Patents by Inventor Hironobu Inada

Hironobu Inada 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: 10452901
    Abstract: An image processing device combines an image of a medium exposed to visible light and an image of the medium exposed to ultraviolet light so that parts printed with UV ink can be easily identified. A control device (image processing device) has an image acquisition unit that drives an image sensor and acquires a first image by imaging the face of a check when exposed to a visible first light, and acquires a second image by imaging the face of the check when exposed to an ultraviolet second light; a reverse image generating unit that generates a reversed second image by reversing light and dark in the second image; and a second synthesizing unit that generates a second synthesized image by combining the first image and the reversed second image. Because the reversed second image that is the reverse of the second image becomes an image that is light overall, a drop in the luminance and a drop in the contrast of the first synthesized image can be suppressed, and parts printed with UV ink are easily discerned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamamoto, Hironobu Inada
  • Publication number: 20160132724
    Abstract: An image processing device combines an image of a medium exposed to visible light and an image of the medium exposed to ultraviolet light so that parts printed with UV ink can be easily identified. A control device (image processing device) has an image acquisition unit that drives an image sensor -and acquires a first image by imaging the face a check when exposed to a visible first light, and acquires a second image by imaging the face of the check when exposed to an ultraviolet second light; a reverse image generating unit that generates a reversed second image by reversing light and dark in the second image; and a second synthesizing unit that generates a second synthesized image by combining the first image and the reversed second image. Because the reversed second image that is the reverse of the second image becomes an image that is light overall, a drop in the luminance and a drop in the contrast of the first synthesized image can be suppressed, and parts printed with UV ink are easily discerned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki YAMAMOTO, Hironobu INADA
  • Patent number: 8587804
    Abstract: An electronic method for printing is disclosed, the method including receiving print data from a host computer, the print data including an indicator, wherein the print data does not include supplemental duplex or simplex printing settings, determining that the indicator is within the print data, analyzing the indicator to determine duplex or simplex printing, writing a first portion of the print data to a memory unit, writing a second portion of the print data to the memory unit, printing a first side of a paper according to the first portion of the print data, and printing a second side of the paper according to the second portion of the print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Inada, Akihiro Ikeda, Hiroyuki Sakaguchi, Shunichi Wakasa
  • Patent number: 8553271
    Abstract: A printing device and a control method for a printing device can freely change the distribution of print data to the front and back sides to achieve the desired duplex printing result when operating in a duplex printing page mode that converts the print data for one page after setting the data conversion area. A conversion step (step S29) sets a break length hy that divides the data conversion area 105c into a first data storage area 105a for converting the first-side print data and a second data storage area 105b for converting the second-side print data in the page mode, and then converts the print data. A print step (step S36) then simultaneously prints the first-side or front print data that is converted into the conversion area before the break, and the second-side or back print data that is converted into the conversion area after the break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hironobu Inada
  • Patent number: 8253961
    Abstract: A thermal printer and a control method for a thermal printer enable increasing throughput before a printing process starts by starting a duplex printing process without waiting to convert all print data into the front print buffer and back print buffer, enable executing a duplex printing process on a print medium without using a front print buffer and a separate back print buffer, and enable switching between simplex printing and duplex printing according to a specific command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Inada, Akihiro Ikeda, Masanori Zama
  • Publication number: 20090190173
    Abstract: A thermal printer and a control method for a thermal printer enable increasing throughput before a printing process starts by starting a duplex printing process without waiting to convert all print data into the front print buffer and back print buffer, enable executing a duplex printing process on a print medium without using a front print buffer and a separate back print buffer, and enable switching between simplex printing and duplex printing according to a specific command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironobu Inada, Akihiro Ikeda, Masanori Zama
  • Patent number: 7558949
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprising: flash ROM that can communicate with a CPU, the flash ROM comprises a boot sector that stores a boot selector program, a first boot sector and a second boot sector each storing a boot program that is selectively called by the boot selector program. The CPU executes the boot selector program to select the first boot sector or the second boot sector each storing a boot program to be executed. The CPU executes the selected boot program to verify a version code stored in a main sector and the selected boot sector. The CPU executes a main program when the version code in the main sector matches the version code in the selected boot sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Inada, Go Hiroike
  • Publication number: 20090147312
    Abstract: A printing device and a control method for a printing device can freely change the distribution of print data to the front and back sides to achieve the desired duplex printing result when operating in a duplex printing page mode that converts the print data for one page after setting the data conversion area. A conversion step (step S29) sets a break length hy that divides the data conversion area 105c into a first data storage area 105a for converting the first-side print data and a second data storage area 105b for converting the second-side print data in the page mode, and then converts the print data. A print step (step S36) then simultaneously prints the first-side or front print data that is converted into the conversion area before the break, and the second-side or back print data that is converted into the conversion area after the break.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu Inada
  • Publication number: 20090141308
    Abstract: An electronic method for printing is disclosed, the method including receiving print data from a host computer, the print data including an indicator, wherein the print data does not include supplemental duplex or simplex printing settings, determining that the indicator is within the print data, analyzing the indicator to determine duplex or simplex printing, writing a first portion of the print data to a memory unit, writing a second portion of the print data to the memory unit, printing a first side of a paper according to the first portion of the print data, and printing a second side of the paper according to the second portion of the print data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironobu Inada, Akihiro Ikeda, Hiroyuki Sakaguchi, Shunichi Wakasa
  • Publication number: 20060184781
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprising: flash ROM that can communicate with a CPU, the flash ROM comprises a boot sector that stores a boot selector program, a first boot sector and a second boot sector each storing a boot program that is selectively called by the boot selector program. The CPU executes the boot selector program to select the first boot sector or the second boot sector each storing a boot program to be executed. The CPU executes the selected boot program to verify a version code stored in a main sector and the selected boot sector. The CPU executes a main program when the version code in the main sector matches the version code in the selected boot sector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Hironobu Inada, Go Hiroike