Patents Examined by Arthur G. Evans
  • Patent number: 7193736
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is aimed at changing the settings of plural items registered on an individual icon or an overall icon to the data to be processed by selecting and designating the individual icon or the overall icon as intended by the user. Each of the individual icons and the overall icons stored on an external memory are indicated on the same selection setting screen of the display device of the apparatus. Then, the central processing unit of the apparatus discriminates the icon selection status on the selection setting screen thus displayed when a pointing device or the like used to point out the icon. For this apparatus, the structure is arranged to automatically change the attribute setting conditions with respect to the data in accordance with the result of such discrimination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7102769
    Abstract: A printer stores management or device configuration data specific to that printer in a memory unit to that printer. The printer then retrieves that data and transmits the data to a printer client device for storage. The printer client device uses the data with a printer driver running on the printer client device to provide appropriate messages (textual and graphic) to indicate an error occurring at the printer or the printer's configuration. A paper handling device connected to the printer may also provide error management and device configuration data to both the printer and the printer client device. In this way, the printer driver need not be prepared, at installation, with all the available error management and device data for all possible combinations of printer and paper handling devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Darrell L. Cox
  • Patent number: 7099023
    Abstract: A system and method have been provided for maintaining security in a network of imaging devices, such as copiers, scanners, printers, fax machines, and the like. In response to performing an imaging function, a copy of the document is sent to a security auditor for storage. In addition, other features such as user identification, the destination (if the document is sent), and the kind of imaging function performed (copy, print, send) can be stored and cross-referenced with the documents. The network can analyze the documents in storage for security purposes based upon factors such as user identification, document recipients, client number, and document subject matter, to name but a few.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy Kenneth Chrisop, Tanna Marie Sturm
  • Patent number: 7099027
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for distributing print jobs. A print job is generated at an application node of a network, and has associated therewith print parameters. The print job is routed to a distribution node on the network. The parameters are then parsed from the generated print job and the print job parameterized with predetermined metrics that are a function of at least one of the parsed parameters. The parameterized print job is then routed to a destination device on a destination node the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Electronics for Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Barry, Jeffrey Pitts Dockman, Kevin John O'Neill, Jr., Robert Gregory Pennington, Michael David Raines, Matthew David Shumaker, Elliot Neal Tompkins
  • Patent number: 7072071
    Abstract: In a case where printing control is configured using a unified user interface and bookbinding printing has been set, bookbinding format conditions are judged and functions possessed redundantly by first and second information processing units are controlled to make appropriate printing control possible in conformity with settings made by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kujirai, Koji Nakagiri, Satoshi Nishikawa, Yasuo Mori
  • Patent number: 7068381
    Abstract: The invention discloses a portable device that allows the user to access the Internet and World Wide Web. The portable device includes a modem that connects to a cellular telephone, thus the portable device connects wirelessly to the Internet. A host computer that may also be a Web server, is connected to the Internet and comprises various software programs to translate and compress into bit map or raster images the information received from the Internet. The compressed image is sent the portable device and the device is capable of decompressing the compressed image. Thus, the user views a bit map image of a Web page. The portable device further comprises methods of pointing and clicking on text and images which represent links to other pages. All commands that the user enters into the portable device are sent to the host computer, which performs the commands via a virtual browser, and sends the information back to the portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Inventor: Raja Tuli
  • Patent number: 7016071
    Abstract: A printer (30) prints image data received from a personal computer (20). The printer stores a recognition program, which is installed for the printer driver of the personal computer. The personal computer executes the received recognition program to carry out recognition. Upon detecting a specific image, the personal computer instructs the printer to discontinue the printing operation. An image processing system is thus provided which prohibits the printer from producing printout if the personal computer connected with the printer detects a prohibited image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Junji Hiraishi, Koichi Ohmae, Takashi Kakiuchi, Keitaro Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7016056
    Abstract: An authoring tool assists an author in building an automated diagnostic system. The authoring tool includes a cause editor interface, an action editor interface and a question editor interface. The cause editor interface allows an author to place, in a cause data structure, information pertaining to causes. The action editor interface allows an author to place, in an action data structure, information pertaining to actions that can be taken in response to the causes. The question editor interface allows an author to place, in a question data structure, information pertaining to questions that can be asked a user of the product to help identify causes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Claus Skaanning
  • Patent number: 7006242
    Abstract: A user of a portable device may request a full-length information set be sent to a high capacity presentation apparatus for printing. A truncated or compressed information set is displayed on the portable device, which the user may select for later printing of the full-length information on the high capacity presentation apparatus when the portable device is synchronized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Donald X. Smith, II, Aloke Gupta, Charlie Udom, John Atwood, Keith M. Taylor, William P. Brown
  • Patent number: 7006243
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for printer processing comprising the steps of: receiving a print designation to print a document; constructing an ordering of graphics; selecting a graphic to send to a printer; getting graphic data for the selected graphic; and sending the graphic data for printer processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shell S. Simpson, Ward S. Foster, Kris R. Livingston
  • Patent number: 6992797
    Abstract: System and methods provide a message, generated based on a message authentication code (MAC), embedded in a look-up table associated with an image. The embedding of the message does not affect the image. The message may be used to authenticate the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gaurav Sharma, Stuart A. Schweid
  • Patent number: 6989909
    Abstract: If a drawing section does not support the alpha blending drawing, or the bit depth of a first bitmap image is less than that of the alpha blending value, the alpha blending drawing is unavailable. To solve the problem even in such cases, a data processing method for a print controller and drawing controller, which is provided with a drawing section for executing drawing according to an input drawing command to a first bitmap image and a drawing process specifying section for performing alpha blending specification (transparency degree specification) for executing drawing according to an input object as a drawing command to the first bitmap image, includes an alpha value replacing section for replacing the alpha blending specification with area information corresponding to an alpha value and a drawing command converting section for converting the drawing command into another drawing command for performing a process corresponding to the area information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Joji Oki
  • Patent number: 6980326
    Abstract: An image process method comprises an input step of inputting color image data composed of a signal representing brightness and a signal representing tint, and a smoothing process step of performing a smoothing process to the signal representing tint, while holding the signal representing brightness. Thus, high-level color noise reduction can be performed without deteriorating apparent resolution of an output color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Okinori Tsuchiya, Makoto Torigoe, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Manabu Yamazoe
  • Patent number: 6977735
    Abstract: An image forming system is provided which significantly improves the operability in setting functions relating to image formation in an individual destination device selecting mode or an automatic destination device selecting mode. The image forming system includes a plurality of image forming devices with a plurality of functions relating to the image formation, and is able to select an image forming device, to which an image inputted from one of the image forming devices is to be outputted, from the image forming devices. The image forming devices designate either one of the automatic destination device selecting mode and the individual destination device selecting mode from inputting operation through an operating part, and acquires function information representing a plurality of functions relating to the image formation from the image forming devices by means of a CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Ookuma
  • Patent number: 6977737
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for controlling printing performance. In one arrangement, the system and method concern receiving identification of a desired printing performance, automatically determining which of several different printing parameters of the printing device to adjust to provide the desired printing performance, and adjusting the printing parameters of the printing device as necessary to provide the desired printing performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Perry Lea
  • Patent number: 6975412
    Abstract: A font synchronization system ensures that fonts which are specified in the creation of a document are the same as those that are employed in the subsequent handling and printing of the document. Each font that is utilized within a document, or available in a printing system, is characterized by a font reference that unambiguously identifies significant features of the font. Font references associated with a document are compared with those available on a computer resource, to see if two fonts are the same in all significant respects. If the fonts are not the same, the comparison process identifies the areas of difference between them, so that a determination can be made whether such differences are critical to the appearance of the document. A number of font references are encapsulated within a font profile, to identify the fonts that are available for use within a particular environment, such as a service bureau.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew M. Daniels, David Opstad, Deborah Goldsmith
  • Patent number: 6975419
    Abstract: A printing system and method are provided that facilitate the mobile printing of a document. The printing system comprises an automated print agent located in a device coupled to a network. The printing system also comprises a network alias associated with a printer coupled to the network, where the automated print agent acting as a network destination for a transmitted document addressed to the network alias. The automated print agent orchestrates the printing of the transmitted document on the printer upon receipt of the transmitted document from a transmitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David Staas, Jeff M. Anderson, Sherri L. Brown, Jeremy Bunn, David M. Hall, David J Miller, Karen E. Misustin, Lainye Reich, Daniel Revel
  • Patent number: 6975415
    Abstract: There is provided a printing system having a data processing apparatus on which printer driver software capable of setting various kinds of print conditions is installed, and a printer for performing a printing operation based on print job data transmitted from the data processing apparatus. In the printing system, the data processing apparatus comprises: acquiring means for acquiring information on the state of the printer; and information reflecting means for prohibiting or permitting setting of the print conditions relative to the information on the printer driver software based on the information acquired by the acquiring means. The information on the state of the printer is information on the remaining amount of consumable item loaded in the printer or an optional device connected to the printer, information on the size of a recording medium loaded in the printer, or information as to whether or not the optional device is connected to the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi Yamade
  • Patent number: 6967736
    Abstract: Mediating access to production devices. A method embodying the invention includes acquiring an access request for a production device and then retrieving an interface for the production device, the interface having user accessible controls for selecting production options for a document. Production options selected through the interface along with instructions for accessing the document are returned to the production device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shell Sterling Simpson, Garth Frederick Schmeling, Kenneth Lee Oakeson
  • Patent number: 6965439
    Abstract: A printer for printing a second interface onto a second surface, in response to first indicating data received from a sensing device in the form of a stylus. The first indicating data is sensed by the stylus from first coded data. A first interface is disposed on a first surface, and includes the first coded data. The printer includes an input module and a printing module. The input module is configured to receive the first indicating data from the stylus, the first indicating data being at least partially indicative of response data. The input module generates second indicating data based on the first indicating data, the second indicating data being at least partially indicative of the response data. The second indicating data is sent to a computer system. The printing module includes a printing mechanism configured to receive the response data from the computer system. The second interface is based at least partially on the response data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research PTY LTD
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun