Patents by Inventor Yasuharu Hirado

Yasuharu Hirado 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: 20230316731
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises a learning unit configured to divide a hierarchical structure of a teacher model for obtaining a feature vector of input data into a plurality of sub-structures, and perform learning of a feature extraction unit corresponding to the sub-structure based on input data input to the sub-structure and output data output from the sub-structure based on the input data, and a generation unit configured to generate a student model having a hierarchical structure for obtaining a feature vector of input data using the feature extraction unit learned by the learning unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Yasuharu HIRADO
  • Publication number: 20230260264
    Abstract: An apparatus calculates a difference between a first vector extracted by a first unit and a second vector extracted by a second unit with a smaller amount of calculation than the first unit, generates a changed difference by changing a value of an element in the difference, and updates a parameter of the second unit based on the changed difference. An amount of change from a value of an element of the difference corresponding to a first element exceeding a threshold value in the first vector to a value of an element of the changed difference corresponding to the first element is larger than an amount of change from a value of an element of the difference corresponding to a second element not exceeding the threshold value in the first vector to a value of an element of the changed difference corresponding to the second element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: Yasuharu HIRADO
  • Patent number: 10691057
    Abstract: A controller controls a secondary transfer power source such that a current having a first value flows in a secondary transfer portion in a case where a transfer material with an image formed on a first surface thereof has been conveyed for less than a predetermined amount of time in a second conveyance path. Moreover, the controller controls the secondary transfer power source such that a current having a second value larger in absolute value than the first value flows in the secondary transfer portion in a case where the transfer material with an image formed on the first surface thereof is conveyed to the secondary transfer portion after waiting for the predetermined amount of time or more in the second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taisuke Minagawa, Ken Yokoyama, Yasuharu Hirado
  • Publication number: 20200004193
    Abstract: A controller controls a secondary transfer power source such that a current having a first value flows in a secondary transfer portion in a case where a transfer material with an image formed on a first surface thereof has been conveyed for less than a predetermined amount of time in a second conveyance path. Moreover, the controller controls the secondary transfer power source such that a current having a second value larger in absolute value than the first value flows in the secondary transfer portion in a case where the transfer material with an image formed on the first surface thereof is conveyed to the secondary transfer portion after waiting for the predetermined amount of time or more in the second conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Taisuke Minagawa, Ken Yokoyama, Yasuharu Hirado
  • Patent number: 10372077
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that executes a supply operation to supply a toner charged with a regular charge polarity, to at least one abutting portion of a plurality of abutting portions, at the time of image non-formation, the plurality of abutting portions being formed by a plurality of cleaning members and a plurality of image bearing members, the control unit determining an image bearing member to which the most amount of the toner charged with the regular charge polarity is supplied, based on image formation information, the image formation information being information about an image formation executed before the supply operation is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusaku Iwasawa, Yasuharu Hirado, Tomoaki Nakai, Bunro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10338502
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a charging unit that charges toner with polarity opposite to a normal charging polarity of the toner and a control unit that performs collection operation for the toner charged with the opposite polarity by the charging unit. The control unit causes a first power supply to apply a first voltage having the opposite polarity to a first transfer member while first and second image bearing members are in contact with an intermediate transfer member. The control unit causes the first power supply to apply a second voltage having the opposite polarity and higher in absolute value than the first voltage to the first transfer member while the first image bearing member is in contact with the intermediate transfer member and the second image bearing member is separated from the intermediate transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuharu Hirado, Yusaku Iwasawa
  • Publication number: 20190041775
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a charging unit that charges toner with polarity opposite to a normal charging polarity of the toner and a control unit that performs collection operation for the toner charged with the opposite polarity by the charging unit. The control unit causes a first power supply to apply a first voltage having the opposite polarity to a first transfer member while first and second image bearing members are in contact with an intermediate transfer member. The control unit causes the first power supply to apply a second voltage having the opposite polarity and higher in absolute value than the first voltage to the first transfer member while the first image bearing member is in contact with the intermediate transfer member and the second image bearing member is separated from the intermediate transfer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Yasuharu Hirado, Yusaku Iwasawa
  • Patent number: 9977363
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to selectively execute an operation for applying a voltage with a polarity opposite to an original charging polarity of a toner to a first charging member and a second charging member and an operation for applying a voltage with the polarity opposite to the original charging polarity of the toner to one of the first charging member and the second charging member and a voltage with the same polarity as the original charging polarity of the toner to another of the first charging member and the second charging member as a cleaning operation for charging a secondary transfer residual toner to the polarity opposite to the original charging polarity of the toner by using the first charging member and the second charging member to transfer the secondary transfer residual toner onto an image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuharu Hirado, Masaki Shimomura, Yusaku Iwasawa
  • Publication number: 20170285508
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to selectively execute an operation for applying a voltage with a polarity opposite to an original charging polarity of a toner to a first charging member and a second charging member and an operation for applying a voltage with the polarity opposite to the original charging polarity of the toner to one of the first charging member and the second charging member and a voltage with the same polarity as the original charging polarity of the toner to another of the first charging member and the second charging member as a cleaning operation for charging a secondary transfer residual toner to the polarity opposite to the original charging polarity of the toner by using the first charging member and the second charging member to transfer the secondary transfer residual toner onto an image bearing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuharu Hirado, Masaki Shimomura, Yusaku Iwasawa
  • Publication number: 20170285554
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that executes a supply operation to supply a toner charged with a regular charge polarity, to at least one abutting portion of a plurality of abutting portions, at the time of image non-formation, the plurality of abutting portions being formed by a plurality of cleaning members and a plurality of image bearing members, the control unit determining an image bearing member to which the most amount of the toner charged with the regular charge polarity is supplied, based on image formation information, the image formation information being information about an image formation executed before the supply operation is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Yusaku Iwasawa, Yasuharu Hirado, Tomoaki Nakai, Bunro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9213279
    Abstract: The fixing apparatus includes a first rotary member that comes into contact with the unfixed toner image, a second rotary member that is heated by the first rotary member and forms the nip portion together with the first rotary member, and an air supply unit that supplies air to the second rotary member. The fixing apparatus is configured to execute a first mode of warming the first rotary member and the second rotary member as a warm-up while rotating the first rotary member and the second rotary member before the fixing process and supplying air with the air supply unit in the fixing process, and a second mode of performing the warm-up for a longer period than in the first mode and supplying air with the air supply unit in the fixing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuharu Hirado
  • Publication number: 20150346660
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion for fixing a toner image on a sheet by heating the sheet while feeding the sheet, the fixing portion including a cylindrical film, a heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a roller cooperative with the heater to form the nip between the film and the roller; a sensor for detecting a heater temperature; a feed controller for controlling sheet feeding. In image formation on a second sheet continuously after forming the image on a first sheet, the sensor detects a temperature change in a predetermined period in which the nip does not feed the sheet and which is after the first sheet passes through the nip and before the second sheet reaches the nip, and the feed controller changes a feeding interval between the first and second sheets in accordance with the temperature change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Masatake Usui, Yasuharu Hirado, Tomonori Sato, Takashi Nomura, Shuji Saito, Hiroshi Kataoka
  • Patent number: 9031443
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming an unfixed image on a recording material; a fixing portion for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on the recording material, the fixing portion including a fixing rotatable member, and a pressing roller cooperative with the fixing rotatable member to form a nip for nipping and feeding the recording material; an ambient condition sensor for detecting an ambient temperature and an ambient humidity; and a controller for controlling the fixing portion; wherein the controller sets such a warming-up time for warming up the fixing portion that a temperature of the pressing roller at the time when the recording material enters the nip is a temperature calculated on the basis of the ambient temperature and the ambient humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Kaida, Yasuharu Hirado
  • Publication number: 20140023390
    Abstract: The fixing apparatus includes a first rotary member that comes into contact with the unfixed toner image, a second rotary member that is heated by the first rotary member and forms the nip portion together with the first rotary member, and a air supply unit that supplies air to the second rotary member. The fixing apparatus is configured to execute a first mode of warming the first rotary member and the second rotary member as a warm-up while rotating the first rotary member and the second rotary member before the fixing process and performing supplying air by the air supply unit in the fixing process, and a second mode of performing the warm-up for a longer period than in the first mode and performing the supplying air by the air supply unit in the fixing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventor: Yasuharu Hirado