Patents by Inventor Masao Kato

Masao Kato 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).

  • Publication number: 20140022303
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively high frequency overlap in an intersecting direction that intersects an array direction of nozzles is smaller than the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively low frequency overlap in the intersecting direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Satoshi Azuma, Yoshiaki Murayama, Minoru Teshigawara, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8628164
    Abstract: A process of detecting a defective recording element and a process of correcting the defective recording element are performed with appropriate processing loads. When the detection process and the correction processes are performed with small loads, for example, at a time of recording, a resolution used for reading an inspection pattern is set lower than that set in a case where the processes can be performed with small loads, for example, at down time before recording. The reading resolution to be set may be determined by an apparatus in accordance with a processing load or may be arbitrarily determined by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Murase, Masao Kato, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minako Kato, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro
  • Publication number: 20140010442
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for processing image data obtained by reading a document and a background image outside the document, and method of controlling the apparatus. The apparatus determines a degree of similarity between a color of the background image and a color of a marginal region of the document from the image data, sets a region extraction parameter based on the determined degree of similarity, and determines a document region by using the region extraction parameter from the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Minako Kato, Tetsuya Suwa, Takashi Nakamura, Yugo Mochizuki, Masao Kato
  • Patent number: 8567891
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively high frequency overlap in an intersecting direction that intersects an array direction of nozzles is smaller than the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively low frequency overlap in the intersecting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Satoshi Azuma, Yoshiaki Murayama, Minoru Teshigawara, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8523320
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein overlapping portions of the recording heads for two different colors are separated from each other with a distance therebetween in an array direction of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Satoshi Azuma, Yoshiaki Murayama, Minoru Teshigawara, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8444246
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: a drying unit to dry a printing medium on which an image was printed using an inkjet head; a humidification unit to humidify the printing medium that was dried by the drying unit so that the moisture content of the printing medium becomes the equilibrium state in the ambient environment; a colorimetric unit to perform colorimetry on the printing medium that was humidified by the humidification unit; and a calibration unit to calibrate printing properties on the basis of the result of colorimetry by the colorimetric unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentarou Muro, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takeshi Murase, Satoshi Azuma, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8441701
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit, a determination unit, a setting unit, and a processing unit to perform an image edge intensifying processing. The obtaining unit obtains image data by reading a document. The determination unit determines an image edge direction. The setting unit sets an edge intensifying processing intensity based on the image data and a processing intensity determined corresponding to a difference between resolution in a main scanning direction and resolution in a sub-scanning direction. The processing unit performs the image edge intensifying processing according to the set intensity. In response to the resolution of the image data being higher in the sub-scanning direction than in the main scanning direction, the setting unit sets a higher intensity of the edge intensifying processing in response to the edge direction being along the sub-scanning direction than in response to the edge direction being along the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumitaka Goto, Tetsuya Suwa, Fumihiro Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Masao Kato, Kentaro Yano
  • Publication number: 20130100504
    Abstract: A signal value representing at least one of a plurality of types of optical characteristics are calculated for each pixel from the read signal obtained and output by reading light reflected by a document placed on a document table and a document table cover while the document is covered with the cover. It is determined, based on the signal value calculated, whether or not a target pixel is a pixel in a document region. A document region is detected from the determination result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Suwa, Minako Kato, Yugo Mochizuki, Takashi Nakamura, Masao Kato
  • Patent number: 8390870
    Abstract: A recording apparatus comprises a writing unit adapted to write data on a recording medium, a selection unit adapted to select data to be written on the recording medium from a storage medium configured to store a plurality of data, and a display control unit adapted to cause a display device to display a display screen concerning printing before the data selected by said selection unit is copied from the storage medium onto the recording medium, wherein said display control unit causes the display unit to display the display screen if there is a restriction on the number of times of copying of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Masao Kato, Fumihiro Goto, Tetsuya Suwa, Fumitaka Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Arata Miyagi
  • Publication number: 20120268759
    Abstract: In order to eliminate image deterioration based on the characteristics of an output device upon execution of edge emphasis processing, an image processing apparatus includes a setting unit which sets a print characteristic on the print medium, a region setting unit which sets a region, a brightness value derivation unit which derives brightness values, a first derivative derivation which derives first derivatives of the brightness values, an edge direction determination unit which determines an edge direction of brightness, an emphasis level determination unit which determines an emphasis level of a pixel value based on the first derivatives, and a replacement unit which calculates second derivatives of brightness values and replaces a pixel value of a pixel of interest based on the sign of the second derivative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Fumihiro Goto, Masao Kato, Akitoshi Yamada, Tetsuya Suwa, Yusuke Hashii, Arata Miyagi
  • Publication number: 20120267451
    Abstract: A coolant application device includes a nozzle which spouts coolant and a motor which adjusts the rotation angle of the nozzle. The coolant application device also includes a housing, a hollow shaft rotatively and fluid-tightly inserted into the housing, a coolant passage formed in the hollow shaft, a port arranged at a lateral wall of the hollow shaft and communicating with the coolant passage, and an inlet passage arranged in the housing and communicating with the coolant passage through the port. The nozzle is connected to the hollow shaft and communicates with the coolant passage. The hollow shaft is coaxially arranged and directly connected to an output shaft of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki OGIHARA, Masao KATO
  • Patent number: 8237991
    Abstract: In order to eliminate image deterioration based on the characteristics of an output device upon execution of edge emphasis processing, an image processing apparatus includes a setting unit which sets a print characteristic on the print medium, a region setting unit which sets a region, a brightness value derivation unit which derives brightness values, a first derivative derivation which derives first derivatives of the brightness values, an edge direction determination unit which determines an edge direction of brightness, an emphasis level determination unit which determines an emphasis level of a pixel value based on the first derivatives, and a replacement unit which calculates second derivatives of brightness values and replaces a pixel value of a pixel of interest based on the sign of the second derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Fumihiro Goto, Masao Kato, Akitoshi Yamada, Tetsuya Suwa, Yusuke Hashii, Arata Miyagi
  • Patent number: 8238003
    Abstract: A transfer method for transferring data between a digital still camera and a printer in direct communication with each other. The digital still camera stores an image file of an input image and a conversion file including conversion information for carrying out color conversion in a preset color space common to both the digital still camera and the printer. The method includes a first transfer step of transferring from the digital still camera to the printer the conversion file and a second transfer step of transferring the image file from the digital still camera to the printer. The printer carries out color conversion of and outputs the image of the image file transferred in the second transfer step using the conversion information included in the conversion file transferred in the first transfer step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ono, Akitoshi Yamada, Masao Kato, Fumihiro Goto, Tetsuya Suwa, Fumitaka Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Arata Miyagi
  • Patent number: 8228529
    Abstract: An adapter capable of communicating with an image supply device and an image output device and allowing direct printing even when a plurality of images are transferred at the same time from image supply devices. The adapter transmits a print request associated with a first image to the image output device. If acquisition of a second image is completed before acquisition of the first image completed, the adapter transfers the second image instead of the first image as the image to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akitoshi Yamada, Tetsuya Suwa, Yusuke Hashii, Kentaro Yano, Arata Miyagi, Takao Aichi, Fumihiro Goto, Masao Kato, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto
  • Publication number: 20120147432
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit, a determination unit, a setting unit, and a processing unit to perform an image edge intensifying processing. The obtaining unit obtains image data by reading a document. The determination unit determines an image edge direction. The setting unit sets an edge intensifying processing intensity based on the image data and a processing intensity determined corresponding to a difference between resolution in a main scanning direction and resolution in a sub-scanning direction. The processing unit performs the image edge intensifying processing according to the set intensity. In response to the resolution of the image data being higher in the sub-scanning direction than in the main scanning direction, the setting unit sets a higher intensity of the edge intensifying processing in response to the edge direction being along the sub-scanning direction than in response to the edge direction being along the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumitaka Goto, Tetsuya Suwa, Fumihiro Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Masao Kato, Kentaro Yano
  • Publication number: 20120114188
    Abstract: A process of detecting a defective recording element and a process of correcting the defective recording element are performed with appropriate processing loads. When the detection process and the correction processes are performed with small loads, for example, at a time of recording, a resolution used for reading an inspection pattern is set lower than that set in a case where the processes can be performed with small loads, for example, at down time before recording. The reading resolution to be set may be determined by an apparatus in accordance with a processing load or may be arbitrarily determined by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Murase, Masao Kato, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minako Kato, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro
  • Patent number: 8175155
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus which determines an attribute of an image including a pixel to be processed. An image area having a predetermined size including the pixel to be processed is extracted (S701). A variation related to the image area is calculated based on pixel values included in the image area (S705). Pixels in the image area are converted into N-ary data (ternary data or higher) in accordance with the calculated variation (S709). The attribute of the pixel to be processed is determined by analyzing the N-ary data as a result of the N-ary conversion (S711).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Suwa, Fumihiro Goto, Masao Kato, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Arata Miyagi, Yusuke Hashii
  • Patent number: 8139849
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for applying an adjusting process to an image including multicolor image signals. An image area including a pixel to be processed is extracted, and one representative signal value is generated from signal values corresponding to a plurality of colors of pixels included in the image area (S2501). A feature amount associated with the image area is calculated based on the representative signal value (S2503, S2505, S2511), and a substitute candidate pixel common to the plurality of colors is selected from the image area based on the calculated feature amount (S2512). Signal values of the pixel to be processed are substituted by new pixel values, which are calculated from the signal values of the pixel to be processed and signal values of the substitute candidate pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arata Miyagi, Fumitaka Goto, Fumihiro Goto, Masao Kato, Akitoshi Yamada, Tetsuya Suwa, Mitsuhiro Ono, Yusuke Hashii
  • Patent number: 8139269
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus to perform an edge intensifying processing of an image includes an obtaining unit, a calculating unit, a setting unit, and a processing unit. The obtaining unit obtains image data composed of pixels aligned in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The calculating unit obtains an edge direction of an image and a variation amount indicating a magnitude of change in a luminance value. The setting unit sets an intensity of the edge intensifying processing. The processing unit performs the edge intensifying processing. In a case where the image data resolution in the sub-scanning direction is higher than in the main scanning direction, the setting unit sets the intensity of the edge intensifying processing to an amount that is higher when the edge direction is the sub-scanning direction than when the edge direction is the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumitaka Goto, Tetsuya Suwa, Fumihiro Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Masao Kato, Kentaro Yano
  • Publication number: 20120026229
    Abstract: To provide an inkjet printing apparatus that suppresses occurrence of image deterioration, such as a texture, a moire, and a streak in a printing result. In order for this to be achieved, a level is set up to a overlapping portion of a chip of a print head depending on dot impact accuracy, and a print data distribution rate of each chip in the overlapping portion is determined according to the level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minako Kato, Yoshiaki Murayama, Satoshi Azuma, Yutaka Kano, Minoru Teshigawara, Takeshi Murase, Susumu Hirosawa, Kentarou Muro, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Masao Kato