Patents Examined by Twyler Lamb
  • Patent number: 7355757
    Abstract: A selected antialiasing technique is applied to non-labeled gray-scale or color image data by deconstructing an image into a set of binary images, applying the antialiasing method to each binary image to generate antialiased images, and combining the antialiased images to generate an output image. Computational requirements may be reduced by identifying boundaries within the input image data and generating and antialiasing localized binary images only in selected regions of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Anoop K. Bhattacharjya
  • Patent number: 7355737
    Abstract: A printer 10 has a reception unit 28 for receiving print commands from a host 12, and has print heads 64, 66 capable of printing multiple colors. A data processing part 24 applies a specific colorization process according to a print command received by a reception unit 28 and generates color print data for printing multiple colors. The content of a colorization process is determined by colorization information stored in a colorization information storage unit 62. The colorization information is set by a data configuration unit 26 according to a color setup command from the host 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Minowa
  • Patent number: 7355759
    Abstract: A print order/delivery system and method, and a printing system, wherein a previously assigned unique identification data is stored on a user side of the system, and the user is registered such that the user is associated with the identification data. Pictorial data is transmitted to a print-order receiving side along with the identification data and order data, and then, on the print-order receiving side, a picture based on the supplied pictorial data is printed on the basis of the order data. The user is recognized from a group of registered users on the basis of the supplied identification data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Kokusho
  • Patent number: 7355751
    Abstract: If the grids of a color conversion table are simply downsampled, the way ink is used (the manner of the changeover in the value of a CMYKlclm signal) differs from that color conversion table before downsampling, there is a shift in the starting point of dark ink at the point of changeover of continuous tone ink, and a decline in image quality ascribable to downsampling of the color conversion table tends to occur. Accordingly, an original LUT is read in, a parameter for selecting a grid to be downsampled is set, a table of evaluation values for selecting a grid to be downsampled is created, a grid capable of being downsampled is selected by referring to the evaluation-value table, and table data that does not contain this grid is copied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Okinori Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7352487
    Abstract: Even if print data is print-outputted from which printing apparatus upon distribution print, a print result in which there is no missing part of an image can be obtained. As a print area of a color MFP 104 and a monochromatic MFP 105 upon distribution print, an AND area 1403 of a print area 1401 and a print area 1402 (area 1403 in which both of the print areas 1401 and 1402 overlap on an output original) is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Tokashiki
  • Patent number: 7349128
    Abstract: A sheet image scanner of the present invention has plural image sensors to output electric signals by detecting optical image data that are obtained by applying a light from a light source to documents, amplifiers to amplify outputs from the plural image sensors, and a peak detection processing unit to detect a peak value of sensitivity of at least one of the plural image sensors and set a gain value for each of amplifiers for the plural image sensors using the detected peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Hashizume
  • Patent number: 7349118
    Abstract: A process that provides a status report following a request for the destruction of data files a user wishes to completely erase from a storage medium, such as a hard drive or removable disk. A system administrator can select a quantity of and pattern to be used in overwrites of the data file so that no one can recover the data from the storage medium. In embodiments, a graphical user interface (GUI) can be provided to allow user triggering of and parameter setting for the process. The GUI can be implemented at a device in which the storage medium is a component or can be implemented in a device driver GUI on a personal computer in communication with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corp.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Zipprich, Bruce E. Talbert, Keith G. Bunker
  • Patent number: 7349135
    Abstract: A circuit which uses a compressor to divide each separation image into 8-line strips, and to independently compress each strip, a single decompressor to decompress two or more color image separations, strip by strip, by interleaving them, and to apply them to two or more print heads, one for each color separation. DMA from a main memory is used to apply both separations to the decompressor, and the decompressor output is demultiplexed into two print heads, one for each separation. This is done to drive each color separation simultaneously in a single-pass color printer. Multiplexing logic controls the DMA into the decompressor and the output of the decompressor into separate buffers for each color separation. Additional logic uses the page and line sync from each print head to synchronize the accessing of the correct image raster from buffers at the output of the decompressor to the associated print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: George L. Eldridge, Munir G. Salfity, John Cheng Ming Tou
  • Patent number: 7349119
    Abstract: The invention is an image pickup apparatus comprising an LE-SE buffer for storing multiple images with different exposure amounts that have been taken with a CCD, an SL synthesizing circuit for performing Super Latitude (SL) processing for the multiple images to generate a synthesized image with a wide dynamic range, a suitability evaluating circuit for evaluating whether the photography scene is suitable for performing SL processing with the SL synthesizing circuit, an image quality evaluating circuit for comparing the synthesized image with the images before synthesizing and evaluating image quality, and a recording format selecting circuit for which of the multiple images before synthesizing and the synthesized image to be recorded by a recording circuit, based on the image quality evaluation results and operating input from a key input circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Taketo Tsukioka
  • Patent number: 7346215
    Abstract: An apparatus for capturing a document with a plurality of compression models comprises an image-processing system and an image-capturing system. The image-processing system is for accepting a request of setting the compression models for the document and processing the data of the document according to the compression models, wherein the request is from an exterior electric device connected to the apparatus. The image-capturing system is for capturing the data of the document, and is connected to the image-processing system and comprises multitudes of optic devices. The method for capturing the document with these compression models comprises accepting a request of setting the compression models for the document; capturing the data of the document; and processing the data of the document with these compression models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Transpacific IP, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Hsiang Shih, Yin-Chun Huang
  • Patent number: 7345781
    Abstract: A preflight time estimator for a printing workflow is provided. An estimated preflight time is determined by analyzing a plurality of previously measured preflight times. The analysis may include tracking and analyzing at least one preflight attribute of a plurality of print jobs. The preflight time estimator may comprise a computer readable media including computer executable instructions for calculating the estimated preflight time. A printer configured to execute the instructions of the computer readable media is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Orhan E. Beckman, Jennifer L. Farrell, Robert D. Walton
  • Patent number: 7345786
    Abstract: A method for color cast removal in a scanned image in L*a*b* space includes generating a first color cast correction curve for mapping L* to a first color correction, ?a*, (or ?b*) wherein the first correction curve provides a desired a* shift in midtone regions and is modulated as a function of L* such that black and white points are unaffected; for each pixel n in the scanned image, passing L*n through the first color cast correction curve for obtaining a value of ?a*n; and adding the value of ?a*n to the scanned image's original a*n component. To ensure that the color corrected a* remains within gamut, a second correction curve for applying a clipping factor to the mapped ?a* may be generated with the a*n passing through the second correction curve for obtaining a clipping factor Cn; and modifying the a*n value by Cn(?a*n).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Rumph, Charles M. Hains
  • Patent number: 7345774
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for adapting a sensor aspect ratio to a print aspect ratio in a digital image capture device is disclosed In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for capturing digital images, comprising an image sensor including a plurality of image capture elements, each of the image capture elements configured to capture image data, an input element for communicating print size information to the apparatus, and logic for determining which of the plurality of image capture elements correspond to the print size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Charles E. Schinner
  • Patent number: 7342675
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for improved operation and troubleshooting of a printing device. A printing device includes a master module wherein printing device operation data can be stored in non-volatile memory. The master module is provided with non-volatile memory or an uninterruptible power source so that the master module memory may be retained and dumped upon request. The memory dump may transmit the memory contents to a local external device through a port, such as an infrared port or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, or the memory contents may be transmitted to a remote location. The dumped data may then be analyzed to quickly identify a problem component in the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ryan Jamison, Eugene Castro, John Moffatt
  • Patent number: 7342673
    Abstract: A device for defining participants in a control system that controls a printing machine is provided. The control system includes a central computer and a number of participants which interact with the central computer in order to carry out processes. The participants are connected to one another via lines of a bus system. The lines of the bus system and the participants have respective plugs for connecting the lines of the bus system to the participants. The plugs of the lines of the bus system have reserved plug contacts which are provided with one or more galvanic links for defining the respective participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Grimm, Silke Husterer, Thomas Husterer, Georg Roessler, Andreas Wagner
  • Patent number: 7342674
    Abstract: It is a subject to provide an information processing apparatus which makes it easy to form program parts depending on individual installation of image output apparatuses and which can suppress an increase in code amount of driver software. The apparatus has program modules for processing quantized image information in accordance with characteristics of an image output apparatus by different methods and virtual switches provided in a program. The modules having the unified interface are switched by the virtual switches in accordance with either a mode of using which image output apparatus as a target and a mode of using which function of the image output apparatus when the image is formed. The formed data is handed to the image output apparatus through a spooler prepared for the OS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Munehiko Ohta
  • Patent number: 7342686
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for color balancing page data, from a variety of input sources having non-consistent device color profiles, among a plurality of individually accessible print engines arranged in a system for color printing multiple copies of multiple page documents. Input page data is converted to a common color space, rasterized and routed to a selected print engine. Page data routed to each marking engine is color balanced to the selected marking engine where at least a portion of the color balancing occurs following the rasterizing of the page data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Electronics for Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Barry, Jack N. Bartholmae, Francis A. Rowe, Neal E. Tompkins, Peter A. Zuber
  • Patent number: 7339694
    Abstract: A request is transferred from a first information processing apparatus to a second one, and document data for printing is generated in accordance with the print request by a generating program provided in an image generating apparatus, and then the generated document data is transferred from the second information processing apparatus to the first one so that the document data is printed out. A type of input data or a type of output data processable by the generating program provided in the image generating apparatus is registered in the second information processing apparatus. A type of input data necessary to generate the document data and a type of the document data generated is specified in accordance with the print request. A generating program for generating the document data is selected by comparing the specified type to the registered type. A generating request for generating the document data is transferred to the image generating apparatus having the selected generating program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Inose, Tsunehiro Tsukada
  • Patent number: 7339696
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically generating a printer model database (PMDB) that is based on a printer driver. The printer model database is dynamically generated by automatically generating device independent print job options, semi-automatically generating device dependent print job options, and automatically generating a printer model database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew R. Ferlitsch
  • Patent number: 7339687
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for raster processing print data wherein multiple print-processing nodes process a print stream serially as it passes through those nodes. For instance, a client generates a print job with some pages in raster format and some pages in a Page Description Language (PDL) format, e.g., every other page. The pages are encapsulated with Printer Job Language commands that allow a printer to detect which pages in the mixed-format stream are in which format. The printer prints raster-format pages directly, and sends PDL-format pages to an internal renderer before submitting them to its marking engine. This arrangement allows printing, e.g., at full-marking-engine speed, on a printer with a low-speed renderer and from a client that can only render pages at low speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America
    Inventor: Andrew R. Ferlitsch