Patents by Inventor Yoichiro Maki

Yoichiro Maki 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: 11863723
    Abstract: A document determination system includes a server device that stores identification information in association with document information, a printer that prints a document image corresponding to the document information and a code image indicating the identification information on a print medium to generate a normal printed matter, and a scanner that reads a print image printed on a printed matter including the normal printed matter and a copied printed matter obtained by copying the normal printed matter. The printer prints the code image in a preset end region of the print medium. The server device determines whether the printed matter is the normal printed matter based on the code image included in the print image read by the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Go Hiroike, Yoichiro Maki, Shin Miura, Masayuki Nagase, Shinji Takio, Hiroyuki Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 11831827
    Abstract: A document determination system includes a server apparatus that stores document data, a second multi-function printer that generates an authentic printed product, which is an authentic printed product in which a document represented by document data stored in the server apparatus is printed and in which at least a portion of the document is printed in composite black that is black represented using ink of a plurality of colors, and a third multi-function printer that reads a printed surface of a reading target including the authentic printed product and a duplicate of the authentic printed product. The server apparatus determines, based on whether at least the portion of the document represented by read data generated through reading by the third multi-function printer is printed in composite black, whether the reading target read by the third multi-function printer is the authentic printed product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maki
  • Publication number: 20230256730
    Abstract: A printing apparatus producing method includes causing a printing apparatus before adjustment to print a multiple circle pattern and an adjustment pattern in predetermined relative positions on a medium, scanning the printed medium and generating a scan image, detecting the adjustment pattern based on a detection position of the multiple circle pattern detected from the scan image and the relative positions, calculating adjustment parameters based on a detection result of the adjustment pattern, and storing the adjustment parameters in a nonvolatile memory of the printing apparatus before adjustment to produce an adjusted printing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: Yoichiro MAKI
  • Publication number: 20230256755
    Abstract: A scanner include a scan section configured to intermittently move and perform an intermittent scan, a stop-state analyzing section configured to compare a stop-time image obtained by a scan of an identification pattern on a medium in a stop position where the movement of the scan section temporarily stops and scan results before and after the stop and determine, based on a comparison result, whether the medium moved, and a scan control section configured to cause the scan section to suspend the temporarily-stopped intermittent scan when the medium moved and cause the scan section to continue the temporarily-stopped intermittent scan when the medium did not move.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Shin MIURA, Yoichiro MAKI
  • Patent number: 11724491
    Abstract: A recording system includes an ejecting unit, a punch unit, and a control unit. The ejecting unit ejects ink onto a sheet transported by a transport unit to form an image. The punch unit forms two through holes aligned in a Y direction with respect to the sheet. The control unit controls ejection of the ink based on image data. When the two through holes are formed in the sheet, the control unit divides a region where an image can be formed into a first region and a second region that is aligned with the first region in a T direction and in which the two through holes are formed. The control unit causes the ejecting unit to eject the ink to form a part of the image in the first region, and causes the ejecting unit not to eject the ink in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohisa Adachi, Shuji Wakumoto, Yoichiro Maki, Hiroki Hirata
  • Patent number: 11701878
    Abstract: A recording system includes an ejecting unit, a punch unit, and a control unit. The ejecting unit ejects ink onto a sheet transported by a transport unit to form an image. The punch unit forms a plurality of through holes in the sheet. The control unit controls an ejection amount per unit area of ink in the ejecting unit based on image data. Furthermore, the control unit divides a region into a first region not including the through hole, and a second region including the through hole, and controls an ejection amount of the ink in the ejecting unit such that a second ejection amount per unit area when an image is formed in the second region is less than a first ejection amount per unit area when an image is formed in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohisa Adachi, Yoichiro Maki
  • Publication number: 20220417379
    Abstract: A document determination system includes a server apparatus that stores document data, a second multi-function printer that generates an authentic printed product, which is an authentic printed product in which a document represented by document data stored in the server apparatus is printed and in which at least a portion of the document is printed in composite black that is black represented using ink of a plurality of colors, and a third multi-function printer that reads a printed surface of a reading target including the authentic printed product and a duplicate of the authentic printed product. The server apparatus determines, based on whether at least the portion of the document represented by read data generated through reading by the third multi-function printer is printed in composite black, whether the reading target read by the third multi-function printer is the authentic printed product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: Yoichiro MAKI
  • Publication number: 20220407977
    Abstract: A document determination system includes a server device that stores identification information in association with document information, a printer that prints a document image corresponding to the document information and a code image indicating the identification information on a print medium to generate a normal printed matter, and a scanner that reads a print image printed on a printed matter including the normal printed matter and a copied printed matter obtained by copying the normal printed matter. The printer prints the code image in a preset end region of the print medium. The server device determines whether the printed matter is the normal printed matter based on the code image included in the print image read by the scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Go Hiroike, Yoichiro Maki, Shin Miura, Masayuki Nagase, Shinji Takio, Hiroyuki Kuramoto
  • Publication number: 20220088921
    Abstract: A recording system includes an ejecting unit, a punch unit, and a control unit. The ejecting unit ejects ink onto a sheet transported by a transport unit to form an image. The punch unit forms a plurality of through holes in the sheet. The control unit controls an ejection amount per unit area of ink in the ejecting unit based on image data. Furthermore, the control unit divides a region into a first region not including the through hole, and a second region including the through hole, and controls an ejection amount of the ink in the ejecting unit such that a second ejection amount per unit area when an image is formed in the second region is less than a first ejection amount per unit area when an image is formed in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Hirohisa Adachi, Yoichiro Maki
  • Publication number: 20220088919
    Abstract: A recording system includes an ejecting unit, a punch unit, and a control unit. The ejecting unit ejects ink onto a sheet transported by a transport unit to form an image. The punch unit forms two through holes aligned in a Y direction with respect to the sheet. The control unit controls ejection of the ink based on image data. When the two through holes are formed in the sheet, the control unit divides a region where an image can be formed into a first region and a second region that is aligned with the first region in a T direction and in which the two through holes are formed. The control unit causes the ejecting unit to eject the ink to form a part of the image in the first region, and causes the ejecting unit not to eject the ink in the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Hirohisa ADACHI, Shuji WAKUMOTO, Yoichiro MAKI, Hiroki HIRATA
  • Patent number: 10841446
    Abstract: At the time of copying a smaller document and a larger document on output sheets having the same size, in a first case where a first document is smaller and a second document is larger, a printing control unit analyzes a content of the second document, and copies the first document and the second document on output sheets having sizes corresponding to the analysis result. In a second case where the first document is larger and the second document is smaller, a content of the first document is analyzed, and the first document and the second document are copied on output sheets having sizes corresponding to the analysis result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yo Kawano, Yoichiro Maki
  • Publication number: 20200195797
    Abstract: At the time of copying a smaller document and a larger document on output sheets having the same size, in a first case where a first document is smaller and a second document is larger, a printing control unit analyzes a content of the second document, and copies the first document and the second document on output sheets having sizes corresponding to the analysis result. In a second case where the first document is larger and the second document is smaller, a content of the first document is analyzed, and the first document and the second document are copied on output sheets having sizes corresponding to the analysis result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Yo KAWANO, Yoichiro MAKI
  • Patent number: 8559079
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus comprising: a read unit that reads a target to be read as color data of N colors (N is a positive integer) that form a color space; a generator that generates pixel data of one pixel from the read color data of the N colors; a determining unit that determines whether the generated pixel data is present in an achromatic edge area that includes an achromatic edge; and a processing unit that, if the generated pixel data is determined to be present in the achromatic edge area, generates, for pixels in the achromatic edge area, achromatic pixel data of the color space from one item of the read color data of the N colors forming the color space and also generates image data from the generated achromatic pixel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 8542414
    Abstract: A position of a leading edge of an original sheet should be accurately detected utilizing a shadow thereof, irrespective of thickness of the original sheet. In a scanner, an image sensor recognizes the shadow of the leading edge of the original sheet projected on a projection screen when a light source emits light to the original sheet being automatically transported on a glass plate. The original sheet is determined to have reached a reading position, when the original sheet is further transported by a predetermined distance after the shadow is recognized. The projection screen is located above the glass plate at a position spaced apart from the image sensor by a predetermined distance, and hence the timing that the shadow of the leading edge of the original sheet is projected on the projection screen is constant irrespective of the thickness of the original sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 8432578
    Abstract: Provided is a serial printer including: a reading unit configured to read a raster image from a manuscript medium; an analysis unit configured to derive a horizontal distribution of pixels darker than a background color of the manuscript medium in each band including a predetermined number of lines with respect to the raster image; a threshold derivation unit configured to derive a fixed threshold according to a length L of a section in which a cumulative frequency of the horizontal distribution of an edge of the band does not exceed a predetermined temporary threshold; and a movement distance control unit configured to reduce the movement distance of a printing head according to a section in which the cumulative frequency of the horizontal distribution from the edge of the band exceeds the fixed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Nakayama, Yoichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 8280159
    Abstract: An image processing device that processes input image data includes: an image dividing unit that divides the input image data into a plurality of blocks; an image type determining unit that determines the type of the input image data for every block on the basis of the number of edge elements included in the block; a frequency component conversion unit that converts color components of the input image data into frequency components for every block; and an image compression unit that compresses corresponding image data for every block by specifying unnecessary components of the converted frequency components of the image data on the basis of the determined type of the image data and suppressing or removing the specified unnecessary components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Kojima, Kiyoharu Momose, Yoichiro Maki, Shinobu Tsukui
  • Patent number: 8274668
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus that generates printing data comprising a scanner mechanism that reads an image of a document to set the read image as image data; a printing-pixel number distribution grasping member that sets a band as one unit, and grasps distribution of the number of printing pixels in a main scanning direction of the serial printer in every band; a processing-band setting member that sequentially sets each band as a processing band; a reference position setting member that sets an analyzing band, obtains a cumulative value and sets a start reference position when the cumulative value exceeds a predetermined range, and obtains a cumulative value and sets a end reference position when the cumulative value exceeds the predetermine range; and a printing-data generating member that generates printing data by setting a printing area based on the start reference position and the end reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Nakayama, Yoichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 8149465
    Abstract: A coloring image generating apparatus includes: an acquiring unit that acquires an image; an edge intensity calculating unit that calculates an edge intensity frequency distribution of the image; a threshold value setting unit that sets a threshold value for dividing a coloring image into a contour portion and a blank portion according to distribution characteristics of the edge intensity frequency distribution; and a generating unit that discriminates the contour portion from the blank portion in the image on the basis of the threshold value and generates a coloring image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maki
  • Publication number: 20110298857
    Abstract: Nozzles 32C, 32M, and 32Y able to discharge color ink are formed at a first resolution, that is, 120 dpi, and nozzles 32K1 and 32K2 able to discharge black ink are formed at a second resolution, that is, 360 dpi. In addition, the printing resolution of color image data in the vertical direction is the second resolution. In this case, since pixels where the x-coordinate is 1, 4, 7 . . . , 3*n+1 (where n is an integer equal to or greater than 0) are in positions corresponding to the nozzles 32C, 32M, 32Y, and 32K1, these are transmitted to an image forming apparatus as color image data, and since the other pixels are in positions corresponding to the nozzles 32K2, these are color converted into grayscale image data and transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 8064095
    Abstract: Provided is a method of generating ink amount data which is the used amounts of inks of respective colors when an image is printed, by analyzing image data of the image, the method including: extracting a character area, of which a saturation value is equal to or less than a predetermined value, from the image by analyzing the image data; dividing the character area into a character contour area which is a contour part of the character and a character inside area which is the inside of the character; and converting the image data of the character contour area and the image data of the character inside area into the ink amount data of at least one type of achromatic color ink and at least three types of chromatic color inks, wherein the converting of the ink amount data includes converting the image data of the areas into the ink amount data such that the chromatic color inks are largely used in the character inside area compared with the character contour area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maki