Patents by Inventor Atsushi Tomita

Atsushi Tomita has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8001191
    Abstract: When electronic mail with firmware attached is received at a data communication apparatus, determination is made whether it corresponds to firmware data of a write process allowable state. In the case of write process allowable data, the message is downloaded from a mail server to a printer controller. Then, derived firmware is transmitted to an image formation apparatus. A firmware rewrite permission is obtained. When the firmware attached to the message does not attain a write process allowable state, waiting is conducted for reception of write process allowable firmware with the data left in the mail server. As a result, a data communication apparatus is provided that can rewrite firmware appropriately independent of a transmitted and received order of divided firmware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Mae, Atsushi Tomita, Hideki Hino
  • Patent number: 7979855
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, a management system and a computer program product are disclosed that enable firmware that controls operations of the image processing apparatus to be updated appropriately, even when, for example, an initial setting in the image processing apparatus has been changed. Firmware in the image processing apparatus is stored in a rewritable storage device such as a flash ROM, and is updated by transmitting a new firmware to the image processing apparatus and rewriting the contents of the storage device. The new firmware is transmitted together with a control program (including script) that describes processing to be executed in the image processing apparatus before and/or after updating the firmware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Inui, Atsushi Tomita, Yoshikazu Ikenoue
  • Publication number: 20110161867
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a display. A plurality of icons that correspond to a plurality of function buttons to set the functions installed on an image processing apparatus are displayed in the icon display area on the display, organized in groups by function attribute. When a position in the icon display area is arbitrarily specified by a user, then function buttons that correspond to icons lying at the user specified position, are displayed in the function button display area on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi TOMITA, Kenichi Sawada, Takeshi Hibino, Takuya Okada
  • Publication number: 20110161881
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprising: a display; a controller that displays or hides a function button for use of a function on a display screen on the display according to one or more than one pattern information object indicating the setting whether to display or hide the function button on the display screen; a firmware updater that updates firmware; and a comparator that compares the old and new firmware in terms of the functions installed thereon, and wherein, if the comparison result drawn by the comparator indicates that a new function is added due to the firmware update, the controller displays or hides a first function button for use of the new function according to pattern information for a second function button for use of a function on a higher layer than the new function or pattern information for a group including the second function button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi TOMITA, Kenichi Sawada, Takuya Okada, Takeshi Hibino, Takatsugu Kuno
  • Patent number: 7953702
    Abstract: A document administration apparatus, includes a sharing request receiving portion configured to receive a request of sharing a document stored in a first box among boxes which are divided storing areas, a box information receiving portion configured to receive box information on one or more second boxes each correlated with each user sharing the document to which the sharing request is made, a shortcut creating portion configured to create a shortcut to all of the second boxes represented by the box information received by the box information receiving portion, the shortcut including link information to the document stored in the first box, and a link portion configured to process an access to the shortcut created by the shortcut creating portion by replacing the access with an access to the document which is a linked destination written in the shortcut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20100325177
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a user authentication portion performing a user authentication process on a user by using user authentication information, a section authentication portion performing a section authentication process, by using one of a plurality of pieces of section authentication information, on the user who has been successfully authenticated by the user authentication portion, an associated information storage portion storing, therein, associated information in which the user authentication information is associated with the plurality of pieces of section authentication information, and a selection process portion selecting, after the user has been successfully authenticated by the user authentication portion, at least one of the plurality of pieces of section authentication information satisfying a preset condition from among the plurality of pieces of section authentication information associated with the user authentication information that has been used for the user authentic
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventors: Takeshi HIBINO, Kenichi Sawada, Takuya Okada, Atsushi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20100306843
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first authentication portion performing a first authentication process on a user, a second authentication portion that performs a second authentication process on the user successfully authenticated by the first authentication portion, and thereby determines whether or not the user is permitted to log onto the apparatus, and a cooperative setting portion performing setting therethrough, on a user-by-user basis, whether or not the first authentication process and the second authentication process are performed in combination with each other. If the user for whom setting is performed such that the first authentication process and the second authentication process are performed in combination with each other is successfully authenticated by the first authentication portion, then the second authentication portion determines that the user is to be permitted to log onto the apparatus based on the associated information and ends the second authentication process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takuya OKADA, Kenichi Sawada, Takeshi Hibino, Atsushi Tomita
  • Patent number: 7830534
    Abstract: Disclosed are an information processing apparatus, a printing instruction method, and a storage medium storing a computer program, that can improve the operability. When dragging and dropping of a first icon that indicates a printer onto a second icon that indicates a document to be printed is detected, or dragging and dropping of the second icon onto the first icon is detected, a signal from an input device such as a keyboard at the time of detection of the drop event is detected, and a printing condition is determined. A print data corresponding to the second icon is transmitted to the printer that is indicated by the first icon so as to print the document to be printed in the printing condition corresponding to the signal that is output from the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita
  • Patent number: 7797385
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus checks a next job to be executed, and if the job is a firmware rewriting job, accesses a mail server, downloads e-mail, and obtains a job type of a job attached to the e-mail. If the job is a print job, the image processing apparatus extracts image information pertaining to the job from the e-mail, stores the image information, registers the job in a job management table, and ends processing. If there are no print jobs, the image processing apparatus executes the firmware rewriting job, deletes the job from the job management table, and ends the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tomita, Hideki Hino, Hideo Mae
  • Publication number: 20100141995
    Abstract: A document administration system includes a plurality of document storing apparatuses, and a server apparatus connected the plurality of document storing apparatuses via a network. Each of the plurality of document storing apparatuses includes a plurality of boxes for storing various information in a sorted manner, and a document storing portion for making the document storing apparatus store a document in one of the boxes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi TOMITA, Eiichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20100134839
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to improve operability of an image processing device by reading a document with multiple pages at a time, changing a page addressed to each destination, and transmitting the page to each destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi HIBINO, Takatsugu Kuno, Katsushi Sukigara, Kenichi Sawada, Atsushi Tomita
  • Patent number: 7653717
    Abstract: When a trouble has occurred in any one or more of copying machines, a data terminal (i.e. an equipment management apparatus) transmits to the computer of the management center the trouble data and the management data about the copying machines in which no trouble has occurred. Therefore, the management data about a plurality of copying machines can be efficiently transmitted to the computer of the management center. The copying machine of which management data is to be transmitted together with the trouble data is determined in accordance with the count number remaining until the time for the next regular maintenance comes. As a result, the management data about the copying machine which is scheduled to have regular maintenance in a near future can be transmitted to the computer of the management center prior to other data. The management center can know which copying machine is scheduled to have maintenance in a near future. As a result, a service engineer can be efficiently dispatched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20090317121
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a job storage portion that stores a print job relating to an image forming process and a command job relating to a control process of operation of the image forming apparatus, a job management portion that registers the print job and the command job in the job storage portion and manages the print job and the command job, an image formation portion that executes the print job, a command execution portion that executes the command job, and a controller that performs control such that the print job stored in the job storage portion is executed ahead of the command job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tomita, Kenichi Sawada, Katsushi Sukigara, Shoko Haba, Takatsugu Kuno
  • Publication number: 20090310178
    Abstract: An image forming device for executing an authentication print job including: a communication interface unit for receiving print data; a job data holding unit for holding job data based on the print data for the authentication print job; a user authentication unit for outputting the result of the user authentication to a control unit; a job execution unit for executing a job based on the job data; a job list generating unit for generating a list of the authentication print jobs; a display unit for displaying the list; and the control unit for, in receiving the result of the user authentication, acquiring a number of the authentication print jobs of the user authenticated by the user authentication, wherein, when the number is greater than or equal to a predetermined number, the control unit causes the job list generating unit to generate the list of the authentication print jobs of the authenticated user, the display unit to display the list, and the job execution unit to execute the authentication print job o
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tomita, Kenichi Sawada, Katsushi Sukigara, Shoko Haba, Takatsugu Kuno
  • Publication number: 20090257078
    Abstract: An image forming device which is arranged to execute an authentication print job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichi SAWADA, Shoko HABA, Takatsugu KUNO, Katsushi SUKIGARA, Atsushi TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20090059274
    Abstract: When a specific image forming apparatus is selected as an output destination, a CPU reads a printer driver corresponding to the selected image forming apparatus from a printer driver group, and loads the driver in a memory unit or the like. On the contrary, if no specific image forming apparatus is selected as the output destination, the CPU reads a general purpose printer driver from the printer driver group, and loads the driver to the memory unit or the like. Further, the CPU displays a print setting image on a display unit 204.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20090059273
    Abstract: When a user applies a pull print request by operating an operation panel unit of an image forming apparatus MFP, a server SRV transmits a list of print data stored therein and setting information of each print data to the image forming apparatus MFP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20090059275
    Abstract: A server includes a data converting unit, a converted data storage unit, and a converted data transmitting unit. The data converting unit converts, based on device information of each image forming apparatus, print data to converted data allowing image formation by each image forming apparatus, for each image forming apparatus. The converted data storage unit stores the converted data in correspondence with information specifying the corresponding image forming apparatus. The converted data transmitting unit transmits, in response to data request from the image forming apparatus, the converted data corresponding to the image forming apparatus stored in the converted data storage unit, to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi TOMITA
  • Patent number: 7446816
    Abstract: A data broadcasting receiving terminal receives a data broadcasting signal from a broadcasting station to detect print-out data and a control signal associated with print-out from the data broadcasting signal. The data broadcasting receiving terminal, at a time point of the start of broadcasting, notifies an image forming apparatus of the detected print-out data and printing prohibition data included in the control signal associated with print-out. The data broadcasting receiving terminal acquires a preparation time required for print-out from the image forming apparatus and a time of restoration from a power saving mode and issues a command of printing start, in consideration of the time requirements, to the image forming apparatus so that print-out data is printed out at predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tomita, Hideki Hino, Hideo Mae, Yuji Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20080162941
    Abstract: A driver management apparatus is installed in a system including an image forming apparatus and plural information processing apparatuses. The driver management apparatus sends the information processing apparatus a driver for the image forming apparatus with a first key incorporated. The driver is so set that printing processing conditions whose designation with the information processing apparatus is prohibited cannot be designated. Further, the driver management apparatus sends the first key to the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus uses the driver sent by the driver management apparatus to generate print data and encrypts the generated print data using the first key incorporated into the driver, and sends the encrypted print data to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tomita