Patents by Inventor Tatsuhiko Okada

Tatsuhiko Okada 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: 8960835
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a reading unit including a light emitting element for emitting light to a record medium, and a light receiving element for receiving reflected light; a print data storing unit storing print data of a uniform pattern which has a color different from a color of the test pattern and is provided in an area including the test pattern, a pattern forming unit printing the test pattern on the uniform pattern after the uniform pattern is printed, a relatively moving unit moving the record medium or the reading unit relatively at a constant speed, a first detection data obtaining unit obtaining first detection data received as the reflection light while the light moves and impinges on the test pattern, and a position detecting unit providing a calculation for determining a position of a line of the test pattern to detect the test pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamazaki, Tatsuhiko Okada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Daisaku Horikawa, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 8947724
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes a sensor section that images a predetermined range including a subject; a reference chart section that is imaged by the sensor section with the subject; and an illumination light source that illuminates the subject and the reference chart section. The illumination light source is arranged at a position where a mirror reflection region that mirror reflects light entering from the illumination light source to the sensor section is outside a region of the subject and the reference chart section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Suguru Yokozawa, Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Masahiro Shigemoto, Kazushi Takei, Hideaki Suzuki, Satoshi Iwanami
  • Patent number: 8947731
    Abstract: An imaging unit includes a frame having an opening; a sensor unit that captures, via the opening, a subject located outside the frame; a reference chart unit that is arranged on the frame and is captured by the sensor unit together with the subject; and a cover member that covers the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Suzuki, Nobuyuki Satoh, Mamoru Yorimoto, Suguru Yokozawa, Yuichi Sakurada, Masato Kobayashi, Tatsuhiko Okada, Tomokazu Kanzawa, Daisaku Horikawa, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Ryo Honda, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 8840221
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed which reads a test pattern, including a reading unit, a relative movement unit, a second detected data obtaining unit which obtains one or more second detected data sets of a reflected light which is received from a scanning position of a light by a light receiving unit while the reading unit moves relatively with respect to the recording medium before the test pattern is formed, a first detected data obtaining unit which obtains one or more first detected data sets of the reflected light which is received by the light receiving unit when the light moves over the test pattern at generally the same scanning position as the scanning position while the reading unit moves relatively with respect to the recording medium after the test pattern is formed, and a signal correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisaku Horikawa, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 8836992
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms adjustment patterns having a predetermined edge interval on a recording medium, while moving a carriage mounted with recording heads that eject a liquid droplet on the recording medium and formed of a sub-scanning motor and the like in a main-scanning direction by a main-scanning motor. The image forming apparatus performs a positional deviation correction process in which the adjustment pattern formed on the recording medium is read by a reading sensor mounted on the recording heads, while moving the carriage in the main-scanning direction, to correct a positional deviation of a landing position of the liquid droplet ejected from the recording heads based on an ideal interval between the adjustment patterns and a read result of the reading sensor repeatedly at least twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Yuichi Sakurada, Daisaku Horikawa, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 8817329
    Abstract: A color measuring device includes a unit configured to calculate a reference-value matrix for converting imaged reference RGB value of a reference color patch a reference colorimetric value of the reference color patch; a unit configured to convert a color-measurement RGB value of a color measurement object into an imaged colorimetric value of the color measurement object by using the corresponding reference-value matrix; a unit configured to select reference color patches of which the reference colorimetric values each have a close distance from the imaged colorimetric value in the predetermined color space; a unit configured to select, as selection RGB values, the imaged reference RGB values of the selected patches; a unit configured to calculate a selection-RGB-value matrix for converting the selection RGB values into the reference colorimetric values; and a unit configured to convert the color-measurement RGB value into a colorimetric value by using the selection-RGB-value matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Suguru Yokozawa, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Ryo Honda
  • Publication number: 20140152735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which reads a test pattern formed by ejecting liquid droplets onto a recording medium to adjust an ejection timing of the liquid droplets is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a reading unit including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit; a sensitivity adjusting unit; a relative movement unit; a first correction unit which detects a position of the test pattern; a second correction unit which detects the position of the test pattern; and a correction method selecting unit which selects the first correction unit or the second correction unit based on adjusting results of sensitivity adjusted by the sensitivity adjusting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mamoru YORIMOTO, Tatsuhiko OKADA, Daisaku HORIKAWA, Makoto MORIWAKI
  • Publication number: 20140153006
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms adjustment patterns having a predetermined edge interval on a recording medium, while moving a carriage mounted with recording heads that eject a liquid droplet on the recording medium and formed of a sub-scanning motor and the like in a main-scanning direction by a main-scanning motor. The image forming apparatus performs a positional deviation correction process in which the adjustment pattern formed on the recording medium is read by a reading sensor mounted on the recording heads, while moving the carriage in the main-scanning direction, to correct a positional deviation of a landing position of the liquid droplet ejected from the recording heads based on an ideal interval between the adjustment patterns and a read result of the reading sensor repeatedly at least twice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Yuichi Sakurada, Daisaku Horikawa, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Publication number: 20140152737
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid droplets; and a pattern forming unit configured to form a test pattern used for positional deviation adjustment including a first pattern serving as a reference pattern and a second pattern serving as an adjustment pattern. The first pattern and the second pattern each are a linear pattern that is parallel to a nozzle arrangement direction and has a disconnected portion. The disconnected portion of the first pattern and the disconnected portion of the second pattern are shifted from each other in the nozzle arrangement direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Okada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Daisaku Horikawa, Yuichi Sakurada, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Publication number: 20140146101
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording-head carrier including a recording head for ejecting a liquid droplet onto a recording medium, a relative moving unit configured to relatively move the recording-head carrier and the recording medium; an image recording unit configured to drive the recording head by a driving signal having a driving waveform to eject liquid droplets toward the recording medium while relatively moving the recording-head carrier and the recording medium; a driving-waveform determining unit configured to determine the driving waveform of the driving signal based on a detected temperature near the recording head; a drive-timing determining unit configured to determine drive timing at which the recording head is driven by the driving signal, based on the detected temperature; and a drive control unit configured to set the driving waveform and the drive timing to the image recording unit to drive the recording head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, LTD
    Inventors: Yuichi Sakurada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 8678537
    Abstract: A disclosed feed control apparatus includes a feed roller; a first detection unit detecting a rotational position of the feed roller; a sensor detecting plural marks arranged on a test chart; a difference calculation unit that calculates a difference between actual and theoretical positional information of a Nth mark when the feed roller rotates one revolution; a correction feeding amount calculation unit that calculates correction feeding amounts of the marks based on the difference and actual feeding amounts of the marks; an error calculation unit that calculates errors between the correction feeding amounts and theoretical feeding amounts by matching them to the corresponding rotational positions of the feeding roller; and a feeding amount control unit that controls the feeding amount based on a relationship between the rotational positions of the feeding roller and the corresponding errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Arata Suzuki, Nobuyuki Satoh, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa
  • Patent number: 8581944
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor drum, a first printer head that forms a first pattern on the photoconductor drum and has a first end part, a second printer head that forms second and third patterns on the photoconductor drum and has a second end part that overlaps the first end part in a main scanning direction, a detection sensor that detects the densities of first and second test patterns formed at an area of the photoconductor drum at which the first and second end parts overlap, the first test pattern being formed by combining the first and second patterns, the second test pattern being formed by combining the first and third patterns, and a determination part that determines a deviation direction between the first and second printer heads by comparing the densities detected by the detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Okada, Nobuyuki Satoh, Masato Kobayashi, Norikazu Taki, Daisuke Sawada, Daisaku Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20130242320
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes: a sensor unit that captures an image of a predetermined area including an image capture object; a reference chart portion that is disposed in the predetermined area and an image of which is captured together with an image of the image capture object by the sensor unit; an illumination light source that illuminates the image capture object and the reference chart portion; and a specular reflection preventing member that prevents that specular reflection light of light emitted from the illumination light source enters the sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuyuki SUZUKI, Nobuyuki Satoh, Mamoru Yorimoto, Suguru Yokozawa, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Tatsuhiko Okada, Tomokazu Kanzawa, Daisaku Horikawa, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130242361
    Abstract: An image capturing device includes a sensor unit that captures a predetermined range including a subject; a reference chart that is captured by the sensor unit together with the subject; an illumination light source that illuminates the subject and the reference chart; a lens member including one or more lenses arranged in an optical path of reflected light extending from the subject and the reference chart to the sensor unit; and a lens moving unit that moves at least one lens of the lens member so as to change a position thereof in a direction along the optical path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroshi MATSUMOTO, Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Mamoru Yorimoto, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Suguru Yokozawa, Tatsuhiko Okada, Tomokazu Kanzawa, Daisaku Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20130242319
    Abstract: An imaging unit includes a frame having an opening; a sensor unit that captures, via the opening, a subject located outside the frame; a reference chart unit that is arranged on the frame and is captured by the sensor unit together with the subject; and a cover member that covers the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuyuki SUZUKI, Nobuyuki Satoh, Mamoru Yorimoto, Suguru Yokozawa, Yuichi Sakurada, Masato Kobayashi, Tatsuhiko Okada, Tomokazu Kanzawa, Daisaku Horikawa, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Ryo Honda, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Publication number: 20130242321
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes a sensor unit that captures a predetermined area including a subject; a reference chart that is arranged in the predetermined area and captured together with the subject by the sensor unit; an optical path length changing member that is arranged on an optical path extending from the subject to the sensor unit and is capable of changing a length of the optical path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko OKADA, Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Mamoru Yorimoto, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Suguru Yokozawa, Tomokazu Kanzawa, Daisaku Horikawa, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8534789
    Abstract: A disclosed recording apparatus includes a carriage having a recording head including nozzles, a moving unit configured to move the carriage, a platen including plural plate members connected in a carriage traveling direction to support a recording medium, a transferring unit to transfer the recording medium in a direction perpendicular to the carriage traveling direction, a recording control unit to record patterns at predetermined positions to form a carriage traveling direction pattern array plural times in a transferring direction of the transferring unit by changing relative recording times for recording the carriage traveling direction pattern array in forward and backward traveling directions, a determination unit to determine ink ejecting times at the predetermined positions, and a time control unit to linearly interpolate between the determined ink ejecting times at the predetermined positions to control ink ejecting times for intervals between the predetermined positions based on the obtained linear
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Sakurada, Nobuyuki Satoh, Masato Kobayashi, Arata Suzuki, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20130229671
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes a sensor section that images a predetermined range including a subject; a reference chart section that is imaged by the sensor section with the subject; and an illumination light source that illuminates the subject and the reference chart section. The illumination light source is arranged at a position where a mirror reflection region that mirror reflects light entering from the illumination light source to the sensor section is outside a region of the subject and the reference chart section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Suguru YOKOZAWA, Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Masahiro Shigemoto, Kazushi Takei, Hideaki Suzuki, Satoshi Iwanami
  • Publication number: 20130208289
    Abstract: A color measuring device includes a unit configured to calculate a reference-value matrix for converting imaged reference RGB value of a reference color patch a reference colorimetric value of the reference color patch; a unit configured to convert a color-measurement RGB value of a color measurement object into an imaged colorimetric value of the color measurement object by using the corresponding reference-value matrix; a unit configured to select reference color patches of which the reference colorimetric values each have a close distance from the imaged colorimetric value in the predetermined color space; a unit configured to select, as selection RGB values, the imaged reference RGB values of the selected patches; a unit configured to calculate a selection-RGB-value matrix for converting the selection RGB values into the reference colorimetric values; and a unit configured to convert the color-measurement RGB value into a colorimetric value by using the selection-RGB-value matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SATOH, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Suguru Yokozawa, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Ryo Honda
  • Patent number: 8496312
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a carriage having a recording head including nozzles, a moving unit moving the carriage, a platen including plate members connected in a carriage traveling direction to support a recording medium when the nozzles eject ink onto the recording medium, a transferring unit transferring the recording medium in a transferring direction perpendicular to the carriage traveling direction, a recording control unit recording patterns at predetermined positions in the carriage traveling direction while moving the carriage in forward and backward traveling directions to form a carriage traveling direction pattern array, a determination unit determining ink ejecting times at the predetermined positions in the carriage traveling direction, and a time control unit to linearly interpolate between the determined ink ejecting times at the predetermined positions in the carriage traveling direction to control ink ejecting times for intervals between the predetermined positions based on a result of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Sakurada, Nobuyuki Satoh, Masato Kobayashi, Arata Suzuki, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Daisuke Sawada, Norikazu Taki