Patents by Inventor Yoshihiko Hotta

Yoshihiko Hotta 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: 20100054106
    Abstract: An image processing method which contains: delivering laser light to a thermoreversible recording medium to heat the medium and record an image thereon, the medium reversibly changing a transparency or tone thereof depending on a temperature thereof; and heating the medium to erase the image recorded thereon, wherein the delivering is carried out using an image processing device containing: a laser light emitting unit; a light scanning unit disposed on a plane onto which laser light emitted from the laser light emitting unit is delivered; a light intensity distribution adjusting unit to change a light intensity distribution of the laser light; and a f? lens to condense the laser light, and wherein energy of the laser light passing through a peripheric portion of the f? lens and traveling onto the medium is lower than energy of the laser light passing through a center portion of the f? lens and traveling onto the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.,
    Inventors: Toshiaki ASAI, Tomomi Ishimi, Shinya Kawahara, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Publication number: 20090203521
    Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a semiconductor laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.20?I1/I2?1.29 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 95% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomomi Ishimi, Shinya Kawahara, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Publication number: 20090075816
    Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a CO2 laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.59<I1/I2?2.00 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 80% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Shinya Kawahara, Tomomi Ishimi, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Patent number: 7488701
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical information recording medium by which the getting thereof in and out of a reproducing apparatus and the reproducing of recoding data can be stably and reliably performed and the recording content can be visually confirmed, and which has the reversible display function of performing at least one of the recording, erasing and rewriting of the display which is excellent in the uniformity of the image, easily, with a good appearance and without damaging the optical information recording medium; a manufacturing method of the above-noted optical information recording medium; and an image processing method using the above-noted optical information recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Yoshihiko Hotta, Fumiya Ohmi
  • Patent number: 7439993
    Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least an image recording step and an image erasing step, wherein a laser beam is parallel light and wherein the laser scanning speed for the peripheral region surrounding the central region of the optical axis of the laser beam is lower than the laser scanning speed for the central region, the laser output for the peripheral region is greater than the output for the central region, or an overlapping area between a laser irradiation area that corresponds to a peripheral region surrounding a central region of the optical axis of the laser beam and a nearby laser irradiation area is larger than an overlapping area between a laser irradiation area that corresponds to the central region and the nearby laser irradiation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Ishimi, Shinya Kawahara, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Publication number: 20080214391
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes at least any one of image recording and image erasing, wherein a light irradiation intensity at a center position of the laser beam irradiated in the image recording is controlled; in the image recording, a first auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from a start point of each of image lines constituting an image in the opposite direction from the scanning direction and a second auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from an end point of each of the image lines in the scanning direction are prepared, and when the first and second auxiliary lines including an image line are continuously scanned, the image line is scanned with irradiating the laser beam, and the first and the second auxiliary lines are scanned without irradiating the laser beam to thereby record the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya KAWAHARA, Yoshihiko Hotta, Tomomi Ishimi
  • Publication number: 20080192618
    Abstract: A surface-condition-information obtaining unit obtains information on a surface condition of a rewritable display medium on which information is reversely displayed visually. A write-laser output unit outputs a write laser to irradiate the rewritable display medium with the write laser, to perform a drawing on the rewritable display medium. A control unit performs a write process for displaying an image on the rewritable display medium by adjusting a laser output condition based on the information obtained by the surface-condition-information obtaining unit and controlling the write-laser output unit based on an adjustment of the laser output condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiko NAKATA, Tsutomu Nakajima, Noriyuki Ochiai, Yukiko Sahashi, Yoshihiko Hotta, Shinya Kawahara, Hiroshi Uenishi, Tomomi Ishimi
  • Publication number: 20080153698
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes any one of recording an image on a thermally reversible recording medium that can reversibly change any one of its transparency and color tone depending on temperature by irradiating and heating the thermally reversible recording medium with a laser beam, and erasing the image recorded on the thermally reversible recording medium by heating the thermally reversible recording medium, wherein in any one of the image recording and the image erasing, the thermally reversible recording medium is located at a position farther than a focal position of the laser beam, and at least any one of the image recording and the image erasing is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Kawahara, Yoshihiko Hotta, Tomomi Ishimi
  • Publication number: 20080151033
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes at least any one of an image recording step and an image erasing step, wherein a light irradiation intensity I1 at a center position of the laser beam irradiated in the image recording step and a light irradiation intensity I2 on an 80% light energy bordering surface to the total light energy of the irradiated laser beam satisfy the expression, 0.40?I1/I2?2.00, and in the image recording step, at an overlap portion where a first image line among a plurality of image lines constituting an image is overlapped with a second image line, any one of the first image line and the second image line is not to be recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Ishimi, Yoshihiko Hotta, Shinya Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20070285488
    Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least an image recording step and an image erasing step, wherein a laser beam is parallel light and wherein the laser scanning speed for the peripheral region surrounding the central region of the optical axis of the laser beam is lower than the laser scanning speed for the central region, the laser output for the peripheral region is greater than the output for the central region, or an overlapping area between a laser irradiation area that corresponds to a peripheral region surrounding a central region of the optical axis of the laser beam and a nearby laser irradiation area is larger than an overlapping area between a laser irradiation area that corresponds to the central region and the nearby laser irradiation area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Tomomi Ishimi, Shinya Kawahara, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Publication number: 20070225162
    Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of an image recording step and an image erasing step, wherein (1) laser beams are swept in the same direction and laser scanning involves a period where laser application is discontinued, (2) laser beams are swept in alternating directions and the laser scanning involves a period where laser application is discontinued, (3) laser beams are swept in alternating directions and laser scanning involves a period where laser application is discontinued, wherein the period involves no laser beam application from first laser scanning end point to second laser scanning point, or (4) laser beams are applied in alternating directions while avoiding continuous laser irradiation of nearby portions between adjacent laser beam lines, and laser scanning involves a period where laser application is discontinued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Shinya Kawahara, Tomomi Ishimi, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Publication number: 20070036039
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for image processing and an image processing apparatus which are capable of performing repetitive forming and erasing of high-contrast images at high speeds by forming high-density, uniform images and uniformly erasing images in a short period of time, and in addition, suppressing the degradation of the thermoreversible recording medium due to repetitive forming and erasing is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: Shinya Kawahara, Yoshihiko Hotta, Satoshi Arai
  • Publication number: 20060120265
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical information recording medium by which the getting thereof in and out of a reproducing apparatus and the reproducing of recoding data can be stably and reliably performed and the recording content can be visually confirmed, and which has the reversible display function of performing at least one of the recording, erasing and rewriting of the display which is excellent in the uniformity of the image, easily, with a good appearance and without damaging the optical information recording medium; a manufacturing method of the above-noted optical information recording medium; and an image processing method using the above-noted optical information recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Yoshihiko Hotta, Fumiya Ohmi
  • Patent number: 7049268
    Abstract: A heat reversible recording medium includes a heat sensitive layer which comprises a resin and an organic low molecular compound, and has a transparency which is reversibly variable depending on a temperature. The heat sensitive layer has a glass transition temperature change of ?10° C. to 5° C., and a transparency temperature width of 30° C. or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Sakata, Yoshihiko Hotta, Hiroki Kuboyama
  • Patent number: 6989349
    Abstract: An information recording-displaying card, includes: a core sheet; and an over sheet bonded to the core sheet, including: a support including an amorphous polyester resin, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer disposed on the support, including: an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer is capable of relatively forming a coloring state and a decolorizing state, with a difference in at least one of heating temperature, and cooling rate after heating. The over sheet is embossable in an upper portion thereof, functions as an image displaying section, and meets the following condition (A) and condition (B): (A) (the over sheet's upper limit temperature for erasing ?30° C.)?(temperature of a storage elasticity E? (1.0 E+08) Pa)?200° C., and (B) 1.0 E+04 Pa?(the storage elasticity E? of the over sheet at 180° C.)?5.0 E+07 Pa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadafumi Tatewaki, Shuji Miyamoto, Hiroki Kuboyama, Yoshihiko Hotta, Hiroshi Higashi, Tomohiko Terai, Shinya Takemoto, Makoto Kajiyashiki
  • Patent number: 6969695
    Abstract: An information recording-displaying card, includes: core sheet; and over sheet bonded to core sheet, including: a support including an amorphous polyester resin, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer on the support, including: an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer is capable of forming coloring state and decolorizing state, with difference in at least one of the following: heating temperature, and cooling rate after heating. The over sheet is embossable in upper portion thereof, functions as image displaying section, and meets the following conditions (A), (B) and (C): (A) (over sheet's upper limit temperature for erasing?30° C.)>(over sheet's temperature of storage elasticity E? (1.0 E+08) Pa), (B) 10 ?m or less of surface waviness WCM, and (C) 1.0 E+02 Pa?(storage elasticity E? of reversible thermosensitive over sheet at 180° C.)?5.0 E+07 Pa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kuboyama, Tadafumi Tatewaki, Shuji Miyamoto, Yoshihiko Hotta, Hiroshi Higashi, Shinya Takemoto, Tomohiko Terai, Makoto Kajiyashiki
  • Publication number: 20050249068
    Abstract: When an optical recording device of a recording apparatus that is for executing optical recording of information on an optical disk records data on an optical disk, it obtains information by which the content of the data optically recorded can be guessed from the data recorded or from data of the recording apparatus. An image representing the obtained information by which the content of the data can be guessed is formed on a thermosensitive medium provided on the optical disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Hiroki Sugahara, Ichiro Moritomo, Hirotsugu Sato, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi, Yoshihiko Hotta, Yoshiko Nakata, Yukiko Inada
  • Publication number: 20050238327
    Abstract: A recoding apparatus includes an optical recording device that optically records information on an optical disk and an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a thermosensitive medium provided on the optical disk. When a moving image of a TV broadcast program is recorded on the optical disk by the optical recording device, it is possible to obtain information of TV broadcast such as a TV broadcast itself, an electronic program guide and the like, information held by the present recording apparatus or information relating to the program recorded by the optical recording device from information recorded on the optical disk. Then, the obtained information is image-formed on the thermosensitive medium provided on the optical disk by the image forming device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Inventors: Hiroki Sugahara, Ichiro Moritomo, Hirotsugu Sato, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi, Yoshihiko Hotta, Yoshiko Nakata, Yukiko Inada
  • Publication number: 20050170961
    Abstract: An information recording-displaying card, includes: core sheet; and over sheet bonded to core sheet, including: a support including an amorphous polyester resin, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer on the support, including: an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer is capable of forming coloring state and decolorizing state, with difference in at least one of the following: heating temperature, and cooling rate after heating. The over sheet is embossable in upper portion thereof, functions as image displaying section, and meets the following conditions (A), (B) and (C): (A) (over sheet's upper limit temperature for erasing?30° C.)>(over sheet's temperature of storage elasticity E? (1.0 E+08) Pa), (B) 10 ?m or less of surface waviness WCM, and (C) 1.0 E+02 Pa?(storage elasticity E? of reversible thermosensitive over sheet at 180° C.)?5.0 E+07 Pa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Applicants: Ricoh Company Limited, Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kuboyama, Tadafumi Tatewaki, Shuji Miyamoto, Yoshihiko Hotta, Hiroshi Higashi, Shinya Takemoto, Tomohiko Terai, Makoto Kajiyashiki
  • Publication number: 20050130840
    Abstract: An information recording-displaying card, includes: a core sheet; and an over sheet bonded to the core sheet, including: a support including an amorphous polyester resin, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer disposed on the support, including: an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer is capable of relatively forming a coloring state and a decolorizing state, with a difference in at least one of: heating temperature, and cooling rate after heating. The over sheet is embossable in an upper portion thereof, functions as an image displaying section, and meets the following condition (A) and condition (B): (A) (the over sheet's upper limit temperature for erasing ?30° C.)?(temperature of a storage elasticity E? (1.0 E+08)Pa)?200° C., and (B) 1.0 E+04 Pa?(the storage elasticity E? of the over sheet at 180° C.)?5.0 E+07 Pa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadafumi Tatewaki, Shuji Miyamoto, Hiroki Kuboyama, Yoshihiko Hotta, Hiroshi Higashi, Tomohiko Terai, Shinya Takemoto, Makoto Kajiyashiki