Patents Examined by Eric A Rust
  • Patent number: 11954384
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores computer-readable instructions for a terminal device including a processor. The computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the terminal device to perform: generating a plurality of sets of label data for creating a plurality of print labels, each set of label data including print data and attribute specification information; acquiring a plurality of sets of medium type information for a plurality of printing devices, each set of medium type information indicating a type of a printing medium mounted in the corresponding printing device; determining a plurality of output destinations for the plurality of sets of print data from among the plurality of printing devices on the basis of the plurality of sets of label data and the plurality of sets of medium type information; and transmitting each of the plurality of sets of print data to the corresponding output destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Fukui, Ryuichi Kanda, Koichi Kondo, Hiromichi Nampo
  • Patent number: 11954390
    Abstract: A peer-to-peer network of printing devices is configured to share printing device information, such as job queue status, configuration information, and resource information for automated load balancing, capability matching, failover, and print splitting operations. A digital front end (DFE) of a printing device establishes connections with the DFEs of other printing devices to manage output within the peer-to-peer network in an automated manner. When a print job is received at a DFE for a printing device, it is evaluated to determine how to best manage the output for the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Javier A. Morales
  • Patent number: 11934723
    Abstract: A computer determines whether PDL data contained in a print job, which is obtained via a communication interface or an external interface, matches pre-conversion PDL data stored in a conversion rule in a non-volatile memory. When a type of converted PDL data associated with the pre-conversion PDL in the conversion rule matches a type of PDL data determined in a PJL converting process, PJL data that conversion is held is converted to the converted PDL data associated with the pre-conversion PJL data that matches the held PDL data in the conversion rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Itogawa
  • Patent number: 11882253
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a post-processor including a sheet detection circuit detecting a sheet inserted in a sheet insertion opening for manual stapling, a staple mechanism executing stapling processing on the sheet, and a drive circuit actuating the staple mechanism; a post-processing controller operating the drive circuit in response to detection of the sheet; a power circuit supplying power to the drive circuit and another circuit in the apparatus; and a power saving controller shutting off a power supply from the power circuit to the drive circuit and the other circuit and shifting from a normal mode to a power saving mode when a shifting condition is satisfied. Prior to shifting, the power saving controller checks the post-processing controller whether the stapling processing is currently executed, and, when the stapling processing is not currently executed, instructs prohibition of the stapling processing and shifts to the power saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Mukaiyama, Nobuyuki Ueda
  • Patent number: 11880617
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a memory and processing circuitry. The memory stores an identifier for identifying a defective page and an identifier for identifying a print job that includes the defective page. The processing circuitry determines whether print job data is data of a print job to be reprinted and determines whether a page included in a conveyance medium conveyed is a defective page, based on the identifier for identifying the defective page. The processing circuitry also performs control to eject a first conveyance medium including a page not determined to be defective to a first ejection destination, eject a second conveyance medium including a defective page to a second ejection destination, print an image of the defective page on a third conveyance medium, and eject the third conveyance medium on which the image is printed to the first ejection destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 11863721
    Abstract: A control device includes a first control unit, including a first controller, to operate in a first operation mode and be powered off in a second operation mode in which a power consumption is lower than in the first operation mode; a second control unit, including a second controller, to operate in the first operation mode and the second operation mode; and a power supply controller to control power supply to the first control unit and the second control unit. The second control unit includes a communication interface to perform communication with the first control unit and stop operating in the second operation mode, an abnormality detector to detect an abnormality of the second controller, and a system controller to cause the communication interface to start an operation and the power supply controller to activate the first control unit, based on detection of the abnormality in the second operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hayato Fujita
  • Patent number: 11847366
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses methods and systems for reserving a tray for a user for special media printing. The method includes receiving one or more special media sheets as loaded by the user in the tray. Based on the loaded special media sheets, a tray ID of the tray is automatically identified. A user interface is provided to the user to input loaded media details such as media size, type, and color. Then, it is checked with the user whether to reserve the identified tray for the user for special media printing. Based on the check, a user interface is further provided to the user to input a user ID. Finally, the identified tray is automatically reserved for the user using the user ID and the tray ID, for printing a document later received from the user on the one or more special media sheets as loaded in the identified/reserved tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Purushothaman Jayakumar, Ponnovian Parthasarathy, Duraimurugan Krishnasamy, Nisha Mohan
  • Patent number: 11836400
    Abstract: A control method of a distribution apparatus for distributing print medium data includes specifying a first printing apparatus to be a distribution destination of first print medium data, specifying a second printing apparatus to be a distribution destination of second print medium data, executing a setting related to a distribution time, and executing a conversion process, in which second print medium data is generated by converting at least a part of first print medium data based on information related to the specified second printing apparatus, at a time based on the executed setting related to the distribution time. The first print medium data is distributed to the specified first printing apparatus based on the executed setting related to the distribution time and the second print medium data is distributed to the specified second printing apparatus based on the executed setting related to the distribution time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11829663
    Abstract: A method and system for providing series of serialized unique information on a substrate together with product related information. The method includes: printing a first product relevant information on the substrate using a first set of printer device; storing said first product relevant information a data storage device; providing said series of serialized unique information from a source of serialized unique information, using a second set of printer device or marking device on the substrate; storing information about the serialized unique information to a data storage device; printing a second set of product related information on the substrate using a printer device; and analysing the printed serialized unique information and the first and the second set of product related information on the substrate when formed to a package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: DOVER EUROPE SÀRL
    Inventor: Roger Veenma
  • Patent number: 11792332
    Abstract: A production control apparatus is provided. The production control apparatus receives a print product production instruction, determines, in accordance with the production instruction, a production apparatus to be used for print product production, determines a first inspection item according to quality requirement data received together with the production instruction and a second inspection item according to the production apparatus respectively, and regarding the print product produced by using the production apparatus, inspects the determined first inspection item and the second inspection item respectively, and obtains an inspection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiko Iida, Yoshiji Kanamoto
  • Patent number: 11748050
    Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus including a message acquirer that acquires messages from a server that provides messages posted from a plurality of devices to each of the plurality of devices in a chronological order, a print data generator that generates print data, based on the acquired message, a message determiner that determines whether a print execution phrase is included in the acquired message, and a print data output controller that performs control to output the print data if it is determined that the print execution phrase is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sintarou Ogino
  • Patent number: 11726725
    Abstract: A printing device, which is communicable with an external device via a cable and performs printing by using first power supplied from an external power supply, includes a volatile storage section having a volatile storage region, a nonvolatile storage section having a nonvolatile storage region, a printing mechanism that performs the printing, a connector that is coupled to the cable and is used for both communication with the external device and supply of second power from the external device, a communication control section that controls communication with the external device via the cable, and a control section, in which, when the first power is not supplied from the external power supply and when the second power is supplied from the external device via the cable, the communication control section, the control section, the volatile storage section, and the nonvolatile storage section operate using the supplied second power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Takamoto
  • Patent number: 11711475
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a document tray in which a document is to be set, a medium container that contains a recording medium, a document detection sensor that detects a document set in the document tray, a medium detection sensor that detects a recording medium contained in the medium container. A hardware processor executes a copy operation of forming an image obtained by scanning a document set in the document tray on a recording medium, determines to automatically execute the copy operation in case an elapsed period of time between a document detection time when a document is detected by the document detection sensor and a medium detection time when a recording medium is detected by the medium detection sensor is equal to or smaller than a predetermined operation period of time, and automatically executes the copy operation based on determination of automatic execution of the copy operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Takahama, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11681484
    Abstract: A set of computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer in an information processing device, causes the information processing device to perform: a setting process; and in response to receiving a print instruction in which a cut print setting is set: a generation process; and a transmission process. The setting process sets the cut print setting for printing an image on a sheet and dividing the printed sheet at a center position thereof in a prescribed direction. The generation process acquires first and second page data representing respective ones of first and second target images to generate layout image data representing a layout image in which first and second images corresponding to respective ones of the first and second target images are arranged adjacent to each other in the prescribed direction. The transmission process transmits print data based on the layout image data and a cut command to a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yushi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11614908
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a nonvolatile semiconductor storage having a semiconductor area and configured to execute erasure processing based on information about a storage area in which unused data is stored in the semiconductor area in a case where the information is received, and a controller having one or more processors which execute instructions stored in one or more memories, the controller being configured to notify the semiconductor storage of the information, cause the semiconductor storage to stop the erasure processing by reception of a signal related to a job while the semiconductor storage is executing the erasure processing, and transmit a response signal for the signal related to the job to the semiconductor storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Yasuno, Shintaro Okamura
  • Patent number: 11604615
    Abstract: A communication system and a control method are provided, which are capable of suppressing wasteful transmission of notification information. To this end, in a case where predetermined information is not received despite that notification information has been transmitted, this problem is solved by providing an information processing apparatus having a control unit configured to perform control so that the notification information is not transmitted anew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keisuke Nagao
  • Patent number: 11599314
    Abstract: A control method implemented in an information processing apparatus by at least one processor that executes print control software, the control method includes registering, in a print control software, a print queue in which first identification information is set, determining whether a device in which the first identification information is set is present on a network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, in a case where the print queue in which the first identification information is set is registered in the print control software, and changing identification information of the print queue registered in the print control software from the first identification information to second identification information different from the first identification information, in a case where a device in which the first identification information is set is determined to be present on the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11541651
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to the decorating and printing of three-dimensional edible media on a printable base media based on a user selected image. A base can be determined to support and couple the printed 3D edible media based on the user selected image to the printable base media. Using a user interface, the user selected image can be modified and adapted to print based on a 3D printer's capabilities. Maneuvers of either a platform or a printhead of the 3D printer can be tracked for secondary treatments to either the printed 3D edible media or the printable base media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Decopac, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos A. Davila, Todd Brobst, Duane Wahlin, Elizabeth Glover, Douglas Boysen, John R. Anderson, Kent D. Whitten, Andy Schnoebelen
  • Patent number: 11483435
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. For example, the method executed by a processor of a multi-function device (MFD) includes tracking a machine state of the MFD, predicting a potential defect based on a determination that the machine state is associated with a defect class of a plurality of different defect classes, determining a maintenance routine associated with the defect class, and executing the maintenance routine to prevent the potential defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart A. Schweid, Martin L. Frachioni, David A. Vankouwenberg, David M. Gurak, Christopher Mieney
  • Patent number: 11474763
    Abstract: A supporting program according to aspects of the present disclosures can be executed by a CPU of a PC and corresponds to a printer connected to the PC. When the PC receives a print instruction to cause the printer to perform printing through a general-use printing program implemented in the OS of the PC, in advance, the supporting program causes the PC to output a preceding operation command to cause the printer to perform a preceding operation before starting printing. The printer performs a preceding operation corresponding to the preceding operation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Yamada