Patents by Inventor Shunichi Akabane

Shunichi Akabane 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).

  • System and method for keeping consumable items in an image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7010502
    Abstract: A consumable item keeping system and method wherein a consumable item keeping apparatus stores a variety of consumable items at a user side, and a consumable item supplying section is connected to the consumable item keeping apparatus via a communication circuit and supplies a variety of consumable items to the user side upon request. A consumable item replenishment level setting device sets a consumable item replenishment level for consumable items stored in the consumable item keeping apparatus and a signal generating device generates a signal indicative of arrival of the consumable items at the consumable item replenishment level. Further, a consumable item data transmitting device transmits order data indicating request for consumable items to be replenished to the consumable item supplying section via the communication circuit when the signal is generated in the consumable item keeping apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Hoshizawa, Shunichi Akabane, Tadashi Yamazaki