Patents by Inventor Michiaki Tokunaga

Michiaki Tokunaga 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: 8474952
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles that eject fluid onto a medium are arranged, a first movement unit that displaces a relative position between the medium and the nozzle row, and a control unit that forms a plurality of dot-lines by repeating a fluid ejection operation in which fluid is ejected so as to form a dot-line, such that a maximum time between when one of the adjacent dot-lines in the plurality of dot-lines is formed to when the other of the adjacent dot-lines is formed is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Patent number: 8191983
    Abstract: There is provided a method of calculating a correction value in a liquid ejecting apparatus in which a plurality of heads is arranged in a predetermined direction and each of the heads has a nozzle row in which nozzles ejecting a liquid on a medium are arranged in the predetermined direction. The method includes: forming a first and second pattern by a first and second operation; and calculating, on the basis of the first pattern, a first correction value and, on the basis of the first and second patterns, a second correction valve to line up a landed position of the liquid ejected in the first operation and the second operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano, Yuji Miyama
  • Publication number: 20120081447
    Abstract: A transport adjustment method of adjusting transport of an image forming apparatus which includes a transport roller that transports a medium in a sub-scanning direction and a plurality of nozzles lining up in the sub-scanning direction and repeats the transport and main scanning of moving the plurality of nozzles in a main scanning direction, for each angle section formed by dividing one revolution of the transport roller into a plurality of angle sections, the method including: printing, by forming a ruled line by the main scanning every time the transport corresponding to the angle section is carried out, a test pattern in which a plurality of ruled lines is arranged; detecting an arrangement interval of the printed ruled lines; and adjusting the transport corresponding to the same angle section on the basis of the average value of a plurality of arrangement intervals corresponding to the same angle section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya NAKANO, Masahiko YOSHIDA, Michiaki TOKUNAGA, Takeshi YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20120081450
    Abstract: A test pattern forming method is used in adjustment transport of an image forming apparatus, by the image forming apparatus which includes transport rollers transporting a medium in the sub-scanning direction and a plurality of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction and repeats the transport and main scanning for moving the plurality of nozzles in the main scanning direction. The method includes forming a plurality of first patterns using a first nozzle among the plurality of nozzles, and forming a plurality of second patterns using a second nozzle among the plurality of nozzles. The plurality of first patterns is formed by repetitive transport of the medium by a first intermittent transport. The plurality of second patterns is formed by repetitive transport of the medium by a second intermittent transport. The acceleration of the first intermittent transport is more gradual than the acceleration of the second intermittent transport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya NAKANO, Masahiko YOSHIDA, Michiaki TOKUNAGA, Takeshi YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20120056924
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles that eject fluid onto a medium are arranged, a first movement unit that displaces a relative position between the medium and the nozzle row, and a control unit that forms a plurality of dot-lines by repeating a fluid ejection operation in which fluid is ejected so as to form a dot-line, such that a maximum time between when one of the adjacent dot-lines in the plurality of dot-lines is formed to when the other of the adjacent dot-lines is formed is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi YOSHIDA, Masahiko YOSHIDA, Michiaki TOKUNAGA, Tatsuya NAKANO
  • Patent number: 8083320
    Abstract: Liquid ejecting apparatuses and image formed methods are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a liquid ejecting apparatus is provided including a head unit, a movement mechanism, and a control section. The head unit has along a first direction a plurality of heads, in which a plurality of nozzles that eject a liquid onto a medium are lined up in the first direction, and the head unit forms a single raster line by ejecting the liquid while performing m number of movements relative to the medium in a second direction, which intersects the first direction. The movement mechanism causes the head unit to perform a plurality of movements relative to the medium alternately in the second direction and the first direction. The control section forms an image having a resolution that is n times a pitch of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20110235125
    Abstract: A correction value calculating method includes: printing a pattern based on an instruction gray scale value indicating a predetermined density; acquiring a read gray scale value, which is a result obtained when a scanner reads the pattern, for each line area; calculating a first correction value, which is a correction value of each line area corresponding to a middle portion of the pattern, based on the read gray scale value of each line area corresponding to the middle portion of the pattern; and calculating a second correction value, which is a correction value of the line area corresponding to an end portion of the pattern in the predetermined direction, based on the read gray scale value of the line area in the vicinity of the line area corresponding to the end portion of the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: MASAHIKO YOSHIDA, TAKESHI YOSHIDA, MICHIAKI TOKUNAGA, TATSUYA NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20110234677
    Abstract: A correction value acquisition method includes: forming parts of a test pattern and a linear scale on a medium of which a length in a predetermined direction is shorter than a length of the test pattern in the predetermined direction; detecting positions of the scales of the linear scale from image data obtained by reading the test pattern and the linear scale; obtaining a read density of the image data; and calculating a correction value based on the read density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Tokunaga, Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Patent number: 7950768
    Abstract: A method of calculating a correction value includes: forming a test pattern by ejecting a liquid by a liquid ejecting apparatus, which has a first nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting the liquid to a medium are arranged in a predetermined direction and a second nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting the liquid to the medium are arranged in the predetermined direction, the second nozzle row being disposed so that an end portion on one side thereof in the predetermined direction overlaps with an end portion on the other side of the first nozzle row in the predetermined direction, to an area of the medium corresponding to certain pixel data on the basis of the certain pixel data from first nozzles belonging to the end portion on the other side of the first nozzle row and second nozzles belonging to the end portion on the one side of the second nozzle row; acquiring a read-out gray scale value by allowing a scanner to read-out the test pattern; and calculating a correction value used t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Patent number: 7909433
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including a head unit that has a plurality of heads along a first direction, in which a plurality of nozzles that eject a liquid onto a medium are lined up in the first direction, and that ejects the liquid while moving relative to the medium in a second direction, which intersects the first direction, the head unit having a width in the first direction that is greater than a width of a medium in the first direction, a movement mechanism that makes the head unit move relative to the medium a plurality of times alternately in the second direction and the first direction, and a control section that forms a raster line group by forming each raster line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20100253728
    Abstract: There is provided a method of calculating a correction value in a liquid ejecting apparatus in which a plurality of heads is arranged in a predetermined direction and each of the heads has a nozzle row in which nozzles ejecting a liquid on a medium are arranged in the predetermined direction. The method includes: forming a first and second pattern by a first and second operation; and calculating, on the basis of the first pattern, a first correction value and, on the basis of the first and second patterns, a second correction valve to line up a landed position of the liquid ejected in the first operation and the second operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano, Yuji Miyama
  • Publication number: 20100245871
    Abstract: A method for correcting pixel data and a fluid ejecting apparatus and are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiaki TOKUNAGA, Masahiko YOSHIDA, Takeshi YOSHIDA, Tatsuya NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20100245441
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus and a method for correcting pixel data are disclosed. The fluid ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle line having nozzles which eject fluid onto a medium and are lined up in a predetermined direction; a moving mechanism relatively moving the nozzle line and the medium in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction; and a control unit that ejects the fluid from the nozzle line while relatively moving the nozzle line and the medium in the intersecting direction by using the moving mechanism, based on pixel data of the predetermined number of gradations according to certain kinds of dots which can be formed by the fluid ejected from the nozzles, the control unit correcting the pixel data of the predetermined number of gradations in accordance with the correction value set for every image line data which is the plurality of pixel data lined up in a direction corresponding to the intersecting direction in the pixel data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiaki Tokunaga, Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Patent number: 7758139
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus has a head, a transport mechanism, a memory, and a controller. The head ejects a liquid. The transport mechanism transports a medium in a transport direction with respect to the head in accordance with a target transport amount that is targeted. The memory stores a plurality of correction values, each of the correction values being associated with a relative position between the head and the medium, a range of the relative position to which that correction value is to be applied being associated with that correction value. In the case where a transport using the target transport amount is performed beyond the range of the relative position associated with the correction value that is associated with the relative position before the transport, the controller corrects the target transport amount based on the correction value associated with the relative position before the transport and the correction value associated with the relative position after the transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Takeshi Yoshida, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20090278882
    Abstract: A method of calculating a correction value includes: forming a test pattern by ejecting a liquid by a liquid ejecting apparatus, which has a first nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting the liquid to a medium are arranged in a predetermined direction and a second nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting the liquid to the medium are arranged in the predetermined direction, the second nozzle row being disposed so that an end portion on one side thereof in the predetermined direction overlaps with an end portion on the other side of the first nozzle row in the predetermined direction, to an area of the medium corresponding to certain pixel data on the basis of the certain pixel data from first nozzles belonging to the end portion on the other side of the first nozzle row and second nozzles belonging to the end portion on the one side of the second nozzle row; acquiring a read-out gray scale value by allowing a scanner to read-out the test pattern; and calculating a correction value used t
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20090237689
    Abstract: A concentration correcting method includes: forming N test patterns at different positions in a moving direction by repeatedly performing a dot line forming process of forming a dot line in a line region on a test medium in which a plurality of unit areas is arranged in the moving direction by ejecting liquid from nozzles direction and a transport process of transporting the test medium in a transport direction; performing on the N test patterns a process of calculating a concentration correction value, which is used to correct concentrations of the unit areas in a print image; and correcting the concentrations of the unit areas in the print image by the use of interpolated correction values obtained using a linear interpolation method, two concentration correcting values acquired from the two test patterns, and positions of the unit areas in the moving direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Tokunaga, Masahiko Yoshida, Tatsuya Nakano, Takeshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090122108
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus has a head, a transport mechanism, a memory, and a controller. The head ejects a liquid. The transport mechanism transports a medium in a transport direction with respect to the head in accordance with a target transport amount that is targeted. The memory stores a plurality of correction values, each of the correction values being associated with a relative position between the head and the medium, a range of the relative position to which that correction value is to be applied being associated with that correction value. In the case where a transport using the target transport amount is performed beyond the range of the relative position associated with the correction value that is associated with the relative position before the transport, the controller corrects the target transport amount based on the correction value associated with the relative position before the transport and the correction value associated with the relative position after the transport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Takeshi Yoshida, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20090115805
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head unit, a movement mechanism, and a control section. The head unit has along a first direction a plurality of heads, in which a plurality of nozzles that eject a liquid onto a medium are lined up in the first direction, and the head unit forms a single raster line by ejecting the liquid while performing m number of movements relative to the medium in a second direction, which intersects the first direction. A width of the head unit in the first direction is greater than a width of the medium in the first direction. The movement mechanism causes the head unit to perform a plurality of movements relative to the medium alternately in the second direction and the first direction. The control section forms an image having a resolution that is n times a pitch of the nozzles, by forming a plurality of the raster lines by the plurality of relative movements of the head unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20090096828
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an upstream-side roller and an downstream-side roller, an ejecting section, and a controller. The controller stores in advance a correction value for correcting a pre-correction target transport amount for transporting the medium, the correction value being associated with a range from a first position to a second position. The controller carries out the transport operation based on a post-correction target transport amount in the case where the controller carries out the transport operation in such a manner as the medium is transported from a third position upstream in the transport direction from the second position to a fourth position downstream in the transport direction from the first position and the third position, the post-correction target transport amount being obtained by correcting, using the correction value, the pre-correction target transport amount for transporting the medium from the third position to the fourth position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Tokunaga, Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20090085959
    Abstract: An increase in the width in the first direction of the head unit is controlled and deterioration in image quality is curbed as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yoshida, Takeshi Yoshida, Michiaki Tokunaga, Tatsuya Nakano