Patents by Inventor Noriaki KISHIMOTO

Noriaki KISHIMOTO 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: 11943408
    Abstract: A controller of a printing apparatus performs first image reading including conveying a necessary number of original documents for printing on one sheet, reading an image on the conveyed original documents and terminating conveyance of the original documents. Further the controller performs displaying of a preview image and second image reading including conveying an original documents subsequent to the original documents in response to receipt of a print instruction through the user interface, and reading an image on the conveyed original documents with the sensor assembly, and printing the read images read on the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Rui Nakayama, Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20240012355
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming engine, a sheet tray, a discharge tray, a main body including the image forming engine, a feeding path, and a reconveying path configured to reconvey a sheet which an image has been formed on one side thereof to the feeding path, and a controller. The controller is configured to, when successively printing a preceding job whose page count is three or more and a successive job whose page count is two or more in duplex printing, feed a first sheet while printing the preceding job and print an image corresponding to the successive job on one side of the first sheet, and discharge a last sheet of the preceding job in a state where the first sheet which the image has been formed on the one side thereof is in the feeding or reconveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke MIZUNO, Shintaro SAKAGUCHI, Noriaki KISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11726422
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a controller performs processes in accordance with an operation mode settable to one of a first subscription mode and a second subscription mode. The first subscription mode corresponds to a first subscription in which a specific-color cartridge is a subscription subject and a non-specific-color cartridge is not the subscription subject. The second subscription mode corresponds to a second subscription in which both the specific-color cartridge and the non-specific-color cartridge are the subscription subject. The controller performs restricting usage of the non-specific-color cartridge in a case where the first subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type, compared to a case where the second subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20230247156
    Abstract: A controller of a printing apparatus performs first image reading including conveying a necessary number of original documents for printing on one sheet, reading an image on the conveyed original documents and terminating conveyance of the original documents. Further the controller performs displaying of a preview image and second image reading including conveying an original documents subsequent to the original documents in response to receipt of a print instruction through the user interface, and reading an image on the conveyed original documents with the sensor assembly, and printing the read images read on the sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rui NAKAYAMA, Noriaki KISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230234366
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a supply cartridge attachable to the main casing; a printing mechanism; a display; and a controller configured to perform: determining, based on information inputted into the controller, whether an agreement is made for the image forming apparatus; setting, when an agreement is made for the image forming apparatus, an operation mode for the image forming apparatus to a pre-contract mode; determining under the pre-contract mode whether a type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is a normal type or a subscription type; displaying, when the type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is the normal type, information related to the pre-contract mode on the display; and setting, when the type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is the subscription type, the operation mode from the pre-contract mode to a formal contract mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki KISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11669029
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet tray, a feed roller, a transfer roller, a fuser, a conveying unit, and a controller configured to execute a normal process. The controller executes a particular process, when performing the single sided printing. The particular process is a process in which the controller is configured to execute a non-actual-printing process on a first surface of a first sheet, and then configured to execute the non-actual-printing on a first surface of a second sheet before executing an actual-printing process on a second surface of the first sheet. The non-actual-printing process is a process of conveying the sheet to the fuser without transferring the developer image onto the first surface of the sheet. The actual-printing process is a process of transferring the developer image onto the second surface of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Sakaguchi, Noriaki Kishimoto, Shuhei Fukue, Shunsuke Ueki
  • Patent number: 11642893
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a supply cartridge attachable to the main casing; a printing mechanism; a display; and a controller configured to perform: determining, based on information inputted into the controller, whether an agreement is made for the image forming apparatus; setting, when an agreement is made for the image forming apparatus, an operation mode for the image forming apparatus to a pre-contract mode; determining under the pre-contract mode whether a type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is a normal type or a subscription type; displaying, when the type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is the normal type, information related to the pre-contract mode on the display; and setting, when the type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is the subscription type, the operation mode from the pre-contract mode to a formal contract mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20230092805
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a controller performs processes in accordance with an operation mode settable to one of a first subscription mode and a second subscription mode. The first subscription mode corresponds to a first subscription in which a specific-color cartridge is a subscription subject and a non-specific-color cartridge is not the subscription subject. The second subscription mode corresponds to a second subscription in which both the specific-color cartridge and the non-specific-color cartridge are the subscription subject. The controller performs restricting usage of the non-specific-color cartridge in a case where the first subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type, compared to a case where the second subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11526109
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a controller performs processes in accordance with an operation mode settable to one of a first subscription mode and a second subscription mode. The first subscription mode corresponds to a first subscription in which a specific-color cartridge is a subscription subject and a non-specific-color cartridge is not the subscription subject. The second subscription mode corresponds to a second subscription in which both the specific-color cartridge and the non-specific-color cartridge are the subscription subject. The controller performs restricting usage of the non-specific-color cartridge in a case where the first subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type, compared to a case where the second subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20220163909
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet tray, a feed roller, a transfer roller, a fuser, a conveying unit, and a controller configured to execute a normal process. The controller executes a particular process, when performing the single sided printing. The particular process is a process in which the controller is configured to execute a non-actual-printing process on a first surface of a first sheet, and then configured to execute the non-actual-printing on a first surface of a second sheet before executing an actual-printing process on a second surface of the first sheet. The non-actual-printing process is a process of conveying the sheet to the fuser without transferring the developer image onto the first surface of the sheet. The actual-printing process is a process of transferring the developer image onto the second surface of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro SAKAGUCHI, Noriaki KISHIMOTO, Shuhei FUKUE, Shunsuke UEKI
  • Publication number: 20220035292
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a controller performs processes in accordance with an operation mode settable to one of a first subscription mode and a second subscription mode. The first subscription mode corresponds to a first subscription in which a specific-color cartridge is a subscription subject and a non-specific-color cartridge is not the subscription subject. The second subscription mode corresponds to a second subscription in which both the specific-color cartridge and the non-specific-color cartridge are the subscription subject. The controller performs restricting usage of the non-specific-color cartridge in a case where the first subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type, compared to a case where the second subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki KISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210252869
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a supply cartridge attachable to the main casing; a printing mechanism; a display; and a controller configured to perform: determining, based on information inputted into the controller, whether an agreement is made for the image forming apparatus; setting, when an agreement is made for the image forming apparatus, an operation mode for the image forming apparatus to a pre-contract mode; determining under the pre-contract mode whether a type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is a normal type or a subscription type; displaying, when the type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is the normal type, information related to the pre-contract mode on the display; and setting, when the type of the supply cartridge attached to the main casing is the subscription type, the operation mode from the pre-contract mode to a formal contract mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki KISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9007640
    Abstract: A wireless communication system includes: a first communication device, which has a first controller coupled to a first interface; and a second communication device, which has a second controller coupled to a second interface, wherein at least one of the first controller and the second controller is configured to perform operations comprising: transmitting data from the first communication device to the second communication device; determining whether the wireless communication connection is terminated during the data transmission; suspending the data transmission if it is determined that the wireless communication connection is terminated; determining whether another wireless communication connection is established after suspending the data transmission; and transmitting a part of the data to the second communication device via the another wireless communication if the another wireless communication connection is established, wherein the part of the data includes at least remaining data that was not received
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 8914852
    Abstract: When authentication information is input via an IC card reader and includes predetermined information. A portable terminal corresponding to the authentication information is identified, and specific identification information that identifies an image-data file associated with the authentication information is extracted. The extracted specific identification information is transmitted to the identified portable terminal, and the portable terminal displays a list of the received specific identification information on its touch panel. The operation of a printing mechanism is controlled, so that the image-data file corresponding to the specific identification information that selected with a touch panel on the portable terminal is accessed, and an image defined by the image-data file defines is printed on a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Itogawa, Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 8830496
    Abstract: An image recording system is provided. The image recording system includes an image recording apparatus, a mobile terminal to wirelessly manipulate the image recording apparatus and including a display device, a receiver to receive a signal from one of the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal, a distance determining unit to determine a distance between the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal, a range determining unit to determine a range, which includes the detected distance amongst a plurality of continuously incremental ranges partitioned by a predetermined reference distance originating from the image recording apparatus, a storage to store information concerning a plurality of operation screens associated with the plurality of ranges respectively, and a display controller to control the display device to display one of the plurality of operation screens associated with one of the plurality of ranges, which includes the detected distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Itogawa, Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20140085676
    Abstract: A wireless communication system includes: a first communication device, which has a first controller coupled to a first interface; and a second communication device, which has a second controller coupled to a second interface, wherein at least one of the first controller and the second controller is configured to perform operations comprising: transmitting data from the first communication device to the second communication device; determining whether the wireless communication connection is terminated during the data transmission; suspending the data transmission if it is determined that the wireless communication connection is terminated; determining whether another wireless communication connection is established after suspending the data transmission; and transmitting a part of the data to the second communication device via the another wireless communication if the another wireless communication connection is established, wherein the part of the data includes at least remaining data that was not received
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20130086638
    Abstract: When authentication information is input via an IC card reader and includes predetermined information. A portable terminal corresponding to the authentication information is identified, and specific identification information that identifies an image-data file associated with the authentication information is extracted. The extracted specific identification information is transmitted to the identified portable terminal, and the portable terminal displays a list of the received specific identification information on its touch panel. The operation of a printing mechanism is controlled, so that the image-data file corresponding to the specific identification information that selected with a touch panel on the portable terminal is accessed, and an image defined by the image-data file defines is printed on a sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro ITOGAWA, Noriaki KISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120250059
    Abstract: An image recording system is provided. The image recording system includes an image recording apparatus, a mobile terminal to wirelessly manipulate the image recording apparatus and including a display device, a receiver to receive a signal from one of the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal, a distance determining unit to determine a distance between the image recording apparatus and the mobile terminal, a range determining unit to determine a range, which includes the detected distance amongst a plurality of continuously incremental ranges partitioned by a predetermined reference distance originating from the image recording apparatus, a storage to store information concerning a plurality of operation screens associated with the plurality of ranges respectively, and a display controller to control the display device to display one of the plurality of operation screens associated with one of the plurality of ranges, which includes the detected distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro ITOGAWA, Noriaki KISHIMOTO