Patents by Inventor Eiji Imaeda

Eiji Imaeda 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: 9332115
    Abstract: An operator is prevented from accidently operating a communication apparatus during short range communication, even if there is an incoming call/mail. A communication apparatus has at least a first communication unit that performs wireless communication for a call or a mail, and a second communication unit that is different from the first communication unit. The communication apparatus changes a notification function that notifies a user of an incoming call/mail received by the first communication unit to a prohibited status in accordance with a start of communication by the second communication unit, and cancels the prohibited status of the notification function in accordance with an end of communication by the second communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 8774771
    Abstract: An operator is prevented from accidentally operating a communication apparatus during short range communication, even if there is an incoming call/mail. A communication apparatus has at least a first communication unit that performs wireless communication for a call or a mail, and a second communication unit that is different from the first communication unit. The communication apparatus changes a notification function that notifies a user of an incoming call/mail received by the first communication unit to a prohibited status in accordance with a start of communication by the second communication unit, and cancels the prohibited status of the notification function in accordance with an end of communication by the second communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20140162720
    Abstract: An operator is prevented from accidently operating a communication apparatus during short range communication, even if there is an incoming call/mail. A communication apparatus has at least a first communication unit that performs wireless communication for a call or a mail, and a second communication unit that is different from the first communication unit. The communication apparatus changes a notification function that notifies a user of an incoming call/mail received by the first communication unit to a prohibited status in accordance with a start of communication by the second communication unit, and cancels the prohibited status of the notification function in accordance with an end of communication by the second communication unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 8488570
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating between devices by selectively using a plurality of communication methods including a centralized control method, in which each communication apparatus sends and receives data under control of a control apparatus, and a distributed control method, in which each communication apparatus sends and receives data in an autonomous and distributing manner. The method and apparatus include detecting radio frequency interference, and switching between the centralized control method and the distributed control method according to a result of detecting the radio frequency interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 8441979
    Abstract: A communication control apparatus that performs wireless communication with a plurality of communication apparatuses, the communication control apparatus comprises: a grouping unit adapted to group the plurality of communication apparatuses based on the relative positions of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses; a notification unit adapted to notify each of the plurality of communication apparatuses of the group to which that communication apparatus belongs and of a communication slot allocated to that group; and a transmission unit adapted to transmit transmission data at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Imaeda, Ichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8290429
    Abstract: A relayed communication system including a supervising station and a plurality of communication stations, transmits data from the supervising station to the communication stations by relay transmission. Each of the plurality of communication stations determines the quality of communication with the supervising station, and notifies the determined communication quality to the supervising station. If the communication quality is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the supervising station allocates one or more communication stations as relay stations to respective time slots in descending order of the communication quality, and transmits the allocation result to the plurality of communication stations. As a result, each communication station can perform relayed communication using the time slot that is allocated thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 8165048
    Abstract: The invention includes a wireless communication system including a control station which transmits a wireless signal by one of a plurality of schemes, and a terminal station which receives the transmitted wireless signal using a plurality of directional antennas by one of a plurality of schemes. The control station repeatedly transmits a wireless signal while sequentially switching the plurality of schemes. The terminal station switches the plurality of schemes at a cycle different from the switching cycle of the control station, changes the directivity direction of the directional antenna every time the terminal station receives all wireless signals transmitted by the plurality of schemes, and detects the reception state of each of the wireless signals which have been transmitted by the plurality of schemes and received in the directivity directions of the directional antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20110053564
    Abstract: An operator is prevented from accidentally operating a communication apparatus during short range communication, even if there is an incoming call/mail. A communication apparatus has at least a first communication unit that performs wireless communication for a call or a mail, and a second communication unit that is different from the first communication unit. The communication apparatus changes a notification function that notifies a user of an incoming call/mail received by the first communication unit to a prohibited status in accordance with a start of communication by the second communication unit, and cancels the prohibited status of the notification function in accordance with an end of communication by the second communication unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20100323613
    Abstract: A relayed communication system including a supervising station and a plurality of communication stations, transmits data from the supervising station to the communication stations by relay transmission. Each of the plurality of communication stations determines the quality of communication with the supervising station, and notifies the determined communication quality to the supervising station. If the communication quality is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the supervising station allocates one or more communication stations as relay stations to respective time slots in descending order of the communication quality, and transmits the allocation result to the plurality of communication stations. As a result, each communication station can perform relayed communication using the time slot that is allocated thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20090252140
    Abstract: The invention includes a wireless communication system including a control station which transmits a wireless signal by one of a plurality of schemes, and a terminal station which receives the transmitted wireless signal using a plurality of directional antennas by one of a plurality of schemes. The control station repeatedly transmits a wireless signal while sequentially switching the plurality of schemes. The terminal station switches the plurality of schemes at a cycle different from the switching cycle of the control station, changes the directivity direction of the directional antenna every time the terminal station receives all wireless signals transmitted by the plurality of schemes, and detects the reception state of each of the wireless signals which have been transmitted by the plurality of schemes and received in the directivity directions of the directional antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 7502628
    Abstract: A memory card is provided with a memory interface and a wireless communication unit, which makes a connection with a data storage device provided in a remote place through a wireless line, and transfers data to the data storage device. A memory space of a database server in a remote place looks as if it exists in the memory card. In addition, a capacity of the database server can be set arbitrarily from a cellular phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20080212699
    Abstract: A communication control apparatus that performs wireless communication with a plurality of communication apparatuses, the communication control apparatus comprises: a grouping unit adapted to group the plurality of communication apparatuses based on the relative positions of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses; a notification unit adapted to notify each of the plurality of communication apparatuses of the group to which that communication apparatus belongs and of a communication slot allocated to that group; and a transmission unit adapted to transmit transmission data at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiji Imaeda, Ichiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20070223511
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating between devices by selectively using a plurality of communication methods including a centralized control method, in which each communication apparatus sends and receives data under control of a control apparatus, and a distributed control method, in which each communication apparatus sends and receives data in an autonomous and distributing manner. The method and apparatus include detecting radio frequency interference, and switching between the centralized control method and the distributed control method according to a result of detecting the radio frequency interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 7075573
    Abstract: A communication device having a memory for storing image data and thumbnail data is capable of transmitting the image data to an image storage unit. When the communication device transmits some of the image data stored in the memory, it erases the transmitted image data in the memory to increase an area in the memory where data can be stored. The communication device transmits to the image storage unit a search request for searching for the image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail data during browsing of the thumbnail data, and receives the image data found by searching from the image storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20060109816
    Abstract: Even in a wireless station only having a distributed coordination function, a fair connection chance can be provided. A wireless access control station comprising a determination unit which determines a wireless connection count of a predetermined access category, and a change unit which changes, in accordance with determination obtained by said determination unit, wireless connection of a wireless communication apparatus satisfying a predetermined condition from a wireless connection of distributed coordination function to a wireless connection of point coordination function, or from the wireless connection of point coordination function to the wireless connection of distributed coordination function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20040204093
    Abstract: A memory card is provided with a memory interface and a wireless communication unit, which makes a connection with a data storage device provided in a remote place through a wireless line, and transfers data to the data storage device. A memory space of a database server in a remote place looks as if it exists in the memory card. In addition, a capacity of the database server can be set arbitrarily from a cellular phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Publication number: 20020075392
    Abstract: A communication device having a memory for storing image data and thumbnail data is capable of transmitting the image data to an image storage unit. When the communication device transmits some of the image data stored in the memory, it erases the transmitted image data in the memory to increase an area in the memory where data can be stored. The communication device transmits to the image storage unit a search request for searching for the image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail data during browsing of the thumbnail data, and receives the image data found by searching from the image storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 6094212
    Abstract: This invention proposes to eliminate the limitation that the reception data, assigned to a subchannel, cannot be re-assigned to another subchannel in the transmission. For this purpose, in a configuration of the present invention, the transmission information, formed by multiplexing information of plural kinds in a multiplexing unit, is transmitted to a line control unit which is connected to a communication line and serves to transmit and receive information to and from different locations, while the reception information received from the communication line is received by the line control unit and separated in a demultiplexing unit into the information of respective kinds, and at least one is selected by an entire control unit from thus separated plural information and is turned back to the multiplexing unit through a turn-back bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 5969749
    Abstract: At the start of a communication, a video and audio output other than the communication is automatically turned off. When a handset is off-hooked or the operation to start the communication is performed by an operation apparatus, a communication control circuit switches a change-over switch to an a contact and turns off a disconnecting switch. When the handset is on-hooked or the operation to finish the communication is executed by the operation apparatus, the communication control circuit switches the change-over switch to a b contact and turns on the disconnecting switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda
  • Patent number: 5751700
    Abstract: A communication terminal apparatus for multiplexing a plurality of different types of data and for performing communications using the multiplexed data includes a network control unit connected to a communication network for transmission and reception of the plurality of different types of data. A multiplexing unit generates transmission data by multiplexing the plurality of different types of data and outputs the transmission data to the line control unit. A synchronizing unit generates a transmission synchronizing signal of the multiplexing unit. A separating unit separates reception data received from the network control unit in units of data type synchronously with the transmission synchronizing signal generated by the synchronization unit. A loop back path can be used for looping back and inputting the separated reception data to the multiplexing unit, and an adding unit adds dummy data to the looped back reception data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Imaeda