Patents by Inventor Makoto Okumura

Makoto Okumura 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: 11938739
    Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Manabu Akahane, Makoto Kobayashi, Naomi Kimura, Hideki Okumura, Shoma Kudo, Tetsuya Takamoto, Hiroaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 11700340
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus operable by an operation device includes a storage that stores a plurality of operations, a detector that detects an operation, and a controller. The controller registers a terminal as the operation device if an operation detected by the detector conforms with an operation stored in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Okumura, Hiroki Munetomo
  • Patent number: 11544355
    Abstract: A resource management server including a controller, a communicator that communicates with a license management server which manages a license, and a storage. The storage stores resource information. The controller acquires information about a resource to be activated, acquires license information from the license management server via the communicator, and, when a plurality of sets of license information is acquired as the license information, allocates a license to the resource to be activated based on the plurality of sets of license information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Sato, Takayoshi Ohkohchi, Makoto Okumura
  • Publication number: 20220182507
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus operable by an operation device includes a storage that stores a plurality of operations, a detector that detects an operation, and a controller. The controller registers a terminal as the operation device if an operation detected by the detector conforms with an operation stored in the storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: MAKOTO OKUMURA, HIROKI MUNETOMO
  • Patent number: 11310375
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a controller, a display, and an image former, and being capable of executing a processing function by a voice operation, the controller performs controls to display, on the display, a voice operation screen including a command in response to a command to start an operation through a voice operation of a user, and execute a job in the image former in response to a command to execute the job being input by voice through a voice operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Okumura, Hiroki Munetomo, Hiroyuki Kageyama
  • Patent number: 11082570
    Abstract: An information processor including a voice inputter, a display, and a controller is provided. The controller executes a voice operation mode allowing an operation by voice input via the voice inputter, and performs control to reduce visibility of the display when execution of the voice operation mode is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Okumura
  • Publication number: 20210034716
    Abstract: A resource management server including a controller, a communicator that communicates with a license management server which manages a license, and a storage. The storage stores resource information. The controller acquires information about a resource to be activated, acquires license information from the license management server via the communicator, and, when a plurality of sets of license information is acquired as the license information, allocates a license to the resource to be activated based on the plurality of sets of license information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: KAZUKI SATO, TAKAYOSHI OHKOHCHI, MAKOTO OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20200344369
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a controller, a display, and an image former, and being capable of executing a processing function by a voice operation, the controller performs controls to display, on the display, a voice operation screen including a command in response to a command to start an operation through a voice operation of a user, and execute a job in the image former in response to a command to execute the job being input by voice through a voice operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: MAKOTO OKUMURA, HIROKI MUNETOMO, HIROYUKI KAGEYAMA
  • Publication number: 20200153984
    Abstract: An information processor including a voice inputter, a display, and a controller is provided. The controller executes a voice operation mode allowing an operation by voice input via the voice inputter, and performs control to reduce visibility of the display when execution of the voice operation mode is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventor: MAKOTO OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20190356795
    Abstract: An image display operation device includes a function selecting portion to correlate with a plurality of functions so as to be executable, a display portion to display the function selecting portion, and a display control portion that causes the display portion to display the function selecting portion. The function selecting portion includes a first function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed, and a second function selecting portion in which other function items that are selectable in conjunction with functions included in the first function selecting portion are displayed. When one or more functions included in the first function selecting portion are selected, the display control portion changes function items to be displayed on the second function selecting portion, based on contents of the one or more functions selected on the first function selecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Shinsaku TOHKI, Makoto OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 10419627
    Abstract: An image display operation device includes a function selecting portion to correlate with a plurality of functions so as to be executable, a display portion to display the function selecting portion, and a display control portion that causes the display portion to display the function selecting portion. The function selecting portion includes a first function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed, and a second function selecting portion in which other function items that are selectable in conjunction with functions included in the first function selecting portion are displayed. When one or more functions included in the first function selecting portion are selected, the display control portion changes function items to be displayed on the second function selecting portion, based on contents of the one or more functions selected on the first function selecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Makoto Okumura
  • Publication number: 20170094085
    Abstract: An image display operation device includes a function selecting portion to correlate with a plurality of functions so as to be executable, a display portion to display the function selecting portion, and a display control portion that causes the display portion to display the function selecting portion. The function selecting portion includes a first function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed, and a second function selecting portion in which other function items that are selectable in conjunction with functions included in the first function selecting portion are displayed. When one or more functions included in the first function selecting portion are selected, the display control portion changes function items to be displayed on the second function selecting portion, based on contents of the one or more functions selected on the first function selecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Shinsaku TOHKI, Makoto OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 9560225
    Abstract: An image display operation device includes a function selecting portion to correlate with a plurality of functions so as to be executable, a display portion to display the function selecting portion, and a display control portion that causes the display portion to display the function selecting portion. The function selecting portion includes a first function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed, and a second function selecting portion in which other function items that are selectable in conjunction with functions included in the first function selecting portion are displayed. When one or more functions included in the first function selecting portion are selected, the display control portion changes function items to be displayed on the second function selecting portion, based on contents of the one or more functions selected on the first function selecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Makoto Okumura
  • Publication number: 20160065765
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of, when a function provided in the image forming apparatus is executed, easily selecting a function desired by a user from among functions provided in the apparatus to try to improve operability as well as eliminating erroneous copy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Shinsaku TOHKI, Makoto OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 9210282
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image display operation device with a function selecting portion to correlate with a plurality of functions executed in the image forming apparatus, a display portion, and a display control portion. The function selecting portion includes a function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed in accordance with an operation mode selected in the image forming apparatus. A second function selecting portion display other function items that are simultaneously selected. The display control portion simultaneously displays the function selecting portions on the display portion. The image display operation device simultaneously makes functions selectable. When the functions according to the first function selecting portion is selected, the display control portion changes functions according to the second function selecting portion that is displayed, based on contents of the functions according to the first function selecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Makoto Okumura
  • Publication number: 20150131114
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image display operation device with a function selecting portion to correlate with a plurality of functions executed in the image forming apparatus, a display portion, and a display control portion. The function selecting portion includes a function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed in accordance with an operation mode selected in the image forming apparatus. A second function selecting portion display other function items that are simultaneously selected. The display control portion simultaneously displays the function selecting portions on the display portion. The image display operation device simultaneously makes functions selectable. When the functions according to the first function selecting portion is selected, the display control portion changes functions according to the second function selecting portion that is displayed, based on contents of the functions according to the first function selecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Makoto Okumura
  • Patent number: 8970856
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. Selecting a function desired by a user from among functions provided in the apparatus is provided to improve operability as well as eliminating erroneous copy. In the image forming apparatus, an operation unit includes a display panel for displaying a function selecting portion. An operation unit side control portion, as the function selecting portion, has a first function selecting portion in which selectable function items are displayed corresponding to an operation mode and a second function selecting portion in which other function items which are selectable at the same time. The first function selecting portion and the second function selecting portion are displayed at the same time on the display panel, so that functions of the first function selecting portion and functions of the second function selecting portion are selectable at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Makoto Okumura
  • Patent number: 8675213
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a document reader, a storage for storing image data, an image output unit and a control unit. The control unit includes: a function setup controller for setting up the image output conditions of output images; a display image generator generating a display image based on image data, a display panel and a control-unit side controller having a function of displaying the display image based on the image data, in preview representation on the display panel. The function setup controller includes an image data sheaf forming function, a section break setup function, an image output condition storing function and an image output executing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Tani, Makoto Okumura
  • Patent number: 8610745
    Abstract: In order to provide a technique allowing easy confirmation of image contents even if the number of images increases, a display console includes a display device having an image displaying function and a display control unit controlling the display by dividing a display screen of the display device into an image preview area and another area. The display control unit switches, in accordance with a user instruction, between a fit-to-screen screen image in which area ratio between the preview area and another area has a first value, and a finish preview screen image, an image edition mode screen image, or a document display mode screen image, in which the size of another area is made smaller and the size of preview area is made larger than in the fit-to-screen screen image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Shoji, Makoto Okumura, Daisuke Nago
  • Publication number: 20120200890
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus sends its own operation history information and trouble information occurred to a management server. In a trouble cause analysis system of the management server, related information is extracted from the trouble information, and a trouble cause is analyzed with use of the operation history information of the image forming apparatus. Then, information on a coping method for coping with a trouble is sent to the image forming apparatus. On the image forming apparatus, the sent information on the coping method is displayed, and test printing is performed according to user's selection. In the case of having a good result of the test printing, a user performs operation for determining the coping method so as to change to a device setting corresponding to the determined coping method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Okumura