Patents by Inventor Katsuhiko Maeda

Katsuhiko Maeda 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: 11924736
    Abstract: A wireless communication unit and a wireless network system enable a plurality of wireless communication units to be wirelessly cooperated with a simple structure, can easily realize cooperative operations, and can execute IP packet transfer control without acquiring communication path information from an external network. A relay wireless communication portion that is connectable to an upstream unit (upstream wireless base station portion) that is another upstream wireless communication unit via an upstream inter-unit wireless bearer is provided. A wireless base station portion is connectable to a downstream unit (downstream relay wireless communication portion) that is another downstream wireless communication unit via a downstream inter-unit wireless bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Japan Radio Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Sato, Yusuke Egawa, Kunimitsu Arai, Satoshi Maeda, Sadayuki Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11880155
    Abstract: An image forming device comprising circuitry. The circuitry generates an image pattern in which two or more types of patch images are combined and changes a value of image data around at least one type of patch image of the two or more types of patch images to less than a maximum value of image data of the at least one type of patch image when the two or more types of patch images are combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20230127187
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearers, a plurality of optical writing devices, a plurality of image forming units, and circuitry. The plurality of optical writing devices scan and irradiate the plurality of image bearers with a plurality of light beams according to image data to form latent images on the plurality of image bearers. The plurality of image forming units develop the latent images formed on the plurality of image bearers. The circuitry changes scanning speeds of the plurality of light beams and sets, to each of the plurality of optical writing devices, a correction value of an image misregistration on corresponding one of the plurality of image bearers caused by a change of a scanning speed of corresponding one of the plurality of light beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 11592774
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, a forming unit, a detection unit, a correction unit, a drive system, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The forming unit forms an image-misregistration detection pattern of a plurality of colors on the belt. The correction unit corrects an image misregistration of an image of each color based on a detection result of the pattern. The determination unit detects a difference amount between a pattern interval of the pattern on the belt and a pattern interval serving as a reference value for each color and determines that an abnormality has occurred in a driving state of the drive system, in response to the difference amount equal to or greater than a threshold value. The notification unit notifies occurrence of the misregistration when the determination unit determines that the driving state is abnormal, based on the difference amount of any one color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20220373957
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and circuitry. The image forming device forms an image on a recording medium, based on an image forming condition. The circuitry determines a position of the image formed on the recording medium by the image forming device, based on a detection signal of a pattern formed on the recording medium by the image forming device and reference position information of the pattern on the recording medium. The circuitry determines a reference position of the pattern differently depending on the image forming condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20220187753
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, a forming unit, a detection unit, a correction unit, a drive system, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The forming unit forms an image-misregistration detection pattern of a plurality of colors on the belt. The correction unit corrects an image misregistration of an image of each color based on a detection result of the pattern. The determination unit detects a difference amount between a pattern interval of the pattern on the belt and a pattern interval serving as a reference value for each color and determines that an abnormality has occurred in a driving state of the drive system, in response to the difference amount equal to or greater than a threshold value. The notification unit notifies occurrence of the misregistration when the determination unit determines that the driving state is abnormal, based on the difference amount of any one color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20210302894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light beam scanner to scan an image bearer by a light beam according to data on a pattern for image positional deviation correction and a developing device to develop a latent image of the pattern. The pattern is formed on the image bearer by scanning performed by the light beam scanner. The image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt to transfer the pattern to a medium, a sensor to read the pattern to obtain an amount of image positional deviation, a skew correction device to adjust a tilt of an optical member of the light beam scanner according to a skew amount to correct a skew and perform the image positional deviation correction according to the amount of image positional deviation, and circuitry to drive the skew correction device before the image positional deviation correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko MAEDA
  • Patent number: 11126108
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and a control device. The image forming device forms an image on a recording medium. The control device controls an image forming process. The control device includes circuitry. The circuitry changes a plurality of partial images in a target image into a certain state. The target image is to be formed on the recording medium. The plurality of partial images are to be formed peripheral to a plurality of pattern images. Each of the plurality of pattern images is to be formed at a certain position on the recording medium. The circuitry further controls the image forming device to form the target image including the changed plurality of partial images and the plurality of pattern images on the recording medium, and corrects a position of the target image based on a detection result of the formed plurality of pattern images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20210063909
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and a control device. The image forming device forms an image on a recording medium. The control device controls an image forming process. The control device includes circuitry. The circuitry changes a plurality of partial images in a target image into a certain state. The target image is to be formed on the recording medium. The plurality of partial images are to be formed peripheral to a plurality of pattern images. Each of the plurality of pattern images is to be formed at a certain position on the recording medium. The circuitry further controls the image forming device to form the target image including the changed plurality of partial images and the plurality of pattern images on the recording medium, and corrects a position of the target image based on a detection result of the formed plurality of pattern images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: KATSUHIKO MAEDA
  • Patent number: 10732555
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming devices, image output devices, an endless conveyor, a transfer device, holders, a detector, and circuitry. The image forming devices include image bearers. The image output devices form latent images on the image bearers. The image forming devices form visible images from the latent images. The transfer device transfers the visible images onto the endless conveyor that conveys the visible images in an image conveyance direction. The holders hold the image forming devices interchangeable at holding positions aligned in the image conveyance direction. The detector detects the visible images. The circuitry compares a first visible image of the visible images formed at a specific holding position of the holding positions with a second visible image of the visible images formed at another holding position of the holding positions on the endless conveyor, to correct misalignment between the first and second visible images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 10379455
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor; an optical writer to write a latent image on the photoconductor; an image data generator to generate image data of at least one of text and image and of a correction pattern; a light emission controller to control a light source of the optical writer; a developing device to develop the latent image into a toner image; a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium; a fixing device to fix the toner image thereon; a detector to detect the toner image of the correction pattern formed according to the image data; and a writing position controller to control when the light source emits light based on the toner image detected. The correction pattern is formed at each of four corners inside a margin of the recording medium, and includes two edges in each of main scanning and sub-scanning directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20190163109
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming devices, image output devices, an endless conveyor, a transfer device, holders, a detector, and circuitry. The image forming devices include image bearers. The image output devices form latent images on the image bearers. The image forming devices form visible images from the latent images. The transfer device transfers the visible images onto the endless conveyor that conveys the visible images in an image conveyance direction. The holders hold the image forming devices interchangeable at holding positions aligned in the image conveyance direction. The detector detects the visible images. The circuitry compares a first visible image of the visible images formed at a specific holding position of the holding positions with a second visible image of the visible images formed at another holding position of the holding positions on the endless conveyor, to correct misalignment between the first and second visible images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 10089559
    Abstract: A scanner includes: an acquiring unit that acquires determination result information based on a determination result of whether a target dot of a target pixel of a plurality of pixels constituting image data is a first dot or a second dot; a light source control unit that, if the target dot is the first dot, causes a light source to emit a light beam during a corrected lighting time with a light source characteristic time based on a characteristic of the light source being added to a predetermined lighting time that is preliminarily determined with respect to the target dot, and if the target dot is the second dot, causes the light source to emit a light beam during the predetermined lighting time; and a deflecting unit that deflects the light beam in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Maeda, Takuma Nishio, Yuugo Matsuura
  • Publication number: 20180267422
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor; an optical writer to write a latent image on the photoconductor; an image data generator to generate image data of at least one of text and image and of a correction pattern; a light emission controller to control a light source of the optical writer; a developing device to develop the latent image into a toner image; a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium; a fixing device to fix the toner image thereon; a detector to detect the toner image of the correction pattern formed according to the image data; and a writing position controller to control when the light source emits light based on the toner image detected. The correction pattern is formed at each of four corners inside a margin of the recording medium, and includes two edges in each of main scanning and sub-scanning directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko MAEDA
  • Patent number: 9857723
    Abstract: A light-beam-scanning apparatus includes first and second array-light sources including plural light-emitting units and a light-receiving unit; first and second light-source-control units for controlling light emission of the light-emitting units; a write-control unit for controlling the light-source-control units; a deflection unit for deflecting a direction of light emitted from the light-emitting units; and a synchronization-detection element for generating a synchronization-detection signal according to the light deflected by the deflection unit incident onto the synchronization-detection element. Initialization of the light-emitting units of the second array-light source is performed after initialization of the first array-light source is performed; and when the initialization of the light-emitting units of the first array-light source is being performed, a signal for causing the light-emitting units of the second array-light source not to emit light is input to the second light-source-control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Honda, Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20170031264
    Abstract: A light-beam-scanning apparatus includes first and second array-light sources including plural light-emitting units and a light-receiving unit; first and second light-source-control units for controlling light emission of the light-emitting units; a write-control unit for controlling the light-source-control units; a deflection unit for deflecting a direction of light emitted from the light-emitting units; and a synchronization-detection element for generating a synchronization-detection signal according to the light deflected by the deflection unit incident onto the synchronization-detection element. Initialization of the light-emitting units of the second array-light source is performed after initialization of the first array-light source is performed; and when the initialization of the light-emitting units of the first array-light source is being performed, a signal for causing the light-emitting units of the second array-light source not to emit light is input to the second light-source-control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Yuki HONDA, Katsuhiko MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20160275381
    Abstract: A scanner includes: an acquiring unit that acquires determination result information based on a determination result of whether a target dot of a target pixel of a plurality of pixels constituting image data is a first dot or a second dot; a light source control unit that, if the target dot is the first dot, causes a light source to emit a light beam during a corrected lighting time with a light source characteristic time based on a characteristic of the light source being added to a predetermined lighting time that is preliminarily determined with respect to the target dot, and if the target dot is the second dot, causes the light source to emit a light beam during the predetermined lighting time; and a deflecting unit that deflects the light beam in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Katsuhiko MAEDA, Takuma NISHIO, Yuugo MATSUURA
  • Patent number: 9436148
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a first photoconductor on which a first intermediate image of a first color is formed; a second photoconductor on which a second intermediate image of a second color is formed, the second color being different from the first color; first and second light sources configured to emit light to the first and second photoconductors, respectively; a light source control unit configured to control the first light source to emit light according to a light emission control signal; a conveyance control signal generation unit configured to generate a conveyance control signal based on the light emitted from the first light source according to the light emission control signal; and a conveyance unit configured to convey the recording medium based on the conveyance control signal, upon transferring the second intermediate image onto the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 9332655
    Abstract: An electronic circuit having an electronic component mounted on a substrate, a light source device having the electronic circuit, and a method of manufacturing the electronic circuit on which the electronic component is mounted on the substrate are described. The electronic component has a plurality of lead pins to be electrically connected to wirings on the substrate. The substrate is formed with a hole having a larger dimension than a maximum distance between at least two lead pins of the lead pins. The lead pins are inserted into the hole from sides of tips of the lead pins while being bent at a plurality of bending portions, and fixed to the substrate by a solder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Basho, Katsuhiko Maeda, Masashi Suzuki, Yuugo Matsuura
  • Patent number: 9310708
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source emitting light to form an image by optical scanning; and a control section generating a control signal, which is for turning on and off the light source, based on an image signal. Further, the control section generates a pulse signal having a predetermined time width when the image signal indicates that the light source is to be turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Maeda, Tadashi Shinohara, Yuugo Matsuura