Patents by Inventor Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA

Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA 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: 12330427
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a first container with a first compartment, a second container with a second compartment, a recorder, a display, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the display to display a first screen and a second screen. The first screen contains a first object having a form that reflects an amount of a colorant in the first compartment and a second object having a form that reflects an amount of the colorant in the second compartment. The second screen contains a third object having a form that reflects one of the amount of the colorant in the first compartment, the amount of the colorant in the second compartment, and a total amount of the colorant in the first compartment and the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Kenta Horade
  • Publication number: 20250128518
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a cartridge detachably attached to the image forming apparatus and including a first compartment configured to store a colorant, a container configured to be connected with the cartridge and including a second compartment configured to store the colorant flowing from the cartridge, and a display configured to display a first object indicating a first remainder amount and a second object indicating a second remainder amount in a single screen, is provided. The first remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the first compartment, and the second remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the second compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2024
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Kenta HORADE
  • Patent number: 12257849
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a cartridge detachably attached to the image forming apparatus and including a first compartment configured to store a colorant, a container configured to be connected with the cartridge and including a second compartment configured to store the colorant flowing from the cartridge, and a display configured to display a first object indicating a first remainder amount and a second object indicating a second remainder amount in a single screen, is provided. The first remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the first compartment, and the second remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 12190004
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a consumer receptacle and a controller to determine whether the processing apparatus is in a contracted status where a delivery contract for consumables is concluded or in an uncontracted status before the delivery contract is concluded. The consumable receptacle is configured to hold any of an exclusive consumable that is unusable when the processing apparatus is in the uncontracted status and a non-exclusive consumable different from the exclusive consumable. When the processing apparatus is in the contracted status, and the non-exclusive consumable is held in the consumable receptacle, the controller determines whether a specific condition for execution of a first particular process in which the non-exclusive consumable is consumed is satisfied. The controller allows the execution of the first particular process when the specific condition is satisfied, whereas restricting the execution of the first particular process when the specific condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taichiro Kimoto, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Koichi Tsugimura, Yushi Deura, Yuki Kitahashi
  • Publication number: 20250001764
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a cartridge detachably attached to the image forming apparatus and including a first compartment configured to store a colorant, a container configured to be connected with the cartridge and including a second compartment configured to store the colorant flowing from the cartridge, and a display configured to display a first object indicating a first remainder amount and a second object indicating a second remainder amount in a single screen, is provided. The first remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the first compartment, and the second remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the second compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2024
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Kenta HORADE
  • Patent number: 12182461
    Abstract: In a server system, the computer stores in the printer a usable print quantity in association with a printer in response to an increase request from an external device. The increase request is a request to store an increased quantity as the usable print quantity. The usable print quantity indicates one of the number of sheets and an amount of colorant which are usable for printing in the printer. The computer determines, after a communication interface is disconnected from the printer, whether a reconnection is established between the communication interface and the printer. The computer determines, when the reconnection is determined to be established, whether the usable print quantity has been reflected in data in the printer. The computer sends to the printer, when the usable print quantity is determined not to have been reflected in any data in the printer, a reflecting instruction to reflect the usable print quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Kitahashi, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Taichiro Kimoto, Yushi Deura, Ayaka Hotta
  • Patent number: 12159066
    Abstract: A printing device includes a controller configured to perform: (a) storing identification information and transmission address information in association with each other; (b) acquiring, in response to receiving a print job together with the identification information from an external device, the transmission address information stored in association with the identification information in the (a) storing on the basis of the received identification information; and (c) transmitting the transmission address information acquired in the (b) acquiring to a data processing server so that payment process information is transmitted to a transmission address corresponding to the transmission address information, the payment process information being information to pay a fee charged for performing printing based on the received print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Tetsuya Okuno, Haruka Azechi, Ayaka Hotta, Yushi Deura
  • Patent number: 12155805
    Abstract: In a consuming device, a controller is configured to perform, when an operating mode is set to a non-billing mode: executing. The executing executes, in response to receiving an execution instruction, a prescribed operation consuming a consumable. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable irrespective of a permitted consumption quantity without decreasing the permitted consumption quantity. The controller is configured to perform: when the operating mode is set to a billing mode: acquiring; and executing. The acquiring acquires the permitted consumption quantity including a newly purchased consumption quantity paid for by a user. The executing executes, in response to receiving the execution instruction, the prescribed operation. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable and decreasing the permitted consumption quantity acquired in the acquiring until the decreased permitted consumption quantity reaches a predetermined quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Koichi Tsugimura, Taichiro Kimoto, Yushi Deura, Yuki Kitahashi
  • Patent number: 12149666
    Abstract: A printing system includes a printing mechanism. The printing mechanism is configured to perform printing. The printing system stores a plurality of print jobs in a storage, and receives selections of two or more print jobs to be executed as two or more target jobs from among the plurality of print jobs stored in the storage. The printing system determines a total fee to be charged for executing the two or more target jobs, and performs a settlement related process related to settlement of the determined total fee. The printing system executes the two or more target jobs to print images by using the printing mechanism in response to completion of settlement of the total fee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Haruka Azechi, Yushi Deura, Tetsuya Okuno, Ayaka Hotta
  • Patent number: 12149667
    Abstract: A printing system includes a print engine, and one or more controllers configured to perform a data obtaining process of obtaining print data, a print controlling process of controlling the print engine to print an image corresponding to the print data on a printing medium based on a print setting value, and a fee determining process of determining a fee corresponding to a plurality of the print setting values to be applied when the print engine prints the image on the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruka Azechi, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Tetsuya Okuno, Ayaka Hotta, Yushi Deura
  • Patent number: 12075015
    Abstract: A printing system comprises a print engine and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers perform a data obtaining process of obtaining print data, a print controlling process of controlling the print engine to print an image based on a print setting value, a fee determining process of determining a fee to be charged when printing the image, and a setting value changing process of changing the print setting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruka Azechi, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Tetsuya Okuno, Ayaka Hotta, Yushi Deura
  • Patent number: 12069212
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction, an image recording engine configured to record an image on the sheet, a cutter configured to cut the sheet, a reader configured to read an image on a medium, an operation interface, a display, and a controller. The controller executes reading an image on the medium with the reader, recording an image on the medium which is read in the reading on the sheet with the image recording engine, cutting the sheet at a prescribed position in the conveying direction with the cutter, and displaying a first screen on the display before executing the reading, the recording, and the cutting. The first screen includes a first icon representing the medium to be read with a rectangle and a second icon representing the cut sheets with at least portions of at least two rectangles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Kasamatsu, Shunsuke Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 12023915
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, having a container to store a printing medium therein, an acquisition device to acquire image data, a printing device to print an image on the printing medium, a cutter assembly to cut the printing medium, and a controller, is provided. In a case where a size of the image contained in the image data acquired by the acquisition device is smaller than a size of the printing medium stored in the container, the controller generates rotated image data containing a rotated image, which is an image rotated from an original posture of the image in the image data acquired by the acquisition device, controls the printing device based on the generated rotated image data to print the rotated image on the printing medium, and controls the cutter assembly to cut the printing medium having the rotated image printed by the printing device thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Koichi Tsugimura, Yusuke Arai, Isao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12023916
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, having a conveyer, a first conveyer path, a printer, a cutter assembly, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the printer to print images for at least two pages on a first side of a printing medium; after printing the images on the first side of the printing medium, controls the conveyer to move the printing medium to a second conveyer path being a different path from the first conveyer path through a switchback action and invert the printing medium by conveying in a second conveying direction; after inverting the printing medium, controls the printer to print an image in a predetermined part on a second side opposite to the first side of the printing medium; and after printing the image in the predetermined part on the second side of the printing medium, control the cutter assembly to cut the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Yusuke Arai, Isao Kobayashi, Koichi Tsugimura
  • Patent number: 12011932
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a display panel, a cartridge mount, an information input interface, memory, and a controller. The controller obtains service provider information through the information input interface, stores the obtained service provider information in the memory, obtains first identification information or second identification information related to a cartridge mounted in the cartridge mount, sets an operation mode to a first mode in response to obtaining the first identification information, sets the operation mode to a second mode in response to obtaining the second identification information, causes the display panel to display a type of the cartridge in response to setting the operation mode to the first mode, and causes the display panel to display the service provider information in response to setting the operation mode to the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruka Azechi, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Shinya Esaki, Yushi Deura, Tetsuya Okuno, Tony Lee
  • Patent number: 12008279
    Abstract: A printer includes: a print executing unit configured to execute printing on a sheet paper; a process executing unit configured to execute a predetermined process related to cutting of the sheet paper; and a controller. The controller is configured to, in a case where a first sheet paper having a first size is contained, send capability information to a terminal device, wherein the capability information includes specific size information indicating a sheet paper having a specific size. The specific size information includes a specific character string. The controller is configured to receive selection information indicating that the specific size was selected from the terminal device in response to a user selecting the specific character string. The controller is configured to, in a case where the selection information is received from the terminal device, cause the process executing unit to execute the predetermined process on the first sheet paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruka Azechi, Yushi Deura, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Takatsugu Yamada, Wataru Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11999170
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a cartridge mount to which a cartridge is mounted, a cartridge interface, a memory, a communication interface, a print engine configured to execute printing, and a controller. The controller is configured to obtain a transmission address stored in a cartridge memory of the cartridge through the cartridge interface, store the obtained transmission address in the memory, obtain, from the memory, notification information including at least one from a group of remaining amount information indicating a remaining amount of consumable in the cartridge mounted to the cartridge mount, order information indicating an order for the cartridge and status information indicating a state of the print engine, and transmission source information, and transmit the obtained notification information and the obtained transmission source information to the obtained transmission address through the communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yushi Deura, Shinya Esaki, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Tetsuya Okuno, Haruka Azechi, Tony Lee
  • Patent number: 11995488
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, having a conveyer, an image recorder, a cutter assembly, a reader, a display device, a controller, and an operation interface, is provided. The controller is configured to control the reader to read the image of the readable medium, the image recorder to record the image of the readable medium read by the reader on the sheet, and the cutter assembly to cut the sheet at a predetermined position in a conveying direction. The operation includes a first receivable portion, through which a selection from the user for causing the controller to control the reader to read the image of the readable medium, control the image recorder to record the image of the readable medium read by the reader on the sheet, and control the cutter assembly to cut the sheet at the predetermined position is receivable in a single action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Kasamatsu, Shunsuke Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 11989467
    Abstract: An image recording device stores correspondence information associating a plurality of status information types, output determination information and request type information. The status information is related to at least one of information on a cartridge and information corresponding to operation of a printing head. The output determination information corresponds to usage type information. The request type information is used to determine a type of a person requesting the status information. A controller of the image recording device is configured to perform receiving an output request of output of the status information, determining a type of the request type information, and identifying the status information of which type is associated with the determined request type information and the output determination information based on the correspondence information from among a plurality of types of the status information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Esaki, Yushi Deura, Haruka Azechi, Tetsuya Okuno, Shunsuke Minamikawa
  • Patent number: 11964494
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a cartridge detachably attached to the image forming apparatus and including a first compartment configured to store a colorant, a container configured to be connected with the cartridge and including a second compartment configured to store the colorant flowing from the cartridge, and a display configured to display a first object indicating a first remainder amount and a second object indicating a second remainder amount in a single screen, is provided. The first remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the first compartment, and the second remainder amount is a remainder amount of the colorant stored in the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Kenta Horade