Patents by Inventor Hideaki Fukaya

Hideaki Fukaya 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: 11947291
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a wireless tag communication device configured to communicate with a wireless tag attached to a sheet, a fixing device configured to fix a toner image on the sheet, and a processor configured to: upon receipt of a print job, control the communication device to read from the wireless tag a first fixing temperature that has previously been used to fix a toner image on the sheet, determine a second fixing temperature to be used by the fixing device based on the first fixing temperature, and execute the print job by controlling the fixing device to fix a toner image on the sheet at the second fixing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20240069474
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a wireless tag communication device configured to communicate with a wireless tag attached to a sheet, a fixing device configured to fix a toner image on the sheet, and a processor configured to: upon receipt of a print job, control the communication device to read from the wireless tag a first fixing temperature that has previously been used to fix a toner image on the sheet, determine a second fixing temperature to be used by the fixing device based on the first fixing temperature, and execute the print job by controlling the fixing device to fix a toner image on the sheet at the second fixing temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Hideaki FUKAYA
  • Publication number: 20240048661
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus displays a questionnaire regarding an apparatus on a control panel. The image forming apparatus acquires answer data to the questionnaire from a user via a touch panel of the control panel. The image forming apparatus acquires related data regarding the apparatus. The image forming apparatus associates the related data with the answer data to transmit the answer data and the related data to another apparatus different from the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Hideaki FUKAYA
  • Patent number: 11546486
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an interface and a control circuit. The interface is configured to connect a contactless card reader. The control circuit is configured to acquire identification information read from an information recording medium by the contactless card reader and to decrease a field intensity level of the contactless card reader in response to a success of authentication of the identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20220244660
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developer, a toner conveyer, a toner replenisher, a toner, and a processor. The image carrier is configured to hold an electrostatic latent image. The developer is configured to form a toner image by causing toner to adhere to the electrostatic latent image. The toner conveyer is configured to convey the toner in the developer. The toner replenisher is configured to replenish the developer with the toner. The toner concentration sensor is configured to detect a concentration of the toner in the developer. The processor configured to: determine a toner replenishment amount; determine an estimated toner concentration value from the toner replenishment amount; receive the concentration from the toner concentration sensor; determine a measured toner concentration value based on the concentration; and cause the toner replenisher to replenish the developer with the toner replenishment amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki FUKAYA
  • Patent number: 11308374
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printer unit that includes a driving member related to the supply of the developer, a storage unit that stores correction information regarding the correction of a supplied amount of the developer and a remaining amount of the developer, and a control unit. The control unit acquires driving information regarding the driving of the driving member. The control unit acquires the correction information in accordance with the remaining amount of the developer and estimates the remaining amount of developer based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount, and estimates the remaining amount of the developer based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 11175603
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes a storage unit, an image forming unit, a first electrode, a second electrode, a to-be-detected unit, a moving unit, a measuring unit, and a processor. The storage unit stores a recording material. The image forming unit forms an image with the recording material supplied from the storage unit. The to-be-detected unit is in the storage unit and is movable so that at least one of the distance to the first electrode and the distance to the second electrode changes. The moving unit moves the to-be-detected unit in the storage unit. The measuring unit measures the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. The processor controls the image forming unit based on the abnormality detected based on the capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20210073605
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printer unit that includes a driving member related to the supply of the developer, a storage unit that stores correction information regarding the correction of a supplied amount of the developer and a remaining amount of the developer, and a control unit. The control unit acquires driving information regarding the driving of the driving member. The control unit acquires the correction information in accordance with the remaining amount of the developer and estimates the remaining amount of developer based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount, and estimates the remaining amount of the developer based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 10819863
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a measurement section configured to measure first environmental information of a measurement position in a first period; an acquisition section configured to acquire first external environmental information measured by a first external device; and a controller configured to estimate second environmental information of the measurement position in a second period different from the first period using the first external environmental information, and perform control to execute a maintenance operation based on the second environmental information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 10776676
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printer unit that includes a driving member related to the supply of the developer, a storage unit that stores correction information regarding the correction of a supplied amount of the developer and a remaining amount of the developer, and a control unit. The control unit acquires driving information regarding the driving of the driving member. The control unit acquires the correction information in accordance with the remaining amount of the developer and estimates the remaining amount of developer based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount, and estimates the remaining amount of the developer based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20200218186
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an input unit and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image by using a plurality of consumables. The input unit receives an input of information designating the consumables to be used for forming the image. The control unit selectably displays other candidates of the consumables to be used for forming the image, based on the designated consumables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20200145541
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a measurement section configured to measure first environmental information of a measurement position in a first period; an acquisition section configured to acquire first external environmental information measured by a first external device; and a controller configured to estimate second environmental information of the measurement position in a second period different from the first period using the first external environmental information, and perform control to execute a maintenance operation based on the second environmental information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20200125021
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an input unit and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image by using a plurality of consumables. The input unit receives an input of information designating the consumables to be used for forming the image. The control unit selectably displays other candidates of the consumables to be used for forming the image, based on the designated consumables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 10627759
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an input unit and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image by using a plurality of consumables . The input unit receives an input of information designating the consumables to be used for forming the image. The control unit selectably displays other candidates of the consumables to be used for forming the image, based on the designated consumables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 10567595
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a measurement section configured to measure first environmental information of a measurement position in a first period; an acquisition section configured to acquire first external environmental information measured by a first external device; and a controller configured to estimate second environmental information of the measurement position in a second period different from the first period using the first external environmental information, and perform control to execute a maintenance operation based on the second environmental information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20200045186
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a measurement section configured to measure first environmental information of a measurement position in a first period; an acquisition section configured to acquire first external environmental information measured by a first external device; and a controller configured to estimate second environmental information of the measurement position in a second period different from the first period using the first external environmental information, and perform control to execute a maintenance operation based on the second environmental information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 10310430
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit is able to execute a first image formation processing using a first color material and a second image formation processing using a second color material. The controller performs image quality stabilizing processing for the first image formation processing using second color material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20180231930
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit is able to execute a first image formation processing using a first color material and a second image formation processing using a second color material. The controller performs image quality stabilizing processing for the first image formation processing using second color material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 9733598
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet using a decolorable color material for a decolorable image forming job. A second image forming unit forms an image on a sheet using a non-decolorable color material for a non-decolorable image forming job. A heat source heats the sheet at a control temperature according to a job type. A storage unit includes a job queue that registers jobs in a received order. When a plurality of jobs that differ in the control temperature are registered in the job queue, a controller that changes an execution order of the jobs in the job queue into the ascending order of the control temperature of the heat source, and executes the jobs registered in the job queue according to the changed order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideaki Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20170131667
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet using a decolorable color material for a decolorable image forming job. A second image forming unit forms an image on a sheet using a non-decolorable color material for a non-decolorable image forming job. A heat source heats the sheet at a control temperature according to a job type. A storage unit includes a job queue that registers jobs in a received order. When a plurality of jobs that differ in the control temperature are registered in the job queue, a controller that changes an execution order of the jobs in the job queue into the ascending order of the control temperature of the heat source, and executes the jobs registered in the job queue according to the changed order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventor: Hideaki FUKAYA