Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Shimamura

Yasuhiro Shimamura 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: 11861433
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a scanning optical system forms on a photosensitive member N beam spots. Each beam spot scans along a scan line on the photosensitive member for one cycle. A center-to-center distance of any neighboring two beam spots is separated by M scan lines. M is a natural number larger than or equal to two. For each cycle, the memory controller reads adjacent sets of line data for N scan lines from the page memory, writes the adjacent sets of line data for N scan lines to the storage areas identified by a plurality of successive addresses of the line memory, selects addresses identifying storage areas storing unadjacent sets of line data having non-successive two scan lines separated by M scan lines; and outputs the unadjacent sets of line data stored in the storage areas identified by the selected addresses to the N laser emitting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimamura
  • Publication number: 20230094405
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid by an energy generating element; a selector configured to select, based on a print job, a driving waveform corresponding to a printing method indicated by the print job, from a plurality of driving waveforms different from each other; a signal generator configured to generate a time division multiplex signal, based on data indicating the driving waveform selected by the selector; and a separator configured to separate a driving waveform signal indicating the driving waveform selected by the selector from the time division multiplex signal generated by the signal generator. The energy generating element is configured to be driven by the driving waveform signal separated by the separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventor: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20230029672
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a scanning optical system forms on a photosensitive member N beam spots. Each beam spot scans along a scan line on the photosensitive member for one cycle. A center-to-center distance of any neighboring two beam spots is separated by M scan lines. M is a natural number larger than or equal to two. For each cycle, the memory controller reads adjacent sets of line data for N scan lines from the page memory, writes the adjacent sets of line data for N scan lines to the storage areas identified by a plurality of successive addresses of the line memory, selects addresses identifying storage areas storing unadjacent sets of line data having non-successive two scan lines separated by M scan lines; and outputs the unadjacent sets of line data stored in the storage areas identified by the selected addresses to the N laser emitting members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA
  • Patent number: 11556287
    Abstract: The printing device includes a printing unit, an interface, and a controller. In a case that a print job is received while electric power is being supplied to an external device from the interface, the controller determines whether a first condition or a second condition is met. The print job is for commanding the printing unit to execute printing. The second condition is different from the first condition. The controller executes printing based on the print job while limiting a level of the electric power being supplied to the external device from the interface in a case that the controller determines that the first condition is met. The controller holds the print job without limiting a level of the electric power supplied to the external device from the interface in a case that the controller determines that the second condition is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Usami, Yasuhiro Shimamura, Seigo Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20230010691
    Abstract: There is provided a head system includes: a main controller; a plurality of head units; and sub-controllers respectively connected to at least one of the plurality of head units. The sub-controllers are each serially connected via a wiring. The wiring includes: a first communication path for transmitting an image signal; and a second communication path that transmits a discharge timepoint signal indicating a discharge timepoint. Each of the sub-controllers is configured to cause liquid corresponding to an image indicated by the image signal that has been received through the first communication path to be discharged from nozzles of one of the head units to which each of the sub-controllers have been connected, at a discharge timepoint indicated by the discharge timepoint signal that has been received through the second communication path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventor: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA
  • Patent number: 11509158
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a power processor, an interface, a first detector that detects at least one of a voltage value and a current value on an electric power line which connects the power processor and the interface, a second detector that detects at least one of a voltage value and a current value on the electric power line, a switch that switches a supply of electric power supplied from the interface to an outside, and a controller. The controller controls the switch to restrict the electric power supplied from the interface to an outside in a case where at least one of a detection value of the first detector and a detection value of the second detector is equal to or greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami
  • Patent number: 11372604
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming engine; an interface; and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to: supply electric power to an external device via the interface; determine whether to execute, during executing the supplying the electric power to the external device via the interface, a first operation relating to image formation by the image forming engine; limit a power amount to be supplied to the external device when the controller determines to execute the first operation based on a result of the determining whether to execute the first operation; execute the first operation in a state in which the power amount to be supplied to the external device is limited; and determine, after the controller has started the executing the first operation, whether to execute a second operation different from the first operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami, Seigo Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20220137892
    Abstract: The printing device includes a printing unit, an interface, and a controller. In a case that a print job is received while electric power is being supplied to an external device from the interface, the controller determines whether a first condition or a second condition is met. The print job is for commanding the printing unit to execute printing. The second condition is different from the first condition. The controller executes printing based on the print job while limiting a level of the electric power being supplied to the external device from the interface in a case that the controller determines that the first condition is met. The controller holds the print job without limiting a level of the electric power supplied to the external device from the interface in a case that the controller determines that the second condition is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Hajime USAMI, Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA, Seigo HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11226670
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: an interface; a battery; and a controller. The controller is configured to: determine whether a reduction notification indicating reduction in the electric power is received from an external device when the interface is receiving the electric power of a first power amount from the external device; and request the external device via the interface to supply the electric power of a second power amount that is less than the first power amount and greater than or equal to an amount of the electric power consumed in self-discharge of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimamura
  • Patent number: 11221657
    Abstract: A first interface performs power delivery and communication with a first external apparatus. A second interface performs power delivery and communication with a second external apparatus. A controller is configured to perform: storing, in a memory, history information relating to power delivery performed with the second external apparatus through the second interface, the history information including identification information of the second external apparatus and an amount of power delivery with the second external apparatus; determining whether to perform a power role switch with the first external apparatus, the power role switch being a switch of a power role between a power source of supplying power and a power sink of receiving power; and in response to determining that the power role switch is to be performed, performing power delivery with the second external apparatus through the second interface based on the history information stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami
  • Publication number: 20210373819
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming engine; an interface; and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to: supply electric power to an external device via the interface; determine whether to execute, during executing the supplying the electric power to the external device via the interface, a first operation relating to image formation by the image forming engine; limit a power amount to be supplied to the external device when the controller determines to execute the first operation based on a result of the determining whether to execute the first operation; execute the first operation in a state in which the power amount to be supplied to the external device is limited; and determine, after the controller has started the executing the first operation, whether to execute a second operation different from the first operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA, Hajime USAMI, Seigo HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11165923
    Abstract: A CPU of an MFP receives battery information from a first external device via a first interface, determines whether a total amount of electric power supplied to a plurality of interfaces from a power supply is maintained, and reduces an amount of the electric power supplied to the first external device via the first interface in a case where determining that the first external device has no battery based on the battery information in response to determining that the total amount of the electric power supplied to the plurality of the interfaces from the power supply is not maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami
  • Patent number: 11054885
    Abstract: A computing device, such as a multifunction printer, may be configured to supply electrical power to one or more external devices. The computing device may include a user interface that can display information to a user, informing the user of the electrical power being supplied to the one or more external devices and/or of the total amount of electrical power that is available to the one or more external devices. The user may use the user interface to adjust the amount of power being supplied to each of the external devices, and the computing device may store information indicating the user's adjusted power levels and use the stored information to control the amount of power supplied to the external devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimamura
  • Publication number: 20210135476
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a power processor, an interface, a first detector that detects at least one of a voltage value and a current value on an electric power line which connects the power processor and the interface, a second detector that detects at least one of a voltage value and a current value on the electric power line, a switch that switches a supply of electric power supplied from the interface to an outside, and a controller. The controller controls the switch to restrict the electric power supplied from the interface to an outside in a case where at least one of a detection value of the first detector and a detection value of the second detector is equal to or greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami
  • Patent number: 10863049
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: an interface; and a controller. The controller executes: storing, into a memory, history information relating to supply of electric power to an external device via the interface; rebooting when the reboot is required during supply of the electric power to the external device via the interface; and restarting control of the supply of the electric power to the external device via the interface, based on the history information stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami
  • Patent number: 10848634
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an interface and a controller. The interface performs power delivery and communication with an external apparatus. The controller performs: storing, in a memory, history information relating to power delivery performed with the external apparatus through the interface, the history information including identification information of the external apparatus and a power role of at least one of the information processing apparatus and the external apparatus, the identification information and the power role being stored in association with each other, the power role being one of a power source of supplying power and a power sink of receiving power; and in response to detecting connection of the external apparatus through the interface, determining the power role of the information processing apparatus based on the identification information of the external apparatus connected through the interface and on the history information stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Naomasa Tanase, Masaki Ohtake, Seigo Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20200358919
    Abstract: A CPU of an MFP receives battery information from a first external device via a first interface, determines whether a total amount of electric power supplied to a plurality of interfaces from a power supply is maintained, and reduces an amount of the electric power supplied to the first external device via the first interface in a case where determining that the first external device has no battery based on the battery information in response to determining that the total amount of the electric power supplied to the plurality of the interfaces from the power supply is not maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA, Hajime USAMI
  • Patent number: 10728408
    Abstract: A CPU of an MFP receives battery information from a first external device via a first interface, determines whether a total amount of electric power supplied to a plurality of interfaces from a power supply is maintained, and reduces an amount of the electric power supplied to the first external device via the first interface in a case where determining that the first external device has no battery based on the battery information in response to determining that the total amount of the electric power supplied to the plurality of the interfaces from the power supply is not maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimamura, Hajime Usami
  • Publication number: 20200213465
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an interface and a controller. The interface performs power delivery and communication with an external apparatus. The controller performs: storing, in a memory, history information relating to power delivery performed with the external apparatus through the interface, the history information including identification information of the external apparatus and a power role of at least one of the information processing apparatus and the external apparatus, the identification information and the power role being stored in association with each other, the power role being one of a power source of supplying power and a power sink of receiving power; and in response to detecting connection of the external apparatus through the interface, determining the power role of the information processing apparatus based on the identification information of the external apparatus connected through the interface and on the history information stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA, Naomasa TANASE, Masaki OHTAKE, Seigo HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20200209933
    Abstract: A first interface performs power delivery and communication with a first external apparatus. A second interface performs power delivery and communication with a second external apparatus. A controller is configured to perform: storing, in a memory, history information relating to power delivery performed with the second external apparatus through the second interface, the history information including identification information of the second external apparatus and an amount of power delivery with the second external apparatus; determining whether to perform a power role switch with the first external apparatus, the power role switch being a switch of a power role between a power source of supplying power and a power sink of receiving power; and in response to determining that the power role switch is to be performed, performing power delivery with the second external apparatus through the second interface based on the history information stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SHIMAMURA, Hajime USAMI