Patents Examined by Ming Hon
  • Patent number: 9983835
    Abstract: Due to the lack of a user account, it is a problem to handle a guest print job, submitted by a guest user and associated with first user credentials, for processing by an authenticated printing system requiring the guest print job to be authenticated using second user credentials. This problem is solved by a method comprising the steps of i. obtaining the guest print job, the guest print job comprising print job metadata, the first user credentials being associated with the print job, ii. obtaining the second user credentials, iii. creating a guest user account with the authenticated printing system, the guest user account being associated with the second user credentials, iv. adding the second user credentials to the metadata, and v. forwarding at least the print job metadata, comprising the second user credentials, to the authenticated printing system for processing. A system and a computer program product for performing the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: NEXT PRINT TECHNOLOGIES APS
    Inventor: Tavs Dalaa
  • Patent number: 9961233
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes first, second, and third setting units, and a display unit. The first setting unit sets a common initial screen according to an operation performed by a user having an administrator authority. The second setting unit sets an initial screen for each user according to an operation performed by each user. The third setting unit sets whether to display the initial screen for each user, according to an operation performed by the administrator authority user. Where the initial screen for each user is to be displayed, the display unit displays the initial screen set by the second setting unit when the information processing apparatus starts to be used. Where the initial screen for each user is not to be displayed, the display unit displays the initial screen set by the first setting unit when the information processing apparatus starts to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi Mizuno, Yoko Takenaka
  • Patent number: 9936096
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a docking unit configured to mount a plurality of portable display apparatuses therein, a communication interface configured to receive data, and a processor configured to control to store the received data in at least one of the plurality of portable display apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-jin Park, Min-keun Song, Sun-hee Lee, Jong-in Lee, Jun-young Lee
  • Patent number: 9928011
    Abstract: Systems and methods for bypassing a print dialog box that indicates a print confirmation, a prompt message, or a page preview, by employing a background print applet. The systems and methods may include detecting a print content to be printed by a printer, identifying one or more features of the print content, and determining one or more print settings based on the identified one or more features. The systems and methods may further include initiating the print content to be printed by the printer based on the determined print settings, whereby initiating the print content includes bypassing the print dialog box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Anthony Scillieri, Venkateshwarlu Kotagiri, Denis McCarthy
  • Patent number: 9930217
    Abstract: A document printing system may include a print engine, a controller and a communication port. The communication port can read a portable memory device, which stores an electronic secure file for authorizing the print engine. The portable memory device may store data such as the creation date for the electronic secure file. The portable memory may also store the device identification code and/or the vendor identification code. The electronic secure file may also store the creation date for the file itself, and the device identification code, the vendor identification code, or a balance amount. The system may authorize a print engine by comparing the data in the electronic secure file and data stored on the portable memory device. If the comparison of data finds a mismatch, the system may determine that the print engine is not authorized; or that the service is authorized if otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Donald J. Gusmano
  • Patent number: 9924058
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of properly supplying electric power to a power supply destination associated with each function of a USB device. An MFP as the information processing apparatus is capable of operating in a power saving mode. A USB device having both of a Bluetooth communication function and a wireless LAN communication function is connected to the MFP. When an instruction for returning from the power saving mode is received from the USB device, it is determined whether the return instruction is an instruction generated due to the Bluetooth communication function or an instruction generated due to the wireless LAN communication function. Electric power supply destinations to which electric power is to be supplied when the information processing apparatus returns from the power saving mode are decided based on a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keigo Goda
  • Patent number: 9900465
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a writing circuit to write image data to an image memory and detect a write line number, a coordinate generating circuit to generate coordinate information based on inclination information, detect a minimum sub-scanning coordinate in each of divided areas of the image data, and generate first read addresses for reading the divided areas from the image memory, a reading circuit to read the divided areas from the image memory and detect a read line number, a reading control circuit to bring the reading circuit into a standby state and cancel the standby state, and a memory control circuit to generate write addresses for writing the divided areas to a memory, sequentially write the read divided areas to the memory, generate second read addresses for reading the divided areas from the memory, and sequentially read the divided areas from the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Ohta, Tomonori Tanaka, Mitsutaka Iwasaki, Yuuto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9892346
    Abstract: A method is provided for converting image data from a source format into a target format in a system including a converter for converting a sequence of data from the source format into an intermediate format, and an image processing system for converting the data from the intermediate format into the target format. The inverter is capable of dividing the data in the intermediate format into separate files. The method includes the steps of processing a first file in the image processing system; compiling a second file in the converter; and when the first file has been processed completely, instructing the converter to close the second file and send it to the image processing system and to open a new file for the next data to be converted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: OCÉ-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Christian Luijten, Frank Hermans, Christian Terwellen, Oana Dragomir
  • Patent number: 9894241
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a USB interface displays a selection screen for a user to select an OS type of an information processing apparatus that communicates via the USB interface when the printing apparatus starts up. The printing apparatus determines a configuration of the USB interface based on the OS type selected on the selection screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichi Yagi
  • Patent number: 9881243
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an operation unit that receives an instruction for an operation and executes the operation, and an instruction unit that outputs the instruction to the operation unit. The operation unit includes a configuration storage unit that stores deployment configuration of one or more image forming apparatuses, and an instruction acceptance unit that accepts an instruction for an operation corresponding to the deployment configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhide Kobayashi, Keiji Ishiguro, Masashi Murakami, Atsuo Matsunaga, Takayuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 9883072
    Abstract: An encrypted file printing system includes: a client terminal configured to generate a print file; an authorization management server configured to manage authorization of the print file; and an image forming apparatus configured to perform printing of the print file, the client terminal, the authorization management server, and the image forming apparatus being connected by a communication network, wherein the authorization management server includes: a key generating unit; and a decrypting unit, the client terminal includes: an encrypting unit; and a print instructing unit, the image forming apparatus includes: a decrypting unit; a rasterizing unit; a memory; and a control unit, and the control unit includes: a complexity calculating unit; a processing time calculating unit configured to calculate a first processing time in a first processing mode and a second processing time in a second processing mode; and a decryption destination determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Taima
  • Patent number: 9875436
    Abstract: Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of an amount of a consumable that has been used. Some printing systems do this by using a counter to count the amount of the consumable used and then sending a count command to the memory. The increment count command is processed to increment the value stored within the memory. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to be updated by a count command without having to increment the value stored. This method allows print cartridges to be used in printing systems that utilize counters without having to increment the counter each time an increment command is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Static Control Components, Inc.
    Inventors: John Willoughby Gravely, Jr., Richard J. Stievenart, Michael Larkin Shelby
  • Patent number: 9870479
    Abstract: Due to different formats for documents, in particular different means of identifying users, it is a problem how to handle a document in a cloud storage system, in which a user is identified by first user credentials, for processing by an authenticated printing system for which the user is identified by second user credentials. This problem is solved by a method comprising the steps of: i. obtaining the document from the cloud storage system, the document comprising document metadata comprising the first user credentials, ii. obtaining the second user credentials based on the first user credentials, iii, obtaining a print job corresponding to the document, the print job comprising print job metadata comprising the second user credentials, and iv. forwarding at least the print job metadata comprising the second user credentials, to the authenticated printing system for the processing. A system and a computer program product for performing the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: NEXT PRINT TECHNOLOGIES APS
    Inventor: Tavs Dalaa
  • Patent number: 9871933
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is for generating image data by using drawing information for drawing an image. The information processing apparatus includes a print data acquirer configured to acquire print data including the drawing information from outside; a request acceptor configured to accept a request to display the image data of any page in the print data; a reader configured to read specific drawing information of pages in the print data up to a page before the any page accepted by the request acceptor, from a drawing information storage storing the specific drawing information, which is the drawing information that may be applied to the image data of pages after a page in which the drawing information is described, among the drawing information included in the print data; and a generator configured to generate the image data of the any page by applying the read specific drawing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Suzuki, Takao Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9866713
    Abstract: A reading device includes a first housing, and a second housing capable of being attached and detached in relation to the first housing, in which the first housing includes a reading unit which reads a document according to a reading mode, and a power transmission circuit which wirelessly supplies power to the second housing according to the reading mode, and in which the second housing includes a power reception circuit which wirelessly receives power from the power transmission circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzo Shiota, Haruyuki Imai, Kuniaki Ueki, Satoshi Shimizu, Toshifumi Sakai
  • Patent number: 9866718
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a first light source configured to emit visible light; a second light source configured to emit invisible light; and a light guide section configured to reflect the light emitted by the first light source and the second light source in a longitudinal direction towards a direction of a reading area of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9854115
    Abstract: It is possible to read a document at an optimal speed according to an operation mode selected by a user while improving productivity at a low cost, without forcing the user to perform a complicated operation for changing a document reading speed. A method for controlling a reading unit to read a document with a first reading resolution in a case where a reading resolution is the first reading resolution, to read a document with a second reading resolution in a case where the reading resolution is the second reading resolution smaller than the first reading resolution and a predetermined mode is not set, and to read a document with the first reading resolution in a case where the reading resolution is the second reading resolution smaller than the first reading resolution and the predetermined mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Unno
  • Patent number: 9854106
    Abstract: Provided is support server 1 that is an image forming device installation support server. Location information acquiring part 100 inputs location information 200 from terminal 2. Place information acquiring part 110 obtains place information 210 including a nearby building and street in an address corresponding to location information 200 obtained by location information acquiring part 100. Image forming device information acquiring part 120 obtains image forming device information 220 including the installed location and printing number of sheets of a nearby image forming device in the address corresponding to location information 200 obtained by location information acquiring part 100. Scoring part 130 calculates suitability score 250 as a new print shop's installation location from place information 210 and image forming device information 220. Suitability score outputting part 140 outputs suitability score 250.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Alacar
  • Patent number: 9846561
    Abstract: A technique for saving a setting of a transmission job as a setting history for a call function as needed by a user when an information processing apparatus such as an image processing apparatus (MFP) has executed the transmission job is provided. Upon executing a transmission job received from a mobile device, the MFP determines in accordance with an instruction by a user as to whether to save a setting of the transmission job as a setting history (transmission history) for a call function that reuses a setting of a job executed in the past to execute a job. For a setting of a transmission job for which it is determined not to save as a setting history for the call function, the MFP prohibits saving as a setting history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hikaru Sugita
  • Patent number: 9830585
    Abstract: A receipt issuing device, control method for a receipt issuing device, printing device, and a control method for a printing device can eliminate issuing unnecessary receipts without requiring changing the application of the host device. A transaction information reception unit 61 receives transaction information from a host device 2 that outputs transaction information and specific commands. A transaction identification command reception unit 62 receives a specific command after the transaction information is received. A decision unit 64 decides whether or not to issue a receipt R based on whether or not the specific command was received and/or the content received. A receipt issuing unit 65 prints the transaction information and issues a receipt R when the decision unit 64 decides to issue a receipt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Tsukada