Patents by Inventor Satoru Arakane

Satoru Arakane 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: 11951752
    Abstract: A controller includes a print controller configured to cause the print execution engine to convey the print medium in a conveying direction and execute a plurality of partial printings. The print controller causes the print execution engine to execute first and second partial printings. On a print medium, first and second target ranges on which printing is to be performed by the first and second partial printings, respectively, form an overlapping range. The first and second target ranges include first and second non-overlapping ranges, respectively, that do not overlap the second and first target ranges, respectively. The print controller generates print data based on non-overlapping range data and overlapping range data. The generating the print data includes increasing a density of at least a portion of the image to be printed in the overlapping range as compared with a density of the images to be printed in the non-overlapping ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11878528
    Abstract: A controller of a liquid ejection device obtains a temperature of a head after recording and before a pre-cap flushing and determines a pre-cap flushing voltage based on the temperature. Then, the controller outputs the pre-cap flushing voltage to the head in the pre-cap flushing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Shotaro Iida
  • Patent number: 11878515
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a head, a conveyer having a roller arranged at the downstream of the head according to a conveyance direction, and a controller. The controller is configured to carry out: a recording process, a first determining process to determine whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the recording process, a conveying process to convey a medium in if the first determining process determines that the predetermined time has elapsed, and a setting process to set a predetermined time based on a discharge amount of a liquid from a plurality of nozzles onto a recording area and a conveyance time for the conveyer to convey the medium from the recording area to the roller, before the first determining process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Shohei Ichikawa, Taichiro Kimoto, Yusuke Arai
  • Patent number: 11878539
    Abstract: A control system is configured such that a carriage that a processing head is mounted is driven by a motor and reciprocates. The motor is controlled by a controller. The controller reciprocates the carriage by selecting a control mode as a target mode based on temperature information related to temperature of the motor and controlling the motor in the target mode. The controller selects the target mode to be applied to the control of the motor for each of particular work units. The target mode is selected from a group of particular control modes. Each control mode in the group of particular control modes is a control mode in which a maximum temperature, which is estimated based on the temperature information, when the control of the motor using the selected control mode would be executed until the processing is completed, is less than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hoga, Shohei Ichikawa, Satoru Arakane, Eisuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11878517
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a head having a plurality of nozzles; and a controller. The controller executes: a discharging processing of discharging liquid, from each of the nozzles toward a recording medium, in a liquid droplet amount which is selected for each of pixels from at least three kinds of liquid droplet amounts; and a total discharge amount calculating processing of calculating a total discharge amount of the liquid to be discharged from the nozzles in the discharging processing, based on the liquid droplet amount selected for each of the pixels and a discharge duty which is density of the liquid droplet per a unit area of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Tomohiro Nodsu
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11850848
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus, having a head with nozzles, a scanning assembly, a conveyer, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to conduct actions including a conveying action and a scanning action. The scanning action includes a forward scanning action and a backward scanning action, in each of which a deceleration distance is longer than an acceleration distance. The controller is configured to determine, prior to conducting the forward scanning action, whether a deceleration range corresponding to the deceleration distance in the forward scanning action coincides with a discharging range in the forward scanning action. In a case where the controller determines that the deceleration range coincides with the discharging range, the controller is configured to conduct the backward scanning action, without conducting the forward scanning action, based on partial image data being a part of the image data corresponding to the forward scanning action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Masao Mimoto
  • Publication number: 20230382129
    Abstract: A recording device includes a head including a plurality of nozzles that are arranged at predetermined intervals in a first direction, the plurality of nozzles being configured to eject liquid, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in a case where the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of nozzles is equal to or greater than the predetermined number and the number of the abnormal nozzles, among a part of the plurality of nozzles in which an interval in the first direction is a preset interval longer than the predetermined interval, is less than the predetermined number, cause the head to eject liquid from the part of nozzles to record an image with a resolution in which a resolution in the first direction is lower than a resolution corresponding to the predetermined interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Satoru ARAKANE
  • Patent number: 11820155
    Abstract: A controller of a liquid ejection device is configured to receive a preparation signal instructing preparation to eject the liquid, the preparation signal being externally issued upon issuance of an ejection instruction to eject the liquid toward a target medium. The controller is configured to start receiving ejection data after the preparation signal is received, the ejection data being externally transmitted on condition that the ejection instruction is issued and after the preparation signal is issued. The controller is configured to control the liquid ejection head to eject the liquid toward the target medium through the multiple nozzles based on the ejection data. After receiving the preparation signal and before receipt of the ejection data is completed, the controller is configured to control the liquid ejection head to eject liquid through the multiple nozzles and examine at least a part of the nozzles for ejection-defectiveness based on the determination signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: 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
  • Patent number: 11787199
    Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a conveyer; a carriage; a recording head; a memory; and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the conveyer to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction such that dot recording ranges are partially overlapped with each other in the conveying operation. In a case that a predetermined condition is fulfilled, the controller is configured to cause the recording head to record a dot including a correcting portion by correcting discharge, and in a case that the predetermined condition is not fulfilled, the controller is configured to cause the recording head to record the dot including the correcting portion by ordinary discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Masao Mimoto, Tsuyoshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20230321976
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a channel unit having a nozzle and an individual channel; an actuator applying pressure to liquid in the individual channel to discharge the liquid from the nozzle; a driving circuit electrically connected to the actuator and supplying driving signal to the actuator; and a controller. In a case of determining that a single-sided recording is to be executed, the controller supplies the driving signal corresponding to each of gradation values for each of pixels when discharging the liquid toward one of a first surface and a second surface of a recording medium; in a case of determining that the double-sided recording is to be executed, the controller supplies the driving signal corresponding to each of the gradation values for each of the pixels when discharging the liquid toward the first surface and when discharging the liquid toward the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Tomoya Kondo
  • Publication number: 20230311485
    Abstract: A carriage on which a head is mounted moves in a second direction crossing a first direction. A driving circuit is configured to output a drive signal to each of nozzles. A controller is configured to perform: storing, in a memory, image data of an image to be formed; and controlling the driving circuit to: output the drive signal for a first nozzle in the first nozzle array based on first data among one-line image data stored in the memory; and output the drive signal for a second nozzle in the second nozzle array based on second data among the one-line image data. The one-line image data is the image data for one line in the second direction in the image. The first data forms odd-numbered dots of the one line in the second direction in the image. The second data forms even-numbered dots of the one line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru ARAKANE
  • Publication number: 20230302785
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with a program for controlling an external apparatus which has a memory and which is configured to communicate with a liquid ejecting apparatus is provided. The program allows a computer to acquire nozzle information from the liquid ejecting apparatus so that the nozzle information is stored in the memory. The program allows the computer to execute the nozzle information acquiring process at a first timing if the nozzle information, which is stored in the memory, fulfills a first condition, or the program allows the computer to execute the nozzle information acquiring process at a second timing having a frequency lower than that of the first timing if the nozzle information, which is stored in the memory, fulfills a second condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru ARAKANE
  • Publication number: 20230302835
    Abstract: An external apparatus communicates with a liquid ejecting apparatus provided with a head and a memory for storing nozzle-information. A program for controlling the external apparatus allows a computer to execute a procedure for acquiring first information corresponding to the nozzle-information from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and a procedure for judging whether or not second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus on the basis of the first information, the second information being information corresponding to the nozzle-information and the second information having a data amount larger than that of the first information. If it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, a procedure for acquiring the second information from the liquid ejecting apparatus is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: SATORU ARAKANE
  • Patent number: 11752789
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head to discharge liquid, a carriage to support the head and reciprocate in a forward direction and a backward direction, and a controller. The controller executes a printing process to print one image in a plurality of copies by discharging the liquid from the head while moving the carriage in the forward direction and the backward direction, based on a print job for printing the one image in the plurality of copies, and a first determining process to determine a moving direction of the carriage for second and following copies, based on a moving result of the carriage in printing for the first copy in the printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Publication number: 20230234350
    Abstract: A controller acquires ejection control data, the ejection control data being generated based on image data for one line of an image to be formed, the ejection control data including first data and second data, the first data indicating an amount of liquid ejected from a first nozzle in a first nozzle array, the second data indicating an amount of liquid ejected from a second nozzle in a second nozzle array; stores the acquired ejection control data in a memory; and performs an ejection operation of, while moving a carriage once, controlling a head to eject liquid from the first nozzle based on the first data and to eject liquid from the second nozzle based on the second data. The memory stores the ejection control data of an amount that is smaller than or equal to an amount required for performing the ejection operation twice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru ARAKANE
  • Patent number: 11701881
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a channel unit having a nozzle and an individual channel; an actuator applying pressure to liquid in the individual channel to discharge the liquid from the nozzle; a driving circuit electrically connected to the actuator and supplying driving signal to the actuator; and a controller. In a case of determining that a single-sided recording is to be executed, the controller supplies the driving signal corresponding to each of gradation values for each of pixels when discharging the liquid toward one of a first surface and a second surface of a recording medium; in a case of determining that the double-sided recording is to be executed, the controller supplies the driving signal corresponding to each of the gradation values for each of the pixels when discharging the liquid toward the first surface and when discharging the liquid toward the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Tomoya Kondo
  • Patent number: 11697286
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus, having a head with nozzles, a scanning assembly, a conveyer, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to determine whether the nozzles are to be flushed in a moving action which accompanies a discharging action, if the controller determines the nozzles are not to be flushed in the moving action, conduct the moving action to move the head at a first acceleration rate; if the controller determines the nozzles are to be flushed in the moving action, determine whether a distance between a flushing range and a discharging range is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance; and if the controller determines the distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, conduct the moving action to move the head at a second acceleration rate and control the head to discharge liquid for flushing the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Yasuhiro Nakano, Shin Hasegawa, Shotaro Iida