Patents Examined by Peter L Cheng
  • Patent number: 8305645
    Abstract: A segmentation process section classifies signals of pixels in input image data into respective signals of a black text/low density area, a black text/high density area, a color text area, and an area other than a text area. A black generation and under color removal section performs an under color removal process with respect to the signal of the black text/low density area so that an amount of UCR is a middle value (C, M, Y) of signals indicative of color component density levels. Consequently, it is possible to prevent color fringing and a white spot at a time when chromatic aberration occurs in the input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makio Gotoh, Masanori Minami
  • Patent number: 8294925
    Abstract: A system is provided for supporting multiple platforms with common personal preferences for printer drivers. The set preferences for the printer driver are therefore reusable and may be moved from one driver to another. The system involves the provision of a common format for printer driver preferences. When a new printer is brought to a system or a user moves to a station that uses a different printer, the preferences are readily moved to that location. Further, an MIS department may provide a corporate wide printer preference solution, for example for printing a particular page or printing in a particular style. The preferences may not be identical for each printer due to differences in the capabilities of various platforms. The printer preferences overwrite a default value in printers with preferences, to the extent that each printer has the options available. To the extent that these options are not available, the printer reverts to its default setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics for Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramgopal Vidyanand
  • Patent number: 8289593
    Abstract: A multifunction printer includes a scanner; a memory which stores a plurality of still image data; a printing head which prints, on a first printing medium, thumbnail images corresponding to the plurality of the still image data; an image data-extracting section which extracts a base image data and a correction image data when the first printing medium is read by the scanner after a predetermined base image selection mark has been marked by a user to one of the plurality of thumbnail images printed on the first printing medium and a predetermined correction position mark has been marked to a partial area of the thumbnail image and which cuts out, from the correction image data, correction data corresponding to the area marked with the correction position mark, and an image-combining section which combines the base image data with the correction data to generate combined image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroto Sugahara, Kazuma Goto
  • Patent number: 8031723
    Abstract: A device comprising i) input ports and output ports for receiving and transmitting data packets, ii) a receiver to extract primary switching or routing data and secondary data to be handled and to associate the secondary data with a selected storage address, iii) a memory for storing the secondary data extracted at the storage address, iv) a switching stage and a routing stage configured to receive the storage address and the primary switching or routing data and to determine tertiary data designating at least one of the output ports and to determine new primary data, v) extracting the tertiary data and the new primary data from the switching stage and the routing stage to deliver the data and the storage address as a function of a selected criterion, and vi) sending the secondary data stored at the storage address, combined with the new primary data to each output port designated by the tertiary data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Albert Lespagnol
  • Patent number: 8023151
    Abstract: An image processing method involves processing image data indicative of an image represented with a prescribed number of input tones by each of pixel groups composed of a plurality of print pixels, and generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of the print pixels to be formed on a print medium. The method includes preparing a first conversion table and a second conversion table, determining the pixel group tone value in response to the input tone value corresponding to the pixel group, converting the determined pixel group tone value into the code values for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the first conversion table, decoding the acquired code value into the output dot arrangement for each of the pixel groups, by referring the second conversion table, and outputting the dot data in response to the output dot arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Patent number: 7997682
    Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device is provided having a printhead for printing on print media, a capper moveable between a capped position in which the printhead is capped and an uncapped position in which the printhead is uncapped, and a mechanism for maintaining the capper in the uncapped position. The mechanism has actuation arms configured to grip and retain the print media suspended from the device once printing is complete until removal of the print media from the device by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7957031
    Abstract: An image processing method involves processing image data indicative of an image represented with a prescribed number of input tones by each of pixel groups composed of a plurality of print pixels, and generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of the print pixels to be formed on a print medium. The method includes preparing a first conversion table and a second conversion table, determining the pixel group tone value in response to the input tone value corresponding to the pixel group, converting the determined pixel group tone value into the code values for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the first conversion table, decoding the acquired code value into the output dot arrangement for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the second conversion table, and outputting the dot data in response to the output dot arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Patent number: 7924464
    Abstract: An image processing method involves processing image data indicative of an image represented with a prescribed number of input tones by each of pixel groups composed of a plurality of print pixels, and generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of the print pixels to be formed on a print medium. The method includes preparing a first conversion table and a second conversion table, determining the pixel group tone value in response to the input tone value corresponding to the pixel group, converting the determined pixel group tone value into the code values for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the first conversion table, decoding the acquired code value into the output dot arrangement for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the second conversion table, and outputting the dot data in response to the output dot arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Patent number: 7821656
    Abstract: A drawing processing circuit includes a plurality of rasterizing means capable of executing rasterizing processes in parallel. Each rasterizing means includes a dynamic reconfigurable processor. Data described by a page description language is received, analyzed, and converted into intermediate data for each drawn object. Before execution of a rasterizing process, scheduling data of reconfiguration of the processor is generated by estimating the process time of each rasterizing process on the basis of the intermediate data. The plurality of rasterizing means rasterize the data to bitmap data on the basis of the intermediate data while reconfiguring the processor on the basis of the generated scheduling data. In addition, the process time of each of the plurality of rasterizing means is determined on the basis of the scheduling data. The scheduling data is corrected so as to make the process times of the plurality of rasterizing means substantially equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Ito, Tomohiro Tachikawa
  • Patent number: 7813014
    Abstract: A method of adapting color values, which have been produced for a first printing process to a second printing process, is performed so that the visual impressions of the colors in the two printing processes are identical. Starting from a first printing process adaptation U without maintaining the black build-up, which transforms the color values [C1,M1,Y1,K1] of the first printing process into color values [C2,M2,Y2,K2]U of the second printing process, and a second printing process adaptation V while maintaining the black build-up, which transforms the color values [C1,M1,Y1,K1] of the first printing process into color values [C2,M2,Y2,K2]V of the second printing process, a new printing process adaptation W is determined by weighted averaging of the transformed color values [C2,M2,Y2,K2]U and [C2,M2,Y2,K2]V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Uwe-Jens Krabbenhöft
  • Patent number: 7782486
    Abstract: An image processing method for an image forming apparatus which is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein color space transformation processes that differ between single face printing and double face printing are performed. In addition, an image processing method for an image forming apparatus which is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein input tone transformation processes and adhering recording liquid quantity limiting processes that differ between double face printing and single face printing are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Nakano, Takashi Kimura, Masanori Hirano, Masakazu Yoshida, Shigetaka Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 7684087
    Abstract: A bitmap based trapping method that extends the dot pattern of a lighter color into a darker color is disclosed. For selected pixels with the darker color and not the lighter color, correspondingly located pixels in neighboring halftone cells are identified. If any of these correspondingly located pixels contains the lighter color and not the darker color, the lighter pixel is added to the selected pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Meng Yao
  • Patent number: 7652808
    Abstract: A system and method for gamut mapping includes a luminance compression algorithm for gamut mapping that varies across different parts of the image. In shadow regions, a soft compression function is applied to bring out the detail. In other regions, including areas with high local contrast, a hard clipping function is applied to preserve local contrast. The algorithm adaptively blends between these two functions to ensure that the overall compression function is spatially smooth. The system and method may also use chrominance information to compute “perceived lightness”, to be used as input to the low-pass filter. Also, the blending function ?( ) could be a function of chrominance as well as luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Raja Bala
  • Patent number: 7628467
    Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device is provided having a body, a printhead arranged in the body to print on a print media, and a drive shaft arranged in the body to feed the print media past the printhead for printing. The printhead is arranged within 2 millimeters from the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7583404
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus of the invention refers to a color conversion table, which represents a mapping of first image data expressed in a first color system to second image data expressed in a second color system, so as to attain color conversion of first image data into second image data. The second image data stored in the color conversion table have gone through an encoding process, which enhances a variation in tone value of the second image data in a predetermined tone area while compressing the variation in tone value of the second image data in a residual tone area. The color conversion process decodes the color conversion table, reconstructs the decoded color conversion table, again encodes the reconstructed color conversion table, refers to the encoded color conversion table for color conversion, and decodes the resulting encoded second image data. This arrangement ensures highly accurate color conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Patent number: 7564602
    Abstract: A color chart for a color adjustment of a color printer and a color monitor attached to an endoscope, has a predetermined number of color cells. The color cells have the same form, and are arranged in one of a grid state and a linear state. Each of the color cells is formed by blending two colors from a group of three colors comprising red, green, and blue, according to a predetermined ratio, in an additive color process. The color cells show a gradation of color such that a color tone of each of the color cells changes continuously in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Noriko Ota, Shunichi Ito, Nobuaki Abe
  • Patent number: 7529006
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for forming an image using at least three color materials includes a first generation device for generating a plurality of patches of secondary colors composed of color materials of two different colors; a first measurement device for measuring the patches; a first correction characteristic calculation device for calculating gradation-correction characteristics corresponding to each of the two color materials; a second generation device for generating a group of patches in accordance with an image signal for the two different color materials and an image signal for color materials other than the two color materials by using an image signal corrected on the basis of the gradation-correction characteristics; a second measurement device for measuring patches generated by the second generation device; and a second correction characteristic calculation device for calculating gradation-correction characteristics of image signals for color materials other than the two different color ma
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohisa Itagaki, Jiro Ishizuka, Nobuatsu Sasanuma, Nobuhiko Zaima
  • Patent number: 7453609
    Abstract: An image color correction method and an image forming apparatus are provided, which are capable of correcting an image color with much higher accuracy. A first light (red light) is irradiated on patch image (for example, an image of cyan color) formed on a sheet by the image forming apparatus, and a second light (red light) is irradiated on the vicinity of the patch image on the sheet, respectively by the image forming apparatus. The light amount of the second light is adjusted so that the brightness of the second light coincides with the brightness of the patch image irradiated by the first light. Based on the light amount adjusted for correcting the color of the image outputted by the image forming apparatus, the image forming condition of the image forming apparatus is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 7436382
    Abstract: A correction data output device according to the invention includes correction data outputting device for outputting correction data that corrects object frame data included in an inputted image signal on the basis of the mentioned object frame data and previous frame data, which are one frame period previous to the object frame data, and correction data correcting device for correcting correction data that corrects and outputs the correction data outputted from the mentioned correction data outputting device on the basis of the mentioned object frame data and the mentioned previous frame data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noritaka Okuda, Jun Someya, Masaki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 7436416
    Abstract: A color printing apparatus having pulse-width modulation means which performs pulse-width modulation for tone control, and a control method thereof are provided. Based on determination of a printing mode of printing data supplied and determination of whether or not the printing data is to be processed as single-color data, a pulse-width modulation pattern to be used by the pulse-width modulation means is decided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mizuki Muramatsu