Patents by Inventor Shuhji Fujii

Shuhji Fujii 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: 8332933
    Abstract: When a user operates a processing apparatus through a touch panel, a fingerprint processing unit reads fingerprint information of the user's finger. Each time when the fingerprint processing unit reads fingerprint information, a CPU judges whether the read fingerprint information is identical to a fingerprint information of authenticated user. If being identical, the processing apparatus executes a process in accordance with an operation accepted through the touch panel. These two fingerprint information are identical each other if the operating user through the operation accepting panel is the authenticated user. It means that the processing apparatus judges whether the operating user is the authenticated user, each time when the user operates. If the user is the authenticated user, the process in accordance with the operation by this user is then executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogo, Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii
  • Publication number: 20120281249
    Abstract: An image processing device comprises an image data input means 2, an image data storage means 12 for storing the image data being input, an image data processing means 6 having multiple processing modes for outputting the stored image data, and a image data erasing means for erasing the image data stored in the storage means 12. The device further comprises erase count control means 8, 14 for controlling the number of times for erasing image data capable of having the number of times of erase set arbitrarily according to the security level required for each mode, and capable of having the set number of times of erase changed in mid-flow. Confidentiality is protected by performing erase operations repeatedly to the region storing the unnecessary image data according to the security level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Atsuhiko Murakami, Yuji Okamoto, Toshihiro Yamanaka, Toshihiko Fukuhara, Shuhji Fujii, Tatsuo Nomura, Syouichirou Yoshiura, Tsutomu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8305351
    Abstract: To provide a display input device including: a display controller for displaying a control frame on a display portion; a touch input detector for detecting a touch input to the touch panel portion; and a setup item displaying portion for superimposing setup items on the control frame in accordance with the position of the touch input while the touch input is being detected by the touch input detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Ueda, Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii, Kaoru Ishikura, Atsushi Ogo, Kenji Takahashi, Nobuyasu Yamada
  • Patent number: 8301073
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus of the present invention, when performing one-side printing during a predetermined period after two-side printing, a change in a carrying velocity of a post-process apparatus is prevented and thus recording paper having passed through a fixing section is carried and output at a velocity that is lower than a velocity for normal one-side printing and that is identical with a velocity for two-side printing. Consequently, it is possible to prevent dropping of productivity of the image forming system due to a time necessary for changing the carrying velocity of the post-process apparatus and to increase an operating ratio of the image forming system, even if the post-process apparatus is designed to completely stop the carrying roller etc. when changing the carrying velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Ueda, Shuhji Fujii, Yuji Okamoto, Kenji Takahashi, Kazuhiko Ido
  • Patent number: 8264719
    Abstract: The output history of image data is made traceable when image data is processed while it is transmitted between an image processing apparatus and an external apparatus. The image processing apparatus adds specific information including information concerning the own apparatus to image data from a document. When specific information is added, either the form of writing specific information in header information of image data or the form of combining with an original image a specific image corresponding to specific information is selected. The image processing apparatus sends image data having added specific information to a management server, and the management server stores inputted image data. The management server adds information concerning the own apparatus to image data as specific information, and sends the image data to the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus adds information concerning the own apparatus to image data as specific information, and prints the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii
  • Patent number: 8228517
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: an image processing section that processes an original image, and outputs the processed original image; an operating section that a user operates; a reading-and-displaying section disposed in the operating section, and has a function of reading control information as an image and has a function of displaying the read control information; an instruction input section disposed in the operating section, and receives an instruction regarding an original image; and a controller that controls operations of the image processing section, the reading-and-displaying section, and the instruction input section, wherein the controller instructs the reading-and-displaying section to read the control information, acquires the control information from a result read by the reading-and-displaying section, and instructs the image processing section to process the original image and to output the processed original image, based on the acquired control information and/or the instruction re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Yamada, Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii, Kaoru Ishikura, Nobuyuki Ueda, Atsushi Ogo, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8215630
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, used with a post-processing apparatus performing a punching process and a stapling process allowing setting of position and number of staples, includes: a detecting device detecting a request in the post-processing unit based on request information input from a user; and a control device connected to receive an output of the detecting device and to control the post-processing apparatus, controlling the post-processing apparatus such that if the detecting device detects requests for the punching process and the stapling process on the same recording paper, manner of staple-binding of the recording paper is set to tentative binding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhji Fujii, Takashi Nakagawa, Nobuyuki Ueda
  • Patent number: 8203726
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, damage to the apparatus caused by power conduction at the time of installation is prevented. When initial adjustment at factory ends and service person moves the apparatus, a power switch is turned OFF. Using this OFF operation as a trigger, a control unit 100 reads specific information (information related to pre-processing before starting power supply to the apparatus), and displays the information on electronic paper 108.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaoru Ishikura, Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii, Nobuyuki Ueda, Shinji Kato, Nobuyasu Yamada
  • Patent number: 8203729
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that can support the user in sleep mode is provided. When the apparatus enters sleep mode, guidance information is displayed on an electronic paper. The electronic paper maintains displayed contents even when power is not supplied and, therefore, even when power is not supplied to a display panel in the sleep mode, the display for the user is continuously given, thereby supporting the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Miyake, Shuhji Fujii, Shinji Kato, Tsutomu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8181263
    Abstract: An LDAP server stores security levels individually assigned to a plurality of destinations and a plurality of users in advance. When a user is authenticated successfully by the LDAP server, a control section of a multi-functional machine obtains the security level of the authenticated user from the LDAP server via a communication section, and then restricts/relaxes display contents necessary in transmission processing, in accordance with the high/low of the security level. Further, when the security level is not lower than a predetermined threshold value, the control section obtains from the LDAP server a destination in which the user is adopted as the addressee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhji Fujii, Yuji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8139240
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, in which communication history that may change in a sleep mode is updated and displayed, whereby state of data communication in the sleep mode can be grasped. Even if the image forming apparatus as a whole is stopped, power is supplied only to a communication unit. When data is transmitted/received from an external device, a communication controller of the communication unit that transmitted/received data temporarily drives an electronic paper, so that transmission/reception log is displayed on electronic paper. Thereafter, power supply to the electronic paper is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Miyake, Shuhji Fujii, Kazuhiko Ido, Tsutomu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8072619
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a printing apparatus including a printing unit for executing a print job and performing a printing process on recording paper, and a control unit for controlling the printing unit, the printing apparatus causing the printing unit to execute a plurality of print jobs sequentially, wherein the printing apparatus further includes a recording paper detection unit for detecting a size of recording paper fed to the printing unit, and when a size of recording paper detected by the recording paper detection unit is different from a size of recording paper set by a print job that is being executed by the printing means, the control unit performs control such that a period of time until the recording paper is discharged is shortened to the minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhji Fujii, Nobuyuki Ueda, Atsuhiko Murakami
  • Patent number: 8064785
    Abstract: A fixing device according to this invention includes a heating roller, a heater driver, a thermistor, and a CPU. The heating roller has a heater and heats a recording sheet. The heater driver drives the heater. The thermistor detects a surface temperature of the heating roller. The CPU stops an operation of the heater driver when the surface temperature of the heating roller becomes higher than a predetermined temperature and, thereafter, causes the thermistor to perform detection of the surface temperature of the heating roller for a predetermined time period and issues an alarm about occurrence of a first abnormality when the surface temperature of the heating roller fails to drop in the predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhji Fujii, Yuji Okamoto, Yuji Nakagawa, Takashi Nakagawa, Shinji Kato, Kaoru Ishikura, Nobuyuki Ueda, Atsushi Ogo
  • Patent number: 8032041
    Abstract: A pair of registration rollers are provided upstream in a paper transport path from an image forming position, and a paper transport position detection portion is provided upstream in the paper transport path from the pair of registration rollers. When consecutive print processing on a plurality of sheets of paper is performed, a paper transport position in the paper transport path is detected by the paper transport position detection portion for a sheet of paper that has been set in advance among the plurality of sheets of paper. A correction amount of a position for image writing to a photosensitive drum is determined based on the paper transport position, and correction of the image writing position is performed based on the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Atsumi, Junko Yabuta, Tatsuya Inoue, Yoshiharu Yoneda, Shinji Nakazawa, Shuhji Fujii, Atsushi Ogo, Fuminori Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20110134474
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a network system according to the present invention is a network system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are communicably connected via a network, and an electronic device capable of independent operation is communicably connected to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The electronic device includes a data input/output unit that sends/receives control data of the electronic device to/from the image forming apparatus to which the electronic device is connected, and the image forming apparatus includes a data communications unit that sends/receives the control data to/from the electronic device connected to the image forming apparatus, and a network communications unit that sends/receives the control data to/from another image forming apparatus via the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Nobuyasu YAMADA, Shuhji Fujii, Kouji Miyake
  • Patent number: 7957034
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of preventing a specific image from being added without imposing a burden on the user, at the time of printing image data to which the specific image need not be added. The image processing apparatus includes a processing section configured to process the image data according to processing information, a specific image adding section 63 configured to add the specific image to the image data, and an addition determination section 65 configured to determine whether or not the specific image needs to be added, on the basis of the processing information. When the processing information includes unique information for preventing the image data from being kept confidential, the addition determination section 65 determines that the specific image need not be added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Ueda, Shuhji Fujii
  • Publication number: 20110123243
    Abstract: As one embodiment, in an image forming apparatus (1), identification information of a screen for assisting a setting of a process that was last executed immediately prior to powering off is stored in a nonvolatile memory of a control unit (11), and when the power is turned on, at least one functional unit required to execute the process of this screen is determined from the identification information of the screen stored in the nonvolatile memory, and this functional unit is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuhji Fujii
  • Patent number: 7949956
    Abstract: Provided are a user interfacing display apparatus having improved operability without confusing the user as to setting displayed on a pop-up screen, and an image forming apparatus. When a copy ratio key as a detail setting key is selected on an LCD as a display section provided in the user interfacing display apparatus mounted on an image forming apparatus, the pop-up screen is displayed. At the same time, a display state of an interruption key is changed, so as to be displayed to inform that the interruption key is unavailable. While the pop-up screen is being displayed, a user is not allowed to select the interruption key. Thus, for example, on contrary to a case where process is switched to an interruption mode while the pop-up screen is being displayed, there will be no confusion as to the detail setting displayed on the pop-up screen before switching to the interruption mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Imai, Yuji Okamoto, Kaoru Ishikura, Shuhji Fujii, Nobuyuki Ueda, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7933028
    Abstract: A bypass transporting path apparatus is disposed on a color image recording apparatus and a transporting path connecting apparatus is disposed between a front portion of a monochrome image recording apparatus and a rear portion of the color image recording apparatus. This system includes an operational state monitoring portion that monitors the operational states of the color image recording apparatus and the monochrome image recording apparatus, and a power supply controlling portion that performs control based on the operational states of the color image recording apparatus and the monochrome image recording apparatus to shift any one image recording apparatus to a power saving state and to make the other image recording apparatus wait in a recordable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Kato, Shuhji Fujii, Syoichiro Yoshiura
  • Patent number: 7916320
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for preventing unauthorized uses of image data by allowing the addition of a specific image in a black-and-white mode even when it is set that a specific image is added in a color mode. When a document is copied, a control section determines whether the apparatus is in a color mode or a black-and-white mode. When in a black-and-white mode, an adding condition determining section reads a set security level and a differential value and determines a security level lower than the one in a color mode. Based on the security level in a black-and-white mode, an adding condition of a specific image is determined. The specific image adding section adds a specific image different from the one in a color mode based on the adding condition. A black-and-white image added with the specific image is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii