on a writing sheet while confirming the positional relationship between the handwritten image and a photograph to be combined. When a writing sheet having a handwriting area in which a user writes the handwritten image to be combined with a photograph is printed, a reference image generated on the basis of the photograph is printed in the handwriting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Maeda, Seiya Fujinaga, Yoshiyuki Hirai, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 7738696
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method include providing a same label number to adjacent black pixels that form a group of black pixels, the label number provided to each group of black pixels being unique, the black pixels being included in binary read data, determining, when the number of black pixels in a group of black pixels counted on the basis of the unique label number is less than a predetermined number, that the black pixels with the unique label number are noise and removing the black pixels from targets to be processed, acquiring coordinate information on at least one of black pixels that remain after noise has been removed, and extracting a document area on the basis of the acquired coordinate information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 7733548
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20100128312
    Abstract: An image combining apparatus and a control method for an image combining apparatus that allows a user to write a handwritten image on a writing sheet while confirming the positional relationship between the handwritten image and a photograph to be combined. When a writing sheet having a handwriting area in which a user writes the handwritten image to be combined with a photograph is printed, a reference image generated on the basis of the photograph is printed in the handwriting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Maeda, Seiya Fujinaga, Yoshiyuki Hirai, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 7551330
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a memory unit for storing positional information of a sensor for moving by a drive unit to read an image of a document and a control unit for controlling the drive unit to move the sensor based on the positional information stored in the memory unit. The control unit drives the drive unit by an amount of driving sufficient for an image reading unit to move in a predetermined direction to abut the stop members, controls the drive unit to move the sensor so as to detect the position mark, and updates the positional information of the memory unit to a predetermined initial value based on the detection of the position mark by the sensor. The image reading device can store data of a reference position promptly even if a photo-interrupter is not provided when the data of the reference position is not stored in a memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakatsu Yamada, Toshiyuki Takano, Yasushi Ishida, Toshiaki Saito, Takashi Imai, Shigeyuki Sugiyama, Makoto Satake, Daigo Nakagawa, Naomi Nakamura, Nobuyuki Bannai, Takuma Suzuki, Seiya Fujinaga
  • Publication number: 20080137157
    Abstract: Provided is a technique that makes it possible to extract the image of a document area from a read image with better accuracy. An image processing apparatus capable of achieving this includes a reading unit for reading a document, which has been placed on a contact glass, as read image data; a first area determination unit for deciding a provisional document area by subjecting the read image data to detection processing for detecting a document area included in the read image data; and a second area determination unit for deciding a fixed document area by generating binary image data in an area corresponding to the provisional document area of the read image data, and executing detection processing for detecting a document area, which is included in the read image data, based upon the binary image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20080024845
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20080018951
    Abstract: An original area is extracted based on read data, even if a color difference exists slightly between an original sheet and a platen of original plate, or even if CCD is used as a reading sensor of a reading unit. When the extracted original area is a non-rectangular original sheet, it is determined whether or not the original areas overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: NOBUYUKI BANNAI
  • Publication number: 20070076980
    Abstract: An image combining apparatus and a control method for an image combining apparatus that allows a user to write a handwritten image on a writing sheet while confirming the positional relationship between the handwritten image and a photograph to be combined. When a writing sheet having a handwriting area in which a user writes the handwritten image to be combined with a photograph is printed, a reference image generated on the basis of the photograph is printed in the handwriting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Maeda, Seiya Fujinaga, Yoshiyuki Hirai, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20070053610
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method include providing a same label number to adjacent black pixels that form a group of black pixels, the label number provided to each group of black pixels being unique, the black pixels being included in binary read data, determining, when the number of black pixels in a group of black pixels counted on the basis of the unique label number is less than a predetermined number, that the black pixels with the unique label number are noise and removing the black pixels from targets to be processed, acquiring coordinate information on at least one of black pixels that remain after noise has been removed, and extracting a document area on the basis of the acquired coordinate information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Publication number: 20060285179
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a memory unit for storing positional information of a sensor for moving by a drive unit to read an image of a document and a control unit for controlling the drive unit to move the sensor based on the positional information stored in the memory unit. The control unit drives the drive unit by an amount of driving sufficient for an image reading unit to move in a predetermined direction to abut the stop members, controls the drive unit to move the sensor so as to detect the position mark, and updates the positional information of the memory unit to a predetermined initial value based on the detection of the position mark by the sensor. The image reading device can store data of a reference position promptly even if a photo-interrupter is not provided when the data of the reference position is not stored in a memory unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: Masakatsu Yamada, Toshiyuki Takano, Yasushi Ishida, Toshiaki Saito, Takashi Imai, Shigeyuki Sugiyama, Makoto Satake, Daigo Nakagawa, Naomi Nakamura, Nobuyuki Bannai, Takuma Suzuki, Seiya Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 7133165
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a memory unit for storing positional information of a sensor for moving by a drive unit to read an image of a document and a control unit for controlling the drive unit to move the sensor based on the positional information stored in the memory unit. The control unit drives the drive unit by an amount of driving sufficient for an image reading unit to move in a predetermined direction to abut the stop members, controls the drive unit to move the sensor so as to detect the position mark, and updates the positional information of the memory unit to a predetermined initial value based on the detection of the position mark by the sensor. The image reading device can store data of a reference position promptly even if a photo-interrupter is not provided when the data of the reference position is not stored in a memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakatsu Yamada, Toshiyuki Takano, Yasushi Ishida, Toshiaki Saito, Takashi Imai, Shigeyuki Sugiyama, Makoto Satake, Daigo Nakagawa, Naomi Nakamura, Nobuyuki Bannai, Takuma Suzuki, Seiya Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 7057772
    Abstract: This invention allows the operator, who does not have any special knowledge, to read an original and perform optimal color space transformation and compression in accordance with the output destination of the read image data. For this purpose, when the read mode by a sheet scanner, and whether the read image is to be transmitted, copied on a printing sheet, or output to a host computer are designated with a console, color space transformation and compression methods corresponding to the designation are determined. The read image is transmitted, copied, or output to the host computer in accordance with the designated color space transformation and compression methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 6791710
    Abstract: This invention forms an image with the highest quality in an apparatus environment at that time by converting image data using an optimal luminance/density conversion table based on the read mode and the type of printhead. For this purpose, a conversion table used in copying is determined in accordance with the read mode (color read, gray scale read, or monochrome read) by a sheet scanner and the type of mounted printing cartridge, and an image is printed in accordance with density color image data converted based on the determined table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Bannai