Patents by Inventor Taichiro KIMOTO

Taichiro KIMOTO 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).

  • Publication number: 20240126488
    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: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taichiro KIMOTO, Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Yushi DEURA, Yuki KITAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240112519
    Abstract: A consumable consuming device includes a consumable holder and a controller. The controller is switchable between a first state in which no agreement for delivery of a consumable is in effect and a second state in which an agreement for delivery of the consumable is in effect. The controller is configured to perform: a first determination process to determine a first remaining life that is a remaining life of the consumable provided to the consumable holder during a time when no agreement for delivery of the consumable is in effect; a consumption process to perform a prescribed operation while consuming the consumable in the second state; and a billing control process to perform a billing-related process after the first remaining life decreases to a predetermined quantity through execution of the consumption process but does not perform the billing-related process until the first remaining life decreases to the predetermined quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taichiro KIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240059068
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a head including a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid, an instruction-input section configured to accept an instruction from the user, and a controller. The controller is configured to execute: determining whether an instruction input from the instruction-input section is an instruction to execute a first recovery process in which a liquid consumption is greater than a first threshold amount; determining whether an execution condition for the first recovery process is met, in response that the instruction input from the instruction-input section is the instruction to execute the first recovery process; executing the first recovery process, in response that the execution condition for the first recovery process is met; and skipping the first recovery process, in response that the execution condition for the first recovery process is not met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventor: Taichiro KIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240064258
    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: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Taichiro KIMOTO, Yushi DEURA, Yuki KITAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11878515
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a head, a conveyer having a roller arranged at the downstream of the head according to a conveyance direction, and a controller. The controller is configured to carry out: a recording process, a first determining process to determine whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the recording process, a conveying process to convey a medium in if the first determining process determines that the predetermined time has elapsed, and a setting process to set a predetermined time based on a discharge amount of a liquid from a plurality of nozzles onto a recording area and a conveyance time for the conveyer to convey the medium from the recording area to the roller, before the first determining process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Shohei Ichikawa, Taichiro Kimoto, Yusuke Arai
  • Publication number: 20230415484
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a tank configured to store a liquid, a head having a plurality of nozzles forming a plurality of nozzle rows, a first sensor configured to output a first signal when a liquid level of the liquid is at or above a first position and to output a second signal when the liquid level is below the first position, and a controller configured to: based on receiving the first signal after receiving the second signal, perform a first maintenance on a part of the nozzle rows of the head; in a case a predetermined condition is satisfied after performing the first maintenance, perform a second maintenance on remaining nozzle rows of the head; and after performing the first and the maintenances, control the head to discharge the liquid from the plurality of nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventor: Taichiro KIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230388434
    Abstract: An information management system includes: an information handling apparatus; and an information management apparatus which communicates with the information handling apparatus via a network. The information handling apparatus executes: an identification information obtaining process; and an identification information sending process. The information management apparatus executes: an identification information receiving process; a recipient associating process; a collection information obtaining process; a privilege information generating process; a recipient determining process; and a privilege information granting process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Naoya OKAZAKI, Masahiro HAYASHI, Satoru OKI, Tetsunori MORI, Taichiro KIMOTO, Sadakki MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230289117
    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: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki KITAHASHI, Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Taichiro KIMOTO, Yushi DEURA, Ayaka HOTTA
  • Publication number: 20230166514
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a controller configured to make a transition of an operational mode of the controller between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode represents an operational state where a contract for a service using a first cartridge has been made. The second mode represents an operational state where the contract for the contract for the service has not been made. In the first mode, the controller stores a first tank liquid volume and a second tank liquid volume in a memory. The first tank liquid volume represents, when the first cartridge is attached to an attachment case, an amount of liquid supplied from the first cartridge and stored in a tank. The second tank liquid volume represents, when a second cartridge is attached to the attachment case, an amount of liquid supplied from the second cartridge and stored in the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taichiro KIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230114658
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a main body of the recording apparatus, and a consumable which is detachably attached to the main body of the recording apparatus. The consumable has a consumable memory which stores use amount information of a consumable material included in the consumable and recycling history information of the consumable. The main body of the recording apparatus has a communication unit which communicates with the consumable memory, and a processor. The processor acquires the recycling history information from the consumable memory of the consumable mounted on the main body of the recording apparatus by communication via the communication unit, and determines whether or not to perform initialization processing of initializing a value of the use amount information stored in the consumable memory, according to the acquired recycling history information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Tetsunori MORI, Taichiro KIMOTO, Zenichiro SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220063307
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a head, a conveyer having a roller arranged at the downstream of the head according to a conveyance direction, and a controller. The controller is configured to carry out: a recording process, a first determining process to determine whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the recording process, a conveying process to convey a medium in if the first determining process determines that the predetermined time has elapsed, and a setting process to set a predetermined time based on a discharge amount of a liquid from a plurality of nozzles onto a recording area and a conveyance time for the conveyer to convey the medium from the recording area to the roller, before the first determining process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Shohei Ichikawa, Taichiro Kimoto, Yusuke Arai
  • Patent number: 8786895
    Abstract: An image processing device that transmits print image data to an image forming portion to form a target image on at least one recording medium, includes a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the image processing device to perform steps including: generating display image data at a display scale for displaying the target image including an element of the target image on a display portion prior to formation of the target image on the at least one recording medium; and generating print image data at a print scale for forming the target image on the recording medium, such that the element of the target image to be formed on the at least one recording medium has substantially the same size as the element of the target image displayed on the display portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Takasaki, Taichiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 8564843
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a scanning unit, an image data synthesizing unit, and a printing unit is described. The scanning unit reads a first image, generates first image data representing the first image, reads a second image and generates second image data representing the second image. The image data synthesizing unit generates, on the basis of the first and second image data, synthesized image data representing a synthesized image of the first and second images arranged in a contact state where a first side which is one of four sides constituting an outer edge of the first image and a second side which is one of four sides constituting an outer edge of the second image are disposed immediately adjacent to each other or in a close state in which these sides are disposed parallel to and close to each other. The printing unit prints the synthesized image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 8553273
    Abstract: In the printing device, the image in the print data indicates a part of the original image. The printing unit prints a print image in the printing region on the recording sheets. Each printing region is assigned with at least one of a gluing region and a projecting region. The projecting region is a part of the printing region. The gluing region is on the recording sheet. One of two printing regions corresponding to two image regions partially overlaps with each other is assigned with the gluing region. The remaining printing region is assigned with the projecting region. An image corresponding to the projecting region corresponds to a part of image corresponding to the one of the two printing regions. The printing unit performs borderless printing with the image corresponding to the projecting region running off the recording sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichiro Kimoto
  • Publication number: 20120140279
    Abstract: An image processing device that transmits print image data to an image forming portion to form a target image on at least one recording medium, includes a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the image processing device to perform steps including: generating display image data at a display scale for displaying the target image including an element of the target image on a display portion prior to formation of the target image on the at least one recording medium; and generating print image data at a print scale for forming the target image on the recording medium, such that the element of the target image to be formed on the at least one recording medium has substantially the same size as the element of the target image displayed on the display portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hironori TAKASAKI, Taichiro KIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110063686
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a scanning unit, an image data synthesizing unit, and a printing unit is described. The scanning unit reads a first image, generates first image data representing the first image, reads a second image and generates second image data representing the second image. The image data synthesizing unit generates, on the basis of the first and second image data, synthesized image data representing a synthesized image of the first and second images arranged in a contact state where a first side which is one of four sides constituting an outer edge of the first image and a second side which is one of four sides constituting an outer edge of the second image are disposed immediately adjacent to each other or in a close state in which these sides are disposed parallel to and close to each other. The printing unit prints the synthesized image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taichiro KIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110051195
    Abstract: In the printing device, the image in the print data indicates a part of the original image. The printing unit prints a print image in the printing region on the recording sheets. Each printing region is assigned with at least one of a gluing region and a projecting region. The projecting region is a part of the printing region. The gluing region is on the recording sheet. One of two printing regions corresponding to two image regions partially overlaps with each other is assigned with the gluing region. The remaining printing region is assigned with the projecting region. An image corresponding to the projecting region corresponds to a part of image corresponding to the one of the two printing regions. The printing unit performs borderless printing with the image corresponding to the projecting region running off the recording sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taichiro KIMOTO