Patents by Inventor Minako Kato
Minako 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).
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Publication number: 20170041502Abstract: An image processing apparatus divides an input image into a plurality of band area images, stores the respective band area images in a band memory, and performs image processing. The apparatus comprises: a storage unit configured to store filter coefficients having a two-dimensional reference area of M pixels in a first direction and N pixels in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a spatial filter unit configured to apply, to the band area image stored in the band memory, a spatial filter using the filter coefficients. The filter coefficients are set as the filter coefficients so as to refer to pixels for every K pixels in the second direction, and the spatial filter unit sequentially applies the spatial filter to the band area image K times in the second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Koji FUSE, Tomokazu YANAI, Hisashi ISHIKAWA, Akitoshi YAMADA, Minako KATO
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Publication number: 20160267697Abstract: An apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire main object information specifying a main object in generation of a layout image, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire object correlation information specifying an object having a correlation with the main object, an extraction unit configured to extract at least one image including the main object and at least one image including the object having the correlation with the main object from a plurality of images based on the acquired main object information and the acquired object correlation information acquired, and a generation unit configured to generate, using a layout template, a layout image in which the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the main object and the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the object having the correlation with the main object are laid out therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Minako Kato, Kiyoshi Umeda, Hiroyuki Sakai, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Yusuke Hashii, Naoki Sumi
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Publication number: 20160210539Abstract: An image processing apparatus has an acquisition unit configured to acquire first multi-valued data corresponding to a first colored ink to be precedently applied to a same area of the print medium, and second multi-valued data corresponding to a second colored ink to be applied to the print medium succeedingly to the first colored ink; and a quantization unit configured to convert the first multi-valued data to first quantized data designating printing or non-printing of dot using the first colored ink, and converts the second multi-valued data to second quantized data designating printing or non-printing of dot using the second colored data. The quantization unit quantizes the first multi-valued data and the second multi-valued data so as to, on the print medium, make dispersibility of dots to be printed based on the first quantized data higher than dispersibility of dots to be printed based on the second quantized data.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2016Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Minako Kato, Masao Kato, Yumi Yanai
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Patent number: 9373037Abstract: An apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire main object information specifying a main object in generation of a layout image, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire object correlation information specifying an object having a correlation with the main object, an extraction unit configured to extract at least one image including the main object and at least one image including the object having the correlation with the main object from a plurality of images based on the acquired main object information and the acquired object correlation information acquired, and a generation unit configured to generate, using a layout template, a layout image in which the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the main object and the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the object having the correlation with the main object are laid out therein.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minako Kato, Kiyoshi Umeda, Hiroyuki Sakai, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Yusuke Hashii, Naoki Sumi
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Publication number: 20160173725Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a data acquisition unit that acquires first multi-valued data for a first ink that is not black ink and second multi-valued data for a second ink that is black ink; a threshold value acquisition unit that acquires a threshold value from a threshold value matrix; an offsetting unit that offsets at least one of the threshold value and the second multi-valued data; and a generating unit that generates first quantized data for the first ink by comparing the first multi-valued data and the threshold value, and generate second quantized data for the second ink by comparing the second multi-valued data and the threshold value with offset by the offsetting unit. Dispersibility of dots printed at positions corresponding to threshold values from a minimum value to a predetermined value is higher than that corresponding to threshold values except from the minimum value to the predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2015Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Minako Kato, Yumi Yanai, Masao Kato
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Patent number: 9135523Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minako Kato, Tetsuya Suwa, Takashi Nakamura, Yugo Mochizuki, Masao Kato
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Patent number: 9085172Abstract: A first humidified gas is supplied through a first supply port to a sheet. A second humidified gas is supplied to a space where nozzles of an inkjet recording head are exposed through a second supply port located at a position closer to the recording heads than the first supply port, to increase atmosphere humidity in the space. The sheet portion having a moisture content increased by the humidification in advance is advanced into the space having the increased atmosphere humidity, to record on the sheet using the inkjet recording head. An amount of humidification with the first humidified gas is set according to at least one recording condition.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2014Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masao Kato, Kentarou Muro, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minako Kato, Takeshi Murase, Satoshi Azuma
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Publication number: 20150199574Abstract: An apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire main object information specifying a main object in generation of a layout image, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire object correlation information specifying an object having a correlation with the main object, an extraction unit configured to extract at least one image including the main object and at least one image including the object having the correlation with the main object from a plurality of images based on the acquired main object information and the acquired object correlation information acquired, and a generation unit configured to generate, using a layout template, a layout image in which the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the main object and the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the object having the correlation with the main object are laid out therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2015Publication date: July 16, 2015Inventors: Minako Kato, Kiyoshi Umeda, Hiroyuki Sakai, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Yusuke Hashii, Naoki Sumi
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Patent number: 9079421Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 9, 2010Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Minako Kato, Yoshiaki Murayama, Satoshi Azuma, Yutaka Kano, Minoru Teshigawara, Takeshi Murase, Susumu Hirosawa, Kentarou Muro, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Masao Kato
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Publication number: 20150151554Abstract: A first humidified gas is supplied through a first supply port to a sheet. A second humidified gas is supplied to a space where nozzles of an inkjet recording head are exposed through a second supply port located at a position closer to the recording heads than the first supply port, to increase atmosphere humidity in the space. The sheet portion having a moisture content increased by the humidification in advance is advanced into the space having the increased atmosphere humidity, to record on the sheet using the inkjet recording head. An amount of humidification with the first humidified gas is set according to at least one recording condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2014Publication date: June 4, 2015Inventors: Masao Kato, Kentarou Muro, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minako Kato, Takeshi Murase, Satoshi Azuma
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Patent number: 9044952Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 5, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Murase, Masao Kato, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minako Kato, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro
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Patent number: 9039112Abstract: In a line-head type inkjet printing apparatus that ejects a plurality of types of inks, an inkjet printing apparatus is provided in which the change of its ejection properties different depending on the type of ink is prevented from occurring. The line-head type printing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that counts the ejection number of liquid from each of print heads in each of a plurality of print heads. Furthermore, the printing apparatus compares the ejection number of liquid from each of the print heads counted by the acquisition unit with a threshold value set for each of the print heads. The printing apparatus includes a change unit that can move a holder in the main scanning direction when the counted ejection number of liquid exceeds the threshold value set for the print head.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2010Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshiaki Murayama, Takeshi Murase, Masao Kato, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Minako Kato, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro
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Patent number: 9028029Abstract: A printing method is performed on a plurality of inkjet print heads to which humidified air is supplied to retain the humidity in the print heads. Ink colors for the plurality of heads are arranged in a sequence corresponding to ink characteristics. The plurality of print heads is divided into groups, with one of the groups being subjected to preliminary ejection on a sheet. The other print head group not subjected to preliminary ejection is located in a more upstream area with respect to a conveyance direction of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Azuma, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
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Patent number: 9014487Abstract: An apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire main object information specifying a main object in generation of a layout image, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire object correlation information specifying an object having a correlation with the main object, an extraction unit configured to extract at least one image including the main object and at least one image including the object having the correlation with the main object from a plurality of images based on the acquired main object information and the acquired object correlation information acquired, and a generation unit configured to generate, using a layout template, a layout image in which the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the main object and the at least one image extracted by the extraction unit and including the object having the correlation with the main object are laid out therein.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minako Kato, Kiyoshi Umeda, Hiroyuki Sakai, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Yusuke Hashii, Naoki Sumi
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Patent number: 8967751Abstract: When an image is recorded using a multichip recording head including a plurality of chips each having a plurality of nozzle arrays, a change in image density can occur due to a registration error between chips in an overlapping part where two chips are connected. To suppress the change in image density, input image data is distributed to two chips such that there are dots overlapping each other between the two chips in the overlapping part.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2010Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Azuma, Yoshiaki Murayama, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Fumitaka Goto, Mitsuhiro Ono, Akitoshi Yamada, Yugo Mochizuki
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Patent number: 8955959Abstract: A first reading unit that reads a pattern or an image formed on a sheet by a print unit for recognizing a print unit state, a second reading unit that reads a cut mark formed on the sheet on a downstream thereof, a cutter that cuts the sheet on a downstream thereof, and a reverse unit that reverses the sheet fed to the print unit again are provided. In duplex printing, the sheet where images are sequentially printed on a first surface is led to the reverse unit, the front and rear faces are reversed, and the sheet is fed to the print unit again. The sheet where images and cut marks are sequentially printed on a second surface is cut by the cutter for each piece and discharged. The sheet is cut on the basis of a reading of the cut mark by the second reading unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minoru Teshigawara, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Takeshi Murase, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
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Patent number: 8919906Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Satoshi Azuma, Yoshiaki Murayama, Minoru Teshigawara, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
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Patent number: 8873112Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuya Suwa, Minako Kato, Yugo Mochizuki, Takashi Nakamura, Masao Kato
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Patent number: 8830539Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuya Suwa, Minako Kato, Yugo Mochizuki, Takashi Nakamura, Masao Kato
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Publication number: 20140247307Abstract: A printing method is performed on a plurality of inkjet print heads to which humidified air is supplied to retain the humidity in the print heads. Ink colors for the plurality of heads are arranged in a sequence corresponding to ink characteristics. The plurality of print heads is divided into groups, with one of the groups being subjected to preliminary ejection on a sheet. The other print head group not subjected to preliminary ejection is located in a more upstream area with respect to a conveyance direction of the sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Satoshi Azuma, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato