Patents by Inventor Hisataka Funakawa

Hisataka Funakawa 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).

  • Publication number: 20220357797
    Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to obtain a good tactile sensation of a vibration response even if a state or an operation situation of an operation panel changes, when the operation panel installed in a stationary machine, such as an image forming device, is vibrated as an operation response. The present invention is applied to an operation input device that notifies a user by causing a vibrating element to vibrate an operation panel attached to a device main body when an operation of the operation panel by the user is detected. Here, in order to drive the vibrating element, at least one of a plurality of vibration directions is selected to drive the vibrating element when an operation input from the operation panel is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka FUNAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11388295
    Abstract: An operation input device includes: an operation panel unit which receives an operation input by a user touching a displayed operation key; a vibrating element installed at a specified position of the operation panel unit to vibrate the unit at least in one direction; and a vibration control section which causes the element to vibrate according to an operation input receiving condition on the panel unit. On the panel unit, operation keys are arranged more densely in a first region near the installed vibrating element than in a second region remote from the vibrating element, or keys which are more frequently used are arranged in the first region than in the second region. Alternatively, an operation key for user interfacing to set display of keys is arranged in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20210385344
    Abstract: An operation input device includes: an operation panel unit which receives an operation input by a user touching a displayed operation key; a vibrating element installed at a specified position of the operation panel unit to vibrate the unit at least in one direction; and a vibration control section which causes the element to vibrate according to an operation input receiving condition on the panel unit. On the panel unit, operation keys are arranged more densely in a first region near the installed vibrating element than in a second region remote from the vibrating element, or keys which are more frequently used are arranged in the first region than in the second region. Alternatively, an operation key for user interfacing to set display of keys is arranged in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka FUNAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210072936
    Abstract: An input device includes: a display having a display area; a touch panel having an operation surface that overlaps the display area; a vibrator that generates a vibration causing the operation surface to vibrate; and a hardware processor. The hardware processor that detects, as an input operation, approach of a pointer within a detection distance from the operation surface and touch of the pointer on the operation surface; causes the vibrator to generate the vibration based on the input operation; and adjusts the detection distance to cause the vibrator to start generating the vibration before the input operation ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20200379566
    Abstract: Provided is an operation vibration apparatus that includes: an operator including an operation panel that receives touch input, and a fixer that fixes the operation panel to a housing as an installation target; a vibrator that vibrates the operation panel; and a hardware processor that controls the vibrator according to drive information regarding intensity of drive to make intensity of vibration of the operation panel uniform by corresponding to the fixer, when there is operation input made on the operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka FUNAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10798259
    Abstract: An input device includes: an operation panel that receives an operation input; a vibration element that is mounted to the operation panel and that vibrates the operation panel in at least one vibration direction; a vibration absorber that connects the operation panel to an apparatus main body and that absorbs a vibration of the operation panel; and a CPU that causes the vibration element to vibrate based on the operation input, wherein the vibration element is mounted on a gravity center axis of the operation panel in the vibration direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Patent number: 10791235
    Abstract: A processing apparatus to which an option is mountable, the processing apparatus including: a power supply unit; a device that (i) is controlled by the option mounted to the processing apparatus or controls the option and that (ii) performs a process corresponding to an inspection of whether or not the device operates normally; and a switching unit that switches on and off supply of electric power from the power supply unit to the device. Here, while the switching unit is receiving an instruction to initiate the process, the switching unit switches on the supply of electric power from the power supply unit to the device, while the switching unit is not receiving the instruction, the switching unit switches off the supply of electric power from the power supply unit to the device, and the device performs the process upon receiving electric power supplied from the power supply unit by the switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Patent number: 10725416
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium; an ejector to which a recording medium is ejected; a notifier that visually notifies a predetermined operation state of the image forming apparatus using a light source; and a hardware processor that controls image forming operation of the image former, ejecting operation of the ejector, and notifying operation of the notifier, wherein the hardware processor executes, using the notifier that serves multiple functions, a first notification function of notifying that the image forming operation is in progress at a time when the image forming operation is executed, and a second notification function of notifying that the image formation is complete and the recording medium having been subject to the image formation is ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20200145545
    Abstract: An input device and image forming device which can present the user a response by vibration uniformly regardless of the position where the user touches on an operation panel. The input device includes: a vibrating element which vibrates an operation panel unit in at least one direction; a vibration absorbing member which connects the operation panel unit with the device main body and absorbs the vibration of the operation panel unit; and a vibration controller which enables the vibrating element to give a vibration according to the condition in which an operation input is received on the operation panel unit. The vibration controller corrects the amount of vibration in driving the vibrating element by the amount of correction set according to the position where the vibrating element is mounted on the operation panel unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka FUNAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10628035
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a touch panel capable of displaying a plurality of software keys, an input control unit that receives input of information provided to the touch panel in response to a user's touch operation on the software keys, a short-range wireless sensor, and an object sensor. The short-range wireless sensor is arranged near the touch panel to sense radio waves for short-range wireless communication with a mobile terminal. The input control unit is configured to change an arrangement of the software keys on a display of the software keys on the touch panel such that the software keys are not arranged in a region of the touch panel near the short-range wireless sensor when the presence of the object near the short-range wireless sensor is sensed by the object sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20200099801
    Abstract: An input device includes: an operation panel that receives an operation input; a vibration element that is mounted to the operation panel and that vibrates the operation panel in at least one vibration direction; a vibration absorber that connects the operation panel to an apparatus main body and that absorbs a vibration of the operation panel; and a CPU that causes the vibration element to vibrate based on the operation input, wherein the vibration element is mounted on a gravity center axis of the operation panel in the vibration direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Patent number: 10551780
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first device; a second device; and an operation display part, wherein the operation display part includes: an operation panel; and a hardware processor that controls operations of the operation panel, the hardware processor is: capable of sending operation input information on the operation panel to the first device via a first interface; sending the operation input information on the operation panel to the second device via a second interface; and receiving a switch request of switching a device, the first interface and the second interface are of mutually different types, and when receiving the switch request, the hardware processor: changes a source device from which display contents of the operation panel are sent, and changes a destination device to which the operation input information on the operation panel is sent, and sends the operation input information to a post-changing destination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20190294098
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium; an ejector to which a recording medium is ejected; a notifier that visually notifies a predetermined operation state of the image forming apparatus using a light source; and a hardware processor that controls image forming operation of the image former, ejecting operation of the ejector, and notifying operation of the notifier, wherein the hardware processor executes, using the notifier that serves multiple functions, a first notification function of notifying that the image forming operation is in progress at a time when the image forming operation is executed, and a second notification function of notifying that the image formation is complete and the recording medium having been subject to the image formation is ejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Patent number: 10379792
    Abstract: An operation display apparatus for shared use between a first and a second apparatus each being capable of operating independently, the operation display apparatus including a display, a manipulation device, and a processor, wherein the processor performs: allowing the display to selectively show either of display data received from the first apparatus through a first display interface and display data received from the second apparatus through a second display interface; transmitting operation information of an operation on the manipulation device to the first apparatus through a first input-output interface and to the second apparatus through a second input-output interface; detecting through the first or second display interface whether at least either one of the first and second apparatus enters power saving mode; and prohibiting the transmission of operation information to the first or second apparatus when at least either one of the first and second apparatus enters power saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20190196762
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first communication portion configured to wirelessly communicate with a terminal and a second communication portion configured to carry out near field communication with a terminal. A communication distance between the second communication portion and the terminal is shorter than a communication distance between the first communication portion and the terminal. The image processing apparatus further includes an adjustment portion configured to adjust a communication-established distance over which the first communication portion establishes communication with the terminal so as to match with a specific position at which the second communication portion establishes communication with the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Akira OHHATA, Hisataka FUNAKAWA, Tomoo YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 10268426
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first communication portion configured to wirelessly communicate with a terminal and a second communication portion configured to carry out near field communication with a terminal. A communication distance between the second communication portion and the terminal is shorter than a communication distance between the first communication portion and the terminal. The image processing apparatus further includes an adjustment portion configured to adjust a communication-established distance over which the first communication portion establishes communication with the terminal so as to match with a specific position at which the second communication portion establishes communication with the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Akira Ohhata, Hisataka Funakawa, Tomoo Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10270925
    Abstract: The touch panel inputting device which is installed on a flat operation surface for receiving an operation performed by a operation body, detects a contact location of the operation body on the operation surface, based on light blocking of a flat scanning light path plane. The touch panel inputting device comprises: a first scanning light paths forming unit for forming first scanning light paths which are linear; and a second scanning light paths forming unit for forming second scanning light paths which are linear and intersect with the first scanning light paths. The first and the second scanning light paths form the scanning light path plane, and the scanning light path plane slopes with respect to the operation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20190037095
    Abstract: A processing apparatus to which an option is mountable, the processing apparatus including: a power supply unit; a device that (i) is controlled by the option mounted to the processing apparatus or controls the option and that (ii) performs a process corresponding to an inspection of whether or not the device operates normally; and a switching unit that switches on and off supply of electric power from the power supply unit to the device. Here, while the switching unit is receiving an instruction to initiate the process, the switching unit switches on the supply of electric power from the power supply unit to the device, while the switching unit is not receiving the instruction, the switching unit switches off the supply of electric power from the power supply unit to the device, and the device performs the process upon receiving electric power supplied from the power supply unit by the switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka FUNAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10116813
    Abstract: A composite apparatus includes: a first apparatus and a second apparatus that operate independently; and a console display that is shared by the first and second apparatus. The first and second apparatus each includes: a display memory that stores display data; and a drawing processor that instructs the console display to display the display data. The composite apparatus further includes: a selector that selectively connects the drawing processor of the first or second apparatus to the console display; and a switch processor that receives a connection request from the first or second apparatus. The connection request includes requests to connect the drawing processor of the first or second apparatus to the console display and to instruct the selector to connect the drawing processor of either the first or second apparatus to the console display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hisataka Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20180246452
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first device; a second device; and an operation display part, wherein the operation display part includes: an operation panel; and a hardware processor that controls operations of the operation panel, the hardware processor is: capable of sending operation input information on the operation panel to the first device via a first interface; sending the operation input information on the operation panel to the second device via a second interface; and receiving a switch request of switching a device, the first interface and the second interface are of mutually different types, and when receiving the switch request, the hardware processor: changes a source device from which display contents of the operation panel are sent, and changes a destination device to which the operation input information on the operation panel is sent, and sends the operation input information to a post-changing destination device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisataka FUNAKAWA