Patents by Inventor Yuichi Ikeda

Yuichi Ikeda 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: 6520908
    Abstract: An electronic endoscope in accordance with the present invention consists broadly of an operation unit, an elongated insertion unit, and a universal cord. The operation unit has a treatment appliance insertion port and various operation switches and fills the role of a hand-held unit. The insertion unit extends from the lower end of the operation unit in a direction substantially corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the operation unit. The universal cord extends in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the operation unit at an acute angle, and accommodates at least a signal cable extending from the top of the operation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Hiroyuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6519054
    Abstract: When maximum density of an output image is lowered by a gamma correction, the number of tones is reduced and the tonality of the output image declines. In order to solve this problem, a pattern generator (215) is caused to generate a toned pattern and the gain of a D/A converter of a PWM circuit (212) is controlled so as to output a test pattern having a density ranging from maximum pulse width Pff(50%) to maximum pulse width Pff(100%) for each color component (step S1). Image information that has been read (step S2) from the test pattern is converted to density information (step S3), and Pff is set (step S4) from the relationship between Pff and image density based upon coordinate information provided by the test pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Tetsuya Atsumi
  • Patent number: 6515769
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method in which, when a recording medium on which a gray-scale pattern has been formed is placed upon a platen in a skewed attitude, the resulting offset is corrected and image forming conditions are adjusted to obtain an ideal image. In one one such apparatus, a 256-tone pattern image of a designated color is formed on a recording medium. If the recording medium has been placed upon a platen in a skewed attitude when the pattern is to be read, the position of the pattern image is corrected, the gamma characteristics of a LUT are calculated based upon the correct pattern image and the calculated values for the LUT are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Nobuatsu Sasanuma
  • Publication number: 20030018518
    Abstract: A transmitter-receiver 11 accepts delinquency information indicating a delinquent situation of a repairing reserve to be paid by a comparted owner of an apartment house from a financial institution terminal 3. On the basis of the delinquency information, a delinquency rate forecasting unit 21 forecasts an average delinquency rate and its standard deviation. A marginal stress searching unit 20 calculates a cumulative reserve and calculates a marginal stress under a constraint that a cumulative reserve is not below an expenditure. A less marginal probability calculating unit 21 calculates a probability of the marginal stress or less. A permissible risk checking unit 18 checks whether or not its probability is within a tolerance range, and a revised amount calculating unit 17 revises a repairing reserve amount if the probability is beyond the tolerance range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Hiroshi Shojima, Yoshiaki Usami, Masanori Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20020131629
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of setting anti-forgery information addition level while taking an apparatus individual difference into consideration. The method is employed by a data processing system including: an image processing apparatus 100 for processing an image; and a maintenance apparatus 120, connected with the image processing apparatus through a network 110, for setting a processing function of the image processing apparatus 100. The maintenance apparatus 120 determines an anti-forgery information addition level depending on an individual difference of apparatuses, such as an exhaustion level of the image processing apparatus 100. The addition level determined by the maintenance apparatus 120 is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 100. The image processing apparatus 100 adds anti-forgery information to an inputted image at the addition level transmitted by the maintenance apparatus 120.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Kazuo Suzuki, Tomohisa Itagaki, Nobuhiko Zaima
  • Publication number: 20020109856
    Abstract: Image data supplied to an image forming apparatus are converted into image data linearly correlated with the image density, and the image ratio is calculated by dividing the number of pixels in which the toner is deposited at the image formation of thus converted image data on a print medium, with a value obtained by multiplying the total pixel number corresponding to the size of the print medium with the number of gradation levels per pixel. Then the toner amount consumed in the image formation based on the entered image data is determined by multiplying the image ratio, the size of the print medium to be used and the toner amount consumed per unit area in a solid image formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Makoto Kanbayashi, Kazuo Suzuki, Yuichi Ikeda, Kenichi Nakagawa, Tomohisa Itagaki, Nobuhiko Zaima
  • Publication number: 20020103418
    Abstract: An endoscope device includes an inserting portion having a curving portion, electric motors for generating driving forces for curving the curving portion, an operation unit for controlling the drive of the electric motors, a universal cord the base end of which is connected to an endoscope external unit, a coupling member with which the respective one ends of the inserting portion and the universal cord are coupled and which has a treatment tool inserting port, a holding unit for holding the coupling member, and a holding member for disposing the holding unit at a predetermined position of an operation bed. According to this arrangement, the operability of a surgeon can be improved by improving not only a curving operability but also the insertion operability of an inserting portion and the operability of a treatment tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshinari Maeda, Hitoshi Mizuno, Yuta Okada, Eiichi Kobayashi, Toshimasa Kawai, Yuichi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6407509
    Abstract: A plasma display panel has a first substrate including a first dielectric layer which covers a plurality of address electrodes; back face barrier ribs, each of which is located between two neighboring address electrodes; a fluorescent layer which covers the back face barrier ribs and the first dielectric layer; and a second substrate including plural pairs of X sustain electrodes and Y sustain electrodes, which are arranged to cross at right angles to the address electrodes, and a second dielectric layer which covers the sustain electrodes. The first substrate is arranged opposite to the second substrate via a discharge space which is filled with gas for radiating ultraviolet rays to make the fluorescent layer emit light and buffer gas, and the thickness of the second dielectric layer in the second substrate is set to be larger at a portion between the X and Y sustain electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Masayuki Shibata, Hideshi Fukumoto, Keizo Suzuki, Masaji Ishigaki
  • Publication number: 20020054204
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to solve a problem in which in an image forming apparatus which performs pulse width modulation, when the maximum pulse width is changed to change the maximum density, the exposure amount in patch formation also changes to make it difficult to accurately control the patch and maintain gradation characteristics. To achieve this object, the maximum pulse width of pulse width modulation can be changed. It is determined whether a patch is to be formed. For normal image formation, the maximum pulse width is set to a changed value. For patch formation, the maximum pulse width is set at a predetermined value, and an image is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventor: YUICHI IKEDA
  • Patent number: 6384857
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that increases the relative resolution of a small image to be output for recording. When the image forming apparatus is used for copying an image of an original document, when the size of an image to be output is not greater than a predetermined size, a CPU controls a resolution switching unit for increasing the resolution to form an image with increased resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Tetsuya Atsumi, Yuichi Ikeda, Yasuhiro Saitou
  • Publication number: 20010047899
    Abstract: An instrument panel structure includes a base structural body secured to a vehicle body and having an enclosed space, an instrument panel provided on one side of the base structural body that faces the vehicle compartment, and an air conditioning system disposed in the base structural body. The base structural body has a large cross section and defines a large space so that the air conditioning system including a heater core, evaporator, blower and others can be located inside the base structural body, assuring sufficiently high rigidity without increasing the weight and cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventor: YUICHI IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20010043263
    Abstract: The invention intends to relatively increase resolution when the size of an image to be output for recording is small, enabling even a gradation image to be visually perceived with satisfactory quality. To this end, in a disclosed image forming apparatus for copying an image of an original document set on a reading apparatus, when the size of an image to be output is not larger than a predetermined size, a CPU controls a resolution switching section to increase resolution, thereby forming the image with the increased resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventors: NOBUATSU SASANUMA, TETSUYA ATSUMI, YUICHI IKEDA, YASUHIRO SAITOU
  • Patent number: 6320605
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for performing pulse-width modulation processing based on input image data. A maximum pulse width of a pulse signal, which can be outputted as a modulation signal obtained by the pulse width modulation, is changed in accordance with an image processing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Tetsuya Atsumi, Yasuhiro Saito
  • Patent number: 6304341
    Abstract: An image can be outputted with a high sharpness without deteriorating a resolution. In order to output an image of a high picture quality while suppressing the occurrence of a moire, an exposure amount is modulated in accordance with pixel density information of the image divided into pixels of a predetermined size by an exposure amount modulating unit in a light scanning unit, thereby expressing an image dark/light state. In this case, in a highlight density region in which a pixel density is equal to or less than ⅓ of the maximum image density, the density data of two adjoining pixels is modulated by one pixel and the other pixel is not recorded. In a density region in which the image density lies within a range from ⅓ to ½ of the maximum image density, a part of the density data of one of the two adjoining pixels is transposed to the other pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Koide, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Yuichi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6190058
    Abstract: An image can be outputted with a high sharpness without deteriorating a resolution. In order to output an image of a high picture quality while suppressing the occurrence of a moire, an exposure amount is modulated in accordance with pixel density information of the image divided into pixels of a predetermined size by an exposure amount modulating unit in a light scanning unit, thereby expressing an image dark/light state. In this case, in a highlight density region in which a pixel density is equal to or less than ⅓ of the maximum image density, the density data of two adjoining pixels is modulated by one pixel and the other pixel is not recorded. In a density region in which the image density lies within a range from ⅓ to ½ of the maximum image density, a part of the density data of one of the two adjoining pixels is transposed to the other pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Koide, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Yuichi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6184915
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image on a medium by using an output device. A pattern signal for forming a predetermined pattern image on the medium is generated, and image forming parameters for the output device are determined on the basis of the density of the pattern image formed on the medium. The determined image forming parameters are transmitted via bidirectional communication to an external computer or other image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Atsumi, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Yuichi Ikeda, Yasuhiro Saito
  • Patent number: 6172771
    Abstract: A system which utilizes plural image forming apparatus, equalizes gradation characteristics of images commonly output from such plural image forming apparatus. When the system includes three color copying apparatus, at first a test pattern image based on data from a pattern generator is output from the color copying apparatus. The prepared image is read by the reader of the color copying apparatus, and, based on the read data, the correction data of a table (LUT) are calibrated for obtaining density data for a laser beam. The calibration of the correction data of the color copying apparatus are conducted in a similar manner using, however, the reader of the same copying apparatus for reading the test pattern. It is therefore, rendered possible to exclude the influence of the difference in the reader characteristics on the calibration, and to equalize the gradation characteristics when the copying apparatus are used as printers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Tetsuya Atsumi, Yasuhiro Saito
  • Patent number: 6057946
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method which inputs multivalued image data capable of m-level representation, performs image processing on the input data, and converts the processed data into multivalued image data capable of n-level (m<n) tonality. Upon forming an image on a print medium based on input image data, the image is formed such that the difference between an image density D(x) of the image formed on a print medium at a tonality level x and an image density D(x+1) of an image formed on the print medium at the next tonality level x+1 satisfies D(x+1) -D(x).ltoreq.A.times.D(x) (A.ltoreq.0.08) (A.ltoreq.0.08). Further, a pattern signal having a rectified sine wave having a predetermined period is generated, and a pulse-width modulated signal for generating a beam is generated by performing pulse-width modulation on the input image data based on the pattern signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Ikeda, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Tetsuya Atsumi, Tetsuya Nakamura, Tsunao Honbo
  • Patent number: 6034788
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to stabilize a picture quality by a calibration. In an image forming method using an image forming apparatus having reading means for reading an original and image forming means for forming an image on a medium, a first calibration is manually performed with respect to a system including both of the reading means and the image forming means, and a second calibration is automatically performed with respect to the image forming means solely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Yuichi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6016206
    Abstract: An image can be outputted with a high sharpness without deteriorating a resolution. In order to output an image of a high picture quality while suppressing the occurrence of a moire, an exposure amount is modulated in accordance with pixel density information of the image divided into pixels of a predetermined size by an exposure amount modulating unit in a light scanning unit, thereby expressing an image dark/light state. In this case, in a highlight density region in which a pixel density is equal to or less than 1/3 of the maximum image density, the density data of two adjoining pixels is modulated by one pixel and the other pixel is not recorded. In a density region in which the image density lies within a range from 1/3 to 1/2 of the maximum image density, a part of the density data of one of the two adjoining pixels is transposed to the other pixel. In a density region in which the image density is equal to or larger than 1/2 of the maximum density, the pixel transposition is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Koide, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Yuichi Ikeda