Patents by Inventor Kengo Saga

Kengo Saga 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: 11613136
    Abstract: A thermal printer includes a conveyance unit, a thermal head with heating elements arranged in a line crossing a conveyance direction of a thermal paper, and a controller that generates print dot data for dots to be printed by the thermal head and controls the conveyance unit and thermal head according to the print dot data. The controller determines whether the total number of dots to be printed in a predetermined number of consecutive lines of the print dot data is greater than a threshold number and, when the total number of dots is greater than the threshold number, control the conveyance unit to convey the thermal paper after the printing of the print dot data by a predetermined amount along the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20210402811
    Abstract: A thermal printer includes a conveyance unit, a thermal head with heating elements arranged in a line crossing a conveyance direction of a thermal paper, and a controller that generates print dot data for dots to be printed by the thermal head and controls the conveyance unit and thermal head according to the print dot data. The controller determines whether the total number of dots to be printed in a predetermined number of consecutive lines of the print dot data is greater than a threshold number and, when the total number of dots is greater than the threshold number, control the conveyance unit to convey the thermal paper after the printing of the print dot data by a predetermined amount along the conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventor: Kengo SAGA
  • Patent number: 10726286
    Abstract: A magnetic ink character reader includes a transport unit configured to move a medium along a transport path, a reader configured to magnetically read magnetic ink characters printed on the medium, while the medium is moved along the transport path and to output a signal waveform corresponding to the magnetic ink characters, and a processor configured to compare a transportation direction of the medium through the reader to a forward reading direction of the reader, and to invert, in horizontal and vertical directions, the signal waveform output from the reader when the transportation direction is not the forward reading direction. The processor performs magnetic character recognition using the signal waveform from the reader when the transportation direction is the forward reading direction and the inverted signal waveform when the transportation direction is a reverse reading direction opposite the forward reading direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Patent number: 10507669
    Abstract: A printer includes a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements to print on a paper that is conveyed thereto, a controller configured to control a speed of the paper that is conveyed and an amount of power supplied to the heating elements, and a processor configured to determine from image data of an image that is to be printed on the paper using the thermal head whether or not a character and a figure other than the character are to be simultaneously printed and instruct the controller based on the determination. The processor instructs the controller to set the speed of the paper to a first speed which is slower than a second speed, which is the speed for printing the character without the figure, upon determining that the character and the figure are to be simultaneously printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20190138831
    Abstract: A magnetic ink character reader includes a transport unit configured to move a medium along a transport path, a reader configured to magnetically read magnetic ink characters printed on the medium, while the medium is moved along the transport path and to output a signal waveform corresponding to the magnetic ink characters, and a processor configured to compare a transportation direction of the medium through the reader to a forward reading direction of the reader, and to invert, in horizontal and vertical directions, the signal waveform output from the reader when the transportation direction is not the forward reading direction. The processor performs magnetic character recognition using the signal waveform from the reader when the transportation direction is the forward reading direction and the inverted signal waveform when the transportation direction is a reverse reading direction opposite the forward reading direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventor: Kengo SAGA
  • Patent number: 10229334
    Abstract: A magnetic ink character reader includes a transport unit configured to move a medium along a transport path, a reader configured to magnetically read magnetic ink characters printed on the medium, while the medium is moved along the transport path and to output a signal waveform corresponding to the magnetic ink characters, and a processor configured to compare a transportation direction of the medium through the reader to a forward reading direction of the reader, and to invert, in horizontal and vertical directions, the signal waveform output from the reader when the transportation direction is not the forward reading direction. The processor performs magnetic character recognition using the signal waveform from the reader when the transportation direction is the forward reading direction and the inverted signal waveform when the transportation direction is a reverse reading direction opposite the forward reading direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20190023024
    Abstract: A printer includes a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements to print on a paper that is conveyed thereto, a controller configured to control a speed of the paper that is conveyed and an amount of power supplied to the heating elements, and a processor configured to determine from image data of an image that is to be printed on the paper using the thermal head whether or not a character and a figure other than the character are to be simultaneously printed and instruct the controller based on the determination. The processor instructs the controller to set the speed of the paper to a first speed which is slower than a second speed, which is the speed for printing the character without the figure, upon determining that the character and the figure are to be simultaneously printed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventor: Kengo SAGA
  • Patent number: 9981495
    Abstract: A printer includes a discharge unit, a first printing unit disposed along a sheet conveying path extending from the discharge unit and configured to print an image on a first sheet while the first sheet is conveyed from the discharge unit to the first printing unit and then to the discharge unit, a second printing unit disposed farther from the discharge unit than the first printing unit along the sheet conveyance path and configured to print an image on a second sheet while the second sheet is conveyed towards the discharge unit therethrough, a scanning unit disposed along the sheet conveying path between the discharge unit and the first printing unit, and configured to scan a surface of the first sheet, and a control unit configured to perform a shading correction of the scanning unit using the second sheet as a white reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20170200055
    Abstract: A magnetic ink character reader includes a transport unit configured to move a medium along a transport path, a reader configured to magnetically read magnetic ink characters printed on the medium, while the medium is moved along the transport path and to output a signal waveform corresponding to the magnetic ink characters, and a processor configured to compare a transportation direction of the medium through the reader to a forward reading direction of the reader, and to invert, in horizontal and vertical directions, the signal waveform output from the reader when the transportation direction is not the forward reading direction. The processor performs magnetic character recognition using the signal waveform from the reader when the transportation direction is the forward reading direction and the inverted signal waveform when the transportation direction is a reverse reading direction opposite the forward reading direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventor: Kengo SAGA
  • Publication number: 20170100951
    Abstract: A printer includes a discharge unit, a first printing unit disposed along a sheet conveying path extending from the discharge unit and configured to print an image on a first sheet while the first sheet is conveyed from the discharge unit to the first printing unit and then to the discharge unit, a second printing unit disposed farther from the discharge unit than the first printing unit along the sheet conveyance path and configured to print an image on a second sheet while the second sheet is conveyed towards the discharge unit therethrough, a scanning unit disposed along the sheet conveying path between the discharge unit and the first printing unit, and configured to scan a surface of the first sheet, and a control unit configured to perform a shading correction of the scanning unit using the second sheet as a white reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventor: Kengo SAGA
  • Patent number: 9591179
    Abstract: A printer includes a discharge unit, a first printing unit disposed along a sheet conveying path extending from the discharge unit and configured to print an image on a first sheet while the first sheet is conveyed from the discharge unit to the first printing unit and then to the discharge unit, a second printing unit disposed farther from the discharge unit than the first printing unit along the sheet conveyance path and configured to print an image on a second sheet while the second sheet is conveyed towards the discharge unit therethrough, a scanning unit disposed along the sheet conveying path between the discharge unit and the first printing unit, and configured to scan a surface of the first sheet, and a control unit configured to perform a shading correction of the scanning unit using the second sheet as a white reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20170013167
    Abstract: A printer includes a discharge unit, a first printing unit disposed along a sheet conveying path extending from the discharge unit and configured to print an image on a first sheet while the first sheet is conveyed from the discharge unit to the first printing unit and then to the discharge unit, a second printing unit disposed farther from the discharge unit than the first printing unit along the sheet conveyance path and configured to print an image on a second sheet while the second sheet is conveyed towards the discharge unit therethrough, a scanning unit disposed along the sheet conveying path between the discharge unit and the first printing unit, and configured to scan a surface of the first sheet, and a control unit configured to perform a shading correction of the scanning unit using the second sheet as a white reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventor: Kengo SAGA
  • Publication number: 20150347063
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a printer apparatus comprises a medium conveyance path configured to convey a booklet medium having a binding section parallel to the printing digit direction; a page recognition section configured to read page recognition information which is arranged on each page of the medium in advance; a printing section configured to carry out printing on the medium; and a page recognition section moving section configured to move the page recognition section in the printing digit direction of the medium based on the size information of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Patent number: 9096072
    Abstract: Generally, in accordance with embodiments, a thermal printer comprises heating elements, a storage section, a drive circuit and a controller. A plurality of heating elements are linearly arranged. The storage section stores a one-line amount of image data. The drive circuit energizes each heating element according to the one-line amount of image data. An acquisition section acquires an A/D value corresponding to the voltage applied to each heating element every time each heating element is energized. The controller outputs a one-line amount of empty data to the storage section to acquire a first A/D value with the acquisition section, reduces, based on the first A/D value, noises of a second A/D value which is acquired by energizing each heating element and checks the disconnection of each heating element based on the noise-reduced second A/D value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20150197098
    Abstract: Generally, in accordance with embodiments, a thermal printer comprises heating elements, a storage section, a drive circuit and a controller. A plurality of heating elements are linearly arranged. The storage section stores a one-line amount of image data. The drive circuit energizes each heating element according to the one-line amount of image data. An acquisition section acquires an A/D value corresponding to the voltage applied to each heating element every time each heating element is energized. The controller outputs a one-line amount of empty data to the storage section to acquire a first A/D value with the acquisition section, reduces, based on the first A/D value, noises of a second A/D value which is acquired by energizing each heating element and checks the disconnection of each heating element based on the noise-reduced second A/D value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20130057630
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a first printer, having a first print head, in which a first recording medium conveying path is linearly arranged in the horizontal direction, a second printer, having a second print head, in which a second recording medium conveying path is linearly arranged in the horizontal direction, and a conveying changeover path, arranged between the first printer and the second printer, that is configured to selectively guide a recording medium loaded in the second printer towards the first print head of the first printer therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Inoue, Kengo Saga
  • Patent number: 8179409
    Abstract: A print-dot counting section counts a number of print dots of print data. An adjusting section adjusts to reduce, according to the number of print dots counted by the print-dot counting section, one of conveying speed of a print medium by a conveying unit and energization time of energization to heat generating elements for forming one dot on the print medium and adjusts to reduce the other when the one reaches a lower limit value in an adjustable range. The conveying unit and a thermal head are driven by using the conveying speed and the energization time adjusted in this way to perform printing on the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Patent number: 8004547
    Abstract: Previously setting the front end of printed thermal paper at a second position before a second thermal head, when a next print job is double-side printing, at a first position before a first thermal head, when a next print job is one-side printing with the first thermal head, and at the second position before the second thermal head, when a next print job is one-side printing with the second thermal head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Patent number: 7967408
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention is a printer for printing on one surface and the other surface of a sheet-like printing medium fed in a predetermined feed direction. The printer includes, a first printing part for printing on the one surface, a second printing part provided on the upstream side of the first printing part for printing on the other surface, a storage area in which first image data and second image data are stored, and an adjustment part for adjusting printing start positions of printing operations performed by the first and second printing parts by shifting the readout order of the first image data to be stored in the storage area toward the end side in accordance with a positional difference between the first printing part and the second printing part in the feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Saga
  • Publication number: 20100238254
    Abstract: A print-dot counting section counts a number of print dots of print data. An adjusting section adjusts to reduce, according to the number of print dots counted by the print-dot counting section, one of conveying speed of a print medium by a conveying unit and energization time of energization to heat generating elements for forming one dot on the print medium and adjusts to reduce the other when the one reaches a lower limit value in an adjustable range. The conveying unit and a thermal head are driven by using the conveying speed and the energization time adjusted in this way to perform printing on the print medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo Saga