Patents by Inventor Kiichiro Takahashi

Kiichiro Takahashi 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: 10225439
    Abstract: An image printing apparatus can print an image in which graininess is suppressed while using a color material of light blue. To achieve this, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. ?LB?(?LC??LB)>0 and ?LB?(?LM??LB)>0 Here, ?LC represents a difference in lightness between cyan ink and a blank area, ?LM represents a difference in lightness between magenta ink and the blank area, and ?LB represents a difference in lightness between light blue ink and the blank area. Further, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. hC+(h(C+M)?hC)/2?hB?hM?(hM?h(C+M))/2 Here, hC represents a hue of the cyan ink, hM represents a hue of the magenta ink, h(C+M) represents a hue of the image printed with the cyan ink and the magenta ink in the same amount, and hB represents a hue of the light blue ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumiko Suzuki, Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9962950
    Abstract: Driving orders of driving blocks are controlled with regard to each of multiple types of ink so that landing positions of ink from the driving blocks differ in multiple scans, and in the mask patterns used, there is a relatively small number of superimposed pixels among pixels regarding which a large number of discharge permitted has been stipulated regarding a mask pattern corresponding to one type of ink and one scan and pixels regarding which a large number of discharge permitted has been stipulated regarding a mask pattern corresponding to another type of ink and the one scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Fumiko Suzuki, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20180124278
    Abstract: An image printing apparatus can print an image in which graininess is suppressed while using a color material of light blue. To achieve this, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. ?LB?(?LC??LB)>0 and ?LB?(?LM??LB)>0 Here, ?LC represents a difference in lightness between cyan ink and a blank area, ?LM represents a difference in lightness between magenta ink and the blank area, and ?LB represents a difference in lightness between light blue ink and the blank area. Further, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. hC+(h(C+M)?hC)/2?hB?hM?(hM?h(C+M))/2 Here, hC represents a hue of the cyan ink, hM represents a hue of the magenta ink, h(C+M) represents a hue of the image printed with the cyan ink and the magenta ink in the same amount, and hB represents a hue of the light blue ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Fumiko Suzuki, Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9888149
    Abstract: An image printing apparatus can print an image in which graininess is suppressed while using a color material of light blue. To achieve this, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. ?LB?(?LC??LB)>0 and ?LB?(?LM??LB)>0 Here, ?LC represents a difference in lightness between cyan ink and a blank area, ?LM represents a difference in lightness between magenta ink and the blank area, and ?LB represents a difference in lightness between light blue ink and the blank area. Further, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. hC+(h(C+M)?hC)/2?hB?hM?(hM?h(C+M))/2 Here, hC represents a hue of the cyan ink, hM represents a hue of the magenta ink, h(C+M) represents a hue of the image printed with the cyan ink and the magenta ink in the same amount, and hB represents a hue of the light blue ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumiko Suzuki, Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9862214
    Abstract: Recording is performs that suppresses ink discharge position deviation between scans while suppressing graininess in a case of using multiple types of ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumiko Suzuki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Satoshi Seki, Mayuko Yamagata, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9855774
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of recording elements arranged in a predetermined direction, and a determination unit configured to determine a first mode in which a specified image is recorded or a second mode in which a pattern is recorded in each of recording scannings in forward and backward directions to form an adjustment pattern for adjusting a recording position in the intersecting direction of the recording head, and the recording position of the recording head in accordance with the formed adjustment pattern is adjusted, in which a driving unit controls driving of the recording elements in a manner that a correspondence relationship between positions in the predetermined direction and the intersecting direction among a plurality of dots that form the same column is varied or is the same in the recording scannings in the forward and backward directions in accordance with the determined mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Seki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Hirokazu Tanaka, Fumiko Suzuki, Gou Sasaki, Mayuko Yamagata, Tsukasa Doi
  • Patent number: 9844960
    Abstract: The driving order of driving blocks is controlled so that ink landing positions from driving blocks differ from each other in multiple scans. Recording data is generated so that, of pixels where ink is discharged in one scan, the number of pixels adjacent at both sides in the scanning direction to pixels where ink is discharged in another scan is greater than the number of pixels not adjacent at both sides in the scanning direction to pixels where ink is discharged the other scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Satoshi Seki, Fumiko Suzuki, Mayuko Yamagata, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20170120642
    Abstract: Driving orders of driving blocks are controlled with regard to each of multiple types of ink so that landing positions of ink from the driving blocks differ in multiple scans, and in the mask patterns used, there is a relatively small number of superimposed pixels among pixels regarding which a large number of discharge permitted has been stipulated regarding a mask pattern corresponding to one type of ink and one scan and pixels regarding which a large number of discharge permitted has been stipulated regarding a mask pattern corresponding to another type of ink and the one scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Fumiko Suzuki, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20170036465
    Abstract: Recording is performs that suppresses ink discharge position deviation between scans while suppressing graininess in a case of using multiple types of ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Fumiko Suzuki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Satoshi Seki, Mayuko Yamagata, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20170036467
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of recording elements arranged in a predetermined direction, and a determination unit configured to determine a first mode in which a specified image is recorded or a second mode in which a pattern is recorded in each of recording scannings in forward and backward directions to form an adjustment pattern for adjusting a recording position in the intersecting direction of the recording head, and the recording position of the recording head in accordance with the formed adjustment pattern is adjusted, in which a driving unit controls driving of the recording elements in a manner that a correspondence relationship between positions in the predetermined direction and the intersecting direction among a plurality of dots that form the same column is varied or is the same in the recording scannings in the forward and backward directions in accordance with the determined mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Satoshi Seki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Hirokazu Tanaka, Fumiko Suzuki, Gou Sasaki, Mayuko Yamagata, Tsukasa Doi
  • Publication number: 20170036466
    Abstract: The driving order of driving blocks is controlled so that ink landing positions from driving blocks differ from each other in multiple scans. Recording data is generated so that, of pixels where ink is discharged in one scan, the number of pixels adjacent at both sides in the scanning direction to pixels where ink is discharged in another scan is greater than the number of pixels not adjacent at both sides in the scanning direction to pixels where ink is discharged the other scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Satoshi Seki, Fumiko Suzuki, Mayuko Yamagata, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20170041501
    Abstract: An image printing apparatus can print an image in which graininess is suppressed while using a color material of light blue. To achieve this, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. ?LB?(?LC??LB)>0 and ?LB?(?LM??LB)>0 Here, ?LC represents a difference in lightness between cyan ink and a blank area, ?LM represents a difference in lightness between magenta ink and the blank area, and ?LB represents a difference in lightness between light blue ink and the blank area. Further, the color material of light blue satisfies the following condition. hC+(h(C+M)?hC)/2?hB?hM?(hM?h(C+M))/2 Here, hC represents a hue of the cyan ink, hM represents a hue of the magenta ink, h(C+M) represents a hue of the image printed with the cyan ink and the magenta ink in the same amount, and hB represents a hue of the light blue ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Fumiko Suzuki, Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9421761
    Abstract: If a plurality of ejection openings at identical positions in an array direction in which ejection openings are arrayed have experienced an ejection failure, complementary nozzles are selected so that the distance between ejection openings at both ends of the plurality of ejection openings in a cross direction crossing the array direction is the shortest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kitabatake, Norihiro Kawatoko, Fumiko Suzuki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20160159085
    Abstract: If a plurality of ejection openings at identical positions in an array direction in which ejection openings are arrayed have experienced an ejection failure, complementary nozzles are selected so that the distance between ejection openings at both ends of the plurality of ejection openings in a cross direction crossing the array direction is the shortest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kitabatake, Norihiro Kawatoko, Fumiko Suzuki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 9278552
    Abstract: The ink jet printing apparatus, wherein, to print images on a printing medium, a plurality of print heads, each of which includes an ejection port array provided by arranging multiple ink ejection ports in a widthwise direction of the printing medium, are arranged in a conveying direction of the printing medium, including: a unit for detecting a printing position displacement with respect to a printing position of a reference print head on the printing medium for each of remaining print heads excluding the reference print head which is one of the plurality of print heads; and a unit for adding non-image data corresponding to the printing position displacement to print data to be printed by the plurality of print heads, so as to align the printing positions of the plurality of print heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Masahiko Umezawa, Shinsuke Ikegami, Kiichiro Takahashi, Takuya Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 9227398
    Abstract: This invention relates to suppression of density unevenness caused by occurrence of ink-landing position shifts between print scans. In an embodiment, upon printing by scanning an inkjet printhead including printing elements, the following control is executed. That is, in order to form an image by print scans of the printhead on a single print area on a print medium, image data are acquired in correspondence with the respective scans. Also, the printing elements are partitioned into plural groups each including continuously arrayed printing elements, and the printing elements in each of the plural groups are time-divisionally driven based on drive sequences. Then, the drive sequences upon time-divisional driving in respective scans are set to include elements having the same drive timings and those having different drive timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Tanaka, Tetsuya Edamura, Wakako Tanaka, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9090065
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which are based on the multi-pass printing method using a print head having a plurality of nozzle rows and which enables a reduction in the number of nozzles to be simultaneously driven, allowing ink to be stably ejected. On the basis of the multi-pass printing method of dividing print data into a plurality of pieces by using mask patterns, the mask patterns are offset according to the positional relationship between the plurality of nozzle rows in the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Teshigawara, Kiichiro Takahashi, Tetsuya Edamura, Akiko Maru, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takatoshi Nakano, Hiroshi Taira
  • Patent number: 9073342
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording head having a recording element row in which multiple recording elements are disposed, with recording elements at dispersed positions in the recording element rows as blocks; a scanning unit configured to scan the recording head in a main scanning direction; a time-division driving unit configured to drive the recording elements in increments of blocks; a storing unit configured to store recording data; an obtaining unit configured to obtain information relating to the inclination of the recording element row relative to the main scanning direction; and a changing unit operable to change, in increments of individual recording elements, the storage position in the main scanning direction of recording data stored in the storing unit that is to be provided to recording elements of a group, which is configured of consecutive recording elements in each block in the recording element row, based on the obtained information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Teshigawara, Kiichiro Takahashi, Tetsuya Edamura, Akiko Maru, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takatoshi Nakano, Masahiko Umezawa, Shinsuke Ikegami
  • Patent number: 9064202
    Abstract: Textures in a printed image are reduced with a configuration that, provided that a matrix made up of a plurality of dot arrangement patterns is treated as a unit, binarizes image data is repeatedly applying such a matrix to the image data. Specifically, when a shift value K=k, a shift process calculates X+kY for the position (X, Y) of each cell in a 4×4 base matrix. The dot arrangement patterns are then shifted overall such that the cell where the value is k from among these values moves to the position (0, 0). The shift process is conducted while setting different shift values for every repeated use of the base matrix. As a result, regular textures are decreased in the case of using a base matrix made up of a gradation value Lv1 on a pixel area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wakako Tanaka, Hirokazu Tanaka, Tetsuya Edamura, Kiichiro Takahashi, Yusuke Komano
  • Patent number: 9033471
    Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus and control method using a plurality of parts of a printing unit, ink ejection can be immediately started. First and second heating units heat first and second parts of the printing unit. Each of the first and second heating units performs heating when the temperature of each of the first and second parts of the printing unit is lower than a reference temperature, and stops heating when the temperature of each of the first and second parts of the printing unit is at least equal to the reference temperature. A control unit controls ejecting of ink from the printing unit such that the printing unit starts ejecting ink according to both first and second information, the first and second information indicating that the temperature of the first and second parts of the printing unit once reached the reference temperature under certain circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Oonuki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Toshiyuki Chikuma, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Taira, Wakako Tanaka