Patents Examined by Jeremiah A Bryar
  • Patent number: 8654356
    Abstract: Characterized by having a printer cover that is attached to a main unit and opens and closes; a contact member that contacts or separates from an installation surface according to the state of the printer relative to an installation surface on which the printer is placed; and a preventing member that does not prevent the opening or closing operation of the printer cover when the contact member contacts the installation surface, and prevents the opening or closing operation of the printer cover when the contact member separates from the installation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Maekawa, Masahiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 8649030
    Abstract: With an information processing apparatus configured such that an OS holds a print setting value of a printer, it is possible to change print settings to those that match the user's intention, when a printer to be used is changed. When the user has selected a printer to be used from a plurality of printers through a user interface provided by the OS, a printer driver among a plurality of printer drivers corresponding to the printer used after the change displays a user interface that displays a message to the effect that the printer has been changed. By this user interface, the user is allowed to select one of a plurality of presets held by the OS. After the selection, information of the selected preset is supplied to the OS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiko Tokuda
  • Patent number: 8643855
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a selection unit configured to select an image supply apparatus for supplying image data and an image forming apparatus for forming an image based on the image data, a specification setting unit configured to set image formation specifications for image formation in the image forming apparatus selected by the selection unit, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit identification information generated to identify the image formation specifications set in the specification setting unit to the image supply apparatus selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Ushiku
  • Patent number: 8643874
    Abstract: A method and system generate a workflow for the production of a three-dimensional document. A knowledge base contains production rules for several dimensional documents. The production rules relate to a plurality of jobs, i.e., units of work involved in the production of a dimensional document. The rules also identify human and/or mechanical resources required to complete each job. The system receives, from multiple service providers, capability information corresponding to each service provider's available resources. The capability information is associated with the production rules and stored in the knowledge base. When a user selects a dimensional document to be produced, the system selects appropriate production rules for the document, accesses the associated capability information, and automatically generates a workflow for the document. The system distributes various jobs in the workflow among at least two different service providers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Michael Goetz, Lee Coy Moore, Meera Sampath, Naveen Sharma
  • Patent number: 8630013
    Abstract: An apparatus allocates a value of page attribute to each page included in a job according to a job attribute set to the job in an intermediate code format that corresponds to data to be printed generated by an application. If a combining instruction is issued to combine a plurality of jobs whose specific job attributes in which only one attribute value can be allocated to one job are allocated different attribute values, the apparatus processes the intermediate code format data so that printing is performed according to the allocated page attribute values. The apparatus then generates a combined job and transmits the generated combined job as print data to the printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 8630003
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an accepting unit, an acquiring unit and a formation unit. The accepting unit accepts an image formation instruction and input of information for specifying image supply destinations. The acquiring unit acquires an image formation condition that is specified in advance for each image supply destination. The formation unit forms images based on the acquired image formation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mizuka Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8619276
    Abstract: An electronic document management device including: an electronic document storage unit that includes a plurality of boxes for storing electronic documents, each box being accessible to a user or a user group having an access right thereto, each of the plurality of boxes storing an electronic document that includes one or more constituent elements, each constituent element being attached with either disclosure-enabled information or disclosure-disabled information depending on a box storing the electronic document; and a modifying unit operable to modify, for each box, each constituent element that is attached with the disclosure-disabled information, so as not to be disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nishiguchi
  • Patent number: 8610941
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing printed material which is individualized with logistical printed image elements, wherein at least one printed image, particularly a static printed image, which is printed in a printing machine, is individualized by technically adding at least one dynamic logistical printed image element. According to the invention, data of the/each dynamic logistical printed image element is combined in such a way that the/each printed image and the/each logistical printed image element are automatically updated by comparing data between a data bank provided by a print job user and a data bank provided by a logistics provider prior to printing the printed material individualized with the/each logistical printed image element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: manroland sheetfed GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Schneider, Reinhard Baumann, Peer Dilling, Robert Weiss
  • Patent number: 8605347
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus which performs shading correction using black reference data, wherein in the process of obtaining the black reference data, the image reading apparatus includes a reading control section that outputs a shift pulse which is the start timing of charge accumulation corresponding to each RGB color and controls the process of lighting of the light source of a predetermined color for a predetermined period after a predetermined period having elapsed since the output of each shift pulse, and a data processing section that does not obtain the data output from the image sensor as the black reference data according to the shift pulse and obtains the data output from the image sensor as the black reference data during a period that at least overlaps with the lighting period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Junya Suga
  • Patent number: 8599421
    Abstract: A method of ordering print jobs in a print queue is provided. The method includes storing one set of print jobs in the print queue, and processing the one set of print jobs with a cell (having one or more print processing devices) and a first print job sequencing rule dictating a first print job sequence. Another set of print jobs is stored in the print queue, and processing of the other set of print jobs with both the cell and the first sequencing rule is simulated to obtain a first print job processing indicator. Additionally, processing of the other set of print jobs with both the cell and a second print job sequencing rule, dictating a second print job sequence, is simulated to obtain a second print job processing indicator. The first print job processing indicator is compared with the second print job processing indicator, and, based on the comparison, the other set of print jobs is processed with either the first print job sequencing rule or the second print job sequencing rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Sudhendu Rai
  • Patent number: 8599404
    Abstract: A network image processing system that includes a plurality of apparatuses connected to a network and performs jobs in a linkage process in which an upstream apparatus passes a workflow specifying a job to be completed, together with image data to be processed, to a downstream apparatus according to a procedure specified in the workflow. The downstream apparatus has a completion notification transmitting unit that when a predetermined job assigned to the downstream apparatus has been processed completely, transmits to the upstream apparatus a completion notification indicating that the predetermined job has been processed normally. The upstream apparatus has a linkage unit that if the completion notification is not received from the downstream apparatus, updates the workflow to specify, as a new downstream apparatus, another apparatus that can process the predetermined job, and continues to process the predetermined job in the linkage process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Minako Kobayashi, Hironobu Nakata, Masakazu Murakami, Kazumi Sawayanagi
  • Patent number: 8593707
    Abstract: Image data Rin, Gin, Bin are read out from an image on a document, on reception of light reflected by the image after being emitted from a first light source for irradiating the document with visible light. Image data RUV, GUV, BUV are read out from the image on the document, on reception of light reflected by the image after being emitted from a second light source for irradiating the document with ultraviolet light. A color correction process is performed by reading out color corrected imaged data from a color correction table which stores in advance color corrected image data, which are associated with a combination of (i) image data, which correspond to the image data Rin, Gin, Bin, and image data which correspond to the image data RUV, GUV, BUV. By this, it is possible that even in a case where an image on the document contains a fluorescent image, the fluorescent image be easily and accurately reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mihoko Tanimura, Kyosuke Taka
  • Patent number: 8587797
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises: storage unit configured to store control information serving as information which defines in advance information for controlling a display representing a function for managing a peripheral device, and link information indicating a link destination where each function is provided, and which has an electronic signature to confirm whether falsification has been done; request reception unit configured to receive a request from a peripheral device management unit; link management unit configured to manage link information which is different from the link information contained in the control information and is executed in accordance with a request received by the request reception unit; and execution unit configured to determine a link destination based on the request received by the request reception unit using the link information contained in the control information or the different link information, and executing link processing to the determined link destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Kato
  • Patent number: 8582188
    Abstract: A spot color rendering system and method that incorporates spot color press emulation color transformation to preserve spot color on a target rendering device. A spot color rendering option implemented in a graphical user interface can be selected in order to render the spot color via an intermediate emulation space. The spot color name calls can be first associated with a color value in an ICC profile connection space (PCS), as CIE L*a*b* or XYZ. A database relation of the spot color name with its associated PCS numerical value enables association of the name with the resultant color transformed output. Thereafter, a color transformation with respect to the spot color value can be performed in order to compute a color on an emulation press and then the color can be preserved to the target rendering device. Such an approach enables a color consistent rendering to the target rendering device similar to that of the emulation press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: J. Michael Sanchez, Yongda Chen, Guo-Yau Lin
  • Patent number: 8576437
    Abstract: Disclosed is printing a character forming image in an end part of each sheet of a plurality of sheets of paper which are to be sorted by an attribute, in an order of slicing a character which expresses the attribute of each sheet, based on what number sheet of paper is each sheet among a paper group which is sorted by the same attribute, the character forming image being obtained by sequentially slicing the character in a previously determined direction at a previously determined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikita Haruyama, Kenji Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8570553
    Abstract: A system is provided for compiling a multi-part print job. The system is adapted to receive a first print job part at a first print system gateway, and responsive to determining that the first print job part is part of the multi-part job, the first print job segment in memory. A second print job segment is received at a second print system gateway and responsive to determining that the second print job part is part of the multi-part job, the second print job segment in memory. When a selected condition is met, both the first and second print job segments are released from memory for processing as the multi-part print job with an electronic document processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Javier A Morales
  • Patent number: 8570542
    Abstract: An information recording method includes: acquiring plural pieces of file information; acquiring plural pieces of additional information accompanying the acquired pieces of file information; storing the acquired pieces of file information in first or second storage area each having a predetermined capacity for storing the file information. If the pieces of additional information on the acquired pieces of file information indicate the acquired pieces of file information are required to be stored in time order, the acquired pieces of file information are stored into the first storage area in the order of pieces of time information contained in the respective pieces of additional information. If a file capacity of one of the acquired pieces of file information is larger than an empty capacity of the first storage area, the one of the acquired pieces of file information is stored into the second storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeo Indei
  • Patent number: 8570548
    Abstract: A manufacturer or the like provides consumable products used in an image forming apparatus with distribution information including a most recent license code and then markets the consumable products, and the image forming apparatus performs authentication processing by reading the distribution information from such consumable products. Receiving a connection request from an application executed by a personal computer, the image forming apparatus determines whether connection may be permitted or not by comparing the license code of the application included in the connection request with the distribution information provided to the consumable product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshida, Chiho Murai
  • Patent number: 8570578
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of performing at least one of scanning, printing, copying, and facsimile transmission/reception includes a communication portion, a job execution portion, a browsing portion, a monitoring portion, a data acquiring portion, an image transmitting portion, and a dummy signal output portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Okihisa Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8564862
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus includes the following elements. A control unit determines a gradation correction characteristic representing a conversion characteristic for correcting brightness of an input frame. A separation unit separates the determined gradation correction characteristic into a representative gradation correction value representing an amount of correction for a representative value of a main subject and a remaining gradation correction characteristic obtained by removing the representative gradation correction value from the gradation correction characteristic. A gain processing unit uniformly applies the separated representative gradation correction value to the frame as a gain. A noise reduction processing unit performs noise reduction processing on the frame to which the representative gradation correction value is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Wakazono, Naoya Katoh