Patents by Inventor Mikuni Murata

Mikuni Murata 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).

  • Charging method and imaging apparatus for equitable and simple charging
    Patent number: 7587371
    Abstract: A charging method using a use point that is a unit, common to a plurality of apparatuses, of charging according to use thereof includes the steps of (a) converting a result of use of each of functions of each of the apparatuses to use points, (b) totaling the use points of each of the apparatuses obtained in the step (a) based on a predetermined unit, and (c) charging for use of each of the apparatuses based on the use points totaled in the step (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikuni Murata, Tohru Shimizu
  • Publication confirming method, publication information acquisition apparatus, publication information providing apparatus and database
    Patent number: 7031982
    Abstract: A publication information acquisition apparatus used by a user of a service converts information extracted from a newspaper into electronic information and transmits the electronic information to a publication information providing apparatus. The publication information providing apparatus decodes the electronic information, acquires key information for searching for characters and/or an image from the decoded electronic information, and searches newspaper information in a database based on the key information. The publication information providing apparatus acquires the name of a newspaper and the date of issue thereof as confirmation information and transmits the confirmation information to the publication information acquisition apparatus. It is therefore possible to easily know from which newspaper the extraction is acquired and when the newspaper was issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuroh Tanigawa, Mikuni Murata, Shunzoh Mogi, Tohru Shimizu
  • Charging method and imaging apparatus for equitable and simple charging
    Publication number: 20030182248
    Abstract: A charging method using a use point that is a unit, common to a plurality of apparatuses, of charging according to use thereof includes the steps of (a) converting a result of use of each of functions of each of the apparatuses to use points, (b) totaling the use points of each of the apparatuses obtained in the step (a) based on a predetermined unit, and (c) charging for use of each of the apparatuses based on the use points totaled in the step (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Mikuni Murata, Tohru Shimizu
  • Publication confirming method, publication information acquisition apparatus, publication information providing apparatus and database
    Publication number: 20020174271
    Abstract: A publication information acquisition apparatus used by a user of a service converts information extracted from a newspaper into electronic information and transmits the electronic information to a publication information providing apparatus. The publication information providing apparatus decodes the electronic information, acquires key information for searching for characters and/or an image from the decoded electronic information, and searches newspaper information in a database based on the key information. The publication information providing apparatus acquires the name of a newspaper and the date of issue thereof as confirmation information and transmits the confirmation information to the publication information acquisition apparatus. It is therefore possible to easily know from which newspaper the extraction is acquired and when the newspaper was issued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Tetsuroh Tanigawa, Mikuni Murata, Shunzoh Mogi, Tohru Shimizu