Patents by Inventor Shoichi Minato
Shoichi Minato 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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Patent number: 7905564Abstract: An ink jet printer ejects ink droplets of a plurality of sizes based on image data, and prints dots of a plurality of sizes corresponding to the ink droplets of the plurality of sizes for recording the image. In the ink jet printer, in order to print a smoothing dot close to a normal dot, pulse voltage having a waveform having its printing timing changed from a waveform for printing the normal dot is applied to a piezoelectric element. As a result, an ink jet printer capable of recording high definition images can be provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eiichi Sano, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20090110605Abstract: A microchemical chip includes: a sample loading portion for loading a sample; a driving liquid reservoir holding a driving liquid; a sample channel for communicating at least the driving liquid reservoir, the sample loading portion, an amplifying portion, and a detecting portion with each other; and a pump chamber, formed on the sample channel at a position between the driving liquid reservoir and the sample loading portion, for feeding the driving liquid to transport the sample from the sample loading portion to the amplifying portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Toshihito KIDO, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20090066744Abstract: An ink jet printer ejects ink droplets of a plurality of sizes based on image data, and prints dots of a plurality of sizes corresponding to the ink droplets of the plurality of sizes for recording the image. In the ink jet printer, in order to print a smoothing dot close to a normal dot, pulse voltage having a waveform having its printing timing changed from a waveform for printing the normal dot is applied to a piezoelectric element. As a result, an ink jet printer capable of recording high definition images can be provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: MINOLTA CO., LTD.Inventors: Eiichi Sano, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 7448713Abstract: An ink jet printer ejects ink droplets of a plurality of sizes based on image data, and prints dots of a plurality of sizes corresponding to the ink droplets of the plurality of sizes for recording the image. In the ink jet printer, in order to print a smoothing dot close to a normal dot, pulse voltage having a waveform having its printing timing changed from a waveform for printing the normal dot is applied to a piezoelectric element. As a result, an ink jet printer capable of recording high definition images can be provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2007Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eiichi Sano, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20070171246Abstract: An ink jet printer ejects ink droplets of a plurality of sizes based on image data, and prints dots of a plurality of sizes corresponding to the ink droplets of the plurality of sizes for recording the image. In the ink jet printer, in order to print a smoothing dot close to a normal dot, pulse voltage having a waveform having its printing timing changed from a waveform for printing the normal dot is applied to a piezoelectric element. As a result, an ink jet printer capable of recording high definition images can be provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2007Publication date: July 26, 2007Applicant: MINOLTA CO., LTD.Inventors: Eiichi Sano, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 7201459Abstract: An ink jet printer ejects ink droplets of a plurality of sizes based on image data, and prints dots of a plurality of sizes corresponding to the ink droplets of the plurality of sizes for recording the image. In the ink jet printer, in order to print a smoothing dot close to a normal dot, pulse voltage having a waveform having its printing timing changed from a waveform for printing the normal dot is applied to a piezoelectric element. As a result, an ink jet printer capable of recording high definition images can be provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1998Date of Patent: April 10, 2007Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eiichi Sano, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20070002157Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: a body; a display part movable relative to the body, the display part having a display screen capable of being changed in orientation according to a movement relative to the body; a detector for detecting an orientation of the display screen; and a display controller for determining an assistant index to be employed in capturing an image for face recognition according to the orientation of the display screen detected by the detector, and displaying the assistant index on the display screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2006Publication date: January 4, 2007Inventors: Dai Shintani, Mamoru Terada, Naoki Hashimoto, Takehisa Yamaguchi, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20070002463Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises a taking optical system including a zoom lens element capable of changing a focal length, an imaging part for acquiring an image of a subject transmitted from the taking optical system, as a captured image, a driving part for driving the zoom lens element to change the focal length, and a limiting part for limiting a driving range of the zoom lens element such that a distortion aberration of the zoom lens element falls within a predetermined range.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2006Publication date: January 4, 2007Inventors: Dai Shintani, Mamoru Terada, Naoki Hashimoto, Takehisa Yamaguchi, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6995799Abstract: An information communication apparatus for conducting information communication such as a telephone conversation, sending and reception of E-mails and the like and for capturing an image of a subject comprises an image capturing unit for capturing an image through the zoom optical system, and a body unit for displaying an image and accepting a user's input. A rotating mechanism is provided between the image capturing unit and the body unit. When a user conducts information communication or carries the information communication apparatus, the image capturing unit is positioned so that the optical axis of the zoom optical system is substantially parallel to a display screen of a display. This prevents impairment of the portability of the information communication apparatus. When the user captures an image, the image capturing unit is positioned so that the optical axis of the zoom optical system is substantially perpendicular to the display screen of the display.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2001Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hisanori Itoh, Daigo Yoshioka, Yoshio Nakagawa, Naohiko Hayashi, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6980235Abstract: A digital-type camera having a printing mechanism which assures a high quality of prints in an environment with a low temperature. The digital-type camera has an arrangement in which an ink cartridge, for storing ink fed to a printer head of a printing part, is installed on a rear surface of a substrate on a front surface of which a CCD of a heat-generating component is installed. Heat generated from the CCD is conducted to the ink cartridge via the substrate, so that the ink stored inside the ink cartridge is prevented from dropping down in temperature, and so that the temperature of the ink is kept within a thermal region within which its printing operation is guaranteed.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2000Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Yamamoto, Tohru Murakami, Toru Ishi, Akira Fukuda, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6914634Abstract: A digital camera having a taking lens, a finder for viewing light transmitted through the taking lens, an image sensing element for optoelectrically converting light which passes through the taking lens, a light splitter capable of changing transmittance and dividing the light transmitted through the taking lens to the image sensing element and the finder, a light splitter driver for driving the light splitter to a position to split the light between the image sensing element and the viewfinder when viewing and driving the light splitter to retract a position for directing the light only to the image sensing element during photography, and a controller for controlling the light splitter to a semi-transparent state to direct light to the image sensing element and the viewfinder when viewing and controlling the light splitter to a blocking state during photography.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2000Date of Patent: July 5, 2005Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Daigo Yoshioka, Hisanori Itoh, Yoshio Nakagawa, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6856345Abstract: There is provided a digital camera having a printing function, the camera having a moving member for moving from an out-of-use position to an in-use position to perform a shooting operation, a selector for selecting a printing operation to be performed, and a controller for bringing the moving member into the out-of-use position in response to the selection of the printing operation by the selector.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2000Date of Patent: February 15, 2005Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Yamamoto, Tohru Murakami, Toru Ishii, Akira Fukuda, Yoshiharu Tanaka, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6853403Abstract: In a digital camera having a self-timer function, the time for which the shot image is displayed in a self-timer shooting mode is longer than the time for which the shot image is displayed in a normal shooting mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2000Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Inoue, Daigo Yoshioka, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6816283Abstract: A digital camera having a printing function which is driven by a battery comprises a printer unit operable when the voltage of the battery is equal to or higher than a first voltage, a camera unit operable when the voltage of the battery is equal to or higher than a second voltage, and a voltage detecting unit for detecting the voltage of the battery. The digital camera further comprises controller which compares the voltage of the battery detected by the voltage detecting unit with the first and second voltages and performs, based on the result of comparison, a control operation whereby the respective operations of the printer unit and the camera unit are enabled or disabled.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2000Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Yamamoto, Tohru Murakami, Toru Ishii, Akira Fukuda, Yoshiharu Tanaka, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6771308Abstract: There is provided a digital camera having a printing function, the camera comprising a detector for detecting the amount of camera shake during shooting, a recording medium for recording each of shot images and camera shake data on the amount of camera shake detected by the detector, a selector for selecting a shot image to be printed from the shot images recorded on the recording medium, and a controller for judging, for the shot image selected by the selector, whether or not proper printing of the shot image can be performed. The digital camera further comprises an indicator for giving a warning when it is judged that proper printing cannot be performed.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2000Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Yamamoto, Tohru Murakami, Toru Ishii, Akira Fukuda, Yoshiharu Tanaka, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6614996Abstract: An image forming apparatus automatically determines the photographing mode and displays on a display a kind of the photographing mode with the image of the subject. The image forming apparatus comprises an image pickup part for forming an image of the subject, a photographing mode automatically setting part for automatically selecting one photographing mode from among a plurality of photographing modes based on a photographing condition when the subject is photographed, and setting the selected photographing mode, a display part for displaying the image of the subject; and a display control part for displaying on the display part a kind of the photographing mode set by the photographing mode automatically setting part together with the image of the subject.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2002Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Noriyuki Okisu, Jun Minakuti, Ayumi Itoh, Motohiro Nakanishi, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6601937Abstract: An image formation apparatus is provided that carries out printing efficiently to improve the printout speed. In the ink jet printer, a straight line formed of dots ejected from a large diameter nozzle and a straight line formed of dots ejected from a small diameter nozzle can have a similar configuration. By the continuous output of two dots from the small diameter nozzle, a combination of these dots are substantially equal to dots ejected from the large diameter nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1998Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Hotomi, Shoichi Minato
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Patent number: 6601766Abstract: Openings (OPa, OPb) corresponding to respective card slots (18a, 18b) are formed in a side face of a digital camera, and a slot cover (121) having a size covering both of the openings (OPa, OPb) is placed in a manner so as to shift thereon, thereby allowing either of the openings of the card slots to be selectively exposed. A CPU, installed therein, is allowed to access a card-type medium attached to the card slot that is not exposed, and is not allowed to access a card-type medium attached to the card slot that is exposed. A card-type medium can be detachably attached to the card slot that is exposed, and with respect to the card slot that is not exposed, the attaching and removing operations of a card-type medium are restricted.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2000Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshio Nakagawa, Daigo Yoshioka, Hisanori Itoh, Naohiko Hayashi, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20030142231Abstract: A digital camera capable of optimizing the circuit board disposition in a relationship with other parts when an optical system having refracting means for refracting the subject light is adopted, comprising: a body having a shape being flat in a subject direction when photographing; a refracting optical system having refracting means for refracting incident light from a subject in a direction vertical to the subject direction of the body; a power source portion supplying power to the image forming apparatus; and a circuit board disposed so as not to overlap with the refracting optical system and the power source portion in a direction of a thickness in the subject direction of the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2003Publication date: July 31, 2003Applicant: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Yasuda, Shoichi Minato
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Publication number: 20030101237Abstract: Based on image data including a whole image 91, a specified region 91a defining a part of the whole image 91, and character data 91b corresponding to the part of the whole image within the specified region 91a, an image is displayed or printed that has the character data 92b arranged near to an extracted image 92a obtained by extracting from the whole image 91 the part thereof within the specified region 91a.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2002Publication date: May 29, 2003Inventors: Shinichi Ban, Noriyuki Okisu, Nobuo Hashimoto, Shoichi Minato