Patents by Inventor Katsuhito Kitahara

Katsuhito Kitahara 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: 8289566
    Abstract: A print or logo data generating system and method in which a width dimension of a printable medium is identified and original source data obtained. The processing further involves automatically resizing the source data to a predefined maximum width not greater than the width dimension of the printable medium prior to executing any user-requested changes, and displaying a first image representation of the original source data. Upon receipt of a user-requested change in the size of the original source data and a user-requested change in the number of colors of the original source data, the size change request is executed first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Patent number: 7561283
    Abstract: A printing system for one- or two-dimensional barcodes, and a method and program of creating virtual fonts for such barcodes enable the font and output parameters of the font to be easily changed. The printing system for printing one- or two-dimensional barcodes has a host computer and a printer in communication therewith. The host computer has an application program for creating text data containing a one- or two-dimensional barcode and a printer driver for converting the text data to commands and for sending the commands to the printer. The printing system also has a virtual font configuration program for defining a virtual font linking one- or two-dimensional barcode font data of the printer driver with parameter values configuring the corresponding barcodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Sunao Murata, Yukiharu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 7428074
    Abstract: A logo data generating apparatus and method easily generate logo data suitable for storage to and output by a particular target printer without requiring a complicated process defining the image processing and data communication parameters. A source image obtaining unit obtains the source data used to generate the logo data. A model-specific data storage medium stores the model-specific data. A reading unit reads model-specific data for the target printer. A logo data generating unit generates the logo data by processing the source data based on the control data or the model-specific data. Specific control data is thus set automatically based on the model-specific data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Kazuyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7375844
    Abstract: A method and system for easily storing logo data in a target printer. A data storage file for storing the logo data in the target printer is produced by creating the print data, generating a set of commands for storing the print data in the non-volatile storage of the target printer, compiling the data storage file containing the print data and command data set, and outputting the data storage file. When a host terminal accesses this data storage file, it runs the commands in the detected command data set, thereby sending a storage command data set to the target printer. The target printer then runs the storage commands and locally stores the logo data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Kazuyuki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20080013112
    Abstract: A print or logo data generating system and method in which a width dimension of a printable medium is identified and original source data obtained. The processing further involves automatically resizing the source data to a predefined maximum width not greater than the width dimension of the printable medium prior to executing any user-requested changes, and displaying a first image representation of the original source data. Upon receipt of a user-requested change in the size of the original source data and a user-requested change in the number of colors of the original source data, the size change request is executed first.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20070285725
    Abstract: A logo data generating apparatus and method easily generate logo data suitable for storage to and output by a particular target printer without requiring a complicated process defining the image processing and data communication parameters. A source image obtaining unit obtains the source data used to generate the logo data. A model-specific data storage medium stores the model-specific data. A reading unit reads model-specific data for the target printer. A logo data generating unit generates the logo data by processing the source data based on the control data or the model-specific data. Specific control data is thus set automatically based on the model-specific data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Kazuyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7292369
    Abstract: A logo generating system and method allow a user to specify colors and adjust an image according to the particular printing purpose. Source data of image elements with two or more colors is obtained and displayed so that the user can view an image of the source data while freely adjusting the colors of the logo data according to the colors that can be used by the printer. The source data is processed and output according to the input parameters as the colors are assigned. An image of the data processed according to the color assignments is also displayed so that the user can adjust the color assignments while viewing the effect on the actual data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Patent number: 7283275
    Abstract: A logo data generating apparatus and method easily generate logo data suitable for storage to and output by a particular target printer without requiring a complicated process defining the image processing and data communication parameters. An control data receiving unit enables receipt of control data including various settings and model identification data for identifying the model of the target printer. A source image obtaining unit obtains the source data used to generate the logo data. A model-specific data storage medium stores the model-specific data. A reading unit reads model-specific data for the target printer identified by the model identification data, and sets control data including part or all of the settings for logo data generation. A logo data generating unit generates the logo data by processing the source data based on the control data or the model-specific data. Specific control data is thus set automatically based on the model-specific data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Kazuyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7280258
    Abstract: A logo data generating system and logo data generating method indicate the amount of ink required to print a logo during the logo editing and creation process. The system includes a source image capture controller for capturing a source image that is the foundation for logo data creation; an image processor image that processes the captured source image to generate the logo data; an ink consumption calculator that generates user-readable attribute data indicating the amount of ink required to print the logo data from the number of color pixels in the logo data image processed by the image processor; and a display controller that displays the attribute data on a display device so that the user can recognize from the displayed attribute data how much ink is required to print the logo data being edited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 7085006
    Abstract: A two-color print generating apparatus generates two-color print data based on color-converted image data in which the color of each pixel of full-color bit depth in an image is converted to a print color comprising a background color, a main color, or a secondary color. A color-reduced image data generator converts full-color image data to image data reduced to a specific number of colors. A color conversion unit generates color-converted image data in which the specified colors of the reduced-color image data are converted to colors that can be printed by the printer. A print data conversion unit converts the color converted color-converted image data to two-color print data. A color conversion selection unit sets the color conversion method and sets specific color conversion parameters based on the selected color conversion method. The processing of the invention can also be embodied as a method and/or specified as program instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Patent number: 6847377
    Abstract: Print data suitable for printing or displaying an image are generated by assigning print colors after color reduction using a process that removes color reduction noise and produces clear contours in the print image. A source data capturing unit obtains source data containing image data and/or text data in plural colors. A data conversion unit converts color data for each pixel in the source data to luminance data for each pixel. A color assignment unit assigns a printable color to each pixel according to the luminance level of the converted luminance data. Source data is thus converted to luminance data, and usable colors are then assigned according to the brightness values of the image represented by the converted luminance levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20050012949
    Abstract: A printing system for one- or two-dimensional barcodes, and a method and program of creating virtual fonts for such barcodes enable the font and output parameters of the font to be easily changed. The printing system for printing one- or two-dimensional barcodes has a host computer and a printer in communication therewith. The host computer has an application program for creating text data containing a one- or two-dimensional barcode and a printer driver for converting the text data to commands and for sending the commands to the printer. The printing system also has a virtual font configuration program for defining a virtual font linking one- or two-dimensional barcode font data of the printer driver with parameter values configuring the corresponding barcodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Sunao Murata, Yukiharu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6663303
    Abstract: When printing a print document for which there is a print request from an application program, printing the one or plural print documents printed by page unit where a specific paper size is one page is controlled based on plural combinations of print paper feeding and cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20030002060
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a two-color print data generating apparatus, two-color print data generating method, and data storage medium for generating two-color print data based on color-converted image data in which the color of each pixel in full-color data that is the print object is converted to a print color printable by means of a background color, main color, or secondary color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20020164185
    Abstract: When printing a print document for which there is a print request from an application program, printing the one or plural print documents printed by page unit where a specific paper size is one page is controlled based on plural combinations of print paper feeding and cutting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20020101615
    Abstract: A logo data generating apparatus and method easily generate logo data suitable for storage to and output by a particular target printer without requiring a complicated process defining the image processing and data communication parameters. An control data receiving unit enables receipt of control data including various settings and model identification data for identifying the model of the target printer. A source image obtaining unit obtains the source data used to generate the logo data. A model-specific data storage medium stores the model-specific data. A reading unit reads model-specific data for the target printer identified by the model identification data, and sets control data including part or all of the settings for logo data generation. A logo data generating unit generates the logo data by processing the source data based on the control data or the model-specific data. Specific control data is thus set automatically based on the model-specific data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Kazuyuki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20020097436
    Abstract: A logo generating system and method allow a user to specify colors and adjust an image according to the particular printing purpose. Source data of image elements with two or more colors is obtained and displayed so that the user can view an image of the source data while freely adjusting the colors of the logo data according to the colors that can be used by the printer. The source data is processed and output according to the input parameters as the colors are assigned. An image of the data processed according to the color assignments is also displayed so that the user can adjust the color assignments while viewing the effect on the actual data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20020089686
    Abstract: A logo data generating system and logo data generating method indicate the amount of ink required to print a logo during the logo editing and creation process. The system includes a source image capture controller for capturing a source image that is the foundation for logo data creation; an image processor image that processes the captured source image to generate the logo data; an ink consumption calculator that generates user-readable attribute data indicating the amount of ink required to print the logo data from the number of color pixels in the logo data image processed by the image processor; and a display controller that displays the attribute data on a display device so that the user can recognize from the displayed attribute data how much ink is required to print the logo data being edited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20020089514
    Abstract: Print data suitable for printing or displaying an image are generated by assigning print colors after color reduction using a process that removes color reduction noise and produces clear contours in the print image. A source data capturing unit obtains source data containing image data and/or text data in plural colors. A data conversion unit converts color data for each pixel in the source data to luminance data for each pixel. A color assignment unit assigns a printable color to each pixel according to the luminance level of the converted luminance data. Source data is thus converted to luminance data, and usable colors are then assigned according to the brightness values of the image represented by the converted luminance levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20020085230
    Abstract: A method and system for easily storing logo data in a target printer. A data storage file for storing the logo data in the target printer is produced by creating the print data, generating a set of commands for storing the print data in the non-volatile storage of the target printer, compiling the data storage file containing the print data and command data set, and outputting the data storage file. When a host terminal accesses this data storage file, it runs the commands in the detected command data set, thereby sending a storage command data set to the target printer. The target printer then runs the storage commands and locally stores the logo data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kitahara, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Kazuyuki Yokoyama