Patents Examined by Eric A Rust
  • Patent number: 10963199
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a server, and an audio device including an audio inputter. The server includes a text converter, a specific-word extractor, a job-specific-information manager, a storage, and a job setter. The text converter converts audio data input from the audio inputter to text information. The specific-word extractor extracts a specific word from the text information. The job-specific-information manager specifies a job corresponding to the specific word. The storage stores job specific information. The job setter sets the specified job as a job to be executed. The image forming apparatus includes a job executor that executes a job set in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 10936256
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores a communication processing program. When the program is read, a computer of a label producing apparatus executes a reception start step, machine determination step and a transmission start step. In the reception start step, reception of second state information and second performance/attribute information are started. In the machine determination step, it is determined whether any other label producing apparatus superior with respect to a label producing condition is present or not. In the transmission start step, in the case that any other label producing apparatus superior is present, broadcast transmission of the first state information and the first performance/attribute information is disabled. In the case that no other label producing apparatus superior is present, the broadcast transmission is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoki Miyashita
  • Patent number: 10911613
    Abstract: When a plurality of types of IP addresses is enabled in an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus selects an Internet Protocol (IP) address to be written to a near field communication (NFC) tag. Then, the information processing apparatus generates tag information based on the selected IP address, and writes the generated tag information to the NFC tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hironobu Nakai
  • Patent number: 10911607
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus includes a first acquiring unit that acquires sound information, a second acquiring unit that acquires operation information indicating a component in operation among a plurality of components of an analysis target apparatus, and a display unit that, when the acquired sound information is reproduced, displays operating states of the plurality of components at the time point when the reproduced sound is acquired, using the operation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Miyamori, Tsutomu Udaka, Fumihiko Ogasawara, Katsuyuki Kouno, Atsushi Ito, Tomoyuki Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 10908852
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for information processing device contains instructions configuring a first module and a second module. The first module causes the controller to receive a print instruction, instruct the controller executing the second module to generate a print job in response to print instruction and generation of a plurality of job pages, generate page print data for each page, and deliver data indicating the page print data to the controller executing the second module for each of the job pages. The second module causes the controller to generate the print job in response to the instruction, generate a plurality of job pages for the print job, obtain the page print data for each of the job pages, and output first instruction data including the page print data and a printing command when the page print data is obtained for each of the job pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 10896359
    Abstract: An information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus, and a second information processing apparatus. The second information processing apparatus periodically acquires information from the first information processing apparatus, and stops periodically acquiring information if there is a factor for shifting a power state of the first information processing apparatus into a power saving state. The second information processing apparatus transmits information to the first information processing apparatus in a case where periodically acquiring information from the first information processing apparatus is stopped. The first information processing apparatus shifts into the second power state if the information is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junichi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 10885409
    Abstract: In processing using a print data processing apparatus that parallelly interprets pages of print data, in the case where a command to reset the number of already interpreted pages is included in the print data, a certain page to be printed is not printed. In the case of detecting a command to invalidate contents interpreted hitherto, an interpreter stores the number of already interpreted pages at the time in point of the detection of the invalidation command in a cache. Then, the interpreter generates intermediate data in the case where the sum of the cached value and the number of already interpreted pages managed by the interpreter coincides with a processing-target page number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Takenaka
  • Patent number: 10866772
    Abstract: A test chart is obtained by printing a test chart image using an image forming apparatus for skew measurement of the image forming apparatus. The test chart includes a first scale image that includes a scale along a secondary scanning direction and a second scale image that includes a scale along the secondary scanning direction. The first and second scale images are arranged along a primary scanning direction. When a top-end part of the test chart is folded back, a top end of the test chart indicates different values from each other on the first and second scale images in accordance with a skew angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Takenori Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10860268
    Abstract: Methods and systems for printing and cutting are described. Methods include generating an output image by placing a plurality of input images into an output image, identifying white space in one of the plurality of input images, determining the largest one of remaining ones of the plurality of input images that will fit the white space having been identified, locating the largest one of the remaining ones of the plurality of input images having been determined in the white space, and generating the output image comprising one of the plurality of input images and the largest one of the remaining ones of the plurality of input images having been positioned in the white space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Ver Paloma Dabon, Neil-Paul Payoyo Bermundo
  • Patent number: 10853002
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an operation processor with which a user performs a predetermined input operation, a print information acquirer that acquires print information, a blank area detector that detects a blank area in the acquired print information, a keyword acquirer that acquires a predetermined number of keywords from text information included in the acquired print information, a related candidate information acquirer that acquires related candidate information related to the acquired keywords from a search range preset in predetermined search range information, a related information combiner that generates a combined image in which related information selected using the operation processor from the acquired related candidate information is combined with the blank area of the acquired print information, and a combined image printing processor that prints the generated combined image on a predetermined printing sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Michiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10834282
    Abstract: Provided is an image reading apparatus configured to avoid unnecessarily performing shading correction processing. The image reading apparatus detects whether or not an original is placed on an original tray when detecting an open state of an ADF and then detecting a closed state thereof. In a case where the original is placed on the original tray, the image reading apparatus performs shading correction for flow reading, and in a case where no original is placed on the original tray, the image reading apparatus performs shading correction for platen cover reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Ooki
  • Patent number: 10831419
    Abstract: A system of printing devices installs an upgrade version of firmware for the devices on a limited number of devices before doing a total installation. The number of the limited devices for analyzing the upgrade firmware is determined based on the failure rate of the devices. A ratio of failure is determined that is scaled by a factor to obtain the number of test devices. An analytical time interval also is determined to test the upgrade firmware on the limited number of devices. The failure rate within the limited number of devices is monitored to determine whether to upgrade all of the applicable devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Y. Zakharov
  • Patent number: 10819873
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of suppressing degradation of the image quality of output image data, caused by electrostatic noise, without increasing a circuit scale. The image processing apparatus transmits image data obtained by reading an original, in synchronism with a synchronization signal. Noise in the synchronization signal is detected and eliminated. An image is printed using the image data. The number of times of detection of the noise is counted, and a notification indicative of the number of times of detection of the noise is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasutomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10798269
    Abstract: A communication system including an image processing apparatus configured to, in response to receiving acquisition instruction information from a server via indirect communication, receive authentication information from an information processing terminal device via near-field wireless communication, transmit the received authentication information to the server via the indirect communication, and in response to receiving communication instruction information, which indicates a method for data communication with a service providing apparatus, from the server via the indirect communication, perform data communication with the service providing apparatus in accordance with the received communication instruction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Ishibashi, Tatsuhiko Sone, Ken Saito
  • Patent number: 10768878
    Abstract: A method includes receiving from a server, by one or more processors, account information associated with a device. The account information specifies an identifier and an amount of credit in an account associated with the device, where the identifier uniquely identifies the device. The method also includes initiating a wireless connection with the device, and authenticating the device based at least in part on the identifier. The method includes receiving a document to print, printing the document, and modifying the amount of credit in the account to create an updated credit amount. The method also includes receiving an additional document for printing, translating the additional document to a format that the printer is capable of printing. The method includes printing the additional document and modifying the updated credit amount. In the method, the device lacks a printer driver associated with the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Chetan P. Somaiah, Arockiaraj Durairaj
  • Patent number: 10750056
    Abstract: A color chart for color selection to select a color patch of the closest color to a target color from among a plurality of the color patches, in which the color patch that represents colors of either an adjustment target color or a reference color that substitutes the adjustment target color is a target patch, a direction that represents a direction in which a color is to be adjusted from the target patch in the color chart for color selection is an adjustment direction, and the adjustment direction from the target patch is wider than the direction counter to the adjustment direction from the target patch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10735603
    Abstract: When a near field communication (NFC) function is set to be enabled, an information processing apparatus starts, upon startup, an operation in a direct wireless communication mode. When the NFC function is set to be disabled, the information processing apparatus starts an operation in the direct wireless communication mode in response to an external operation instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Okazawa, Masamichi Tanji
  • Patent number: 10725715
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a storing unit configured to store a plurality of pieces of screen information, each corresponding to a type of an external device that is capable of accessing the apparatus, a transmitting unit configured to transmit the screen information to the external device, a receiving unit configured to receive an instruction request that is based on the screen information displayed in the external device, and an executing unit configured to execute processing in response to the instruction request received by the receiving unit. The screen information includes a common section that is common among the plurality of pieces of screen information regardless of the type of the external device and a difference section that differs among the plurality of pieces of screen information depending on the type of the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Masumoto
  • Patent number: 10721364
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes a tester and an image storage processor. The tester inspects image data for an abnormality and, in a case where the tester detected an abnormality, further detects a kind of the abnormality. The image data is generated by reading a surface of a sheet on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus. The image storage processor determines a compression condition depending on whether or not the tester detected an abnormality and depending on the kind of the abnormality, performs compression processing of the image data under the compression condition, and generates data to be stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Daisuke Genda
  • Patent number: 10715685
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of this invention, there is provided a method in which even if, in an environment where an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus are connected by USB, communication from the information processing apparatus is terminated midway, processing on the image processing apparatus side is terminated. In this method, an HTTP communication module transmits, to the image processing apparatus, request information including information for identifying communication with the image processing apparatus. If response information, from the image processing apparatus, corresponding to the request information does not match the transmitted request information, the HTTP communication module transmits an instruction to operate the image processing apparatus in a status in which it is possible to transmit the response information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kan Kitagawa