Patents Issued in October 27, 2009
  • Patent number: 7609368
    Abstract: A method for measuring the velocity of a multiphase fluid flowing in a pipe. The method comprises directing at least two collimated beams of light from an illuminator through the multiphase fluid by transparent portions of the pipe. The at least two collimated beams are spaced apart in a direction of flow of the multiphase fluid by a predetermined distance. The method also includes detecting scattered, deflected and attenuated light with at least two photodetectors to produce at least two signals. The at least two photodetectors are associated with the at least two collimated beams. The method also includes calculating a cross-correlation function between the at least two signals to determine a time delay between the signals and calculating the average velocity of the multiphase fluid by taking the ratio of the predetermined distance to the time delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Photon Control Inc.
    Inventor: Ivan Melnyk
  • Patent number: 7609369
    Abstract: New diagnostic parameters or indexes for detection of absolute iron deficiency, latent iron deficiency, functional iron deficiency, or latent functional iron deficiency have been disclosed. The parameters include a RBC size factor, RSf1 defined by the formula of (MCV×MRV)1/2, or RSf2 defined by the formula of (MCV×MRV)/100, a volume-hemoglobin factor (VHf) defined by the formula of (MCV×Hgb)/100, and a volume-hemoglobin/distribution factor (VHDWf) defined by the formula of (MCV×Hgb)/(RDW×10). Further disclosed are the methods of using these parameters for detection of absolute iron deficiency, latent iron deficiency, functional iron deficiency, or latent functional iron deficiency. Also disclosed is a method of using RSf for detection of hemochromatosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramon Simon-Lopez
  • Patent number: 7609370
    Abstract: A single detector based spectroscopy system using FAST (fiber array spectral translator) fibers and two excitation sources in conjunction with a holographic spectrum analyzer (HSA) to obtain simultaneous and selective display of spectroscopic regions of interest. A sample can be illuminated with different laser excitation wavelengths and resulting multiple spectra can be comparatively observed on a single display screen for more fruitful analysis of sample spectral responses (and, hence, sample chemical or physical properties) under different excitations. The HSA may be configured to focus on user-selected spectral regions of interest from different such spectra and a single CCD detector may be configured to collect spectral data from all selected spectral regions of interest in corresponding portions of the CCD pixel array, thereby allowing subsequent simultaneous display of such selected spectral regions of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: ChemImage Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Voigt, David Tuschel
  • Patent number: 7609371
    Abstract: A lens meter for measuring optical characteristics of a lens to be measured includes a measurement optical system including a light source which projects a measurement light beam to the lens and a light receiving sensor which receives the measurement light beam having passed through the lens; an arithmetic part which obtains optical characteristic distribution of a predetermined measurement region of the lens based on a light reception result of the light receiving sensor; near-vision-portion determination means which determines whether a near vision portion of the lens is present in the measurement region based on the optical characteristic distribution in the measurement region; and detection means which detects presence of a non-optical region in addition to an optical region of the lens in the measurement region based on the light reception result of the light receiving sensor; the arithmetic part obtains additional power of the lens based on the optical characteristic distribution of the optical region i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kajino
  • Patent number: 7609372
    Abstract: A system for measuring a total track length of a telescopic lens includes a testing chart, a light source, a processor, a display screen and a range finder. The lens and an image sensor are received in a holder. The testing chart has a frame pattern and a plurality of line pair patterns. The testing chart faces and aligns with the image sensor for allowing the image sensor to capture an image of the testing chart. The processor analyzes the image generated by the image sensor, so as to obtain a modulation transfer function value representative of a precision focal position of the lens. The range finder measures a first distance between the image sensor and the range finder, a second distance between the lens and the range finder, and calculates a distance difference between the first and second distances to obtain the total track length of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun-Jung Tsai
  • Patent number: 7609373
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting a multi-layer sample, such as a silicon wafer, is disclosed. The design reduces variations in total reflected energy due to thin film interference. The design includes illuminating the sample at two incident angle ranges, where the two incident angle ranges are such that variation in total reflected energy at a first incident angle range may be employed to balance variation in total reflected energy at a second incident angle range. Defects are detected using die-to-die subtraction of the sample illuminated at the two incident angle ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Ho Chuang, J. Joseph Armstrong
  • Patent number: 7609374
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for determining the direction and location of the symmetry axis of a revolution-shaped article. Furthermore, the invention enables one to determine the radius of the article as well as the pitch of a possible thread. In the arrangement of the invention, the article being measured is illuminated using light sources arranged in direct vicinity of the cameras. Each camera is measuring the reflection plane formed from the article being measured based on the light reflected backward from the article. The symmetry axis is determined by calculating the transversal of the reflection planes. The system of the invention uses at least two cameras, but the measurement accuracy can be improved by calculating the symmetry axis from the transversals of the reflection planes of a bigger set of cameras. Furthermore, at least a third camera is required to calculate the pitch of thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Oy Mapvision Ltd.
    Inventor: Ilkka Niini
  • Patent number: 7609375
    Abstract: An optical cavity for a Non-Dispersive Infrared gas sensor has invented comprising two oppositely arranged parabolic mirrors having common focus located on the common optical axis of the parabolic mirrors, and a plane mirror arranged along the optical axis between the vertex of each of the parabolic mirrors. The NDIR gas sensor has an extended optical path to increase precision and accuracy in the measurement, and substantially increased ventilation opening size to facilitate in and out of the target gas through the optical cavity thereby decreasing the response time required for measuring the gas concentration. The sensors based on the principal of Non-Dispersive Infrared Detection is used the light-absorbing characteristic of gases to measure the amount of light absorption that occur at the specific wavelength absorbed by a target gas and calculate the target gas concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: ELT Inc.
    Inventor: Jeong-Ik Park
  • Patent number: 7609376
    Abstract: Irradiation devices and methods of amplification and irradiation are disclosed for displaying pixels and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) analysis. The devices include an optical modulator, which may be configured for operation in a variably transmissive state. An active region may be formed in an optical waveguide with the optical modulator configured substantially adjacent at least one surface of the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shih-Yuan Wang, M. Saif Islam
  • Patent number: 7609377
    Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for facilitating surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is described. A SERS-active structure near which a plurality of analyte molecules is disposed is periodically deformed at an actuation frequency. A synchronous measuring device synchronized with the actuation frequency receives Raman radiation scattered from the analyte molecules and generates therefrom at least one Raman signal measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Wu, Zhiyong Li, Shih-Yuan Wang, Zhaoning Yu, R. Stanley Williams
  • Patent number: 7609378
    Abstract: A structure for supporting a sample to be subjected to a surface enhanced vibrational spectroscopic analysis includes a substrate, a ground film formed on the substrate, and a base formed on the ground film. The base includes a plurality of holes formed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. Metal fine particles are exposed on inner surfaces of the holes formed in the base and on a surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kaoru Konakahara
  • Patent number: 7609379
    Abstract: A system for detecting a chemical element within a material including at least one laser emission means for ionizing part of the material to generate fluorescence; at least one transmitting Bragg grating that filters the wavelength corresponding to the deexcitation wavelength of the element; and at least one photodiode that detects a line corresponding to the filtering wavelength, wherein the at least one Bragg grating is mobile to vary the filtering wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS
    Inventors: Lionel Canioni, Stéphane Santran, Bruno Bousquet
  • Patent number: 7609380
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing real-time analysis of a subterranean formation fluid includes a light source configured to transmit at least a sample signal through a sample of the subterranean formation fluid and a reference signal, at least one photodetector configured to continuously detect the sample and reference signals, and an electronics assembly configured to compensate for drift in the detected sample signal in real-time based on the value of the detected reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephane Vannuffelen, Takeaki Nakayama, Tsutomu Yamate, Toru Terabayashi, Akira Otsuka, Kentaro Indo
  • Patent number: 7609381
    Abstract: A spectrometer apparatus includes a refractor element, a slit, a detector, a diffraction grating, and a corrector lens. The refractor element includes a rear surface and a front surface. The slit provides an optical path to the rear surface of the refractor element, and is configured to transmit an image incident thereupon along the optical path. The detector is positioned facing the rear surface of the refractor element. The diffraction grating faces the front surface of the refractor element, and is configured to spectrally disperse and reimage the image of the slit toward the front surface of the refractor element. The corrector lens is positioned between the refractor element and the diffraction grating such that the image is provided to the detector corrected for a spherical aberration caused by a separation distance between the detector and the rear surface of the refractor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: David Wheeler Warren
  • Patent number: 7609382
    Abstract: A system and method of detecting entangled photon pairs, each pair including a signal photon and an idler photon, is disclosed. Entangled photon pairs are provided having an entanglement time and an entanglement area selected to substantially increase an associated entangled two-photon cross-section of an associated target medium. The entangled photon pairs are also selected to have an energy distribution between the signal photon and the idler photon to substantially decrease an associated random two-photon absorption cross section of the target medium. The entangled photon pairs are directed to the target medium, and at least one entangled-photon pair being absorbed by the target medium is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: General Dynamics Advanced Information System, Inc,
    Inventors: Keith Kastella, Kenneth Augustyn, Ralph Conti, Richard Freeling
  • Patent number: 7609383
    Abstract: An optical spectrum analyzer detects a light output that is dependent on the frequency of light in a wavelength range of light to be measured. The optical spectrum analyzer includes a waveguide acousto-optic tunable filter including a piezoelectric substrate, optical waveguides, and an IDT, a light source for providing, to the waveguide acousto-optic tunable filter, reference light having a particular wavelength outside the wavelength range, a driving circuit for providing, to the waveguide acousto-optic tunable filter, a high frequency signal for exciting an IDT, and an arithmetic device that, on the basis of the wavelength of selected light when reference light is incident, and an exciting frequency, corrects the wavelength of the selected light, which is obtained from the light to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Yamada, Shinji Tanaka, Hideaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7609384
    Abstract: A process for generating a carrier in an interferogram in interferometry device either of the “real-time holographic interferometry” type or of the “double-exposure holographic interferometry” type, including recording a first wave front on a hologram, the first wave front coming from an object; generating a second wave front, in which two wave fronts are superimposed orthogonally polarizing said first and second wave fronts, either naturally or by a modification stage; and passing the orthogonally polarized two wave fronts through a birefringent crystal, a polarizer and a detector to make the two wave fronts interfere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-CNRS, Universite Paris-SUD
    Inventors: Gerald Roosen, Gilles Pauliat
  • Patent number: 7609385
    Abstract: Techniques for characterizing the response of an optical device comprising modulating at least one signal using the device; coupling the modulated signal with a reference signal in a variety of ways; detecting the coupled signals; and obtaining the response of the modulator by analyzing the detected signals, are described. In a heterodyne embodiment, the method includes modulating a first optical signal using the optical device to produce a modulated first optical signal, the modulated first optical signal is combined with a second optical signal in a different spectral region; and the response of the optical device is determined from the intensity of the combined optical signal. A homodyne method using various splitting and recombining of the modulated optical signal with a reference signal is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventor: Christophe J. Dorrer
  • Patent number: 7609386
    Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring apparatus includes: a light source section which sweeps wavelengths of a first input light and a second input light respectively, frequencies of the first and second input lights being different from each other and polarized states of the first and second input lights being perpendicular to each other, and outputs the first and second input light; an interference section which inputs one branched light of the first and second input lights to a measuring object, makes output light from the measuring object interfere with other branched light of the first and second input lights, and outputs a plurality of interference lights; a plurality of light receiving sections which are respectively provided for the interference lights, receives the interference lights respectively, and outputs signals in accordance with optical powers of the interference lights respectively; and a low-pass filter for filtering the outputted signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Hirata, Minoru Maeda
  • Patent number: 7609387
    Abstract: In a method and a measuring device (10) for measuring an absolute distance value corresponding with a range (9) between a measuring device (10) and a target (8), wherein for measuring the absolute distance value a number of individual measuring steps are performed with an absolute distance meter (1), a distance variation between the measuring device (10) and the target (8) is also measured with a relative distance meter (2) at least approximately simultaneously with these individual measuring steps and the distance variation is taken into account as the absolute distance is being determined. Preferably an iterative method comprising several sampling steps is used for measuring the absolute distance, e.g. according to the Fizeau method, wherein an output value (A) is generated from an input value (fn, fn+1, fn+2, . . . ) and measured in each sampling step. The output value (A) is dependent on the input value (fn, fn+1, fn+2, . . . ) and on the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Dietrich Meier
  • Patent number: 7609388
    Abstract: A method of wavefront (100) analysis including applying a transform to the wavefront, applying a plurality of different phase changes (110, 112, 114) to the transformed wavefront (108), obtaining a plurality of intensity maps (130, 132, 134) wherein the plurality of different phase changes are applied to region of the transformed wavefront, corresponding to a shape of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: ICOS Vision Systems NV
    Inventors: Yoel Arieli, Shay Wolfling, David Banitt, Yosi Weitzman, Yoram Saban, Emmanuel Lanzmann, Shay Levavi
  • Patent number: 7609389
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus for measuring a surface map comprises an image sensor, an optical system including a reference surface and arranged to form an interferogram of a reflected wavefront from a test surface and that from the reference surface on an image sensing surface of the image sensor and a calculation unit which calculates a surface map of the measurement target based on the interferogram. The calculation unit calculates the surface map of the measurement target by utilizing first data which expresses, by a first coordinate system, data in a state in which a central axis of the test surface is at a first angle to an optical axis of the optical system, and second data which expresses, by a second coordinate system obtained by shifting the first coordinate system, data in a state in which the central axis is at a second angle to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Saori Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7609390
    Abstract: A measurement method for measuring a wavefront aberration of a target optical system using a measurement apparatus that measures the wavefront aberration of the target optical system by detecting an interference pattern includes the steps of measuring as a system parameter a shift from a design value of a value that defines a structure of the measurement apparatus and the target optical system, and measuring the wavefront aberration of the target optical system using the system parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7609391
    Abstract: An optical system includes a substrate adapted for supporting a sample, where the substrate has a refractive index, nsub, larger than a refractive index of the sample, nsample, a source of electromagnetic radiation having wavelength, ?o, and a detector having multiple individual detector elements configured for detecting a signal resulting from an interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the sample. The system includes dividing optics, directing optics, and control optics. The dividing optics are configured for dividing the electromagnetic radiation from the source into at least three substantially independent excitation beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Eric Betzig
  • Patent number: 7609392
    Abstract: A method and device realize shallow gratings-based planar beam splitter/combiner. Non-trivial phase shifts between different ports of resulting interferometers are used to acquire full-field phase measurements. The non-trivial phase shifts between different ports of the planar beam splitter/combiner can be adjusted by simply shearing one grating with respect to the second grating. The two shallow diffraction gratings are harmonically-related and can be recorded on a single substrate for compact interferometric based schemes. During the recording process, the two gratings are aligned such that the grating planes and the grating vectors are parallel to that of each other. The relative phase of the recording beams controls the shearing between the recorded harmonically-related shallow phase gratings. The relative shearing of the two gratings defines the non-trivial phase shift between different ports of the compact planar beam splitter/combiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Zahid Yaqoob, Jigang Wu, Marinko Sarunic, Changhuei Yang
  • Patent number: 7609393
    Abstract: Method for testing the filling of a container with rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry and filling test device for the container, in which a depth of the container is at least as great as a length of a rod-shaped article. The process includes detecting at least one property of the content of the container, comparing the at least one property with a predetermined desired content of the container, and when a deviation from the desired content is greater than a predetermined tolerance value, generating a signal corresponding to a defective filling. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Dirk Sacher, Ralf Heikens, Matthias Horn
  • Patent number: 7609394
    Abstract: With a printing controlling method, to reduce time for image output even where a text confirmation time is required for a preview, text created by an operator is converted into printing data in parallel with a preview and added with a storage command to be transmitted to an image forming apparatus, and the data are stored in a received data storage buffer to be on standby with waiting for a subsequent command. Where reedition is needed through the preview, an erase command is transmitted from an image processing apparatus to cancel the printing data stored in the received data storage buffer. Conversely where reedition is not necessary, a printing start command is transmitted from the image processing apparatus to execute analysis of the printing data stored in the received data storage buffer, thereby stepping forward to a procedure for printing execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Hosoi
  • Patent number: 7609395
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, at the time of print recording of a set of image data to a plurality of recording sheets, by the use of a recording sheet interval that is an interval between a position where print recording of a recording sheet of the plurality of recording sheets ends and a position where print recording of a succeeding recording sheet starts, an image processing portion executes image processing of another set of image data read by a scanner portion and divided by an image dividing portion, in accordance with an operation command of a control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohsuke Harada, Michiyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7609396
    Abstract: There is provided a technique of reflecting the state of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern (CFIP) of a paper document on various operations when the paper document with the CFIP is converted into an electronic document. For this purpose, an image processing apparatus includes a first determination unit which determines whether a latent pattern exists in an input image, a second determination unit which determines whether a background pattern exists in the input image, and a control unit which, in the case that it is determined that the latent pattern exists and that the background pattern exists, controls to copy the input image, and in the case that it is determined that the latent pattern exists and that no background pattern exists, controls to inhibit copying of the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Harada
  • Patent number: 7609397
    Abstract: A modular printer system includes a number of modules that are capable of being logically and physically connected together. The modules include a printer module having a body that defines a print media feed path extending from an input end to an output end and a pagewidth printing mechanism positioned adjacent the media feed path between the input end and the output end for printing onto print media in the media feed path. At least one modular connector is arranged on the body to permit at least an image processing module to be connected to the body. A bus interconnects the printing mechanism and the image processing module to facilitate communication between the printing mechanism and the image processing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley
  • Patent number: 7609398
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for storing font image data, which is already rendered, in a history-based order on the server side. This avoids the server side processing time to render the font every time a request is received. This allows users to use many server side fonts that users may not have on their client workstations. In the method, the user uses a web browser to choose a font type, size, and style from a list of available fonts installed on the server. The system then determines if the selected font exists in the font repository. If the font exists, the system retrieves the font images from the font repository. If the font does not exist, the system creates the font images and stores the font images to the font repository.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignees: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katie Kuwata, Truc Nguyen, William Su
  • Patent number: 7609399
    Abstract: When a plurality of sets of a document with an image formed on one side thereof is read, the plurality of sets (341, 342, and 343) of the document is stacked and arranged in a document tray (33), in a state with front and back sides of each set mutually reversed. By sequentially reading images of the plurality of sets of the document arranged in the document tray (33) and detecting the front and back sides of the document, switching of each set of the document is detected, in response to detection of switching of the front and back sides of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7609400
    Abstract: Determination is made as to whether a request is made for printing by a printing job control system on the basis of a general-purpose printing file or a printing request from a general application is made. Ideal document management and output are thereby achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Kuroda, Hidekazu Morooka, Makoto Tomita
  • Patent number: 7609401
    Abstract: Defect-free printing is achieved by previewing on a display prior to printing, device functions and print specifications. Preview of double-sided faces is concurrently provided when double-sided printing is specified. Display is performed by generation of data which allows print preview that reflects consideration of device information and document data. Data is generated for perspective-reverse-face preview when page-specification information is set for double-sided faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kujirai, Koji Nakagiri, Satoshi Nishikawa, Yasuo Mori
  • Patent number: 7609402
    Abstract: A data output method for rendering at an output device content accessible with an information apparatus, includes obtaining at the information apparatus one or more rasterization parameters corresponding to the output device and conforming at the information apparatus at least part of the data content into one or more output images with said one or more rasterization parameters. An intermediate output data is transmitted from the information apparatus to an output controller that is distinct from the information apparatus and associated with the selected output device, the intermediate output data including one or more output image. The intermediate output data is converted at the output controller into an output data acceptable for rendering at the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Flexiworld, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ho Chang, Christina Ying Liu
  • Patent number: 7609403
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to simplify management of the amount of recording agent used by multiple users, by allocating a recording agent cartridge to a user in advance. In a printing device of the present invention, a primary user and a secondary user are set as active user information for each of multiple recording agent cartridges in a printing device connected to a network. When a print job with user identification information is received via the network, the printing device specifies a cartridge of which the primary user is the user who sent the job, based on the user identification information and the active user information, and determines whether the residual amount in the specified cartridge is sufficient (S50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Ishibashi, Ken Yoshizuka, Keiichi Taguchi, Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7609404
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus in a printing system, the printing system including a terminal apparatus; a plurality of printer apparatuses connected to the terminal apparatus; and a printing management apparatus connected to the printing system, the printing control apparatus including: a reception unit that receives a print job sent by the terminal apparatus; a transmission unit that sends the print job received by the reception unit to the printing management apparatus; a print job requesting unit that sends the printing management apparatus a print job send request requesting at least one print job that has been sent by another printing control apparatus that is different from the printing control apparatus; and an output unit that receives a print job sent by the printing management apparatus in response to the print job send request from the print job requesting unit, and sends the received print job to the printer apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidesumi Nakahashi
  • Patent number: 7609405
    Abstract: A central processor integrated circuit for a printer controller of a pagewidth inkjet printer includes a bus. Host interface circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive compressed page data having a bi-level black layer and a contone color layer and to communicate the compressed page data to the bus. Black layer expansion circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive and expand the bi-level black layer. Color layer expansion circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive and expand the contone layer. Halftoner and compositor circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive expanded bi-level black layer data and expanded contone layer data and to composite the bi-level black layer over the contone layer. Processor circuitry is connected to the bus and is programmed to control operation of components of the central processor integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7609406
    Abstract: A hand-held portable printer includes a number of input devices mounted in or on a printer housing including a barcode scanner, keypad, communication interface in a receive mode and an RFID read/writer in a read mode. The hand-held portable printer also includes a number of output devices including a printing system, the communication interface in a transmit mode and the RFID read/writer in a write mode for writing to an external RFID chip. A processor selects received data from one or more of the input devices manipulates the data and/or combines it with other data for an output device wherein the data selected for one output device may be different then the data selected for another output device. The hand-held portable printer may utilize both an internal antenna and external antenna. Applying different energy levels to the antennas may determine whether the hand-held portable printer reads from and/or writes to a single RFID chip or a plurality of RFID chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services, LLC
    Inventors: Mark W. Roth, Donald A. Morrison
  • Patent number: 7609407
    Abstract: A method and system for authenticating print media includes providing a digital memory physically associated with a holder of print media, and storing data in the digital memory, which data is adapted to be authenticated to allow use of the print media. In a preferred embodiment the system and method are capable of detecting the print medium present in a printer and adjusting printing characteristics of a printer with respect to the specific print medium present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Inventors: Mukhtar A. Chinwala, Ford R. Ennis, Jr., John L. Landers, Arthur G. LaRocque, Leonid Winestein
  • Patent number: 7609408
    Abstract: An image processing system in which an image reading apparatus and an image formation apparatus are connected to each other through a communication interface, in which the image reading apparatus includes: a reading section that reads an original and generates image data, a memory that stores the image data, and a mount-processing permission section that, when the image reading apparatus is connected to the image formation apparatus through the communication interface, permits the image formation apparatus to carry out a mount-processing of the memory; the image formation apparatus includes: a mount-processing section that, when the image formation apparatus is connected to the image reading apparatus through the communication interface and permitted to carry out the mount-processing of the memory, carries out the mount-processing of the memory; and the image formation apparatus stores image data received from another communication interface into the memory for which the mount-processing has been carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hayashi, Tadaomi Suzuki, Hiromi Kita
  • Patent number: 7609409
    Abstract: A laser print apparatus includes a memory for storing a multi-bit image including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel is represented by an N-bit value, wherein N is greater than one. A modulation code generator analyzes three adjacent pixels. The three adjacent pixels include a left pixel, a center pixel, and a right pixel. The modulation code generator is configured to generate a pulse width value based on the value of the center pixel, and a justification value based on the values of the left pixel and the right pixel. A laser print engine forms an output pixel on media based on the pulse width value and the justification value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Marvell International Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: John D. Marshall, Douglas G. Keithley
  • Patent number: 7609410
    Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device is disclosed. The mobile telecommunications device includes an image sensor for sensing coded data from a printed interface whilst the mobile telecommunications device is used to physically interact with the printed interface. The mobile telecommunications device also includes a processor configured to decode the sensed coded data. The data generated by the processor is then transmitted to a computer system via a mobile telecommunications network and using a transmitter of the mobile telecommunications device. A receiver of the mobile telecommunications device receives response data via the mobile telecommunications network in response to the data being transmitted. An integral printer mechanism of the mobile telecommunications device is configured to print another interface onto print media. The other interface also includes coded data, but is at least partially based on the response data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King
  • Patent number: 7609411
    Abstract: A reader and printer system is provided that is capable of reading data from a substrate, decoding the data and printing information derived from the data. The data is carried on the substrate as an array of dots. The substrate carries an image and the data is a digital representation of the image and so a digital copy of the image may be made from the data carried on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley
  • Patent number: 7609412
    Abstract: A printing system includes a printing apparatus, a terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving information, a notification part notifying a user of the printing apparatus of information on authority of the user to use the printing apparatus, and a network connecting the printing apparatus, the terminal apparatus, and the notification means so that information transmission and reception in the system is performed through an electrical signal via the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiko Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7609413
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for performing color manipulation using virtual gamuts. In one aspect of the invention, a method to perform color manipulation on a digital processing system includes: performing color manipulation using a virtual gamut of a device if a real gamut of the device is poor in quality. When the real gamut of the device is wide, color manipulations are performed using the real gamut of the device. In one example according to this aspect, whether or not the real gamut of the device is poor in quality is determined by comparing an area of the real gamut with a threshold gamut area in a chromaticity diagram. A virtual profile of the device specifies the virtual gamut of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Marcu, Steve Swen, Luke Stanislaw Wallis
  • Patent number: 7609414
    Abstract: In order to obtain consistent output by a remote color printer over a communication network, a calibration is remotely performed on the remote color printer. More specifically, job data, including setting information for a calibration, is received, and the setting for the calibration is switched in accordance with the setting information between performing calibration processing on the job data by using calibration data obtained based on the setting information and performing calibration processing on the job data and job data received after the job data by using calibration data obtained based on the setting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Kumada, Yoko Sato
  • Patent number: 7609415
    Abstract: Digital image create equipment is provided for insetting identified original information into an original to create a digital image, including identified original information insetting position moving unit for moving the identified original information from a reference position to a position different from the reference position according to a rule to inset the identified original information every time the digital image is created. According to the digital image create equipment, the image information on the original is faithfully reproduced, and the digital image that is excellent in the robustness of identified original information with respect to the unauthorized copying or falsification can be created, as compared with the related art digital watermark insetting equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Viva Computer Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Manabu Miki, Junichiro Nishi
  • Patent number: 7609416
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a register, a communication unit, a control unit and a display unit. The communication unit receives a write request from an external storage device, the write request being used to write battery capacity information and storage capacity information in the register. The control unit (a) obtains the battery capacity information and the storage capacity information from the register if the start of imaging is detected, (b) detects a condition of a battery of the external storage device using the battery capacity information obtained from the register, and (c) detects a condition of the storage capacity of the external storage device using the storage capacity information obtained from the register. The display unit displays the condition of the battery detected by the control unit, and displays the condition of the storage capacity detected by the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakama, Shinichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 7609417
    Abstract: A MFP 1 is connected via a network to a MFP expansion unit 3 that expands the functions of the MFP 1 in cooperation with the MFP 1, a mail server 6, and an information terminal 7 of an administrator who manages the MFP. When a power cable and a network cable of the MFP expansion unit 3 are connected and the power is turned on, the MFP 1 receives information notifying the administrator of the MFP 1 of added functions, the information having been generated and transmitted by the MFP expansion unit 3. The MFP 1 transmits an e-mail message generated based on the received information to an e-mail address of the administrator of the MFP 1 that is stored in advance in a hard disk drive 207 of the MFP 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Hashimoto