Patents by Inventor Hirotomo Tanaka

Hirotomo Tanaka 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: 9256151
    Abstract: If the elapsed time since a sheet was stored in a sheet storage unit is less than or equal to a threshold value, control is performed such that the sheet is heated by a fixing unit before an image is transferred to the sheet, and if the elapsed time since the sheet was stored in the sheet storage unit exceeds the threshold value, control is performed such that processing for heating the sheet with the fixing unit before the image is transferred to the sheet is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20160026129
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a detachable fixing device that is capable of printing with high quality without printing wastefully. A storage unit stores identification information about a fixing device in association with an attribute of a sheet that is printable with the fixing device concerned. A control unit executes printing when the storage unit does not store an attribute of a sheet corresponding to a fixing device that is currently attached to the image forming apparatus. The control unit determines whether to execute printing according to an attribute of a sheet used in printing and an attribute of a sheet stored in the storage unit when the storage unit stores the attribute of the sheet corresponding to the fixing device that is currently attached to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9239971
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a unit configured to acquire a translucency reference value indicating optical translucency in a specified translucent printing medium; a show-through determination unit configured to determine whether an image that is formed on the translucent printing medium in accordance with print data shows through by determining whether there exists a difference between the density of a pixel in the print data and the density specified by the acquired translucency reference value and whether the density of the pixel in the print data is lower than the density specified by the translucency reference value; and a first determination unit configured to determine whether a user should be notified of information about whether an image that is formed on the translucent printing medium in accordance with the print data shows through in accordance with the results of the determination by the show-through determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150248596
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a unit configured to acquire a translucency reference value indicating optical translucency in a specified translucent printing medium; a show-through determination unit configured to determine whether an image that is formed on the translucent printing medium in accordance with print data shows through by determining whether there exists a difference between the density of a pixel in the print data and the density specified by the acquired translucency reference value and whether the density of the pixel in the print data is lower than the density specified by the translucency reference value; and a first determination unit configured to determine whether a user should be notified of information about whether an image that is formed on the translucent printing medium in accordance with the print data shows through in accordance with the results of the determination by the show-through determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150153977
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus that generates image data from a print job and inputs the image data to an image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives information indicating that the image forming apparatus interrupts printing based on the image data and a control unit that shifts a power state of the image processing apparatus from a first power state to a second power state, in which consumed power is less than that in the first power state, based on the received information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9007616
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store electronic data including first data for identifying policy data that is information indicating an authority for handling the electronic data and is managed by a server apparatus. The data processing apparatus includes a print job data production unit configured to produce print job data based on electronic data to be printed, an acquisition unit configured to acquire the first data included in the electronic data, an adding unit configured to add the first data acquired by the acquisition unit to the print job data, and a sending unit configured to send the print job data having the first data added thereto to an image processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8953221
    Abstract: The present invention prevents a printing result desired by a user from being unable to be printed out, due to registration of the same color name for sheets of different colors. To accomplish this, an image forming apparatus includes a reading unit that reads in a sheet; a generating unit that generates color data indicating a color of the sheet read by the reading unit; an obtaining unit that obtains a color name corresponding to the color data generated with the generating unit, by searching a color sample database, wherein color data and color names corresponding to the color data are stored in the color sample database; and a setting unit that sets a sheet feed cassette to the color name obtained by the obtaining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8681347
    Abstract: A determination is performed as to whether a media setting contained in settings information of an input print job is a standard media setting for which a standard medium is to be used or a custom media setting for which a custom medium different from the standard medium is to be used. Then, in a case where the media setting is determined to be a custom media setting, the media setting is converted to a setting of a medium that can be printed by another image forming apparatus, and the converted media setting is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140037301
    Abstract: If the elapsed time since a sheet was stored in a sheet storage unit is less than or equal to a threshold value, control is performed such that the sheet is heated by a fixing unit before an image is transferred to the sheet, and if the elapsed time since the sheet was stored in the sheet storage unit exceeds the threshold value, control is performed such that processing for heating the sheet with the fixing unit before the image is transferred to the sheet is not performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8500381
    Abstract: Proposed is an image processing apparatus in which the data processing method is changed over in suitable fashion in accordance with job settings when binding is performed. To accomplish this, the image processing apparatus is such that when stored image data is processed, the output format is determined from a job ticket and processing for dividing image data is controlled in accordance with the output format determined. In accordance with the output format determined, the apparatus changes over the output timing of divided page image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8494289
    Abstract: If reusable data is included in a record of VDP data, a compression level used in compressing page data including the reusable data is associated with the reusable data and stored together with the reusable data. If, after that, a record of VDP data including reusable data similar to the stored reusable data is generated, the page data is compressed according to the record based on the compression ratio associated with the stored reusable data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8456653
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store electronic data including first data for identifying policy data that is information indicating an authority for handling the electronic data and is managed by a server apparatus. The data processing apparatus includes a print job data production unit configured to produce print job data based on electronic data to be printed, an acquisition unit configured to acquire the first data included in the electronic data, an adding unit configured to add the first data acquired by the acquisition unit to the print job data, and a sending unit configured to send the print job data having the first data added thereto to an image processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120105879
    Abstract: The present invention prevents a printing result desired by a user from being unable to be printed out, due to registration of the same color name for sheets of different colors. To accomplish this, an image forming apparatus includes a reading unit that reads in a sheet; a generating unit that generates color data indicating a color of the sheet read by the reading unit; an obtaining unit that obtains a color name corresponding to the color data generated with the generating unit, by searching a color sample database, wherein color data and color names corresponding to the color data are stored in the color sample database; and a setting unit that sets a sheet feed cassette to the color name obtained by the obtaining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110158549
    Abstract: If reusable data is included in a record of VDP data, a compression level used in compressing page data including the reusable data is associated with the reusable data and stored together with the reusable data. If, after that, a record of VDP data including reusable data similar to the stored reusable data is generated, the page data is compressed according to the record based on the compression ratio associated with the stored reusable data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110069330
    Abstract: A determination is performed as to whether a media setting contained in settings information of an input print job is a standard media setting for which a standard medium is to be used or a custom media setting for which a custom medium different from the standard medium is to be used. Then, in a case where the media setting is determined to be a custom media setting, the media setting is converted to a setting of a medium that can be printed by another image forming apparatus, and the converted media setting is stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7615958
    Abstract: The present invention is a motor control device comprising a control system, the control system being capable of controlling the motor by PWM and having integration means being capable of outputting an integrated value obtained by integrating a deviation between a rotation speed and a target rotation speed of a motor, the motor control device being capable of starting control with the control system for causing the motor to rotate at the target rotation speed after rotation of the motor has been started. In this motor control device, an output value of the integration means at a time when control with the control system is to be started is set to have a value that corresponds to a counter electromotive force generated in the motor by its rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Takeishi, Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090168098
    Abstract: Proposed is an image processing apparatus in which the data processing method is changed over in suitable fashion in accordance with job settings when binding is performed. To accomplish this, the image processing apparatus is such that when stored image data is processed, the output format is determined from a job ticket and processing for dividing image data is controlled in accordance with the output format determined. In accordance with the output format determined, the apparatus changes over the output timing of divided page image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7476844
    Abstract: An encoder is adapted to be opposed to a scale provided with a plurality of marks or slits arranged in a first direction such that a distance between centers of adjacent marks or slits in the first direction assumes a first length. Each of photo detectors has a light receiving region adapted to receive light emitted from a photo emitter and transmitted by way of the marks or slits, and is operable to output a detection signal in accordance with a quantity of the light received by the light receiving region. The photo detectors are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction while being shifted in the first direction by a second length which is one-sixteenth of the first length. Each of signal generators is operable to generate an output signal based on at least the detection signal outputted from one of the photo detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Igarashi, Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080278103
    Abstract: The present invention is a motor control device comprising a control system, the control system being capable of controlling the motor by PWM and having integration means being capable of outputting an integrated value obtained by integrating a deviation between a rotation speed and a target rotation speed of a motor, the motor control device being capable of starting control with the control system for causing the motor to rotate at the target rotation speed after rotation of the motor has been started. In this motor control device, an output value of the integration means at a time when control with the control system is to be started is set to have a value that corresponds to a counter electromotive force generated in the motor by its rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuji TAKEISHI, Hirotomo Tanaka, Sumito Anzai
  • Patent number: 7431414
    Abstract: A printer-control apparatus, a printer-control method, and a printer according to the invention sequentially record a relative position of a printing medium specified from an accumulated carried amount of the printing medium and/or driving speed of a paper-feed motor for driving a printing medium carrying mechanism for carrying the printing medium for a period longer than reaction delay time at every time interval shorter than the reaction delay time as a time difference between a time when a front edge or a rear edge of the printing medium reaches an initial position of a swing pin of a mechanical paper detection sensor which detects the front edge and/or the rear edge of the printing medium by swinging operation of the swing pin and a time when the front or rear edge of the printing medium is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Takeishi, Hirotomo Tanaka