Patents Issued in November 1, 2007
  • Publication number: 20070252827
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display unit. A display portion is provided in the display unit. Antennas are provided in the display unit. The antennas include a first antenna which serves as a transmitting antenna and a second antenna which serves as a receiving antenna. An antenna switching unit makes, when the display unit is used in a state where the first antenna is located in a side of the display unit which side is closest to a user, the first antenna serve as the receiving antenna, and the second antenna serve as the transmitting antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Hirota
  • Publication number: 20070252828
    Abstract: A display driver integrated circuit (IC) that stores an output mode of driving circuit control signal in a non-volatile memory and a method of outputting the driving circuit control signal, wherein the display drive IC fixes the driving circuit control signal values using fixation wire disposed on top layers of the display driver IC, and a method of manufacturing the display driver IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Jong-kon Bae, Seong-cheol Kim, Won-sik Kang
  • Publication number: 20070252829
    Abstract: An electronic circuit, which has transistors disposed on a substrate, each transistor including an active layer made of thin-film polysilicon, includes a sensor that converts a measured quantity into a current value, a current-voltage conversion circuit that converts the current value into a voltage, and a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit and outputs a predetermined signal. The current-voltage conversion circuit includes a range-switching circuit that switches a current-voltage conversion range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: EPSON IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yutaka Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20070252830
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can obviate cutting off of a peripheral region of the liquid crystal display device which is provided with an inspection circuit and can surely perform the inspection of an image display even when the peripheral region is narrowed. On a substrate of the liquid crystal display device, a pixel region which is comprised of a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of drain lines and a peripheral region which surrounds the pixel region are formed. A turn-on inspection terminal of the liquid crystal display device are formed on the peripheral region and a semiconductor chip for driving liquid crystal is formed on the inspection terminal. The semiconductor chip is electrically insulated from the inspection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Hiroko Hayata, Nobuyuki Ishige, Hitoshi Komeno
  • Publication number: 20070252831
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of compositing multiple images together preferably to display a composite 3-dimensional image of a user's face combined with a new hair style for the user. The method executed by the present invention includes the steps of initially receiving a 3-dimensional image of a hair style and a 3-dimensional image of the user's face. An initial pixel from a foreground hair layer image is combined with an initial corresponding pixel of a face image and an initial corresponding pixel from a background hair layer image. This process continues to generate a composite 3-dimensional image illustrating the user's face with the hair style pictured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel Lind, Janet McGregor, Nicolas Low, Roger Nesbitt, Simon Alexnader Young
  • Publication number: 20070252832
    Abstract: The system for performing ala operation in a virtual three dimensional space comprises a visualizing system for visualizing the virtual three dimensional space; a 3D position tracking system for marking, in the real three dimensional space, the real space position of the operation to be performed in the virtual three dimensional space; and a means for mapping the position of the real three dimensional space into the virtual three dimensional space and performing the operation in the mapped position. The 3D position tracking system comprises a positioning means provided with at least one signal source; at least two image sensors for detecting the signals emitted by the at least one signal source of the positioning means; and a first means for determining the real space position of the positioning means relative to the image sensors, based oil the signals generated by the image sensors and the spatial location of the image sensors relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: 3D FOR ALL SZÁMÍTÁSTECHNIKAI FEJLESZTO KFT
    Inventor: Daniel Ratai
  • Publication number: 20070252833
    Abstract: A virtual space image including a feature point is generated by executing software which generates a virtual space image on the basis of a viewpoint and receives a variation upon changing the position and orientation of the viewpoint. The position and orientation of the viewpoint are obtained by using the generated virtual space image. The position and orientation of the viewpoint are acquired. A variation is obtained on the basis of the position and orientation acquired in step S204 and those obtained in step S203. The variation is input to the software. The software updates the position and orientation of the viewpoint on the basis of the variation and outputs a virtual space image generated on the basis of a viewpoint having the updated position and orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kuroki
  • Publication number: 20070252834
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for remotely viewing large tiled image datasets, such as global maps at multiple resolution levels. A voting schema immediately retrieves the image tiles in a multi-resolution image dataset that are most likely to provide temporary complete coverage of a given browser view while more numerous optimal image tiles for the current resolution level of the browser view are still downloading. Image tiles that are not locally available are assigned one vote toward immediate download while their parent and higher-order image tiles accumulate increasing multiples of the vote. This provides panning and zooming such that it is difficult for a user to outdrive the update speed of the changing view. The system can also enhance navigation to provide natural and responsive movement of the browser viewport while image tiles are being downloaded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan Fay
  • Publication number: 20070252835
    Abstract: Graphical user interfaces, methods and systems that enable the selection, grouping and analysis of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Per Kangru, Juergen Voss
  • Publication number: 20070252836
    Abstract: A method for producing a region of interest on an image of a medical signal waveform acquired from a patient displayed on a computer screen includes the steps of receiving interaction to move through the image of the medical signal waveform; displaying guidelines on the image to define a region of interest; acting upon data in the region of interest; and displaying the image, the acted upon data, and the defined region of interest on the computer screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: George Mathew, Pankaj Bhaskar, Terry Chang
  • Publication number: 20070252837
    Abstract: A system, a method and computer-readable media for aggregating curves. An aggregated curve is generated by associating input values from a first curve with output values from a second curve. This aggregated curve may be used, for example, to apply multiple curve effects to a digital image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Denis Demandolx
  • Publication number: 20070252838
    Abstract: A system facilitates printing of microtext. A processing component allows a user to create one or more microtext characters, wherein the characters are output as a data packet. An SRE code store receives and associates one or more SRE codes with the data packet, each SRE code is representative of a bit pattern, wherein the bit pattern is a grid of bits that are filled to create a particular pattern. A font bank receives the one or more SRE codes from the SRE code store and defines such codes via a font. A raster image processor receives the font from the font bank, decodes the font and outputs instructions to print the microtext.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Charles Hains, James Low, Reiner Eschbach, Jon McElvain
  • Publication number: 20070252839
    Abstract: This method of adjusting the operating parameters of a robot to move an effector tool along a given path in an optimum cycle time comprises a step (140) of modifying the operating parameter values to cause the cycle time to approach its optimum value. During this step, the values of the operating parameters are modified so as to approach an extremum of a compromise function, the compromise function comprising at least first and second terms, the first term being a function of the cycle time and the second term being a function of the temperature and/or the degree of wear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Luc Joly, Matthieu Guilbert, Pierre-Brice Wieber
  • Publication number: 20070252840
    Abstract: An interface unit, a device with the interface unit and a process for generating an image signal containing color image data is provided for activating a color monitor from an image signal containing monochrome image data. The interface unit has an input terminal (16), an output terminal (17) and a processor (18) coupled between the input terminal (16) and the output terminal (17). This processor (18) is set up to receive, via the input terminal (16), a first image signal issued by a monitor activating device (1) of an apparatus for activating a monochrome monitor. The signal contains monochrome image data, at least a part of which represents a number of graphic objects (9, 10), and which is set up to activate a monochrome monitor, such that the graphic objects (9, 10) are displayed on this monitor. One or more colors are assigned to each graphic object (9, 10) by the processor (18) on the basis of a predetermined dependence stored in this processor (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: DRAEGER MEDICAL AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Thomas RESSING
  • Publication number: 20070252841
    Abstract: Disclosed are image resource loading system and method, the system comprising a basic recording space for partitioning a game map into at least one cell and maintaining an object by unit of the cell, a loading target identification unit identifying a cell becoming a target for loading and an object associated with the cell in the basic recording space, in case that a loading event occurs, an order determination unit giving a loading order to the object associated with the cell in accordance with a predetermined determination criterion, and a processor unit loading the object by referring to the given loading order, wherein the order determination unit determines the loading order by considering the size of the object or whether the object is positioned within a predetermined range of the visual field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: NHN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dae Il Kim
  • Publication number: 20070252842
    Abstract: A system and method for capturing and transposing vertically scanned documents in an imaging system uses a paged buffer memory, such as DDR SDRAM. Images are captured in the paged buffer memory by writing the images into memory cells in a series of columns, and images are transposed by reading the images from the memory cells in a series of rows. During transposition, the memory cells are partitioned into a plurality of column groups so that a plurality of consecutive pixels of a digitized image can be written on the same memory page. The image is read from the buffer memory in a series of rows arranged in a plurality of groups of consecutive pixels so that a plurality of consecutive pixels can be read from the same memory page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Gerald R. Smith, William L. Kozlowski
  • Publication number: 20070252843
    Abstract: A graphics system includes a graphics processor and a cache memory system. The graphics processor includes processing units that perform various graphics operations to render graphics images. The cache memory system may include fully configurable caches, partially configurable caches, or a combination of configurable and dedicated caches. The cache memory system may further include a control unit, a crossbar, and an arbiter. The control unit may determine memory utilization by the processing units and assign the configurable caches to the processing units based on memory utilization. The configurable caches may be assigned to achieve good utilization of these caches and to avoid memory access bottleneck. The crossbar couples the processing units to their assigned caches. The arbiter facilitates data exchanges between the caches and a main memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Chun Yu, Guofang Jiao, Yun Du
  • Publication number: 20070252844
    Abstract: Techniques for assigning a subpath attribute to a subpath in a drawing are disclosed. One technique includes editing the drawing to define a current path having a current subpath, matching a previous vertex in a previous path with a current vertex in the current path, and assigning a current subpath attribute to the current subpath based on the vertex match. Another technique includes editing the drawing to define a current path having a current subpath, comparing the current subpath with a previous subpath having a previous subpath attribute, and assigning a previous subpath attribute to the current subpath based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Paul Asente, Michael Schuster
  • Publication number: 20070252845
    Abstract: An image processing device extracts a local variation component from color information in image data. Using the variation component of the color information, a pseudo-texture component of brightness information is produced. The thus produced pseudo-texture component is added to the brightness information. By this image processing, an image having improved texture is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideyasu Kuniba
  • Publication number: 20070252846
    Abstract: The present invention provides a character highlighting control apparatus including a character pixel extractor and a highlighting degree controller. The character pixel extractor is configured to extract a pixel corresponding to a character part from input image data. The highlighting degree controller is configured to carry out control in such a way that a maximum emission luminance of a display device is linked with input image data, to thereby selectively increase an emission luminance of an extracted pixel on a display screen and avoid increase of an emission luminance of a background part on the display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Ozawa, Mitsuru Tada
  • Publication number: 20070252847
    Abstract: Keywords are appended to an image portion in one portion of a color image. In order to achieve this, a color bar is displayed on the color image, a color is designated by the position of a mark in the color bar, an image portion having the designated color is detected, a keyword table having keywords corresponding to the detected image portion is displayed, a desired keyword is selected from the displayed keyword table, and characters representing the selected keyword are displayed. Items of data representing the detected image portion, data representing the designated color and data representing the keyword are stored as metainformation in the image file of the color image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Toshita Hara
  • Publication number: 20070252848
    Abstract: The present invention generates a color conversion table which covers only a least minimum color gamut. Concretely, the invention has a color conversion table generating means for calculating a color gamut of a source color space based on a source device profile, when a color conversion table defined by a destination device profile is tabulated, in a color management module (CMM).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Takayuki Sawada
  • Publication number: 20070252849
    Abstract: A color transformer of a colorful display includes storage, a data controller and a data processor. The data controller builds a multi-dimensional color lookup table and saves the multi-dimensional color lookup table to the storage to access it freely. The data processor sends color data to the data controller to lookup the correspondent color in the multi-dimensional color lookup table to obtain the output color. By looking up the multi-dimensional color lookup table, the color transformer transfer each input color to an output color independently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Hung-Chen Wang
  • Publication number: 20070252850
    Abstract: Image processing method and image processing apparatus capable of reducing data volume further after JPEG compression are provided. RGB data is first converted into YUV data, and then scale conversion of luminance value and color-difference value of the YUV data is performed. Discrete cosine transform of the scale-converted YUV data is performed, and the data after the discrete cosine transform is coded into a Huffman code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Michiko Fujiwara, Tatsuya Tanaka, Norihide Yasuoka, Tomoe Matsuoka, Masahiro Okuyama
  • Publication number: 20070252851
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a storing unit that stores first attribute data representing first attributes, which are attributes of content as an object to be played, and second attribute data representing second attributes, which are attributes of the first attributes, in association with each other, and a first display control unit that controls related display for displaying first attributes having the second attributes identical with a selected first attribute of the first attributes as related attributes. The first display control unit controls the related display to display a second attribute of the selected first attribute and display the related attributes by dividing the related attributes for each of the second attributes identical with the selected first attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Ogata, Yasuhiro Shirai, Toshihiro Morita, Susumu Morita, Taku Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20070252852
    Abstract: A technique for updating computer-graphic digital images comprises coding a position of pixels located in a foreground of a computer-graphic image frame; sending the coded positions of the pixels located in the foreground of the computer-graphic image frame to a frame buffer of a sprite controller; separating a background pixel group from a foreground pixel group in the computer-graphic image frame based on the coded positions; updating the pixels in the foreground pixel group only; and transmitting a frame number and a frame buffer parameter dimension corresponding to the updated pixels to a computer-graphic image display viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Oliver Ban
  • Publication number: 20070252853
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus to automatically switch a graphic user interface and a key interface of a portable electronic device between horizontal and vertical screen orientation modes based on screen orientation of the portable electronic device, the method including sensing a screen orientation of the portable electronic device and changing a display orientation of the graphic user interface and a key interface by changing key mapping according to the sensed screen orientation of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheul-hae Park, Jeong-goo Kim, Boo-sang Kim, Kyung-suk Cho, Jong-hyun Lee, Jong-woo Park, Soon Park, Jang-hwan Cho, Byong-woo Jeong
  • Publication number: 20070252854
    Abstract: An audio visual system includes a display unit, a sound unit and a rotating unit. The display unit is configured to be rotated horizontally by receiving a control signal. The sound unit includes a center speaker and a side speaker. The center speaker is disposed at the display unit and rotated together with the display unit. The side speaker is disposed apart from the display unit. The rotating unit includes a rotating base and a control section. The rotating base is configured to support the side speaker. The control section is configured to rotate the rotating base together with the side speaker horizontally in synchronization with the display unit based on the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Ueno
  • Publication number: 20070252855
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and pulse width modulating a display include receiving image data and generating pulse data to be written to rows of pixels in a display. The data include a pulse width modulated drive sequence that writes data to selected rows on a first phase of a clock and terminates a write operation on a different row on a second phase of the clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Edwin Hudson
  • Publication number: 20070252856
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for generating drive sequences for pulse width modulated displays are described. A pulse width modulated signal that includes a drive sequence of temporal segments that are activated and deactivated to produce a desired gray scale. The temporal segments can be non-binary, non-equally weighted. The drive sequence can also include at least two of the temporal segments are least significant bit segments and the other segments are higher order segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: EDWIN HUDSON, David Cowl
  • Publication number: 20070252857
    Abstract: A method, program product, and system for controlling a print device which helps minimizing effects which a failure of a plug-in module for adding a function of a printer driver may cause to the printer driver body and other plug-in modules The print device control system includes a data processing device and a plug-in server. The data processing device has a printer driver embedded thereon. The plug-in server has plug-in modules for executing an add-function of the printer driver, and executes, according to a request from the printer driver, the plug-in module corresponding to the request, and returns processed data to the printer driver. The plug-in server is configured as a process different from the printer driver. The printer driver returns the processed data to the data processing device through a memory with the data processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Watase
  • Publication number: 20070252858
    Abstract: A recording apparatus to which a recording liquid accommodating container having a recording liquid accommodating portion is mountable, wherein the recording liquid accommodating container including communicating means for bi-directional wireless communication with the recording apparatus, the recording apparatus including a communication antenna for wireless communication with the communicating means; wherein the communication antenna and the communicating means are adapted to be disposed opposed to each other with the recording liquid accommodating portion interposed therebetween, and wherein it is discriminated depending on a state of wireless communication between the communication antenna and the communicating means whether or not a remaining amount of the recording liquid in the recording liquid accommodating portion is not more than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayuki Kyoshima
  • Publication number: 20070252859
    Abstract: A method for recording on a recording medium by discharging a non-aqueous ink containing a non-aqueous solvent and a pigment by an inkjet system. The method contains a step of preparing recording paper having a thickness exceeding 0.083 mm as a recording medium, a step of obtaining a volume Vm and a thickness Tm of the recording paper, a step of obtaining a volume Vs of a solvent that is capable of being retained by the recording paper by using a solvent having a vapor pressure at 25° C. of 0.001 mmHg or less and a specific gravity of from 0.800 to 1.200, a step of obtaining a solvent absorptivity Asl. (%) of the recording paper by the following equation (1): Asl.=(Vs/Vm)×100??(1) a step of obtaining an allowable ink amount VI (pl/m2) per unit area of the recording paper by the following equation (2): VI=(Tm?0.083)×Asl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaya Kitawaki, Masashi Hiroki, Hiroshi Kiyomoto
  • Publication number: 20070252860
    Abstract: “Energy per unit volume” P2(Pa) generated in ink 4 in a second ink tank 14 is maintained to the condition “P2={(1+r)×Pn}?(r×P1)” based on “energy per unit volume” P1(Pa) generated in ink 4 in the first ink tank 12, a proportion of “1:r” between channel resistance R1 (Pa·sec/m3) of ink from the first ink tank 12 to the neighborhood of a nozzle 1 and channel resistance R2 (Pa·sec/m3) of ink from the neighborhood of the nozzle 1 to the second ink tank 14, and appropriate pressure Pn (Pa) of the ink 4 in the neighborhood of the nozzle 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noboru Nitta, Masashi Shimosato, Hideaki Nishida, Isao Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20070252861
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for color calibrating low cost sensors in a printing system are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments include printing targets from multiple printhead die; making multiple readings of each target; fitting a curve to the acquired data; and generating calibration coefficients based on the fitted curve. Exemplary embodiments may include a generic calibration to map sensor measurements to a calorimetric color space, and a specific calibration to account for sensor-to-sensor variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Yifeng Wu, Algird Gudaitis
  • Publication number: 20070252862
    Abstract: A method of determining unidirectional print direction for optimal quality on an ink jet printer capable of bidirectional printing includes printing a first plurality of indicators on a recordable medium, wherein the first plurality of indicators are printed in a first direction; printing a second plurality of indicators on the recordable medium, wherein the second plurality of indicators are printed in a second direction opposite the first direction; and determining an optimum print direction from the printed indicators; and setting in the printer the optimum print direction for unidirectional printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Olson
  • Publication number: 20070252863
    Abstract: The invention provides a print head parking structure that provides solvent and/or surface treatments for inkjet print heads. Print heads may be returned to the print head parking structure after a substrate has been printed, after one or more printing passes, and/or frequently enough to prevent ink from drying on or clogging the print heads. Once sealed within the print head parking structure, the print heads (or a portion thereof) may be sprayed with a solvent to dissolve or wash away any ink that has been deposited on the print heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Lizhong Sun, Quanyuan Shang
  • Publication number: 20070252864
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: a recording device which includes a nozzle surface and which records an image on a recording medium by ejecting droplets of ink from nozzles open in the nozzle surface while reciprocating in a predetermined direction; a maintenance unit which includes a nozzle cap coming into fluid-tight contact with the nozzle surface for covering the nozzles, a pump to be connected to the nozzle cap for sucking the ink from the nozzles, and a waste ink tank to which the ink sucked by the pump is discharged; a platform which supports the recording device and the maintenance unit at respective predetermined positions thereof; and an outer cover which is fitted on the platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Uchino
  • Publication number: 20070252865
    Abstract: An ink-jet type image recording apparatus includes a recording head which has a nozzle surface having a plurality of nozzles formed therein; a suction mechanism which generates a suction force, a first cap having a first lip portion, and a second cap having a second lip section. Since the second lip portion has a stiffness higher than that of the first lip portion, it is possible to provide an ink-jet type image recording apparatus including a second cap capable of preventing a deformation due to a negative pressure generated inside the second cap, and a first cap capable of maintaining a moisture-retained state of a nozzle group with a less load exerted on the recording head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Hisaki Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20070252866
    Abstract: To provide a suction recovery method of an ink jet printing apparatus by which ink can be securely filled to an ink flow path and a nozzle while minimizing an amount of ink discharge during a suction recovery to prevent an adverse effect such as invited bubbles. The suction recovery method firstly performs the first suction step for generating a negative pressure for sucking a filter section for separating bubbles from the filter section. Thereafter, the second suction step is performed to generate a negative pressure for sucking an ink in the ink flow path and a large nozzle. Thereafter, the third suction step is performed to suck ink from a small nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi KUDO, Yukuo Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070252867
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a body housing a print engine. The print engine is configured to transport and print upon print media. A retractable cover is pivotally mounted relative to the body and is able to be pivoted to form a guide which can guide print media to the print engine for printing. A capping mechanism configured to cap the printhead assembly. In one embodiment, the capping mechanism comprises a sponge surrounded by an elastomeric seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Simon Walmsley
  • Publication number: 20070252868
    Abstract: To relate to a head liquid which is supplied to efficiently remove ink residues and the like which are attached to the surface of an inkjet head provided with ejection openings through which an ink containing a color material is ejected. In a case where a nonvolatile solvent such as glycerin is used as the head liquid, the nonvolatile solvent absorbs moisture, and thereby an extremely large change in mass is exhibited. As a result, the above supply amount is varied. To solve the problem, it was found that the previous mixing of water with the nonvolatile solvent can provide a smaller change in mass than that in a case where the nonvolatile solvent by itself is caused to absorb moisture. Accordingly, a mixture prepared by mixing the nonvolatile solvent and water in an appropriate predetermined ratio is used as a head liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mikio Sanada, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Noribumi Koitabashi
  • Publication number: 20070252869
    Abstract: Before a printing operation, printing conditions related to occurrence of mist are acquired. According to the printing conditions, mist reduction device and a mist-reduction correction amount for controlling a degree of reducing the mist by the mist reduction device are set. Thereafter, printing is performed on a print medium by use of the set mist-reduction correction amount and mist reduction device. Accordingly, an appropriate mist reduction method is adopted according to the various printing conditions. Thus, optimum printing can be executed without impairing image quality or user-friendliness more than necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumitaka Goto, Akitoshi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20070252870
    Abstract: A pagewidth printhead assembly for an inkjet printer, that has a body portion for receiving ink from an ink source, an elongate ink distribution member mounted to the body portion, the body portion and the elongate ink distribution member being in fluid communication at a series of spaced locations along the length of the elongate ink distribution member, one or more integrated circuits fixed to the ink distribution member, the or each integrated circuit having nozzles for ejecting ink supplied by the distribution member onto a passing media substrate, and an electrical connector for transmitting data to the or each integrated circuit, the electrical connector having an elongate array of contacts for electrical connection with a corresponding array of contacts on the inkjet printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul MacKey, Norman Berry, Garry Jackson
  • Publication number: 20070252871
    Abstract: A printer system is provided for developing a three dimensional (3D) printed structure. The system includes a plurality of spaced apart sets of printing devices. A conveyor system is arranged to serially convey a print medium operatively with respect to each set so that printed voxels from each successive set can form successive layers of the 3D printed structure upon the print medium. A placement mechanism is configured to place an object upon layers of the 3D printed structure. The placement mechanism includes a translation mechanism configured to translate the object at substantially the same velocity as the conveyance of the print medium during placement of the object. A plurality of curing mechanisms is interleaved between the sets of printing devices and is configured to cure the printed voxels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070252872
    Abstract: The ink jet head producing method includes: forming a first flow path forming member in a portion constituting a flow path side wall, which constitutes at least a partitioning portion between flow paths on a substrate; forming a pattern as a mold for the flow path; wherein the pattern is formed over the substrate and a portion of the first flow path forming member, constituting a flow path side wall, and a portion constituting the flow path side wall is covered with the pattern and another portion is not covered with the pattern; forming a second flow path forming member on the first flow path forming member and the pattern; wherein the second flow path forming member is formed by a material corresponding to the first flow path forming member; forming the discharge port in the second flow path forming member; and forming the flow path by removing the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Fujii, Junichi Kobayashi, Yoshinori Tagawa, Hideo Tamura, Hiroyuki Murayama, Keiji Watanabe, Taichi Yonemoto, Isamu Horiuchi, Aya Yoshihira, Masamichi Yoshinari, Jun Kawai, Tamaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20070252873
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid discharge head substrate including: a substrate; a heating resistor layer formed on the substrate; a flow path for a liquid; a wiring layer stacked on the heating resistor layer and having an end portion which forms a step portion on the heating resistor layer; and a protective layer covering the heating resistor layer and the wiring layer including the step portion, and formed between the heating resistor layer and the flow path, in which the protective layer is formed by a Cat-CVD method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ichiro Saito, Teruo Ozaki, Takahiro Matsui, Sakai Yokoyama, Takuya Hatsui, Kazuaki Shibata
  • Publication number: 20070252874
    Abstract: A printhead including a body; an actuator attached to the body, and an enclosed space between the actuator and the body forms a chamber; an opening defined by the body for releasing pressure in the chamber; and a seal attached to the opening to seal the chamber while permitting pressure to be released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas G. Duby, Robert L. Wells, Todd Severance, Carl Tracy
  • Publication number: 20070252875
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including a housing; a recording head which ejects droplets of one or more sorts of inks; a carriage which is provided in the housing and which carries the recording head and reciprocates in opposite directions; one or more ink supply tubes which are connected, at respective one ends thereof, to a tube connection portion of the carriage so as to supply the sorts of inks to the recording head, and is fixed, at respective fixed portions thereof, to the housing such that respective intermediate portions thereof located between the respective one ends thereof and the respective fixed portions thereof forms respective curved portions that are each convex in one of the opposite directions, wherein the ink supply tubes have respective flexibilities assuring that when the carriage reciprocates, the ink supply tubes follow reciprocation of the carriage while the respective curved portions thereof change respective shapes thereof, a pivotable support member which is supported by the housing
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Toshio Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20070252876
    Abstract: A solid ink stick melting apparatus is incorporated in a phase change printer to provide melted ink under pressure to a print head. The solid ink stick melting apparatus includes an ink stick melt chamber having an enclosure with at least one heated wall, an inlet for receiving an ink stick, and an outlet for melted ink flow from the enclosure, and a seal mounted proximate the inlet to engage an ink stick passing through the seal so that the seal and the ink stick form a barrier and retain melted ink within the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: David Platt, Brent Jones