Patents by Inventor Naoki Nishikawa

Naoki Nishikawa 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: 8482795
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a determination unit determining whether an amount of colorant remaining in a container is equal to or greater than a threshold value and a control unit causing a print unit selectively to perform plural double-side printing methods in which at least one of the number of one-side printed sheets N and the number of opposite-side printed sheets M is different. When the determination unit makes a negative determination, the control unit performs a negative selection process of selecting a double-side printing method satisfying at least one condition of a condition that the number of one-side printed sheets N is smaller than that when the determination unit makes an affirmative determination and a condition that the number of opposite-side printed sheets M is greater than that when the determination unit makes the affirmative determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20130146041
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which an anodic oxidation coating film is formed on all or a portion of a wall that faces a combustion chamber, wherein the anodic oxidation coating film has a structure that is provided with a bonding region in which each of hollow cells forming the coating film is bonded to the adjacent hollow cells, and a nonbonding region in which three or more adjacent hollow cells are not bonded to each other, and wherein a porosity of the anodic oxidation coating film is determined by a first void present in the hollow cell and a second void that forms the nonbonding region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takumi Hijii, Naoki Nishikawa, Akio Kawaguchi, Koichi Nakata, Yoshifumi Wakisaka, Hidemasa Kosaka, Fumio Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20130083353
    Abstract: An image forming system is provided including a data server, an image forming apparatus, and a processing server. The image forming apparatus includes an information acquisition section configured to acquire identification information, and a first transmission section configured to send the identification information to the processing server. The processing server includes a print data acquisition section configured to acquire an identified print data identified through the identification information, a processing treatment section configured to carry out the processing treatment for the identified print data, and a second transmission section configured to transmit a processed data processed by the processing treatment section to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki NISHIKAWA, Toyoshi ADACHI
  • Publication number: 20120327441
    Abstract: A scanner includes a scanning device, a display, and a control device. The scanning device scans a document, The control device obtains at least one of specification information and status information corresponding to a connection-target device. The specification information may comprise information identifying available functions of the connection-target device. The status information may comprise information indicating a current status of the connection-target device. The control device controls the display to display a setting screen for a scanning and printing process, in which the scanning device scans an image on a document and sends image data corresponding to the image on the document to the connection-target device for printing, when the connection-target device is a printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toyoshi ADACHI, Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8331815
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus determines whether an amount of colorant remaining in a container is equal to or greater than a threshold value and controls a print unit to perform a reduced printing operation with a reduced amount of colorant if the amount of the remaining colorant is less than the threshold value is made and to perform the reduced printing operation on one side of a new non-printed sheet instead of performing the reduced printing operation on the opposite side of a one-side printed sheet existing if the amount of the remaining colorant is less than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20120274972
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a power supply controller controls the image forming apparatus to operate in a normal mode and a power saving mode, in which supply of power to the image forming unit is cut off; and a plurality of interfaces that receives a transition command for transitioning from the power saving mode to the normal mode. The power supply controller performs an interface-power supply process of supplying power to at least one interface; a first change process of changing power supply destinations in the interface-power supply process so as to reduce an amount of power supply in the interface-power supply process; and a second change process of changing the power supply destinations in the interface-power supply process after the first change process so as to further reduce the amount of power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20120278643
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a power supply controller controls the image forming apparatus to operate in a power saving mode in which supply of power to the image forming unit is cut off and a normal mode; and a plurality of interfaces configured to receive a transition command for transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode. The power supply controller performs: an interface-power supply process of supplying power to at least one of the plurality of interfaces; and a changing process of, in a case where a predetermined signal is input to an operating interface receiving power in the interface-power supply unit in the power saving mode, cutting off power supply to the operating interface and starting power supply to at least one of idle interfaces other than the operating interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20120274973
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a power supply controller controls the image forming apparatus to operate in a power saving mode, in which supply of power to the image forming unit is cut off, and a normal mode; and a plurality of interfaces that receives a transition command for transitioning from the power saving mode to the normal mode. The power supply controller is configured to perform: an interface-power supply process of supplying power to at least one interface; a determining process of determining whether availability is high or low for an operating interface receiving power supply in the interface-power supply process; and a changing process of changing a power supply target from the operating interface to an idle interface when the availability of the operating interface is determined to be low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20120257431
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes an inverter having output terminals; a first transformer that transforms alternating-current output from the output terminals; a second transformer that is connected to the output terminals in parallel to the first transformer, arranged on an opposite side of the first transformer with respect to a straight line passing through a center of the output terminals and extending perpendicularly to a plane including the output terminals, and transforms alternating-current power output from the output terminals; first conductive lines that connect the output terminals to both ends of the first transformer; and second conductive lines that connect the output terminals to both ends of the second transformer. An area of a first loop formed by the inverter, the first conductive lines, and the first transformer is equal to an area of a second loop formed by the inverter, the second conductive lines, and the second transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Suzuki, Hitoshi Kidokoro, Toshiki Koshimae, Hiroshi Kurushima, Masato Matsubara, Naoki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20120194846
    Abstract: An image reading system and an image reading apparatus are provided. The system or apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read a still original, a selecting unit configured to select one of a plurality of image data of a first area acquired by reading the first area a plurality of times, the first area being a partial area of the original, and a generating unit configured to generate a file storing a first image data which is the image data of the first area selected by the selecting unit, and a second image data which is image data acquired by reading a second area of the original different from the first area by the reading unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toyoshi ADACHI, Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8170429
    Abstract: In a printer, the image-forming unit performs an image-forming operation in one of a non-saving mode and a saving mode. An amount of the printing agent used in the saving mode is less than an amount of the printing agent used in the non-saving mode. The determining unit determines, based on the remaining amount of the printing agent in the accommodating unit and the remaining times the image-forming unit can perform the image-forming operation, whether the image-forming unit should perform the image-forming operation in the non-saving mode or the saving mode. The controlling unit controls the image-forming unit to perform the image-forming operation in the mode determined by the determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110157625
    Abstract: In an image-forming system, the first determining unit is configured to determine whether at least one image-forming device among the plurality of image-forming device is capable of performing the image print process. The second determining unit is configured to determine whether to restrict an image-forming device among the plurality of image-forming devices to execute the test print process based on a result of determination by the first determining unit. The restricting unit is configured to restrict the image-forming device to execute the test print process when the second determining unit determines to restrict the image-forming device to execute the test print process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20110157624
    Abstract: In the image-forming system, each image-forming device is selectively capable of performing a test print process to form a test image and an image print process to form an image based on image data. Each image-forming device is configured to be set an execution condition that defines a condition to execute the test print process. Each image-forming device executes the test print process when the each image-forming device satisfies the execution condition. The first detecting unit is configured to detect an execution condition of an image-forming device among the plurality of image-forming devices. The setting unit is configured to set an execution condition of an image-forming device among the plurality of image-forming devices based on the execution condition detected by the first detecting unit such that at least two execution conditions among execution conditions of the plurality of image-forming devices are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20110051166
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a plurality of control units and an accepting unit. The plurality of control units are configured to execute each of a plurality of functions regarding image data, and include a first control unit and a second control unit. The accepting unit accepts a user's selection indicating a function selected by a user. When a control capability of the first control unit has decreased, the second control unit sets the selected function executable and sets the functions other than the selected function unexecutable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 7867087
    Abstract: With a game implemented by the present game program, characters will be selected when a command means is placed into contact with a character. In addition, the movement direction of the command means will be identified when moved on the monitor. Then, the characters selected by the selection means will be moved in the movement direction of the command means. When this occurs, the movement state of the characters will be displayed on a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Fujioka, Naoki Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20100303491
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus determines whether an amount of colorant remaining in a container is equal to or greater than a threshold value and controls a print unit to perform a reduced printing operation with a reduced amount of colorant if the amount of the remaining colorant is less than the threshold value is made and to perform the reduced printing operation on one side of a new non-printed sheet instead of performing the reduced printing operation on the opposite side of a one-side printed sheet existing if the amount of the remaining colorant is less than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20100302561
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a determination unit determining whether an amount of colorant remaining in a container is equal to or greater than a threshold value and a control unit causing a print unit selectively to perform plural double-side printing methods in which at least one of the number of one-side printed sheets N and the number of opposite-side printed sheets M is different. When the determination unit makes a negative determination, the control unit performs a negative selection process of selecting a double-side printing method satisfying at least one condition of a condition that the number of one-side printed sheets N is smaller than that when the determination unit makes an affirmative determination and a condition that the number of opposite-side printed sheets M is greater than that when the determination unit makes the affirmative determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20100186936
    Abstract: A heat exchanger tube (1), wherein a plurality of refrigerant passages (5) extending in the longitudinal direction of the tube are formed in a flat tube body (2) with a specified length parallel with each other in the lateral direction of the tube and, where the overall cross sectional area of the tube body (2) is (At), the overall cross sectional area of the refrigerant passage (5) is (Ac), the outer peripheral length of the tube body (2) is (L), and the overall inner peripheral length of the refrigerant passage (5) is (P), set so that the relation of Ac/At×100=30 to 55 and P/L×100=150 to 325 can be established, whereby a heat exchanging performance can be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Naoki Nishikawa, Koichiro Take, Noboru Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20100134834
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit that executes an image process in accordance with an instruction by a user; an accumulating unit that accumulates electric energy consumed in a preparation process of the image processing unit for each user; and a control unit which, if the image processing unit is made usable by the preparation process and executes image processes in accordance with a plurality of instructions by a plurality of users, controls the accumulating unit to allot and accumulate the electric energy for each of the plurality of users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki NISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 7704134
    Abstract: With a game implemented by the present game program, an expected pass display area of a ball will be displayed on a monitor between a dispatch position of the ball and a arrival position of the ball. When a dispatch operation of a pitcher character is initiated, the contact position of a command means in the expected pass display area will be identified if the command means is placed into contact with the expected pass display area. If the contact position is moved in the expected pass display area by the command means before a character has dispatched a moving object, the contact position after movement will be identified as the final contact position. When this occurs, a ball character will be dispatched from the pitcher character to the final contact position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Fujioka, Naoki Nishikawa