Patents by Inventor Minoru Ichimura

Minoru Ichimura 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: 9010912
    Abstract: A printer driver that controls operations of an ink jet printer which is capable of being refilled with ink from the outside, causes a computer to execute an acquiring function of acquiring attribute information on a destination country or region where the ink jet printer is to be used, an input function of allowing an ink ID number which is assigned to the ink that is to be refilled to be entered, an ink determining function of determining whether the ink is genuine or not by analyzing the ink ID number which has been entered, a selection/execution function of selecting one of a plurality of processes for a non-genuine ink on the basis of the attribute information, if the ink is determined to be not genuine and executing the selected process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Ichimura, Daisuke Nagai, Masaharu Iwatani
  • Patent number: 8285756
    Abstract: An operation support program is stored in a storage medium. The operation support program includes a support database or a plurality of support program components for supporting a plurality of tasks that are different from one another and are carried out as a result of execution of a plurality of device control programs that are different from one another. The operation support program causes a computer to function as constituent sections including: an update data acquiring section; an updating section; and a graphical user interface configuring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunobu Nimura, Minoru Ichimura, Masaharu Iwatani
  • Publication number: 20120092716
    Abstract: A printer driver that controls operations of an ink jet printer which is capable of being refilled with ink from the outside, causes a computer to execute an acquiring function of acquiring attribute information on a destination country or region where the ink jet printer is to be used, an input function of allowing an ink ID number which is assigned to the ink that is to be refilled to be entered, an ink determining function of determining whether the ink is genuine or not by analyzing the ink ID number which has been entered, a selection/execution function of selecting one of a plurality of processes for a non-genuine ink on the basis of the attribute information, if the ink is determined to be not genuine and executing the selected process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Ichimura, Daisuke Nagai, Masaharu Iwatani
  • Publication number: 20100318582
    Abstract: An operation support program is stored in a storage medium. The operation support program includes a support database or a plurality of support program components for supporting a plurality of tasks that are different from one another and are carried out as a result of execution of a plurality of device control programs that are different from one another. The operation support program causes a computer to function as constituent sections including: an update data acquiring section; an updating section; and a graphical user interface configuring section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunobu Nimura, Minoru Ichimura, Masaharu Iwatani
  • Publication number: 20090307231
    Abstract: An information collecting device includes: a network interface unit which receives information on consumables from a plurality of devices connected through a network; a database access unit which accesses a database storing the information on consumables of each of the devices; and a control unit which controls the network interface unit and the database access unit. The information on consumables contains a device ID assigned to each of the devices and the consumption number of consumables as the number of consumables consumed by each of the devices. From the database, the database access unit acquires a value of a device ID field used to store the device ID, a value of a previous quantity field used to store the consumption number of consumables received at previous time, and a value of a total number field used to store the total number of consumables consumed by each of the devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Matsunaga, Koki Togashi, Eiichi Tokonami, Minoru Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20090300027
    Abstract: A database access server that performs processing for making access to a database is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Matsunaga, Koki Togashi, Eiichi Tokonami, Minoru Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20090294532
    Abstract: An ID issuing system that issues an ID in response to a request from a client includes: a plurality of ID issuing servers that execute issuance of the ID; and a history management device that manages the ID, which is issued by each of the plurality of ID issuing servers, by a history table. Either an issued state or a reserved state, which is a reserved but non-issued state, is registered as a status of an issuance history of the ID in the history table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Matsunaga, Koki Togashi, Eiichi Tokonami, Minoru Ichimura
  • Patent number: 7518744
    Abstract: Conventionally, it has been impossible to perform a formatted print precisely corresponding to functions of various printers. To solve this problem, formatted print data and printer capability data are stored. When a print instruction is issued, formatted print candidates are presented based on the formatted print data. When a formatted print is selected from these candidates, the printer capability data is referenced to set a combination of print conditions for performing the formatted print and actually perform printing. The printer capability data is stored for each printer model. Therefore, a proper print condition can be set for each printer model to perform a given formatted print. As a result, it becomes possible to perform a formatted print precisely corresponding to printer functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Komagamine, Tatsuro Oshikawa, Minoru Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20060152540
    Abstract: Conventionally, it has been impossible to perform a formatted print precisely corresponding to functions of various printers. To solve this problem, formatted print data and printer capability data are stored. When a print instruction is issued, formatted print candidates are presented based on the formatted print data. When a formatted print is selected from these candidates, the printer capability data is referenced to set a combination of print conditions for performing the formatted print and actually perform printing. The printer capability data is stored for each printer model. Therefore, a proper print condition can be set for each printer model to perform a given formatted print. As a result, it becomes possible to perform a formatted print precisely corresponding to printer functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Katsumi Komagamine, Tatsuro Oshikawa, Minoru Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20040252340
    Abstract: An image processing system, includes an operating unit, which select a first size of a reproducing medium, a size information acquiring unit, which acquires size information related to a template for defining a layout of an object, the size information indicating a second size of a reproducing medium, and a print control unit, which outputs an instruction for printing a predetermined object on the reproducing medium having the first size in accordance with the template. The first size is different from the second size indicated by the size information related to the template. The aspect ratio of the reproducing medium having the first size is equal to, or approximates to that of the reproducing medium having the second size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumi Komagamine, Tatsuro Oshikawa, Minoru Ichimura, Hidekazu Mori, Hideyuki Narusawa, Yoichi Tanaka, Hidetake Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 5559609
    Abstract: A facsimile transceiver is provided which includes a housing body, a paper cassette for storing therein a stack of recording paper sheets, a printer for printing images on the recording paper sheets, a recorded image outlet formed in an upper surface of the housing body, a paper feeder for feeding the recording paper sheets in sequence to the recorded image outlet through the printer along a feeding path extending from the paper cassette disposed on the bottom of the housing body to the recorded image outlet through a front side of the housing body, and a front cover openable to expose the feeding path for maintenance thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamada, Minoru Ichimura, Takashi Naito