Patents by Inventor Daisuke NIKAKU

Daisuke NIKAKU 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: 11750753
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a reading unit, a background member, and processing circuitry. The reading unit includes alight source to emit light to a passage area through which an object passes and an imaging device to capture reflected light of the light emitted to generate a visible image and an invisible image. The background member is disposed opposite the light source across the passage area. The processing circuitry is configured to: detect a change in an image characteristic due to a change in an optical characteristic of the reading unit, in invisible images obtained by capturing of invisible marks on the background member; determine a correction amount of an image characteristic to be used for correcting an image of the object generated by the imaging device, based on the change in the image characteristic detected; and correct the image characteristic based on the correction amount determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Hashimoto, Daisuke Nikaku, Yutaka Ohmiya
  • Patent number: 11477342
    Abstract: A reading device, an image forming apparatus, and a method of correction. The reading device includes a scanner configured to read an image in a first wavelength range and an image in a second wavelength range from light reflected by a surface of a recording medium, a detector configured to detect a change from a reference position in a reading-depth direction when the surface of the recording medium is read by the scanner, based on an amount of characteristic read from the image in the second wavelength range, and a corrector configured to correct the image in the first wavelength range based on the change detected by the detector. The image forming apparatus includes the reading device, and an image forming device configured to form an image corrected by the corrector of the reading device on a recording medium. The method includes reading the image in the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Hashimoto, Masamoto Nakazawa, Daisuke Nikaku, Yutaka Ohmiya
  • Publication number: 20220303417
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a reading unit, a background member, and processing circuitry. The reading unit includes alight source to emit light to a passage area through which an object passes and an imaging device to capture reflected light of the light emitted to generate a visible image and an invisible image. The background member is disposed opposite the light source across the passage area. The processing circuitry is configured to: detect a change in an image characteristic due to a change in an optical characteristic of the reading unit, in invisible images obtained by capturing of invisible marks on the background member; determine a correction amount of an image characteristic to be used for correcting an image of the object generated by the imaging device, based on the change in the image characteristic detected; and correct the image characteristic based on the correction amount determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Hideki HASHIMOTO, Daisuke NIKAKU, Yutaka OHMIYA
  • Patent number: 11381702
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a light source configured to irradiate a subject; a reading unit configured to detect reflected light generated by a subject reflecting light emitted from the light source, to perform reading; and a control unit configured to perform turn-on control on the light source. The control unit is configured to perform the turn-on control to change a turn-on condition such that the light source is turned on during a period when at least a detection region including an image pattern on the subject passes through a reading position of a reading unit, based on position information of the image pattern of the subject in a first operation mode for reading the subject, and perform the turn-on control to make the turn-on condition of the light source constant regardless of the image pattern of the subject in a second operation mode for reading the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nikaku, Tatsuya Ishii, Hideki Hashimoto, Yutaka Ohmiya, Takayuki Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 11360422
    Abstract: A position detector includes a reading device, a position reference member having a mark opposite the reading device, and circuitry. The circuitry controls the reading device to detect the contour of the processing target and the position of the image pattern on the processing target and the position of the mark and corrects a processing position for the processing target to offset distortion of the reading device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nikaku, Masamoto Nakazawa, Ryohma Ikemoto, Osamu Inage, Tatsuya Ishii, Satoshi Iwanami, Hideyo Makino, Kimiharu Yamazaki, Kohta Aoyagi, Satoshi Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20220109779
    Abstract: A reading device, an image forming apparatus, and a method of correction. The reading device includes a scanner configured to read an image in a first wavelength range and an image in a second wavelength range from light reflected by a surface of a recording medium, a detector configured to detect a change from a reference position in a reading-depth direction when the surface of the recording medium is read by the scanner, based on an amount of characteristic read from the image in the second wavelength range, and a corrector configured to correct the image in the first wavelength range based on the change detected by the detector. The image forming apparatus includes the reading device, and an image forming device configured to form an image corrected by the corrector of the reading device on a recording medium. The method includes reading the image in the first wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Hideki HASHIMOTO, Masamoto NAKAZAWA, Daisuke NIKAKU, Yutaka OHMIYA
  • Patent number: 11223768
    Abstract: A position detection device includes a background member, a reader, and processing circuitry. The background member has a higher absorption characteristic in an invisible wavelength region than in a visible wavelength region. The reader opposite the background member irradiates a recording medium having a mark and the background member with light of a visible wavelength to output a visible image or with light of an invisible wavelength to output an invisible image. The processing circuitry is configured to: detect an end position of the recording medium and a position of the mark on the recording medium from a read image output from the reader; and select the visible or invisible image as the read image used for position detection, according to an absorption characteristic of a color material forming the mark read by the reader and an absorption characteristic of the recording medium in the invisible wavelength region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ohmiya, Daisuke Nikaku, Hideki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20210385384
    Abstract: A position detection device includes a background member, a reader, and processing circuitry. The background member has a higher absorption characteristic in an invisible wavelength region than in a visible wavelength region. The reader opposite the background member irradiates a recording medium having a mark and the background member with light of a visible wavelength to output a visible image or with light of an invisible wavelength to output an invisible image. The processing circuitry is configured to: detect an end position of the recording medium and a position of the mark on the recording medium from a read image output from the reader; and select the visible or invisible image as the read image used for position detection, according to an absorption characteristic of a color material forming the mark read by the reader and an absorption characteristic of the recording medium in the invisible wavelength region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Yutaka OHMIYA, Daisuke NIKAKU, Hideki HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210218860
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a light source configured to irradiate a subject; a reading unit configured to detect reflected light generated by a subject reflecting light emitted from the light source, to perform reading; and a control unit configured to perform turn-on control on the light source. The control unit is configured to perform the turn-on control to change a turn-on condition such that the light source is turned on during a period when at least a detection region including an image pattern on the subject passes through a reading position of a reading unit, based on position information of the image pattern of the subject in a first operation mode for reading the subject, and perform the turn-on control to make the turn-on condition of the light source constant regardless of the image pattern of the subject in a second operation mode for reading the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Daisuke NIKAKU, Tatsuya ISHII, Hideki HASHIMOTO, Yutaka OHMIYA, Takayuki KAWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10931845
    Abstract: A reading device including a position reference member having a reference pattern having a line extending along a first direction of the position reference member, the position reference member movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a reader including a plurality of sensor chips arranged along the first direction, each of the sensor chips having a length defined by a plurality of pixels; and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to detect the reference pattern of the position reference member using the reader; determine coordinates of at least two sensor chips in the second direction, based on the detected reference pattern of the position reference member; and correct a position of a reading target in the second direction based on the coordinates determined for the at least two sensor chips of the reader in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ishii, Satoshi Iwanami, Daisuke Nikaku, Masamoto Nakazawa, Osamu Inage, Shinichiroh Wada, Ryohma Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 10771646
    Abstract: A reading device includes a position reference member and a reader. The position reference member has a reference pattern that includes a line extending in a prescribed direction. The position reference member is configured to relatively move in a direction orthogonal to the prescribed direction. The reader includes a plurality of sensor chips, each of the sensor chips including a plurality of pixels. The reference pattern corresponds to each of the sensor chips of the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ishii, Yoshiko Niki, Satoshi Iwanami, Osamu Inage, Shinichiroh Wada, Masamoto Nakazawa, Ryohma Ikemoto, Daisuke Nikaku
  • Patent number: 10757280
    Abstract: An image reader includes a reading device to read an image on a recording medium, a first conveying roller pair upstream of the reading device in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, a second conveying roller pair downstream of the reading device in the conveyance direction, to hold the recording medium together with the first conveying roller pair to convey the recording medium, and a driver to drive the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair so that a relative relation between a reading position of the reading device and the recording medium held by the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair is constant. The reading device determines that the image read from the recording medium is effective in a period in which the relative relation is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Inage, Masamoto Nakazawa, Daisuke Nikaku, Ryohma Ikemoto, Hideki Hashimoto, Shinichiroh Wada
  • Patent number: 10735625
    Abstract: An information detecting device detects information from a target. The information detecting device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform a first information acquisition operation of acquiring first information from a target criterion, a second information acquisition operation of acquiring second information from the target, and an information conversion operation of converting the second information acquired by the second information acquisition operation, into third information, with the first information acquired by the first information acquisition operation, the third information having a dimension different from respective dimensions of the first information and the second information; and perform control such that an information-acquisition condition in the first information acquisition operation is identical to an information-acquisition condition in the second information acquisition operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamoto Nakazawa, Hideki Hashimoto, Daisuke Nikaku
  • Patent number: 10674027
    Abstract: A position detecting device includes an image sensor and circuitry. The image sensor is configured to read reflected light of light emitted from a light source onto a medium to be read. The circuitry is configured to perform black correction processing on an output signal of the image sensor using black correction data of the image sensor and detect a position of the medium from the output signal after the black correction processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nikaku, Masamoto Nakazawa, Ryohma Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 10616429
    Abstract: A position detecting device includes circuitry. The circuitry is configured to control a reading device to detect, as a first detection result, an outer shape of a processing subject and a position of an image pattern on the processing subject; control the reading device to detect, as a second detection result, a mark arranged on a position reference member, the mark corresponding to a predetermined position in the reading device; and detect a first correction value of the reading device and a second correction value of the reading device corrected by the first correction value on basis of the second detection result and reflect the first correction value and the second correction value to the first detection result to correct a processing position in the processing subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryohma Ikemoto, Masamoto Nakazawa, Daisuke Nikaku
  • Publication number: 20190335061
    Abstract: An information detecting device detects information from a target. The information detecting device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform a first information acquisition operation of acquiring first information from a target criterion, a second information acquisition operation of acquiring second information from the target, and an information conversion operation of converting the second information acquired by the second information acquisition operation, into third information, with the first information acquired by the first information acquisition operation, the third information having a dimension different from respective dimensions of the first information and the second information; and perform control such that an information-acquisition condition in the first information acquisition operation is identical to an information-acquisition condition in the second information acquisition operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Masamoto NAKAZAWA, Hideki Hashimoto, Daisuke Nikaku
  • Publication number: 20190238717
    Abstract: An image reader includes a reading device to read an image on a recording medium, a first conveying roller pair upstream of the reading device in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, a second conveying roller pair downstream of the reading device in the conveyance direction, to hold the recording medium together with the first conveying roller pair to convey the recording medium, and a driver to drive the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair so that a relative relation between a reading position of the reading device and the recording medium held by the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair is constant. The reading device determines that the image read from the recording medium is effective in a period in which the relative relation is constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Osamu INAGE, Masamoto NAKAZAWA, Daisuke NIKAKU, Ryohma IKEMOTO, Hideki HASHIMOTO, Shinichiroh WADA
  • Publication number: 20190238687
    Abstract: A position detecting device includes an image sensor and circuitry. The image sensor is configured to read reflected light of light emitted from a light source onto a medium to be read. The circuitry is configured to perform black correction processing on an output signal of the image sensor using black correction data of the image sensor and detect a position of the medium from the output signal after the black correction processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Daisuke Nikaku, Masamoto Nakazawa, Ryohma Ikemoto
  • Publication number: 20190238702
    Abstract: A position detecting device includes circuitry. The circuitry is configured to control a reading device to detect, as a first detection result, an outer shape of a processing subject and a position of an image pattern on the processing subject; control the reading device to detect, as a second detection result, a mark arranged on a position reference member, the mark corresponding to a predetermined position in the reading device; and detect a first correction value of the reading device and a second correction value of the reading device corrected by the first correction value on basis of the second detection result and reflect the first correction value and the second correction value to the first detection result to correct a processing position in the processing subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Ryohma IKEMOTO, Masamoto Nakazawa, Daisuke Nikaku
  • Publication number: 20190166275
    Abstract: A reading device including a position reference member having a reference pattern having a line extending along a first direction of the position reference member, the position reference member movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a reader including a plurality of sensor chips arranged along the first direction, each of the sensor chips having a length defined by a plurality of pixels; and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to detect the reference pattern of the position reference member using the reader; determine coordinates of at least two sensor chips in the second direction, based on the detected reference pattern of the position reference member; and correct a position of a reading target in the second direction based on the coordinates determined for the at least two sensor chips of the reader in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ishii, Satoshi Iwanami, Daisuke Nikaku, Masamoto Nakazawa, Osamu Inage, Shinichiroh Wada, Ryohma Ikemoto