Patents Examined by Benjamin O. Dulaney
  • Patent number: 9154603
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a recognition unit configured to recognize a function included in a communication partner and a determination unit configured to determine processing, which the communication partner performs on transmission data, according to the recognized function and a type of the transmission data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidetada Nago
  • Patent number: 9134937
    Abstract: A system for secure printing is disclosed herein. An example of the system includes a client that initiates a print request, creates an identifier, transmits the print request and identifier, and renders print data. The system also includes a cloud-connected printer and a server to which the cloud-connected printer is coupled that receives the transmitted print request and identifier, verifies the availability of the cloud-connected printer, transfers the identifier to the available cloud-connected printer, and establishes a secure connection between the available cloud connected printer and the client. Other details of the system are disclosed herein, as are other examples of the system. Examples of a method for secure printing and a non-volatile storage medium are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Prashant Asthana
  • Patent number: 9111209
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reception part that receives, from a request part connected via a network, a power supply stop request that designates at least one of a plurality of power supply stop modes for stopping power supply in the image forming apparatus; a selection part that selects, when stopping the power supply in the image forming apparatus is not allowed in the designated power supply stop mode, power supply stop modes from the plurality of power supply stop modes in each of which stopping the power supply in the image forming apparatus is allowed; and a notification part that notifies the request part of the power supply stop mode selected by the selection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohsuke Utoh, Takashi Soyama, Yuji Ikeda, Genki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9092167
    Abstract: One example discloses a network system for managing a print job. The network system can comprise a printing system. The printing system can comprise a memory for storing computer executable instructions and a processing unit for accessing the memory and executing the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions can comprise a printer server to generate a print job for a printer based on a received print email message. The print job can be generated based on an email decoration in the print email message. The email decoration can include a request specifying printing parameters for the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter G. Hwang, William E. Hertling, Saara Eeva Helena Kamppari, Matthew Ryan Bonner, David Berfanger
  • Patent number: 9088677
    Abstract: A communication connection is established with respect to a computer so as to operate as a single-function printer when a connection with the computer is detected in a state where a communication connection with a scanner is not established, and the communication connection is established with respect to the computer so as to operate as a multi-function printer when the connection with the computer is detected in a state where the communication connection with the scanner is established. When a connection with the scanner is detected in a state where the communication connection is established with respect to the computer as the single-function printer, then in a case where the user gives permission, a temporary restart takes place and the communication connection is reestablished as the multi-function printer, and in a case where the user does not give permission, the communication connection with the computer is maintained without alteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Hata
  • Patent number: 9069556
    Abstract: A processing control apparatus includes a processor, a setting unit, and a delay unit. The processor operates by using power supplied from a main power supply, and executes a process on the basis of received information. The setting unit restricts power supply from the main power supply to the processor, and sets a restricted period in which a process is prohibited from being executed in the processor. In the case where a specific process which is being executed when the restricted period is to start will be completed within a predetermined allowed time period, the delay unit delays the time when the restricted period is start at least until the specific process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuri Takeuchi, Kazuhiko Narushima, Koichi Azuma, Kenji Kuroishi, Masafumi Ono, Motofumi Baba, Tsutomu Nakaminato, Keiko Shiraishi, Hidenori Horie
  • Patent number: 9065958
    Abstract: An image processing device is configured to provide a service relating to at least one of (1) the image data generated by the function of the image processing device and (2) image data representing the image to be formed, in response to a request from the image processing device. The image processing device may include a parameter designating unit, a service request unit, and a function implementation unit that is adapted to implement the function of the image processing device based on the service providing parameter designated by the parameter designating unit. The service providing device is provided with a service provision executing unit that is adapted to execute a process to provide the service to the image processing device after receiving the request from the service request unit provided to the image processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuma Aoki, Satoru Yanagi, Masatoshi Kokubo, Makoto Matsuda, Kiyotaka Ohara, Masafumi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 9036191
    Abstract: A printing system includes a first unit, a second unit, a third unit, and a display. The first unit stores start and end time of a printed job. The second unit stores start time of an in-progress print job and stores predicted end time calculated from attributes of the in-progress print job. The third unit stores predicted start and end time calculated from attributes of a ready-for-print job. The display indicates a mark representing current time, indicates a figure along a time axis on one side of the mark, representing an existence of the printed job from the start to end time, indicates a figure crossing the mark, representing an existence of the in-progress print job from the start to predicted end time, and indicates a figure on the other side of the mark, representing an existence of the ready-for-print job from the predicted start to end time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Kikumoto
  • Patent number: 9036176
    Abstract: An MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) receives, from a remote terminal, information on a first operation to request the MFP to execute processing. The MFP transmits, to the remote terminal, information on a screen in accordance with the information on the first operation, and receives, from the remote terminal, a report that a screen in accordance with the transmitted information is displayed on the remote terminal. The MFP receives, from the remote terminal, information on a second operation to request the MFP to execute processing, after receipt of the information on the first operation and before receipt of the report, and decides whether to execute or cancel the processing in accordance with the information on the second operation, depending on the type of the information on the second operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwamoto, Kenichi Sawada, Takatsugu Kuno, Koichi Amiya, Yusaku Tanaka, Hiroshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 9030706
    Abstract: Various kinds of value can be easily added to print data output from an existing application without modifying the existing application program. A value-adding method executes a process of adding value to print data output from an application on a computer that has one or more communication ports and executes a specific process by means of an application, and includes a data acquisition step of acquiring the print data at the operating system kernel layer before the print data is received at the communication port, and a data processing step that applies at the application layer a process of adding and/or deleting print content in the print data based on previously registered information, and outputs the data after processing to the specified communication port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kodama, Hitoshi Oyama, Tadashi Furuhata, Akio Takamoto
  • Patent number: 9019534
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an authenticating section, a permitting section, and an input section. The authenticating section authenticates a user. The permitting section permits the user authenticated by the authenticating section to execute a new job using data associated with the user and stored concerning already-completed jobs. The input section enables the user to change at least one of conditions for execution of the new job with respect to the already-completed jobs permitted by the permitting section and input the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Koizumi
  • Patent number: 8988715
    Abstract: In a touch panel environment, it is difficult to notice when a printer driver displays a user interface and whether processing is waiting for an input from a user at the time of printing. When print setting information requiring that a printer driver displays a message dialogue for prompting a user's input at the time of printing is set, an information processing apparatus activates software operated in a desktop environment in a process different from print processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Tarumi
  • Patent number: 8976404
    Abstract: A printing apparatus having a printing engine, a first control unit, and a second control unit, in which a normal operation is performed by at least the printing engine and the first control unit, a first power saving operation is performed by at least the first control unit while the printing engine is stopped, and a second power saving operation is performed by only the second control unit, the printing apparatus including: a first storage unit of the first control unit that stores a setting value reflecting a setting change performed while the printing apparatus is operated and an operation value not reflecting the setting change performed while the printing apparatus is operated; a second storage unit of the second control unit that stores the setting value and the operation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8964204
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus which is capable of solving a problem that printing cannot be performed due to a shortage of a storage area for image data after rendering of a secure print job, and reducing a wait time from authentication to start of printing. A first storage unit performs rendering on a received secure print job, and stores image data in a storage area. A first transition unit makes the secure print job transit to waiting-for-authentication state. A first suspending unit suspends rendering when a stored image data amount reaches a full capacity during rendering in the waiting-for-authentication state. A second transition unit makes the secure print job transit to a successfully-authenticated state. A second storage unit performs printing on the stored image data, erases the printed image data, starts rendering on a subsequent page, and stores image data obtained by converting the subsequent page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taku Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8953189
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying print jobs to prevent confidential data loss is described. In one embodiment, the method for verifying print jobs using one or more processors to prevent confidential data loss from memory comprises processing a print job information associated with a document, comparing the plurality job information with a policy for identifying confidential data to produce a comparison result and communicating instructions to print at least one portion of the document based on the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Mukund S. Agrawal, Karan Khanna
  • Patent number: 8917406
    Abstract: As provided with a first reading section and a second reading section for reading both surfaces of a document, an image reading apparatus respectively calculates gamma correction values in gamma correcting sections and correction factors in color correcting sections, and corrects colors of criteria images being read by the first reading section and the second reading section in accordance with sample data stored on a storing section in order to substantially match the colors of both criteria images. In addition, the image reading apparatus utilizes an distinctive color range common for the both surfaces which defines a color about a distinguishing pattern, in order to determine whether images of both surfaces contain the distinguishing pattern or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nakai, Koichi Sumida
  • Patent number: 8917408
    Abstract: A system and method are provided to implement an automated scheme by which a vendor can advantageously employ remotely-monitored information on a status of non-managed office devices, gathered as part of the vendor's customer support effort regarding the office devices that the vendor manages for a customer organization under a managed service agreement or the like, to the benefit of the customer organization and the vendor. The vendor remotely monitors a status of non-managed office devices, including a status of consumables in the non-managed devices, at a customer organization's site, and upon being made aware of a change in status on one of the non-managed devices, including pending exhaustion of one or more consumables on a non-managed device, immediately offers assistance in correcting a problem with the non-managed device to include replenishment service of the nearly-exhausted consumable in the non-managed device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence J Bovenzi
  • Patent number: 8913274
    Abstract: An image processing system includes: an image processing apparatus; a relay apparatus; and a service providing apparatus, which are connected to a network. The image processing apparatus includes: an electronic-file storage unit; an address-get-request transmitting unit; an upload-message generating unit which, upon receiving an upload destination address and a template for an upload message for performing an upload request to the service providing apparatus from the relay apparatus after a request for getting the upload destination address is transmitted to the relay apparatus by the account-information-request transmitting unit, generates the upload message including an electronic file and the upload destination address according to the received template; and an upload-message transmitting unit that transmits the upload message to the service providing apparatus to upload the electronic file to the service providing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Watanabe, Katsuaki Ito, Yusuke Shimada, Masafumi Miyazawa, Takeshi Nagasaki
  • Patent number: 8908221
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus, comprising a port for connecting to external apparatus; a first memory for storing label data defining at least one label; and a second memory comprising program information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Sanford, L.P.
    Inventors: Vladimir Buzuev, Jimmy Dullaert
  • Patent number: 8885183
    Abstract: An image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air cleaner for cleaning air, an image forming apparatus that is settable to a mode for economizing power, and a control unit that causes a display unit of the air cleaner to display an operating state of the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus is set to the mode for economizing power. An image forming system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus that prints an image on recording paper, an air cleaner that is for cleaning air, and is integrally attached to the image forming apparatus via a support member, and supported above the image forming apparatus by the support member, and a control unit that causes a display unit of the air cleaner to display an operating state of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhji Fujii, Kouji Miyake, Takateru Yamamoto, Takeshi Nakamura