Patents Examined by Lam Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10071587
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming method which includes: curing an active ray curable ink containing a gelling agent; and additionally applying and curing another active ray curable ink and by which affinity of the additionally-applied ink is further improved. The method of the present invention is an image forming method including: a first step of applying a first ink, which contains a colorant, a gelling agent, a photopolymerizable compound, and a photoinitiator, to a recording medium; a second step of irradiating the first ink with an active ray to cure and fix the first ink; a third step of additionally applying a second ink which contains a photopolymerizable compound and a photoinitiator; and a fourth step of irradiating the second ink with an active ray, in this order, wherein the first ink contains 0.5 to 5.0% by mass of the gelling agent with respect to the entire mass of the ink, the second ink contains less than 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Takabayashi
  • Patent number: 10071568
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet head configured to perform printing using ink along a main scanning direction onto a print medium by moving in the main scanning direction; a platen configured to support, from an opposite side of the inkjet head, a portion of the print medium being printed by the inkjet head by a printing portion supporting region extending in the main scanning direction; a print heater configured to heat the print medium via the printing portion supporting region; and a fan device extending in the main scanning direction, and configured to blow air out from a blower outlet for blowing the air toward a surface of the portion of the print medium supported by the printing portion supporting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Miyashita, Katsutoshi Yamabe, Hisayuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10071549
    Abstract: Systems and methods for printhead position control. The system comprises a controller that identifies a target distance for moving a printhead in a lateral direction to compensate for lateral shifts in a web of print media as the web travels in a continuous-forms printer in a conveyance direction. The controller also identifies a maximum distance for moving the printhead in the lateral direction based on an allowable print error in a color plane of the printer and one or more previous positions of the printhead. The control further moves the printhead for a distance that is a lesser of the maximum distance and the target distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Scott Richard Johnson
  • Patent number: 10071564
    Abstract: Provided are a control apparatus, an image processing method and a non-transitory recording medium. The control apparatus includes a raster-image processor and a hardware processor that judges whether each of multi-valued pixels forming a source image is colored in one of specific colors, controls the amount of color materials to be used in printing the source image together with a white base, by reducing pixel values of the multi-valued pixels forming the source image and the white base, and converts the multi-valued pixels into two-valued pixels corresponding to colors of the color materials of the source image and two-valued white pixels. The hardware processor uses a matrix of two-valued white pixels corresponding to each of the multi-valued pixels judged as being colored in one of the specific colors, to rearrange at least one of colored two-valued white pixels at colored or uncolored pixel positions in the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Sachiko Hirano
  • Patent number: 10066962
    Abstract: A method includes receiving an output signal from a sensor, recovering a noise signal from the output signal, comparing the noise signal with a stored baseline noise signature, and reporting authentication of the sensor if the comparison is within a pre-determined error limit. A sensor authentication apparatus, comprises a processor and a memory operably coupled with the processor. Instructions, when executed, cause the processor to separate a noise signal from a measured signal, and detect a noise signature match by comparing the noise signal with at least one stored baseline noise signature associated with the sensor. A sensor authentication system comprises a sensor authentication unit and a data acquisition unit. At least one of the sensor authentication unit and the data acquisition unit is configured to compare a noise signal with a baseline noise signature to authenticate the at least one sensor from among a plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: John M. Svoboda, Mark J. Schanfein
  • Patent number: 10046575
    Abstract: A liquid spray device includes: a liquid spray head including a spray surface provided with a plurality of nozzles that spray liquid to a medium; a conveyance mechanism that includes an opposing surface opposite to the spray surface and conveys the medium in a first direction between the spray surface and the opposing surface; a plurality of protrusions protruding from the spray surface, and arranged in a second direction which is intersecting with the first direction; and a plurality of supports protruding from the opposing surface to support the medium being conveyed, and arranged in the second direction. The protrusions each have at least a part overlapping with a position other than a middle area between the supports adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Isamu Togashi, Shuji Sugawara, Yoichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10042029
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a test instrument comprises determining a first response of a calibration device on the test instrument over a first set of operating ranges, determining a derived second response of the calibration device on the test instrument over a second set of operating ranges based on the first response, measuring the second response of the calibration device on the test instrument over the second set of operating ranges, and determining correction factors of the test instrument for the second set of operating ranges based on a comparison between the measured second response and the derived second response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel P. Dunsmore, Johan Ericsson
  • Patent number: 10040279
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes first side walls including two piezoelectric elements, second side walls, a first electrode, a second electrode, an ink chamber containing conductive ink, and a control unit. The second side walls alternate with the first side walls to provide side surfaces for driving pressure chambers and dummy pressure chambers. On one of the first side walls, the first electrode is on the side wall surface of a driving pressure chamber and a second electrode is on the side wall surface of a dummy pressure chamber. The control unit applies a voltage having a first waveform to the first electrode, and a voltage having a second waveform, a portion of which is inverted with respect to the first waveform, to the second electrode to cause ink to be ejected, and cause the second electrode to electrically float such that ink is not ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruyuki Hiyoshi, Noboru Nitta, Syunichi Ono
  • Patent number: 10041966
    Abstract: This method includes the following steps: —determining the angular position and the rotational speed for a first point of measurement and a second point of measurement of a engine position sensor, —determining at least one gradient of the rotational speed different from the speed gradient between the two points of measurement of the previous step, —approximating the actual rotational speed curve with respect to the angular position with a polynomial function of degree two, and —carrying out a calculation, in advance, for determining an estimated rotational speed at the predefined position, the position defining a future angular position of the crankshaft, by applying the polynomial function to the predefined future position. The method can be used to predict engine rotation reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Benjamin Marconato
  • Patent number: 10041916
    Abstract: A method and a device for monitoring gas sensors in an internal combustion engine, in which in a steady-state operation of the internal combustion engine, the output signal of the gas sensor is filtered by a high-pass filter and higher-frequency signal components are analyzed by a comparison with an appropriately processed model value. When using the method and the device for executing the method, electrically oscillating gas sensors or the incoupling of interference variables or faults in the evaluation circuit, especially in the case of exhaust gas sensors in an exhaust-gas purification and reducing system, are able to be detected, which minimizes faulty interpretations in a dynamic diagnosis. This monitoring function is advantageously combinable with dynamic diagnosis functions that likewise analyze higher-frequency signal components by a comparison with appropriately processed model values. This increases the operational reliability of the exhaust-gas purification or reducing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Michalske
  • Patent number: 10035364
    Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of closing a pivotable discharge portion with respect to a body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikazu Kotaka
  • Patent number: 10035157
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid container containing section, and a pressurizing section that pressurizes inside of the liquid container containing section. The liquid container containing section has a casing that contains a liquid container, a mounting member that is mounted with the liquid container, and a cover that covers an opening that is formed in the casing, the mounting member is arranged inside the casing on the opening side, the cover is arranged outside the casing on the opening side, and the mounting member is fixed to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Naito, Keiichiro Yoshino, Ryoji Fujimori, Takeshi Iwamuro
  • Patent number: 10031048
    Abstract: A method for performing condition monitoring on a plurality of wind turbines of a wind farm comprises for each wind turbine, obtaining at least one vibration signal representing vibrations of one or more monitored components; generating a plurality of faulty frequency indexes on the basis of one or more of the obtained vibration signals, and in such a manner that variations in rotational speed of one or more rotating shafts of the wind turbine are filtered; comparing faulty frequency indexes originating from different wind turbines; and determining the condition of each of the monitored components based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Khoon Peng Lim, Yu Zhou, Wanying Chen
  • Patent number: 10031827
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products assess processor performance metrics by monitoring probes constructed using instruction sequences. A first probe value can be determined from execution of a broad spectrum probe in an execution environment. In response to determining that the first probe value is not a first expected probe value, a targeted probe providing a second probe value directed to a subsystem of the execution environment, a feature of the subsystem, or a component of the execution environment is executed. In response to determining that the second probe value is not a second expected probe value, a differential between the second probe value and the second expected probe value can be used to determine that a bottleneck exists in at least one of the subsystem of the execution environment, the feature of the subsystem, or the component of the execution environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Robert Funk, Aaron Christoph Sawdey, Philip Lee Vitale
  • Patent number: 10031010
    Abstract: A method for operating an ultrasonic device comprising a first and second ultrasonic transducers, includes driving the first and second transducers at a driving frequency such that the first and second transducers generate a first and a second signals, respectively. The method also includes sensing the second signal at the first transducer to produce a first measurement signal and sensing the first signal at the second transducer to produce a second measurement signal. The method further includes identifying a first set of data-points in the first measurement signal and a second set of data-points in the second measurement signal. The method also includes generating a frequency data-series using the first set of data-points and a corresponding data-point in the second set of data-points. The method also includes performing statistical operations based on the frequency data-series and configuring an operating frequency for driving the first and second transducers using the operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torben Amby Christensen, Robert Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10031121
    Abstract: A system and a method for characterizing a crude oil sample from the weight and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy of the sample, including calculating and assigning a crude oil ultraviolet visible index and using the assigned index to calculate and assign an API gravity and/or to calculate and assign an aromaticity value of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Omer Refa Koseoglu, Adnan Al-Hajji, Gordon Jamieson
  • Patent number: 10034392
    Abstract: A method of printing is provided where printing is using a first printing unit having redundant nozzles. Then, the method may include stopping the printing with the first printing unit while continuing the printing with active nozzles of a second printing unit. The method may include inspecting the first printing unit and identifying faulty nozzles, then designating the faulty nozzles as inactive and designating inactive nozzles of the first printing unit as a new active nozzle. According to some embodiments the method may include moving the first printing unit to an inspection zone prior to inspecting while continuing the printing with active nozzles of a second printing unit and moving the first printing unit back to the printing zone after inspection and continuing the printing with the first printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: XJET LTD
    Inventors: Hanan Gothait, Ran Asher Peleg, Ofir Baharav
  • Patent number: 10024894
    Abstract: To provide a power system analysis support system in which the amount of data to be sent from a measuring device to an analysis support apparatus can be reduced. A measuring device includes a measuring unit which performs measurement related to a power system, a storage unit which stores measurement values measured by the measuring unit, a parameter generator which generates a predetermined parameter indicating a probability density function of the measurement value from the plurality of measurement values stored in the storage unit, and a communication unit which sends the predetermined parameter generated by the parameter generator to an analysis support apparatus. The analysis support apparatus includes a communication unit which receives the predetermined parameter from the measuring device, and a probability density function generator which generates a probability density function of the measurement value from the received predetermined parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Tsunedomi, Masahiro Watanabe, Tsukasa Oonishi
  • Patent number: 10016985
    Abstract: A print cartridge including a cartridge body, a fluid reservoir disposed within the cartridge body that receives and contains fluid, a fluid ejector chip comprising a plurality of heating elements that eject the fluid from the print cartridge, and a memory device that stores first data related to information regarding the number of times the print cartridge was remanufactured and second data related to information regarding the print yield of the print cartridge for each instance of cartridge remanufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Marra
  • Patent number: 10016978
    Abstract: A printing apparatus has a plurality of nozzles including preceding nozzles that discharge ink onto a printing medium before ink discharge of the other nozzles, and succeeding nozzles that discharge ink onto the printing medium after the ink discharge of the preceding nozzles, and if the amount of black ink discharged on the printing target region is larger than a predetermined amount, the printing apparatus discharges a smaller amount of chromatic ink than the amount of the discharged black ink onto the printing target region from the plurality of nozzles so that the amount of the chromatic ink discharged from the succeeding nozzles is larger than the amount of the chromatic ink discharged from the preceding nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani