Patents by Inventor Naoki Sudo

Naoki Sudo 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: 11416722
    Abstract: A recording control device that controls a recording device that discharges a dot to perform recording includes an edge detection unit configured to detect an edge of an image represented by image data, and a recording control unit configured to generate dot data specifying the dot based on the image data and to cause the recording device to perform recording based on the dot data. The recording control unit causes an internal region, located on an inner side of an edge region including the edge of the image, to be recorded using a dot having a smaller size than that of a dot used for recording of the edge region, or to be dot-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Usui, Naoki Sudo, Yasutoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10708468
    Abstract: An image processing method includes dividing a desired image into a normal region formed with partial images and a joint region formed by overlapping the partial images, first converting image data in an RGB color space corresponding to the normal region into normal region CMYK data in a CMYK color space using a normal region LUT, second converting the image data in the RGB color space corresponding to the joint region into joint region CMYK data in the CMYK color space using a joint region LUT derived based on attribute information of the printing medium and environmental information of an environment in which the printing apparatus is to perform printing, and generating printing data based on the normal region CMYK data and the joint region CMYK data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutoshi Takeuchi, Naoki Sudo, Tetsuya Matsumura
  • Patent number: 10647109
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a code information detecting unit configured to detect code information in image data, and a printing controller configured to control bidirectional printing to repeat a first scan including ink ejection in accordance with movement of a printing head to a first side in a main scanning direction, a second scan including ink ejection in accordance with movement of the printing head to a second side in the main scanning direction, and medium transport performed between the first scan and the second scan. The printing controller is configured to perform printing by any one of the first scan or the second scan in an area of the code information detected by the code information detecting unit, during the bidirectional printing based on the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutoshi Takeuchi, Masaya Usui, Naoki Sudo
  • Publication number: 20200104661
    Abstract: A recording control device that controls a recording device that discharges a dot to perform recording includes an edge detection unit configured to detect an edge of an image represented by image data, and a recording control unit configured to generate dot data specifying the dot based on the image data and to cause the recording device to perform recording based on the dot data. The recording control unit causes an internal region, located on an inner side of an edge region including the edge of the image, to be recorded using a dot having a smaller size than that of a dot used for recording of the edge region, or to be dot-off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Masaya USUI, Naoki SUDO, Yasutoshi TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 10241414
    Abstract: An image forming device in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in a designated alignment direction, wherein a plurality of pixels constituting a formed image includes dot omission pixels continuous in a scan direction by a defective nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and neighboring pixels within a designated distance in the alignment direction from the dot omission pixels, the image forming device comprising a pattern determining unit configured to determine a dot pattern after supplementation formed on neighboring pixels within designated range based on at least the number of dots to be formed on the pixels within the designated range including a portion of the dot omission pixels and a portion of the neighboring pixels according to recording data before supplementation of dots by the defective nozzle, and a pattern forming unit configured to form the dot pattern after supplementation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Patent number: 10232607
    Abstract: There is a provided a liquid droplet discharging control device which causes a liquid droplet discharging apparatus including a head, in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged in a predetermined direction, to perform printing and which is capable of executing a nearby compensation process in which, on the basis of a dot position on which a predetermined nozzle for black ink forms a dot, a nearby nozzle that forms a dot in the vicinity of the dot forms a dot and executing a composite compensation process. The liquid droplet discharging control device includes a parameter acquiring unit that acquires parameters corresponding to the degree of liquid spreading toward a periphery after adhesion of a liquid droplet to a medium, and a compensation switching unit that switches between execution of the nearby compensation process and execution of the composite compensation process on the basis of the parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Publication number: 20190061340
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a code information detecting unit configured to detect code information in image data, and a printing controller configured to control bidirectional printing to repeat a first scan including ink ejection in accordance with movement of a printing head to a first side in a main scanning direction, a second scan including ink ejection in accordance with movement of the printing head to a second side in the main scanning direction, and medium transport performed between the first scan and the second scan. The printing controller is configured to perform printing by any one of the first scan or the second scan in an area of the code information detected by the code information detecting unit, during the bidirectional printing based on the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Yasutoshi TAKEUCHI, Masaya USUI, Naoki SUDO
  • Patent number: 10166760
    Abstract: Provided is a droplet ejection control apparatus that causes a droplet ejection apparatus including a head in which a plurality of nozzles are disposed being aligned in a predetermined direction to perform overlap printing in which printing is duplicated in a predetermined region using a first nozzle row group and a second nozzle row group, and includes a control unit which sets an amount of droplets, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, to a value corresponding to the stated condition based on print control data according to which the first nozzle row group and the second nozzle row group perform superimposition printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Publication number: 20180213125
    Abstract: An image processing method includes dividing a desired image into a normal region formed with partial images and a joint region formed by overlapping the partial images, first converting image data in an RGB color space corresponding to the normal region into normal region CMYK data in a CMYK color space using a normal region LUT, second converting the image data in the RGB color space corresponding to the joint region into joint region CMYK data in the CMYK color space using a joint region LUT derived based on attribute information of the printing medium and environmental information of an environment in which the printing apparatus is to perform printing, and generating printing data based on the normal region CMYK data and the joint region CMYK data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Yasutoshi TAKEUCHI, Naoki SUDO, Tetsuya MATSUMURA
  • Patent number: 10016975
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid droplet discharging control device for a liquid droplet discharging apparatus which includes a liquid droplet discharging head in which a plurality of nozzles discharging liquid droplets are formed, discharges liquid droplets while relatively moving the head and a medium in a direction intersecting a direction in which the nozzles are arranged. The liquid droplet discharging control device includes a controller that causes a first nearby nozzle, which discharges a dot adjacent to a dot row corresponding to a predetermined nozzle which is not capable of discharging a liquid droplet, to discharge a liquid droplet for a dot of a large size and that causes a second nearby nozzle, which is separated from the predetermined nozzle and discharges a dot adjacent to a dot row corresponding to the first nearby nozzle, to discharge no liquid droplet for a dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Patent number: 10005274
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a pattern determining unit and a pattern forming unit. In response to determining that dots are formed continuously in a moving direction on a dot omission pixels within a designated range in the moving direction based on recording data before supplementation of dots by a defective nozzle, and in response to determining that dots are formed continuously in the moving direction on adjacent pixels within the designated range, the pattern determining unit determines a dot pattern after supplementation for a plurality of pixels based on the recording data such that the dot pattern after supplementation is indicative of either enlarging at least a portion of dots formed on the adjacent pixels within the designated range or arranging dots in secondary adjacent pixels within the designated range regardless of dot arrangement of the secondary adjacent pixels according to the recording data before supplementation of dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Publication number: 20180143538
    Abstract: An image forming device in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in a designated alignment direction, wherein a plurality of pixels constituting a formed image includes dot omission pixels continuous in a scan direction by a defective nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and neighboring pixels within a designated distance in the alignment direction from the dot omission pixels, the image forming device comprising a pattern determining unit configured to determine a dot pattern after supplementation formed on neighboring pixels within designated range based on at least the number of dots to be formed on the pixels within the designated range including a portion of the dot omission pixels and a portion of the neighboring pixels according to recording data before supplementation of dots by the defective nozzle, and a pattern forming unit configured to form the dot pattern after supplementation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Patent number: 9944068
    Abstract: In a droplet ejection control apparatus according to the invention, a judgment section judges, taking a dot position that is assigned by a predetermined nozzle (incorrect ejection position) as a reference, whether or not a printing state is such that a second proximity dot lands earlier than a first proximity dot. A changing section changes an ejection state, when the ejection state is judged to be such that the second proximity dot lands earlier than the first proximity dot, to another ejection state in which the first proximity dot lands earlier than the second proximity dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Sato, Naoki Sudo, Tomoyuki Nakano, Akito Sato
  • Patent number: 9931861
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus includes a defective nozzle detecting section that detects a defective nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles; and a complementing section that forms a complementary dot which complements dots of a first raster to be recorded using the defective nozzle on at least one of a second raster and the first raster using a complementary nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles. The complementing section includes an adjusting section which sets main scanning being performed after the defective nozzle is detected as a first main scanning, sets main scanning being performed M times after the defective nozzle is detected as a M-th main scanning, and allows a usage rate of ink in the first main scanning to be greater than a usage rate of ink in the M-th main scanning, regarding the usage rate of ink discharged using the same complementary nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukazawa, Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo, Hiroki Sato
  • Patent number: 9927710
    Abstract: An image forming device in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in a designated alignment direction, wherein a plurality of pixels constituting a formed image includes dot omission pixels continuous in a scan direction by a defective nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and neighboring pixels within a designated distance in the alignment direction from the dot omission pixels, the image forming device comprising a pattern determining unit configured to determine a dot pattern after supplementation formed on neighboring pixels within designated range based on at least the number of dots to be formed on the pixels within the designated range including a portion of the dot omission pixels and a portion of the neighboring pixels according to recording data before supplementation of dots by the defective nozzle, and a pattern forming unit configured to form the dot pattern after supplementation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Patent number: 9849669
    Abstract: A recording method for performing recording on a medium by forming dots by ejecting a liquid from nozzles during scanning. The recording method includes detecting an abnormal nozzle; disposing a normal nozzle in a row where dot missing occurs due to the abnormal nozzle by moving a medium by a first moving amount; performing first complementary recording in which at least a part of a dot missing region is complemented by a first dot which is recorded by the normal nozzle during the scanning; moving the medium by a second moving amount; and performing second complementary recording in which a second dot of which a size is greater than a size of a dot determined based on printing data is recorded on a row adjacent to a row of the abnormal nozzle by the normal nozzle that is positioned adjacent to the abnormal nozzle during the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukazawa, Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo, Hiroki Sato
  • Patent number: 9836675
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus, which controls printing of a printing area including an overlapping area on which printing is performed through a plurality of scanning operations, includes a printing data generation section that generates sets of printing data each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of scanning operations in the overlapping area on the basis of an image data targeted for printing. The printing data generation section performs correction in accordance with a color density of the overlapping area in the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukazawa, Naoki Sudo
  • Publication number: 20170313057
    Abstract: In a droplet ejection control apparatus according to the invention, a judgment section judges, taking a dot position that is assigned by a predetermined nozzle (incorrect ejection position) as a reference, whether or not a printing state is such that a second proximity dot lands earlier than a first proximity dot. A changing section changes an ejection state, when the ejection state is judged to be such that the second proximity dot lands earlier than the first proximity dot, to another ejection state in which the first proximity dot lands earlier than the second proximity dot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki SATO, Naoki SUDO, Tomoyuki NAKANO, Akito SATO
  • Publication number: 20170282541
    Abstract: There is a provided a liquid droplet discharging control device which causes a liquid droplet discharging apparatus including a head, in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged in a predetermined direction, to perform printing and which is capable of executing a nearby compensation process in which, on the basis of a dot position on which a predetermined nozzle for black ink forms a dot, a nearby nozzle that forms a dot in the vicinity of the dot forms a dot and executing a composite compensation process. The liquid droplet discharging control device includes a parameter acquiring unit that acquires parameters corresponding to the degree of liquid spreading toward a periphery after adhesion of a liquid droplet to a medium, and a compensation switching unit that switches between execution of the nearby compensation process and execution of the composite compensation process on the basis of the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Akito SATO, Naoki SUDO
  • Publication number: 20170282539
    Abstract: Provided is a droplet ejection control apparatus that causes a droplet ejection apparatus including a head in which a plurality of nozzles are disposed being aligned in a predetermined direction to perform overlap printing in which printing is duplicated in a predetermined region using a first nozzle row group and a second nozzle row group, and includes a control unit which sets an amount of droplets, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, to a value corresponding to the stated condition based on print control data according to which the first nozzle row group and the second nozzle row group perform superimposition printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Akito SATO, Naoki SUDO