Patents Examined by Julian D. Huffman
  • Patent number: 11833808
    Abstract: Examples of air purging from a fluid delivery tube of an imaging device are described. In an example, air is removed from the fluid delivery tube by an air purging unit prior to coupling a cartridge in the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wenbing Li, Craig L Malik
  • Patent number: 11820154
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a determination unit configured to, in a case where fluorescent ink is used in printing of an image, determine an order of printing by the fluorescent ink and printing by the light emission suppressing ink that suppresses light emission of the fluorescent ink, in the plurality of scans. The determination unit determines the order of the printing by the fluorescent ink and the printing by the light emission suppressing ink such that the fluorescent ink is printed to be in a layer lower than the light emission suppressing ink in a region of a dark portion of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Okinori Tsuchiya, Kouta Murasawa, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi, Hideki Kubo
  • Patent number: 11813869
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprises a liquid droplet ejecting head which has a nozzle array composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first direction, a relative movement mechanism which relatively moves the liquid droplet ejecting head and a recording medium in the first direction, and a controller. The controller controls the liquid droplet ejecting head and the relative movement mechanism to record, on the recording medium, a nonuniformity correction pattern in order to correct any dispersion in a liquid droplet ejection amount among the plurality of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Takahira, Masaru Someya
  • Patent number: 11813876
    Abstract: A printer is provided with a first supply flow channel configured to connect a head with a first tank, a second supply flow channel configured to connect the head with a second tank, a first supply valve provided at the first supply flow channel, a second supply valve provided at the second supply flow channel, a cap configured to cover the first nozzle hole and the second nozzle hole and to be closely adhered to a nozzle surface of the head, a pump provided at a waste liquid flow channel connected to the cap. The processor of the printer drives the pump in a state in which the cap is closely adhered to the nozzle surface, one of the first supply valve or the second supply valve is open, and the other of the first supply valve or the second supply valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kawamata, Shuichi Tamaki
  • Patent number: 11807026
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a card issuing system which issues cards includes: a print image generation portion which generates print data to perform printing on the card; an overcoat image generation portion which generates overcoat data, which is data on an overcoat for the print data generated by the print image generation portion; and a printing portion which performs printing of the print data generated by the print image generation portion, and the overcoat data generated by the overcoat image generation portion on the card. The overcoat image generation portion generates the overcoat data with which an area where a design quality is required in the print data is subjected to overcoating based on pixels to be printed by the print data, and an area where durability is required in the print data is subjected to overcoating which covers the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinya Morozumi
  • Patent number: 11807000
    Abstract: One of printing modes including a first mode in which printing is performed by an even number of scans and a second mode in which printing is performed by an odd number of scans, the odd number being three or more, is executed. In the first mode, printing is performed using a first mask pattern in which the nozzle array is divided into a plurality of blocks each including a first number of continuous nozzles and an ink ejection area or non-ejection area is set for each of the blocks. In the second mode, printing is performed using a second mask pattern in which the nozzle array is divided into a plurality of blocks each including a second number of continuous nozzles, the second number being less than the first number, and an ink ejection area or non-ejection area is set for each of the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11801680
    Abstract: A method of operating a printer iteratively performs printhead purges and test pattern analysis until either every printhead has a number of inoperative inkjets that is less than a predetermined threshold or a maximum number of iterations is reached. An error message is generated for each printhead having a number of inoperative inkjets that is greater than the predetermined threshold. The iterative performance of the printhead purges and test pattern analysis is performed automatically prior to the commencement of printing operations with the printer to remove subjective and time-consuming analysis by a printer operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth L. Barrese, Dara N. Lubin, Ron E. Dufort, Matthew J. Ochs
  • Patent number: 11794491
    Abstract: An information processing device processes information related to a printing process performed by an inkjet device drawing an image onto a fabric and at least one of a pre-processing device performing pre-processing on the fabric before an image is drawn and a post-processing device performing post-processing on the fabric after an image is drawn, the information processing device including an acquisition unit acquiring image data and original image data, the image data being obtained by digitizing a printed fabric as an image, the original image data being original data of an image drawn on the fabric; a storage unit storing derivation data for deriving, based on the image data and the original image data, a recommended parameter for at least one of the pre-processing device and the post-processing device; and a control unit deriving, based on the derivation data, the recommended parameter from the image data and the original image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Aoki, Tsuneyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11794478
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head having a plurality of nozzles, a determination circuit, a clock, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the clock is in an on or off state. In response to determining that the clock is in an on state, the controller is configured to perform an inspection process at a first time. In the inspection process, the controller drives the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from a nozzle of the plurality nozzles and receive a determination signal that is output from the determination circuit in response to ejection of liquid from the nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. In response to determining that the clock is in an off state, the controller is configured to perform the inspection process at a predetermined time that is a time after the clock is returned to an on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Shindo, Toshiro Ueda, Ryuji Horata, Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade, Hironori Takasaki
  • Patent number: 11787195
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a cartridge detachably attached to the image forming apparatus and including a first compartment configured to store a colorant, a container configured to be connected with the cartridge and including a second compartment configured to store the colorant flowing from the cartridge, and a display configured to display a first object indicating a first remainder amount and a second object indicating a second remainder amount in a single screen, is provided. The first remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the first compartment, and the second remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 11787187
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a recording head, discharging ink to a recording medium; a roller, having an outer circumferential surface provided for ink idly discharged from the recording head to be attached; a motor, rotating the roller in a predetermined direction; and a scraper, provided to scrape off the ink attached to the outer circumferential surface of the roller in a state in which the roller rotates in the predetermined direction. The scraper has: a recessed surface making surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the roller; and a notch part formed at an end of the recessed surface, making line contact with the outer circumferential surface of the roller, and recessed in a substantially shape along a rotation direction of the roller and from the end of the recessed surface toward another end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshiro Tani
  • Patent number: 11788892
    Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for inspecting print images printed on a transparent printing medium. The apparatus includes a first transport roller for transporting the transparent printing medium; a second transport roller spaced from the first transport roller, and disposed downstream in a transport direction, for transporting the transparent printing medium; a photographing device for photographing the print images located in an inspection area; and a light emitting device for emitting light for photographing the print images located in the inspection area. The first transport roller and second transport roller have outer circumferential surfaces thereof each with a light absorbing member for absorbing the light from the light emitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Ichioka, Makoto Shiomi, Shinsuke Yamashita, Shinji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11772401
    Abstract: A method for printing an image on a substrate is provided. The method includes: providing image template data; analyzing the image template data by identifying image components; printing the image using the image template data using a printing procedure based on printing parameters with a printer operating using printer configuration parameters; capturing the printed image; providing captured image data of the captured image; analyzing the captured image data. The analyzing including determining the region of interest within the captured image data based on definition parameters, identifying an image component and an image metric for the region of interest, relating the image metric to the image component, relating the identified image component to the identified image component of the region of interest, selecting parameters based on the image metric and/or the image component, and computing an actual correction parameter based on an optimization computing procedure using the image metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Oliver Hofmann, Alexander Erb, Stephanie Mangold
  • Patent number: 11752789
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head to discharge liquid, a carriage to support the head and reciprocate in a forward direction and a backward direction, and a controller. The controller executes a printing process to print one image in a plurality of copies by discharging the liquid from the head while moving the carriage in the forward direction and the backward direction, based on a print job for printing the one image in the plurality of copies, and a first determining process to determine a moving direction of the carriage for second and following copies, based on a moving result of the carriage in printing for the first copy in the printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 11752774
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing or eliminating image banding in an ink-jet image are provided. In an example, a method of operating a printer to reduce or eliminate image banding can include generating command profile for printing a given image, applying a filter to the command profile to provide a filtered profile, and dispensing ink from a printhead of the printer based on the filtered profile. In certain examples, the filter can randomize droplet sizes of ink dispensed while executing the printing to reduce or eliminate image banding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventors: Tanya Jegeris Snyder, Dale James Ziebarth, Bradley O'Hara
  • Patent number: 11745526
    Abstract: Provided are a printing apparatus, a reading method, and a program capable of stably acquiring a high-quality read image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Kimura
  • Patent number: 11738576
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing device including: a finger stage on which a finger corresponding to a nail is placed, the nail being a printing target; a carriage which has at least one reflector; and a camera which obtains at least an image of the nail of the finger placed on the finger stage from an upper direction and an image of the nail of the finger reflected in the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Fumihiro Osakabe
  • Patent number: 11724516
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting one or more failing nozzles in an inkjet printhead of an inkjet printer for printing an image on a substrate and compensating failing nozzles, as well as for correcting colour uniformity of a printed image in inkjet printing an image on a substrate includes printing a first test pattern on a dedicated substrate, which is optically scanned and includes a system for the same. From the scan failing nozzles are identified, which are to be compensated by other nozzles. To these compensating nozzles compensated nozzle control data are allocated, which are used in printing a second test pattern that is also scanned and analysed for local deviations of colorimetric greyscale value. Corrected nozzle control data are allocated to the nozzles associated with the local deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SPGPrints B.V.
    Inventors: Arnoldus Theodorus Steenkamer, Tom Tilly Norbert Lebouille, Petrus Leonardus Johannes Welten
  • Patent number: 11718109
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a decision unit, a determination unit, and a change unit. The acquisition unit acquires a measurement result regarding a printing medium characteristic value. The decision unit decides a candidate for a printing medium type based on the acquired measurement result, and a reference characteristic value of each of printing media types set in advance to identify a type of the measured printing medium. Information associated with the printing medium type to be printed is input. The determination unit determines whether to change the reference characteristic value of the printing medium type associated with the input information based on the measurement result and the printing medium type associated with the input information. Wherein, when the determination unit determines to change the reference characteristic value, the change unit changes the reference characteristic value of the printing medium type based on the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehiko Kasamatsu, Yuki Igarashi, Koji Suda, Fumikazu Nishikawa, Yasushi Morimoto, Keiko Harada, Ryoma Ono
  • Patent number: 11712902
    Abstract: A machine learning method includes: obtaining a discharge parameter on discharging performed by a liquid discharge head discharging liquid; obtaining an image quality determination result produced by determining a printed image quality; and learning the relationship between the discharge parameter and the image quality determination result. Also, the discharge parameter desirably includes a discharge state value indicating a discharge state of the liquid discharge head and a discharge result value indicating a discharge result of the liquid discharged on a print medium from the liquid discharge head. The machine learning method includes learning the relationship between the discharge state value and the discharge result value, and the image quality determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiro Murayama