Including Control Of Format And Selection Of Type-face By Programmed Control-system (e.g., Input Typewriter) Patents (Class 400/61)
  • Patent number: 9459577
    Abstract: Example updating a supported-supplies database of an image forming apparatus are disclosed. An example method includes receiving an imaging supply in a printer; accessing an action identifier on the imaging supply; and in response to the action identifier, at least one of updating a database of the printer to include a first supported imaging supply previously not supported by or compatible with the printer, or removing a second supported imaging supply previously supported by or compatible with the printer from the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pei Shan Tay, David B. Novak, Poh Hock Soh
  • Patent number: 9446610
    Abstract: A printer 1 has a processing unit that processes media; an automatic paper cutter 60 that cuts the media; a conveyance mechanism 63 that conveys media in the direction moving to an exit; a media orientation detection means 65 that detects displacement of the media after conveyance by the conveyance mechanism 63 stops; a limiting unit that restricts movement of the media toward the exit after conveyance by the conveyance mechanism 63 stops; and a media processing device control unit 100 that controls cutting the media by the automatic paper cutter 60 when the media orientation detection means 65 detects displacement of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Koike, Takako Kasuga, Yuya Iwasa, Kiyomi Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9440448
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including a controller configured to move a carriage from an initial position to such a position that an optical sensor traverses one of two side edges of a sheet in a scanning direction, in a direction along the scanning direction, in response to the sheet reaching a position opposed to the optical sensor, adjust a light emitting quantity of the optical sensor while the carriage is being moved, within a period from when the carriage begins to move from the initial position to when the optical sensor traverses the one side edge, calculate a position of the one side edge traversed by the optical sensor after the adjustment, based on detection values, corresponding to the light receiving quantity, output from the optical sensor after the adjustment, and identify edge positions of the two side edges based on the calculated position of the one side edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 9421803
    Abstract: A screening output density corrector of an image processor corrects output densities of a plurality of types of dotted pattern data stored in a screening data storage upon printing. A dotted image data generator uses a plurality of types of the dotted pattern data subjected to the output density correction for performing screening processing to each of images, the images being represented by the continuous tone image data. Consequently, the dotted image data generator generates dotted image data of the images with the corrected output density. Accordingly, output density correction is made not to the continuous tone image data but to the dotted pattern data. Consequently, uniformity of the discharge characteristic (the number of ink droplets) is obtainable upon printing with different types of dotted pattern data. This allows prevention of unevenness in printing through the screening processing based on a plurality of types of dotted pattern data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignees: Screen Holdings Co., Ltd., Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Fukui, Seiya Nomura, Kunio Muraji
  • Patent number: 9412033
    Abstract: An image processing which is capable of preventing page missing even when there is an image having no foreground image. In a case where a foreground image is extracted from an obtained image, the foreground image is generated as an image for one page, and in a case where no foreground image is extracted from the obtained image, an image indicating that no foreground image is extracted is generated as an image for one page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Yokomizo
  • Patent number: 9352550
    Abstract: By providing a rotating body which supports three-dimensional recording media on a support surface in a direction which intersects with a gravity direction and which has a rotating shaft in the direction which intersects with the support surface, and a recording head which carries out recording onto recording media by discharging ink in a direction which intersects with the rotating shaft, recording is carried out with high quality with respect to the recording media while firmly supporting the three-dimensional recording media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Junhua Zhang
  • Patent number: 9330346
    Abstract: A printing device includes a labeling information forming unit which, on a print medium where a dot group is printed in advance, selectively turns a dot of the dot group into a non-display state and thereby forms labeling information including a dot pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kubota, Naohiko Aoyagi, Yasumasa Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9302463
    Abstract: A container treatment machine for printing on containers, including a transport unit optionally configured as a carousel and used for conveying the containers in circulating container reception apparatus, at least one direct printing head for printing with a light-curing printing ink, and a stationary curing unit for curing the printing ink on the containers by light radiation, optionally UV light radiation, characterized in that each of the container reception apparatuses is provided with a shielding enclosure used for shielding off light radiation and having at least one access opening for the curing unit, and the curing unit is provided with a shielding element cooperating with the access opening of at least one shielding enclosure such that direct exit of light is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Heidrich, Florian Lauterbach, Bernd Schroll, Daniel Hartl
  • Patent number: 9239694
    Abstract: This image forming apparatus determines, when a user authentication function of the image forming apparatus is set to be valid and a re-execution function of re-executing an executed job is set to be valid, that the re-execution function can be executed, and determines, when the user authentication function is set to be invalid, that the re-execution function cannot be executed. The apparatus stores job information of an executed job when determining that the re-execution function can be executed. The apparatus permits an authenticated user to handle stored job information when determining that the re-execution function can be executed, the user authentication succeeds, and the authenticated user has execution authority for the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akinori Takeo
  • Patent number: 9213510
    Abstract: A method disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of jobs at a printing environment, collecting a first set of the plurality jobs at a first filter based on one or more job properties, generating a first batch of one or more jobs to be processed from the first set of jobs in the first filter that and displaying the first filter and the first batch at a graphical user interface (GUI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Erik Jason Fritz, Joseph Paul Gaertner, Kumar Kadiyala, Lance Jones, Marcel Stoica
  • Patent number: 9102139
    Abstract: A supply cable of a printing head of a continuous inkjet printer, including means for supplying fluids to the head, means forming a bidirectional digital serial link in order to transmit digital data between the head and the means for driving the printer, and low voltage power supply means, as well as a circuit for a printing head of a continuous jet printer and a method for transmitting data to the printing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: MARKEM-IMAJE
    Inventors: Patrick Soto, Max Brousse
  • Patent number: 9076367
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for color management of documents retrieved and manipulated by a server based application and displayed on a client device through a browser application. Page elements of documents are manipulated to provide consistent and/or accurate color reproduction on the client device. Pages include untagged images, images tagged with color profiles, and tagged or untagged page elements specified by hex color values. Color values for images and untagged page elements specified by hex color values are adjusted by the server application before transmission to the client device to account for properties of browser applications and operating systems of different client devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Chu, Sing Yeung Lai, On Loy Sung
  • Patent number: 9060083
    Abstract: An image forming device executes a plurality of applications, and includes a scan controlling unit configured to instruct an image reading unit to read image data, and store the image data in an image data storage unit according to a request from the application; a display data generating unit configured to generate a display data of the image data stored in the image data storage unit, and store the display data in a display image data storage unit according to the request from the application, the display image data storage unit being inaccessible from the application; a display controlling unit configured to display the display data in a display unit according to the request from the application; and a deleting unit configured to delete the display data from the display data storage unit in response to a termination notice of use of the display data from the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9019550
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses print label producing apparatus comprising a controller, a memory including a first sub memory, a second sub memory, and a third sub memory, and the controller being configured to execute a decoration setting process to perform at least one of a first sub decoration setting process for setting a decoration style randomly, a second sub decoration setting process for setting a frame randomly, and a third sub decoration setting process for setting a symbol randomly, a first print data generating process for generating first print data, by means of including at least one or more results of the decoration setting process of any of the decoration style of one or more types randomly set, the frame of one type randomly set, or the symbol of one type randomly set, and a first coordination control process for controlling the feeder and the printing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Ishii, Nako Yoshimura, Yasunori Suzuki, Daisuke Mifune
  • Patent number: 8958096
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus and system include a searcher and a search responder, wherein the searcher transmits a first search-message notifying first identification-information and first group-confirmation-information to other image forming apparatuses, receives a search-response-message notifying second identification-information, and to store the second identification-information notified by the received second search-response-message in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Ishigure
  • Patent number: 8931864
    Abstract: An ink jet printer for printing on an at least partially cylindrical objects comprises one or more printheads positioned above a line of travel and a carriage assembly configured to hold an at least partially cylindrical object axially aligned along the line of travel and to position said object relative to the printheads, and then rotate the object relative to said one or more printheads. The printer also includes a curing device located along the line of travel and configured to emit an energy suitable to cure the deposited fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: INX International Ink Company
    Inventor: John Randel LaCaze
  • Patent number: 8810849
    Abstract: A printing method that alternately repeats a transport operation that transports a continuous medium in a transport direction and an image forming operation that moves a head to form an image to thereby print out a first image and a second image, which has a smaller length in the transport direction than the first image, on the continuous medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 8773702
    Abstract: A client apparatus includes a media reader/writer and a network I/F for data communication with a print data generation server, reads electronic data stored in the medium (step 218), transmits the same to the print data generation server and requests generation of print data (step 220). An identification number transmitted from the print data generation server in response to the electronic data is received through a data communication device (step 222), and stored in the medium (step 224). Using the identification number, the print data corresponding to the transmitted electronic data can be accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 8755067
    Abstract: A method of processing a printing operation in an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of printing jobs are processed in a single printing job includes generating connection information to unify a plurality of printing jobs, changing the plurality of printing jobs to a single printing job using the connection information, and printing data corresponding to the single printing job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-seung Lee, Song-baik Jin
  • Patent number: 8705064
    Abstract: A secure printing method includes providing a user terminal with a user interface. The user terminal and interface enable a user to select a secure printing mode for printing a document. In the secure printing mode, a secure print job stored in the user terminal is released through execution of a secure release procedure. In this way, the document can be printed at a selected one of a plurality of designated printers. When a user selects the secure printing mode, page description language data for the secure print job is generated in a format, or multiple formats, compatible with the designated printers. The page description language data is stored at the user terminal and a request is communicated to each of the designated printers. The request identifies the secure print job, but the job itself is not transmitted with the request. When the predefined secure release procedure is executed, the secure print job is released to a selected printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Ellis
  • Patent number: 8693032
    Abstract: Methods and associated structure for displaying the status of a plurality of print jobs using a graphical user interface to present a broad overview of the status of the print jobs. Status information regarding the plurality of print jobs is received from one or more print servers. The status of each job is analyzed to associate a top-level category with each job and a status sub-category with each job. A graphical object is presented to the user to represent each of the top-level categories and each of the sub-categories within each top-level category. A count of the number of jobs associated with each graphical object may be presented to the user as a number associated with the graphical object. The graphical objects may be color-coded to indicate the level of operator intervention (if any) required for the print jobs associated with the corresponding top-level category or sub-category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joan Stagaman Goddard, Kumar V. Kadiyala
  • Patent number: 8638470
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of band rendering an image. The method comprises receiving (201) object data of the image in the page description language. From this the method determines a plurality of buckets (bucket #1-#3, FIG. 14) by which the object data is to be divided. The method then assigns (FIG. 3, 350) object data of each object in the image to one of the buckets based on an initial visibility of the object in the image. Then, for each band of the image, in a band sequential fashion (900, 920), the method identifies (1016-1024) object data visible within a band from a subset of the buckets active for the band. Then, the method analysis (FIGS. 10(i)-(iii); 1028-1052) the identified object data within the band and selects at least one rendering method (RCCR, PCR) from a plurality of rendering methods by which the band is to be rendered. Then the method renders (960,970) the identified object data into the band from the object data using the selected at least one rendering method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Thomas Benjamin Sanjay Thomas, David Christopher Smith
  • Patent number: 8587821
    Abstract: A tape printer having a large-size printing function of printing an enlarged printing image which is larger than the tape width of a long tape into a plurality of tape parts, includes: a tape width detecting section detecting the tape width; a layout determination section determining enlargement layout information for forming the enlarged printing image; a margin determining section determining the widths of an upper margin and a lower margin of the enlarged printing image and determining whether or not the sum of the determined margin widths is equal to or greater than the tape width; an image data generating section generating image data of the enlarged printing image; and a printing section sequentially printing, on two or more tape parts respectively, the image data of the enlarged printing image other than part of the upper margin and part of the lower margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Murayama
  • Patent number: 8582133
    Abstract: Provided herein is a cable label forming apparatus having an edit screen display device, a selection candidate display instructing device, and a selection candidate display device. The selection candidate display device displays a last selected candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a normal edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed, and displays a specific candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a cable label forming edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 8565680
    Abstract: An article (100) has a device (122), and a radio frequency identification (RFID) module (102) coupled to the device. The RFID module is programmed to receive (210) provisioning instructions from a wireless source (142), and transfer (212) to the device the provisioning instructions when said device is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Huitao Liu
  • Patent number: 8559764
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed in which image representations of text strings can be easily edited. As such, one embodiment, among others, includes the step of receiving input from a user. The received input is indicative of a selection of an image. The image corresponds to a text string. That embodiment further comprises the step of correlating the image to the corresponding text string. Upon correlating the image to the text string, the text string is displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dale W. Malik
  • Patent number: 8510170
    Abstract: A point of sale (POS) system includes primary and auxiliary printers powered by a shared power supply. A POS terminal includes the shared power supply, a user interface, and a host including a printer driver for dynamically generating primary print commands. A printer connection card connected to the POS terminal includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub in communication with the host and having at least one USB connector powered by the shared power supply. The primary printer is connected to the USB hub for receiving power and the primary print commands through the USB hub from the POS terminal. An auxiliary printer has a power-only connection to the printer connection card, receiving independently generated auxiliary print commands from a separate host computer. A controller includes control logic for selectively blocking the primary print commands to the primary printer in response to the signal drawn by the auxiliary printer exceeding a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Landers, Jr., David J. Steiner, Paul M. Wilson, Kimberly A. Wood
  • Patent number: 8441654
    Abstract: Provided herein is a cable label forming apparatus having an edit screen display device, a selection candidate display instructing device, and a selection candidate display device. The selection candidate display device displays a last selected candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a normal edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed, and displays a specific candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a cable label forming edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 8442433
    Abstract: An article (100) has a device (122), and a radio frequency identification (RFID) module (102) coupled to the device. The RFID module is programmed to receive (210) provisioning instructions from a wireless source (142), and transfer (212) to the device the provisioning instructions when said device is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Huitao Liu
  • Patent number: 8432566
    Abstract: A printer driver conserves recording paper by removing blank space formed at the top and bottom of each page when printing. The printer driver acquires the coordinates of the top and bottom of the part of the print image, and calculates the page length required to print the middle area between the top and bottom blank space areas based on these coordinates. The print data for printing this middle area is then extracted and printed. When printing is completed, the recording paper is conveyed only the difference between the page length and the transportation distance of the recording paper to set the print head to a position separated only the page length from the printing start position of the area print data, that is, to a position touching the middle area. As a result, blank space between the middle areas of consecutively printed pages is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Adachi, Toshiyuki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8418052
    Abstract: A document editing method includes transferring document information to a printing device capable of printing the document information on a surface coded with a position-coding pattern. Editing information is received from a reading device capable of reading position information from the position-coded surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Anoto Aktiebolag (Anoto AB)
    Inventors: Petter Ericson, Tomas Lundström
  • Patent number: 8379255
    Abstract: A system for determining batch sizes for a print job may include a computing device and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include one or more programming instructions for receiving a print job having a job size, receiving speed information for each of a plurality of document production devices in a production line, identifying a plurality of batches associated with the print job, performing a discrete event simulation to model a makespan for the print job in processing each of the plurality of batches on the plurality of document production devices using the speed information and repeating the identifying and performing until a plurality of final batches is determined, each having a unique final batch size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sudhendu Rai, Jeremy John Tejada
  • Patent number: 8339651
    Abstract: A printer includes a connection device that connects to an external device, a printing device that prints a character on a print medium, an input device that inputs the character and an instruction, and a first data acquisition device that acquires first data created in the external device via the connection device. The printer further includes a print history storage device that stores print history information of the first data and a second data used for printing by the printing device among the first data acquired by the first data acquisition device and the second data created based on the character and the instruction inputted by the input device. The printer also includes a print control device that causes the printing device to perform printing based on the print history information stored in the print history storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Tanjima, Yoshihiko Sugimura
  • Patent number: 8289566
    Abstract: A print or logo data generating system and method in which a width dimension of a printable medium is identified and original source data obtained. The processing further involves automatically resizing the source data to a predefined maximum width not greater than the width dimension of the printable medium prior to executing any user-requested changes, and displaying a first image representation of the original source data. Upon receipt of a user-requested change in the size of the original source data and a user-requested change in the number of colors of the original source data, the size change request is executed first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Patent number: 8284438
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming method to perform a printing for a plurality of sheets of paper, comprising: expressing any one region in a first color, the one region being one of a predetermined number of regions which are provided at an end part of each sheet of the plurality of sheets of paper and are continuous in an extending direction of the end part of the sheets; expressing the other regions except the one region in a second color; and printing an additional image in which the one region expressed in the first color is shifted sequentially in the extending direction of the end part of the sheets, in an order of the printing of each sheet of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryuta Yamaguchi, Kenji Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8243324
    Abstract: When a user sets, from a user interface window using a bookbinding application, instructions of dividing a document into a plurality of parts and stapling each part of the document, a printer driver generates one job in which the staple attribute of a binder corresponding to each part is set to “ON” or “OFF”, and issues the job for a printer. With this operation, the user can perform staple designation to an arbitrary part of the document, and can realize a plurality of staple processes in one print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Nakagiri
  • Patent number: 8237957
    Abstract: A demonstration system for a peripheral such as a printer connects an external, non-volatile memory to the printer in place of the host computer. One such peripheral uses a peripheral cable containing a controller or formatter that includes a computer interface for communications with the host computer and an interface for memory accesses. The peripheral cable connects to the computer interface for communications with the host computer. The demonstration system employs a controller or formatter of the same type as used in the peripheral cable and connects the interface for reading from the external memory. The controller can load both demonstration code and demonstration data from the external memory and direct the peripheral to perform a demonstration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark D. Montierth, Richard D. Taylor, Gary Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 8228544
    Abstract: The amount of expansion or contraction of a sheet is derived from the sheet size before printing and the sheet size after the printing to adjust the position on the sheet where post-processing is performed based on the derived amount of expansion or contraction. Even if the sheet size is varied from a normal sheet size before the printing due to an image forming process in an MFP or the sheet that is left, it is possible to adjust the position in accordance with the variation in the sheet size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Namihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 8218169
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus which is capable of reducing a burden on both an administrator and users when a job accounting system is introduced, to thereby enable efficient execution of job management. A client computer 1010 has a printer driver 1015 installed therein for generating an output job to be output to a peripheral apparatus, and delivers the output job to the peripheral apparatus via a first port monitor 1017 preset to a port as the output destination of the printer driver 1015. A second port monitor 1016 receives the output job generated by the printer driver 1015 and delivers the output job to the peripheral apparatus and collects job information on the output job. The port as the output destination of the device driver is switched from the port monitored by the first port monitor 1017 to a port monitored by the second port monitor 1016 when a system in which the job information is acquired using the second port monitor is constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Horiyama
  • Patent number: 8194270
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a printing control method and a printing controller which are capable of performing high-quality printing in a short period of time, and which are capable of reducing human error. To achieve this end, the printing control method is used to control a printing system, which is equipped with a server to store printing data which contains platemaking data and related information, a printing machine equipped with a plurality of printing presses, a terminal unit for acquiring the printing image data and outputting command information to the printing machine, detectors for detecting a state of a printed page, and controllers for controlling the printing presses based on the printing data and detection information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Printing & Packaging Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Takemoto, Norifumi Tasaka, Ikuo Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8184305
    Abstract: The present invention, as evidenced from the drawings and descriptions provided herein, can be characterized in various, different, through unifying, ways. For example, from a methodologic point of view, the invention may be seen as providing a method which (1) procedurally engages a PDF data stream that is en route to printing, (2) determines whether, in that data stream, there is an image-only data file, and (3), if the answer to that determination is Yes, channels that data file into a novel PDF image-only pipeline for expedited pre-printing preparation (image decoding, resizing, rendering, etc.). From a systemic point of view, the invention proposes an interactive and cooperative assembly of structures, as illustrated in the drawing figures, which are constructed specifically to perform the methodologic functions just described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Hurtz, Jiaping Song
  • Patent number: 8169657
    Abstract: A method of registering a print between print stages in a printing system is provided. The method comprises: printing a first part of a digital image on a substrate with a first print engine, wherein the first part of the digital image includes a plurality of reference features; scanning image content on the substrate as it is readied for the second print engine; determining the actual positions of the reference features; using the actual positions of the reference features to determine desired adjustments for the second part of the digital image; applying electronic registration according to the desired adjustments to modify image content of the second print to be aligned with content already on the substrate; and printing a second part of the digital image on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Shen-Ge Wang, Robert P. Loce
  • Patent number: 8149432
    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: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichiro Kizaki, Satoshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8117617
    Abstract: A printing system and method for processing print jobs in a network of printers are disclosed. The printers each have high and low operational states. A job ticket is associated with each print job. The job ticket designates one of the network printers as a target printer for printing the job and includes print job parameters related to redirection and delay for the print job. Where the target printer for the print job is in the low operational state, the print job related redirection and delay parameters for the job are identified. Based on the identified parameters, the print job may be scheduled for at least one of redirection and delay, where the parameters for redirection/delay permit, whereby the likelihood that the print job is printed sequentially with another print job on one of the network printers, without that one printer entering an intervening low operational state, is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christer E. Fernstrom, Christophe P. Mitenne
  • Patent number: 8077331
    Abstract: Described are a printer and a method of controlling it, wherein when an out-of-paper error occurs and printing stops, a control unit clears any data in a receive buffer, and reports the out-of-paper error and print stoppage to a host computer. When a clear buffer command is then received from the host computer, the control unit clears the receive buffer again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Saikawa
  • Patent number: 8054487
    Abstract: A method in a data processing system for managing jobs. A change to a job receiving that is un-instantiated. A reservation for the job is created. Instantiated jobs for an instance of the job are monitored corresponding to the reservation, and applying the change to the instance of the job responsive to identifying the instantiated job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fabio Benedetti, Maria Pia Cagnetta, David Bruce Kumhyr, Pietro Iannucci
  • Patent number: 8040533
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for performing font subsetting. One or more font subsetting parameters are received. The one or more font subsetting parameters indicate a granularity level for which font subsetting is performed for portions of a data container. The font subsetting parameters indicate a font subsetting granularity level other than an entire document associated with the data container. A first portion of the data container is determined in accordance with the font subsetting granularity level. A subset of font data for at least one font family is determined in accordance with what font data for the at least one font family is actually used by the first portion. The subset of font data is embedded in an output for a consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Adelberg, Khaled S. Sedky, Mahmood A. Dhalla, Oliver H. Foehr, Clifton Kerr
  • Patent number: 8038358
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus includes an input device, a setting device, and a display device. The apparatus further includes a setting tape width image storage device, a character size image storage device, a tape width acquisition device, a character size acquisition device, a setting tape width image reading device that reads out one of setting tape width images from the setting tape width image storage device, and a character size image reading device that reads out one of character size images from the character size image storage device. The apparatus further includes a setting guide image generation device that generates a setting guide image by combining the one of the setting tape width images and the one of the character size images, and a setting display control device that displays the setting guide image on a setting screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Suzuki, Junya Kawai, Hajime Okochi
  • Publication number: 20110236104
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus includes: a paragraph creating unit which creates a paragraph including plural lines of character strings; a justification setting unit which sets justification to evenly allocate other lines to the same length as a longest line, of the plural lines in the paragraph; a character mode setting unit which sets a non-target range to be a non-target of the justification, on a character basis within the paragraph, and sets a length of character spacing within the non-target range; a character arrangement deciding unit which carries out justification based on the justification setting unit in a target range excluding the non-target range set by the character mode setting unit, and thus decides an arrangement of characters in each line included in the paragraph; and a printing unit which prints the paragraph on a tape with the character arrangement decided by the character arrangement deciding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shoji Takayama
  • Patent number: RE43778
    Abstract: A photographic print vending apparatus is provided which comprises a media accepting unit which accepts a recording medium having photographic image information stored thereon. An image information reader reads the image information from the recording medium, and a plurality of printers print images based on image data from a processor connected to the image information reader and an advertisement information storage unit. When an advertisement printing mode is set, the processor reads the advertisement information from the advertisement information storage unit, synthesizes the read advertisement information and the image information read by the image information reader, and supplies the synthesized information to the printers as image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Nimura, Takahiro Mizushina, Hiroki Takahashi, Takeshi Kasahara, Kimiyasu Mizuno