Patents Examined by Christopher D Wait
  • Patent number: 10044905
    Abstract: An disclosed image processing apparatus reproduces an input pixel expressed by a gray level through a printing process performed on a plurality of segmented regions of the input pixel, based on an output pattern. The image processing apparatus includes: a duplicator configured to duplicate the input pixel into at least two pixels; a storage configured to store a plurality of tables, each of the plurality of tables associating the gray level and an output pattern of one of the duplicated pixels, such that a plurality of output patterns exist with respect to each gray level; and a controller configured to control a plurality of output regions, based on the output pattern corresponding to the gray level of the input pixel in accordance with a table selected for each of the duplicated pixels, the plurality of output regions corresponding to the plurality of segmented regions of each of the duplicated pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Masahiko Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10044909
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus specifies j number of input-side profiles from among J number of input-side profiles in a target file which has K number of sets of object data defining color in a specific color space. The J number of input-side profiles are for converting a value in the specific color space to a value in a first color space. A conversion table is generated using one of the j number of input-side profiles and an output-side profile, and for converting a value in the specific color space to a value in the second color space without generating a value in the first color space. The output-side profile is for converting a value in the first color space to a value in the second color space. The apparatus converts k number of sets of object data correlated to one of the j number of input-side profiles using the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhide Sawada
  • Patent number: 10037181
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming job created and transmitted by an job creation unit including an image to be printed, a receiving unit that receives a request of print setting to the image, a display unit that displays a setting screen having a setting unit to designate a setting of rewritable print or permanent print per page in response to receive the request of print setting, a memory unit that stores the setting of rewritable print or permanent print per page set by operating the setting screen, in addition to the image as the image forming job, and an image forming unit that receives the image forming job from the job creation unit and forms images on a sheet based on the setting in the image forming job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hibino, Kengo Yaoi
  • Patent number: 10038823
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image area determining unit and an image processing unit. The image area determining unit is configured to determine a character edge area and a character inside area in an input image. The image processing unit is configured to be capable of performing (a) an inward expansion process for a pixel belonging to the image inside area, the character expansion process performed inwardly from the character edge area and (b) an outward expansion process for a pixel belonging to the character edge area, the outward expansion process performed outwardly from the character inside area. Further, the image processing unit selects the inward expansion process and/or the outward expansion process in accordance with an average brightness value of pixels belonging to the character inside area, and performs the selected the inward expansion process and/or the outward expansion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideya Muramoto
  • Patent number: 10038820
    Abstract: Sharpness of image data in a low-frequency component, which is deceased by an image forming apparatus, is recovered and the recovered image data is converted into halftone image data. Halftone processing includes calculating edge intensity in a local region, dividing the local region into a first pixel group and a second pixel group based on a pixel value of each pixel, determining a distribution order of dots based on a pixel value of each pixel, a threshold value, and the edge intensity such that dots are likely to be distributed to the first pixel group and dots are unlikely to be distributed to the second pixel group, and determining an output value for each pixel in the local region by distributing dots to some pixels included in the local region as much as a number of dots to be output to the local region while referring to the distribution order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Dobashi, Shoei Moribe, Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10025221
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a correction unit configured to correct a tone of each pixel in first image data in accordance with an image height on a photosensitive member, and output second image data; a halftone processing unit configured to determine exposed regions of pixels in an image by applying halftone processing to the second image data; and a scanning unit configured to form a latent image by scanning the photosensitive member with light that changes in scanning speed in accordance with an image height based on the exposed regions of the pixels. The scanning unit is further configured to perform partial exposure with respect to the pixels based on the exposed regions of the pixels, the partial exposure exposing partial regions of the pixels to light unlike entire exposure that exposes entire regions of the pixels to light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Iida, Yusuke Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10027851
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first selection unit configured to select an adjustment color, a print control unit configured to cause a printer to print a chart including a patch corresponding to the adjustment color selected and patches corresponding to respective neighboring colors of the adjustment color, a second selection unit configured to select a target color from the colors corresponding to the respective patches on the chart, a generation unit configured to generate a color conversion table to the used for converting a color to be printed by the printer, by using the adjustment color selected and the target color selected, and a determination unit configured to determine an arrangement of the patches to be included in the chart to be printed by the printer, based on a color value of the adjustment color selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masato Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10009510
    Abstract: A scanner is disclosed. The scanner has a background pattern that is captured as part of the scanned image. The scanner may be a flatbed scanner, a sheet-feed scanner, or a flatbed scanner using an automatic document feeder (ADF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Di-Yuan Tzeng, Dennis J Schissler, Craig T Johnson, Patrick J Chase
  • Patent number: 10009517
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems automatically generate electronic images of the printed appearance of a multi-color image using first print processing to generate a first sample image, and using second print processing to generate a second sample image. Pixels in the first sample image and the second sample image are compared to a color standard to generate a first error value and a second error value. The first error value is compared to the second error value for each pixel to produce an error value reduction associated with the second print processing for each pixel of the multi-color image. The error value reduction for each pixel of the multi-color image is compared to a threshold to identify benefited pixels. The benefited pixels can be displayed on a contrasting background, and/or the electronic image can be automatically printed using the second print processing if the benefited pixels exceed a minimum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory S. Widener, Michael R. Campanelli, Timothy D. Uetz
  • Patent number: 9965708
    Abstract: A look-up table generating method generates a look-up table by synthesizing at least first and second look-up tables to indicate first and second output characteristics for first and second region. The first output characteristic includes an output characteristic in which a first color difference between color values of the first and second color materials under a first observation light source is within a first range for all of the first region, and a second color difference between color values of the first and second color materials under a second observation light source is outside a second range for at least part of the first region. The second output characteristic includes an output characteristic in which the first color difference is outside the first range for at least part of the second region, and the second color difference is within the second range for all of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshio Okumura
  • Patent number: 9967429
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a halftone processing unit configured to generate halftone image data represented by a halftone dot corresponding to a density value by performing halftone processing using a dither matrix for input image data; a phase change processing unit configured to correct a deviation of a laser beam scan line that is used in forming an image in accordance with the input image data on a printing medium by performing phase change processing to shift the phase of a pixel in the halftone image data in a sub scanning direction; and a pseudo high-resolution processing unit configured to convert the halftone image data after the phase change processing into halftone image data with a lower resolution by performing pseudo high-resolution processing, and in the dither matrix, threshold values are arranged so that the number of pixels in the sub scanning direction, which make up the halftone dot, is always even.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Nakano
  • Patent number: 9958804
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an identifying unit configured to identify on basis of image data, a pixel to be corrected from a plurality of pixels of an image to be formed from the image data, a holding unit configured to hold a plurality of correction information pieces describing correction amounts for exposure amounts, and a correcting unit configured to select a correction information piece from the plurality of correction information pieces on basis of distances between one of the pixels to be corrected and a plurality of edges of the image formed from the image data and to correct an exposure amount to be applied by an exposing unit to the pixel to be corrected on basis of the selected correction information piece from an exposure amount corresponding to the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuu Matsuda, Go Araki
  • Patent number: 9958803
    Abstract: In a case where another first region exists which faces the edge pixel across a second region on a line in a predetermined direction passing through the edge pixel of the first region, the correcting unit selects a correction amount for correcting the exposure amount applied by the exposing unit for the pixel to be corrected from information describing a plurality of correction amounts in accordance with a first number of pixels being a number of pixels on the line within the second region between the first region and the other first region and corrects the exposure amount for the pixel to be corrected in accordance with the selected correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Go Araki
  • Patent number: 9961217
    Abstract: An instruction position specifying unit which specifies a position of an indicator, a target detecting unit which detects a mark of a medium, an instruction reception unit which receives an instruction corresponding to a position which is indicated by a user using the indicator based on the detected mark, and a processing unit which performs a process corresponding to the received instruction are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masayoshi Shimada
  • Patent number: 9955045
    Abstract: A reading apparatus configured to read a plurality of colorimetric patches in different colors formed on a paper sheet and trigger patches formed so as to correspond to the colorimetric patches includes: a colorimeter configured to read the colorimetric patches; a trigger sensor configured to read the trigger patches; and a controller configured to control a reading region, wherein the controller has a colorimetry region determination mode in which the reading region is determined and a colorimetry adjustment mode in which the reading region is controlled, and in the colorimetry region determination mode, after the reading regions are set to states where the reading regions are gradually shifted in a reading direction, the reading results for the colorimetric patches are collected and thereafter, a region for which a state consistent with a characteristic of the colorimetric patch has been obtained as the reading result is determined as the reading region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Katsunori Takahashi, Takashi Nara, Takahiro Yokoya, Tatsuhiro Noutomi
  • Patent number: 9948831
    Abstract: A color gamut cross-section acquiring method for acquiring a cross-section of a color gamut of an image forming apparatus taken on a specific plane includes: acquiring color gamut boundary line segments; acquiring intersection points between the color gamut boundary line segments and the specific plane; acquiring a shortest possible route passing through each of the intersection points exactly once; acquiring each of line segments making up the route as a provisional cross-section boundary line segment; acquiring a set of verification line segments by connecting intersection points between the color gamut boundary line segments and a plane intersecting with the provisional cross-section boundary line segment at a point other than the endpoints of the provisional cross-section boundary line segment; and acquiring the provisional cross-section boundary line segment as a cross-section boundary line segment if the provisional cross-section boundary line segment intersects with the set of verification line segment
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 9942445
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires, from image data acquired in such a manner that a chart formed by an image forming unit is read, a line signal value from pixel values of pixels for a line arranged in a first direction of the chart and a line representative value by using line signal values respectively acquired from a plurality of lines adjacent to each other in a second direction different from the first direction of the chart, and a determination unit that determines a portion where a streak is generated in the second direction by using a difference between a first representative value and a second representative value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 9936104
    Abstract: Certain methods and systems are described to provide color modelling. This color modelling applies to halftone images. In one example, a correction parameter for a color model is determined by minimizing a distance metric between a set of estimated spectral reflectance values and a set of measured spectral reflectance values to generate a multi-dimensional correction parameter. This enables a color model to be used to map at least one Neugebauer Primary area coverage value to at least one spectral reflectance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter Morovic, Jan Morovic, Xavier Farina Vargas, Juan Manuel Garcia Reyero ViƱas
  • Patent number: 9930219
    Abstract: The profile creation method creates a color conversion profile for a printer by causing the printer to output a color chart including patch images having colors corresponding to combinations of values of a plurality of basic colors. The method includes extracting a pair of grid points adjacent to each other from among grid points of a lookup table indicating a correspondence relationship between the values of the colors of the patch images and colorimetric values of the patch images, and performing an interpolation process according to a degree of color variation in two patch images corresponding to the pair of grid points obtained from data of colorimetric values accumulated regarding the two patch images to obtain a grid point for interpolation between the pair of grid points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Sachiko Hirano
  • Patent number: 9906690
    Abstract: A standard printer characterization target is printed with a reference printer and measured. From the measured data, a model is derived that describes for each ink the behavior of each individual ink in combination with different combinations of the other inks. In order to reduce the complexity for obtaining a printer model of a second printer, a second target is printed that includes only a subset of the color patches in the standard printer characterization target. With the model and interpolation, it is possible to reconstruct colorimetric data for missing color patches in the reduced target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AGFA NV
    Inventors: Koen Vande Velde, Marc Mahy