Operator Interface (e.g., Display Control Panel) Patents (Class 399/81)
  • Publication number: 20110097099
    Abstract: A printing control system includes: operation means configured to enter a first printing condition including information on the number of page images to be printed on one printing sheet and the total number of page images to be printed; display means; and control means. The control means compare ratios of reduction in the usage of printing sheets provided by the one or more second printing conditions to a preset threshold value, and sets the first printing condition as the final printing condition when the ratios of reduction in the usage of printing sheets provided by the one or more second printing conditions are less than the threshold value while causing the display means to display the one or more second printing conditions when the ratios of reduction in the usage of printing sheets provided by the one or more second printing conditions are not less than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Matsumoto, Tsutomu Yoshimoto, Tomoko Toizumi
  • Patent number: 7933032
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a printing unit that performs a printing operation; a printing possibility determination unit that determines whether printing is possible, at the time of starting the printing operation; a printing stop unit that stops the printing operation, when the printing possibility determination unit determines that printing is impossible; a notification unit that notifies an error, when the printing operation is stopped; a notification time counting unit that counts a period in which an error is notified; a notification release unit that releases error notification, when the period in which an error is notified by the notification unit is counted for a predetermined time; and a stopped state reset unit that returns a stopped state of the printing unit whose printing operation is stopped, to a standby state before the printing unit performs the printing operation, when notification of an error is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Funahashi
  • Patent number: 7933526
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus acquires a type of consumable material possessed by the image forming apparatus using a library provided in an application platform, displays forms capable of printing using the type of consumable material acquired, and forms an image using one or more forms designated from among the displayed forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunori Kanai
  • Patent number: 7925178
    Abstract: The present invention can print out operating instructions, HELP documents, the latest image forming apparatus information, support and maintenance information, advertisements about new models and services, and the like without incrementing a charging counter. Without caring about the charging, users can print out operating instructions, HELP documents, the latest image forming apparatus information, support and maintenance information, advertisements about new models and services, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Umetsu
  • Patent number: 7920803
    Abstract: Option unit configuration information indicating a mounting method of option units mounted to an image forming apparatus is acquired. An availability of use of an option unit mounted to the image forming apparatus is determined based on the mounting method of option units indicated by the acquired option unit configuration information and rules for setting the availability of use of an option unit mountable to the image forming apparatus which is stored in a storage medium. In this case, the rules are for setting, based on a mounting order of a plurality of option units mountable to the image forming apparatus, the availability of use of the option unit, and the option unit configuration information further includes information indicating a mounting order of a plurality of option units mounted to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Kato
  • Patent number: 7920290
    Abstract: When a user enters control information for controlling a printing device, the information is stored in a user information storage unit. All combinations of items of the control information capable of being set by the user and values of items incapable of being set by the user, these having been selected so as to be the optimum values for the combinations, are stored as preset values in a combined information storage unit. An information storage unit compares a value in the user information storage unit with a value in the combined information storage unit. If a combination for which agreement is achieved is found in the combined information storage unit, this value is stored in a printing information storage unit and transmitted to the printing device. Thus, an optimum value can be selected and sent to the printing device even with regard to an item incapable of being selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Moro, Koiji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20110076045
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming system having a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus, the image forming system including: a first image forming unit provided to the first image forming apparatus and forming an image on a first surface of a recording sheet; and a second image forming unit provided to the second image forming apparatus and forming an image on a second surface of the recording sheet on the first surface of which the image has been formed by the first image forming unit, in which, when the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit form pattern images for image position adjustment on the recording sheet, the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit form a first pattern image and a second pattern image on the same surface of the recording sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumitaka Sobue
  • Patent number: 7916031
    Abstract: A server component includes a network interface and an analysis component. The server component is at least partially implemented by an operative set of processor executable instructions configured for execution by at least one processor. The network interface is in operative communication with a network and is configured to communicate with at least two nodes of different node types. The network interface is also in operative communication with a local RFID tag attached to a corresponding module. A node of the at least two nodes is a printer-based node associated with a printing machine. The analysis component is configured to utilize the network interface to communicate with the node associated with the printing machine such that the analysis component is in operative communication with the local RFID tag attached to the corresponding module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Pravin N. Kothari, Mark Steven Amico, Paul Allen Hosier, Khan Lutful Kabir
  • Patent number: 7907314
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a mode selector that can select a mode of operation in which the image forming apparatus remains online despite an empty printing media container or another error condition. This mode enables a host device to switch from an empty printing media container to a printing media container that is not empty, a feature useful during normal operation, or to continue to issue commands and make settings despite the presence of an error, a feature useful during tests and inspection of the image forming apparatus. Tests and inspection are also facilitated by a mode that simulates the presence of non-installed optional printing media containers, or disables counters and resets error priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7907305
    Abstract: What is provided herein is a novel system and method for estimating the amount of color in a document. In one embodiment, a binary CMYK input image is received. Each of the CMYK plane is received at an offset from the previous plane, i.e., the 4 planes are not received simultaneously. Each plane is divided into M×N tiles. Pixel values of all four planes are examined separately and the number of on-pixels is counted for each plane. The number of on-pixel counts for each tile are aggregated for each plane. Total on-pixel counts are used to estimate the total number of white, black, color, and gray pixel counts. The total counts for all planes are used to estimate the amount of color. A document is determined to be color if the amount of color exceeds a predetermined threshold. A color billing strategy is determined based on the estimated color amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Amal Zaka Malik, Xing Li, Ramesh Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 7903285
    Abstract: What is provided are a novel system, method, and computer program product for estimating the amount of color in a document to be printed, with the capability to handle composite black. A color billing strategy can be dynamically determined based on the amount of color in the document. In one embodiment, a contone CMYK image is examined and the level of color is estimated based on information extracted from the four planes simultaneously. More specifically, it examines the pixel values from all the four planes to calculate the number of white, black, color, and gray or neutral pixel counts. Input CMYK values can be pre-adjusted via a look-up table to take into account neutral balance characteristics. The difference among the adjusted color values is compared against a threshold that is input level dependent. Color is further subdivided into fuzzy colors to handle highlights and neutral areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Amal Zaka Malik, Xing Li
  • Patent number: 7904016
    Abstract: When an original document is placed on the lift tray, a timer is reset and starts counting a predetermined time. Whether an alignment device is moved to adjust the original documents loaded on the lift tray in, for example, the widthwise direction transverse to the transportation direction is then determined. If a change in the detected width of the original documents is detected, the timer is reset and started again. If there is no change in the detected width of the original documents, a control waits for the timer to time out. If the timer reaches the predetermined time, the lift tray is driven up by the lift motor and rises until the top limit sensor turns on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kuwahara, Toshihide Higashimori, Kouichi Kimura, Hidehiro Tabuchi
  • Publication number: 20110052240
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including plural sheet-feeding trays, and a control section that displays a schedule image to show an execution schedule of a job on a display section, wherein the control section displays a job execution schedule displaying column, and an un-executable job displaying column, both columns being included in the schedule image, wherein when a job represents a tray specifying job that specifies a sheet-feeding tray to be used among the plural sheet-feeding trays, and if the job is un-executable using the sheet-feeding tray specified by the job, the control section controls the un-executable job displaying column, not to display that the specified job is un-executable, even though the specified job is un-executable, and the control section further controls the job execution schedule displaying column to show that the job is not executable, while corresponding the job with the sheet-feeding tray specified by the job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventor: Takemasa IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20110052241
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section which performs image formation according to execution of a job, a storage section which can store two or more jobs, a display section to perform display, and a control section by which the operations of the image forming section and the display section are controlled, and the job is stored and managed in the storage section, and which performs these two or more jobs in a prescribed order. According to the setting conditions and the operating state of each of jobs, before and after the job, in the execution order, this control section creates guidance and displays this guidance on the display section. According to, or referring to, the guidance, the user is guided to perform processes. Working efficiency is enhanced because the operator knows easily a process or timing required in order to operate without stopping print operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takao KUROHATA
  • Publication number: 20110044715
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming device has an image forming unit, a plurality of discharge units, a display unit, a discharge unit button, a discharge setting unit, and a control unit. The plurality of discharge units discharge the image forming medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit. The display unit displays a setting screen of an image forming process by the image forming unit. The discharge unit button is a button for selecting one discharge unit from the plurality of discharge units. Whenever the discharge unit button is pressed, the discharge setting unit sequentially sets the discharge unit selected depending on setting contents of the image forming process and the discharge unit sequentially selected from the plurality of discharge units. The control unit displays information, which shows the discharge unit set by the discharge setting unit, on the setting screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuki Ogata
  • Publication number: 20110044712
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an image forming apparatus including: an image processing unit; a printer; a memory configured to store an adjustment value; an operation panel configured to receive a change for the adjustment value according to a user input; an adjuster configured to change, according to input information from the operation panel, the adjustment value from a first value to a second value; and a print controller configured to adjust a position of an image according to the second value and cause the printer to print a numerical value character string representing the second value together with a test pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7894738
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a main body; a display device including an image-display screen and pivotably provided in an outer surface of the main body so as to selectively take a closed posture in which the image-display screen is opposed to the main body and an open posture in which the image-display screen is visible; and an operable portion which includes a plurality of operable buttons provided on the outer surface of the main body, and which is configured such that a part of the plurality of operable buttons is disposed at a location where the part of the plurality of operable buttons is covered by the display device in the closed posture and such that an input operation by the part of the plurality of operable buttons is possible in relation to an image displayed on the image-display screen of the display device in the open posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motohito Muraki
  • Patent number: 7890332
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus can set one of a plurality of setting values for a setting item. A guidance holding unit holds guidance information for voice output for each of the plurality of setting values. A document information acquisition unit acquires document information as limiting information which limits a range of a settable setting value. A guidance selection unit and a guidance change unit acquire pieces of guidance information to be output by voice on the basis of the pieces of guidance information corresponding to the plurality of setting values held in the guidance holding unit and the limiting information acquired by the document information acquisition unit. A voice information output unit outputs, by voice, the acquired pieces of guidance information to be output by voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michio Aizawa
  • Patent number: 7890011
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of functions including a function of executing an operation involving use of a consumable, a selecting unit that selects one function from the plurality of functions, a detector that detects a remaining level of the consumable and a controller. The controller is operable to switch displayed contents to information corresponding to the one function when the one function is selected, instruct execution of an operation corresponding to the changed displayed information, display a warning indication when the remaining level of the consumable is not more than a predetermined level, determine whether the selected one function is the function of executing the operation involving use of the consumable, and inhibit the switching the displayed contents when one function is selected and is determined to be the function of executing the operation involving use of the consumable while the warning indication is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7890001
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a plurality of consumable items. The apparatus includes a consumption status detecting unit that detects a respective consumption status of each of the consumable items; a consumption information output setting unit that sets presence or non-presence of information output for each of the consumption statuses detected by the consumption status detecting unit; and a consumable item information output unit that outputs information on the consumable items based on the respective consumption statuses detected by the consumption status detecting unit and the setting of the presence or the non-presence of information output set by the consumption information output setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiya Inoue, Yasuyuki Igarashi, Takeshi Fujita, Yuka Saito, Toshio Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 7885552
    Abstract: A driver system of image forming apparatuses whose structure is improved to receive a necessary service without additional confirmation by automatically requesting a management service and to improve the efficiency of use of the image forming apparatuses and a method of controlling the same. The driver system of the image forming apparatuses that is provided in a host computer to connect the host computer to the image forming apparatuses in order to perform a management service includes an input unit to receive state information on the image forming apparatuses from the image forming apparatuses and a transmitting unit to transmit a management service requesting signal to a management service supplying unit using the input state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 7885551
    Abstract: A terminal apparatus, a consumables residual quantity display program, and a recording medium are disclosed. The terminal apparatus, which is connected to a printing apparatus through a network, includes an acquisition unit for acquiring information about consumables of the printing apparatus from the printing apparatus; and a display controller for displaying the information about the consumables, which information is acquired by the acquisition unit, if the information of at least one item of the consumables fulfills a predetermined condition. The display controller may display a no-display specifying screen that prompts a user to specify whether a “no-display” mode should be activated, in which “no-display” mode, displaying the information about the consumables is stopped even if the predetermined condition is fulfilled when the information is to be acquired by the acquisition unit at a next time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsuura, Yuichi Niwa, Katsumi Shimokawa, Masahiro Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20110020027
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus accepts a selecting operation of selecting a button displayed on a touch panel and performs a process corresponding to the selected button. The image forming apparatus includes a moving region display unit displaying a region mark to be selected on the touch panel and moving the region mark as time passes and a button specifying unit specifying one or more buttons based on positional information indicating a position of the region mark and positional information indicating a pressed position of the touch panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Masashi TAKUBO, Kayo Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20110020026
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit for acquiring information for identifying a user, a log-in unit for allowing the user to log in the image forming apparatus when the acquisition unit acquires the information for identifying the user, a log-off unit for causing the logged-in user to log off from the image forming apparatus after a first predetermined time period elapses, a determination unit for determining whether a secure printing job to be performed based on the acquired information for identifying the user is present in the image forming apparatus, and a control unit for controlling the log-off unit to cause the user to log off from the image forming apparatus within a second predetermined time period which is shorter than the first predetermined period time, when the determination unit determines that the secure printing job is present in the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshio Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 7877034
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, a sheet finisher and an image forming system; each of them including: a display for displaying a work item for a maintenance in the form of a guidance display; a detection section for detecting whether the work item is executed or not; an energization controller for supplying/blocking power supply to electric components to be maintained; a connection judging section for judging whether the electric components are electrically connected with the power supply or not; and a controller for controlling the display to switch displays of the work item and for controlling the energization controller, in accordance with a detection result of the detection section; wherein the controller causes the display to display an alarm and a guidance display of a corresponding work, according to a judgment of the connection judging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki Nakamura, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Sakata, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Akira Okamoto, Kenji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7869731
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A developer develops the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image on the photoconductive drum. A transfer-fixer transfers the toner image from the photoconductive drum to a recording sheet and fixes the toner image on the recording sheet. A waste toner particle collector collects toner particles remaining in the developing section into a collection container. A toner amount detector detects the amount of toner particles collected in the collection container. A notifying portion notifies a user when the amount of toner detected reaches a predetermined observing amount. A collection amount setting portion enables a reduced collection amount to be set for the collection of waste toner particles in the developing section in accordance with an increase in the detected toner amount after the detected toner amount reaches the observing amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Toshimasa Shakui
  • Patent number: 7865106
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus has a sheet conveying portion which receives and conveys a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, and discharges it to an apparatus on a downstream side or a discharge tray, a sheet post-processing portion which carried out post-processing on the sheet, and a power saving control portion which renders the sheet post-processing apparatus into a power saving state, and the power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to the sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to the sheet post-processing portion. The sheet post-processing apparatus, even in the power saving state, is capable of discharging the sheet discharged from the apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side or a discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Watanabe, Takayuki Fujii, Shunsuke Nishimura, Yushi Oka, Toshiyuki Miyake, Takashi Yokoya, Manabu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7865103
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a visible image on a transfer sheet according to a job, the image forming apparatus including: a plurality of sheet feed trays adapted to load plural kinds of transfer sheets; an image forming section for forming a visible image according to image data on a transfer sheet; a conveying section for conveying a transfer sheet from each of the plurality of sheet feed trays toward the image forming section; a display section for displaying various items; a color detection section for detecting a transfer sheet color of the transfer sheet being conveyed by the conveying section; and a control section for controlling a conveyance of the transfer sheet and the image formation, wherein the control section displays a transfer sheet color designated by the job and the transfer sheet color detected by the color detection section on the display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7865104
    Abstract: The subject application is directed to a system and method for generating a user customizable default user interface for a document processing device. First, screen data representing each of a plurality of different user interfaces is stored. Each user interface includes visual representations of a unique subset of controls associated with operation of the associated document processing device. Identification data is then acquired from an associated user. A display is generated representing each of the different user interfaces. Selection data representing a selected user interface as a default user interface is then received. Data associating the default user interface with the identification data is stored. Thereafter, a display is generated of the default user interface upon login of the associated user on the document processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Marianne Kodimer
  • Publication number: 20100329716
    Abstract: Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony S. CONDELLO, Augusto E. Barton, David M. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100329704
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to give an instruction for unlocking of a cover corresponding to a toner container, from a replacement screen of the toner container displayed when no toner inside the toner container is detected. Further, the image forming apparatus is configured such that the cover corresponding to at least one toner container can be unlocked at a time from the displayed screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 7860423
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism for forming an image, at least one developer container replaceably provided in the image forming apparatus for containing developer, a housing for housing the image forming mechanism and the at least one developer container, and an operation device provided on the housing. The housing includes at least one openable portion opened for replacement of the at least one developer container. The operation device includes an instruction display part for indicating a message prompting opening of the at least one openable portion, and at least one developer-end display part for indicating depletion or near-depletion of the developer contained in any one of the at least one developer container. The at least one developer-end display part and the instruction display part are placed adjacent to each other and are viewable from a front side of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7859412
    Abstract: A module monitoring system and related method includes a plurality of nodes and a server component. Each node of the plurality of nodes is in operative communication with a network and with at least one RFID attached to a module. Each node of the plurality of nodes is a node type and at least two nodes of the plurality of nodes are different node types. A node of the at least two nodes is a printer-based node and is associated with a printing machine. The node associated with the printing machine is also in operative communication with a local RFID tag attached to a corresponding module. The server component includes a network interface and an analysis component. The network interface is in operative communication with the network and communicates with the at least two nodes utilizing the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Pravin N. Kothari, Mark Steven Amico, Paul Allen Hosier, Khan Lutful Kabir
  • Patent number: 7859690
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which, upon receipt of an instruction to perform proof copying in a proof copy mode, stores a numeral value showing the number of times the instruction is made. The performing of the proof copying is restricted based on the numeral value showing the number of times stored and a numeral value showing a pre-set value for allowing the performing of the proof copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomokazu Sakabe
  • Patent number: 7860424
    Abstract: Image processing apparatus and method to perform an image processing job based on a received processing request, which includes a processing condition set by a user. Error protection is performed to detect a job setting error caused by a mismatching between the processing condition of the image processing job and a processing capability of the image processing apparatus. Error information relates to a previously detected air that is the job setting error previously detected. Error report conditions indicate whether the previously detected air has a same condition as the processing condition of the image processing job. Error information is managed to store information relating to the currently detected error when the currently detected error satisfies an error storage condition, determine whether the currently detected satisfies the error report condition and generate an error report to notify the user and an administrator when these conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Saori Iura, Nobuhiro Shindo, Toshiya Suzuki, Michiaki Nishinosono, Yutaka Matsumoto, Hiroki Ohzaki
  • Publication number: 20100322642
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a sheet feeding tray to store sheets for image forming; a sheet feeding section to feed the sheets form the sheet feeding tray so as to supply the sheets for the image forming; and a control section to individually administer remaining sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray in advance and replenishment sheets replenished when the sheet feeding tray is replenished with the sheets in a state where the sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray in advance is remaining. Whereby, a JOB can be continued or aborted appropriately with reference to information and remaining amounts of remaining sheets and replenishment sheets in one sheet feeding tray, since the information and the remaining amounts are administered individually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi YAMAUCHI, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Masatoshi Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20100322661
    Abstract: A system, a control apparatus, a control method and a computer program are provided which are configured to control a printing output in response to characteristics of a printing apparatus when a plurality of printing apparatuses has different characteristics. A host computer acquires apparatus information including characteristics information indicating the characteristics of a printer and thereby determines a priority order of printers in relation to the print data based on the characteristics information. The host computer then determines a printer to output the print data based on the determined priority order and outputs the print data to the determined printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaki Yamamichi
  • Patent number: 7856202
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that can improve the interest of the user in the ecology. The apparatus includes an image input portion that inputs image data, a printing portion that prints onto a recording sheet an image indicated by the image data inputted by the image input portion, a condition setting portion that sets printing conditions for executing printing by the printing portion, a displaying portion that displays the printing conditions that the condition setting portion has set, a used amount calculating portion that calculates the used amount of paper from the size of and the number of recording sheets used by executing printing by the printing portion based on the printing conditions set by the condition setting portion, and a display controlling portion that controls the displaying portion to display the used amount calculated by the used amount calculating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Mizobuchi, Takao Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7855792
    Abstract: A printing system adapted to be able to perform a processing concerning a job to be processed by a post-processing device, the post-processing device having a movable component openable by an operator, the system comprising: a controller that enables the printing device to execute the print process of a job to be processed even while the movable component remains open in a case that the job does not require the post-process by the post-processing device having the open movable component, the controller inhibiting the printing device from executing the print process of a job to be processed without notifying an operator via a user interface unit of information on the open movable component in a case that the job requires the post-process by the post-processing device having the open movable component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20100316397
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging unit, an image carrier, an exposing unit, a developing unit, a transfer belt on which the transfer material is placed, a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred onto the transfer material, a cleaning unit that cleans up toner attached to the fixing unit, and a control unit that controls printing of the image on the transfer material. The control unit causes the exposing unit to expose a latent image of a first image having an image-area ratio equal to or larger than a predetermined ratio, causes the developing unit to form a toner image of the latent image and to transfer the toner image to the transfer material, and causes the fixing unit to fix the toner image transferred by the transfer belt to the transfer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Kenta KUDOU, Kenji Nozawa, Naoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7853167
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of containers, a container compartment, and a plurality of indicators. The plurality of containers contains developing agent, and may be arranged in parallel with each other in a first sequential order. The container compartment holds the plurality of containers at varied holding heights. The plurality of indicators indicates information of the developing agent in the plurality of containers, and may be arranged in parallel to each other in a second sequential order on the image forming apparatus. The first sequential order of the plurality of containers corresponds to the second sequential order of the plurality of indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7853166
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a first unit configured to form an image on a recording medium, a second unit configured to open/close relative to the first unit, and an instructing unit configured to perform an instruction for causing the image-forming apparatus to execute a predetermined operation, wherein the image-forming apparatus is disabled from executing the predetermined operation regardless of whether instruction is performed by the instructing unit when the second unit is in an opened state, and wherein the first unit forms an image on a recording medium regardless of whether the second unit is in an opened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakatsu Yamada, Tatsuyuki Yamamoto, Takafumi Katayama, Daigo Nakagawa, Hirohisa Sawada, Fumihiko Nakamura, Kazuyoshi Sasae
  • Patent number: 7848673
    Abstract: A warning is issued to the user when the tab sheet type selected at the first tab sheet type setup section for setting up the insertion of the first tab sheet is identical to the tab sheet type selected at the second tab sheet type setup section for setting up the insertion of the second tab sheet. As described above, a warning will be issued to the user if setup is intended to be made concerning multiple types of tab sheets and the setup is unlikely to be specified by the user. Also, assistance will be provided to the user concerning the setup for tab sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Sakuraba, Toshimi Shinchi, Yukihiko Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20100296830
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a storage unit which stores job data of a reserved job, an image forming unit which executes an image forming based on the job data of the reserved job, a paper feeding unit which stores a paper to be supplied to the image forming unit, a display unit, a control unit which determines whether a type of a paper to be used in the reserved job is different from a type of a paper which is stored in the paper feeding unit or not, and allows the display unit display a job scheduling screen for displaying reservation information indicating a time required for an execution of the reserved job by including a predetermined notification when the control unit determines that the type of the paper to be used in the reserved job is different from the type of the paper which is stored in the paper feeding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Yoshihisa KAMATA
  • Patent number: 7839518
    Abstract: In the cases where a host side is powered off or something similar occurs, a print job which may have failed is recovered and managed as a recovered job from an intermediate file held on the host without a termination notice on starting the host next time, and if there is an instruction for reprinting, as for the print job so instructed, regeneration is performed from the intermediate file for the sake of re-creating the print job so as to re-execute a printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 7839510
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that can be connected to an image-forming apparatus, a method, and a program used for the information processing apparatus are disclosed. The information processing apparatus comprises a control unit for controlling print-setting information set for document data to be printed, a recognition unit for recognizing information about a first function specified by the print-setting information by translating the print-setting information controlled by the control unit, an obtaining unit for obtaining information about a second function of the image-forming apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus, a determination unit for determining whether or not the image-forming apparatus can perform the first function recognized by the recognition unit based on the second-function information obtained by the obtaining unit, and a modification unit for modifying the print-setting information controlled by the control unit based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichiro Kizaki, Satoshi Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20100290797
    Abstract: A printer configured to adjust gloss appearance of images includes a marking engine configured to render an image on a substrate from input image data; and a controller configured to: (i) correlate a minimum luminance value to be used by the printer based on a gloss selection; (ii) determine a black point compensation function based on the correlated minimum luminance value; and (iii) adjust luminance values for input image data using the determined black point compensation function. A method to adjust gloss appearance of images is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lalit Keshav MESTHA, Peter A. CREAN
  • Patent number: 7831156
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor, a notification unit, and a controller. The sensor detects a supply-end condition of consumable supplies. The notification unit notifies a message based on the supply-end condition detected by the sensor, and provides an operation key used for setting a condition for the image forming apparatus. The notification unit includes a print-stop setting and a print-continue setting, settable for a consumable supply and used when a printing operation is suspended due to an occurrence of the supply-end condition. The controller suspends the printing operation based on the print-stop setting and continues the suspended printing operation based on the print-continue setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Igarashi, Yoshiya Inoue, Toshio Kitazawa, Takeshi Fujita, Yuka Saitoh
  • Patent number: 7831167
    Abstract: This invention involves a control panel that is removable from a marking machine housing. This removable control panel is used to lower or raise the entire marking machine or just a module or modules of the machine. Wheelchair users have difficult times using a conventional marking machine such as a copier or printer. The user with the removable control panel can lower the entire machine so that access to all components is possible. In addition, the wheelchair user can raise the paper trays to be side by side with the processor module. It is important that the copier raise-lower function be on the control panel in addition to a control for horizontal movement of the module(s). Any other function can be put on the control panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Scott M. Huber, Dawn M. Hess
  • Patent number: RE42071
    Abstract: An image of stabilized tint is output even if a supplied transfer medium is changed to a transfer medium of a different surface gloss or type of paper. If the supplied transfer medium has changed, the tint of a corrective image formed on the transfer medium is sensed, a tint correction of an image forming portion is performed based upon result of sensing, and corrective data of the tint correction and information relating to the transfer medium is stored. If a change of the transfer medium is sensed subsequently, a determination is made as to whether the transfer medium is substantially the same transfer medium, based upon the stored information relating to the transfer medium. If the transfer medium is substantially the same, then image processing is executed based upon the stored corrective data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiki Nakayama