Patents by Inventor Kazuko Fukano

Kazuko Fukano 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: 7905669
    Abstract: A media processing device has a printer error detection unit 40 that detects ink supply errors, such as the ink end, in the label printer, and a media retraction stacker for removing written media from the media drive, the label printer, and the media transportation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 7869063
    Abstract: A processing mode appropriate to the cause of the error is selected when an error occurs in a printer, thereby avoiding wasting processing time and consumables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 7503712
    Abstract: Data in the host device that was processed before a data interrupt process could run, and data that was already being sent to the printer, can be reliably deleted when an error occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Publication number: 20080107467
    Abstract: A media processing device has a printer error detection unit 40 that detects ink supply errors, such as the ink end, in the label printer, and a media retraction stacker for removing written media from the media drive, the label printer, and the media transportation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Publication number: 20060279757
    Abstract: A processing mode appropriate to the cause of the error is selected when an error occurs in a printer, thereby avoiding wasting processing time and consumables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 7083344
    Abstract: In a label printer in which either a peeling mode or non-peeling mode can be selected as the label dispensing mode, labels are printed and thus wasted when the operator loads the label paper into a transportation path that does not match the desired dispensing mode. This problem is solved by a label printer enabling selecting as the printing configuration either a peeling configuration for peeling printed labels from the web of label paper 11, or a non-peeling configuration in which the printed labels are not separated from the web of the label paper 11. A printing configuration selection unit 27 enables selecting which printing configuration to use. To operate in the non-peeling mode, the label paper 11 is loaded into a first paper transportation path A. To operate in the peeling mode, the label paper 11 is loaded to a second paper transportation path B. A cover unit 2 can be opened and closed to enable handling the label paper, and takes the label printer off-line when the cover unit 2 is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masayo Miyasaka, Go Hiroike, Kazuko Fukano, Toru Takami, Koji Yamada
  • Patent number: 7017036
    Abstract: An output device can be quickly and easily set to the operating parameters required for a particular output process according to data received from a host device. The output device has RAM that temporarily stores the operating parameters, a memory initialization processor that initializes the volatile memory in response to a specific input, a controller that stores operating parameter values for controlling the output device into the RAM in response to one or more first commands from the host device. A second command from the host device causes a first operating parameter controller to save the operating parameters from RAM into a flash ROM. A second operating parameter controller responds to a third command from the host device by storing information into the flash ROM indicative of whether operating parameter data in the flash ROM should be automatically loaded after the memory initialization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuko Fukano, Masayo Miyasaka
  • Publication number: 20060008311
    Abstract: In a label printer in which either a peeling mode or non-peeling mode can be selected as the label dispensing mode, labels are printed and thus wasted when the operator loads the label paper into a transportation path that does not match the desired dispensing mode. This problem is solved by a label printer enabling selecting as the printing configuration either a peeling configuration for peeling printed labels from the web of label paper 11, or a non-peeling configuration in which the printed labels are not separated from the web of the label paper 11. A printing configuration selection unit 27 enables selecting which printing configuration to use. To operate in the non-peeling mode, the label paper 11 is loaded into a first paper transportation path A. To operate in the peeling mode, the label paper 11 is loaded to a second paper transportation path B. A cover unit 2 can be opened and closed to enable handling the label paper, and takes the label printer off-line when the cover unit 2 is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Masayo Miyasaka, Go Hiroike, Kazuko Fukano, Toru Takami, Koji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20050232031
    Abstract: Data in the host device that was processed before a data interrupt process could run, and data that was already being sent to the printer, can be reliably deleted when an error occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Publication number: 20050193153
    Abstract: An output device can be quickly and easily set to the operating parameters required for a particular output process according to data received from a host device. The output device has RAM that temporarily stores the operating parameters, a memory initialization processor that initializes the volatile memory in response to a specific input, a controller that stores operating parameter values for controlling the output device into the RAM in response to one or more first commands from the host device. A second command from the host device causes a first operating parameter controller to save the operating parameters from RAM into a flash ROM. A second operating parameter controller responds to a third command from the host device by storing information into the flash ROM indicative of whether operating parameter data in the flash ROM should be automatically loaded after the memory initialization process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Kazuko Fukano, Masayo Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 6910817
    Abstract: Data in the host device that was processed before a data interrupt process could run, and data that was already being sent to the printer, can be reliably deleted when an error occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 6886050
    Abstract: A communication terminal device autonomously activates a specific function predetermined by a host device even when the communication terminal device is off-line when the power turns on. The specific function is a function such as an offline response function or auto-status back (ASB) function for automatically reporting a status of the communication terminal device to the host device. A status monitoring command is provided. During normal operation, the host device sends this status monitoring command to the communication terminal device to store specific data in nonvolatile memory in the communication terminal device. When power turns on, the communication terminal device reads the content of this nonvolatile memory to automatically initialize the particular functions indicated by the stored content, such as an ASB or off-line response function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Takamizawa, Atsushi Yamaji, Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 6880075
    Abstract: An output device (103,104) can be quickly and easily set to the operating parameters required for a particular output process. The output device has RAM (204) that temporarily stores the control parameters, and flash ROM (206) that stores the same parameter values in a nonvolatile manner. Specific parameter values are stored in RAM (204) in response to a specific command from the host (102). A customization command causes the output device (103,104) to save the operating parameters from RAM (204) into the flash ROM (206). Another customization command causes the output device (103,104) to restore the parameters from flash ROM (206) to RAM (204). A particular operating environment defined by the parameters stored in nonvolatile memory can therefore be quickly reset en masse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuko Fukano, Masayo Miyasaka
  • Publication number: 20050013643
    Abstract: Data in the host device that was processed before a data interrupt process could run, and data that was already being sent to the printer, can be reliably deleted when an error occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Publication number: 20040019495
    Abstract: A POS system setup system and method to easily execute a POS system configuration process by sending test print data compiled as a character string of necessary printer information to a host computer. A data storage medium records the setup method in computer-readable form. A query reception unit 331 of a printer 112 receives a test print request for acquiring printer information. A test print data generator 304 gets the information needed for the test print data based on the test print request received by the query reception unit 331, and generates test print data for printing the acquired printer information to paper a character string. A test print destination detector 305 determines the destination of the test print data generated by the test print data generator 304. The test print output unit 332 outputs the test print data to the destination identified by the test print destination detector 305.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 6633393
    Abstract: A printer is provided which reliably detects front and back sides of a print medium and the print data to be printed to the respective sides, and automatically prints print data to the correct side of the print medium. A print command interpreter 203 interprets a print command received from the host device to determines the print medium side indicated by the print command for printing associated print data. An inserted side detecting means 207 detects which side of the print medium inserted to the printer is facing a particular direction. Control units 204 and 208 print the print data when the print medium side detected by the print command interpreter 203 and the print medium side detected by the inserted side detecting means 207 are the same. Data can thus be printed to a desired specific side of the print medium because the printer 10 can reliably print to the print medium side specified by the host 220.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Coprporation
    Inventor: Kazuko Fukano
  • Patent number: 6612759
    Abstract: A printer for reporting a printer error state to a user using sound, a control method for the printer, and a data storage medium storing the control method as a computer-readable program use a printing unit (print head 208) that prints text or graphics, a detector (cover open sensor 251, no-paper sensor 252, temperature sensor 253) that detects specific printer error states, and settings memory (RAM 204) that stores a setting determining whether errors are reported using sound. A sound generator (buzzer 231) emits sound when a particular error state is detected by the detector and a setting instructing acoustic error state reports is stored in the settings memory (RAM 204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuko Fukano, Tadashi Inakoshi, Toshiaki Koike
  • Patent number: 6491453
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, a control method therefor, and a medium on which the control method is stored, enable selection of a resume operation to be performed when the printing apparatus resumes operation following an off-line state. The resume operation to be performed after an off-line state is determined by a command received from a host device according to the cause for the off-line state. The resume operation thus determined is performed when the printing apparatus goes on-line again following the off-line state. A marker indicating a particular location in a continuous data stream can be set. If the marker is placed at the beginning of a particular data stream, printing can be resumed from the beginning of the data stream after recovery from an off-line state. By also storing various printer definitions (settings) when a marker is set, the printing apparatus can also be restored to the printer definitions in use when the printer went off-line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuko Fukano, Yoshiaki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 6367992
    Abstract: A printing apparatus for storing total operation counters for individual consumable and nonconsumable parts of a printing apparatus. A nonvolatile storage retains stored count information even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus. An operations counter counts a value indicative of a printing apparatus operation. A counter storage stores a historical counter indicative of the printing apparatus operation history to the nonvolatile storage means based on a value counted by the operations counter, and stores a total printing apparatus operations count to the storage means. Specific printer operations, such as the number of characters printed, distance of recording medium transportation, and the number of times the automatic paper cutter is operated, can thus be individually accumulated, and the historical counts, that is, the cumulative counts since the printer was first used, can be stored to memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Aruga, Hidetake Mochizuki, Naohiko Koakutsu, Kazuko Fukano, Mitsuaki Teradaira
  • Publication number: 20010021954
    Abstract: A communication terminal device autonomously activates a specific function predetermined by a host device even when the communication terminal device is off-line when the power turns on. The specific function is a function such as an offline response function or auto-status back (ASB) function for automatically reporting a status of the communication terminal device to the host device. A status monitoring command is provided. During normal operation, the host device sends this status monitoring command to the communication terminal device to store specific data in nonvolatile memory in the communication terminal device. When power turns on, the communication terminal device reads the content of this nonvolatile memory to automatically initialize the particular functions indicated by the stored content, such as an ASB or off-line response function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventors: Yuji Takamizawa, Atsushi Yamaji, Kazuko Fukano