Patents Issued in June 1, 2010
  • Patent number: 7728978
    Abstract: Moisture can be detected in a refrigerant background such as HFC (Hydrofluorocarbon) HFC-134A and HFC-152A and exampled by HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-143A, HFC-125, HFC-245FA, HFC-227EA, and the like. The system can include a light source operating at any one of several wavelengths within the water absorption bands at wavelengths such as 1.4, 1.9 and 2.7 ?m and a detector that measures the transmitted light intensity through the HFC samples. In one variation, the light source is a tunable diode laser and the moisture level is determined by direct absorption and harmonic spectroscopy. Related techniques, apparatus, systems, and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: SpectraSensors, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Zhou, Xiang Liu, Gregory M. Sanger
  • Patent number: 7728979
    Abstract: A method and a device for detecting object properties using electro-optically modulated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based on phase detection is disclosed. In the case of a surface plasmon resonance sensing device according to the present invention, the voltage is applied on the sensing device made of an electro-optic material to modulate the surface plasmon resonance condition by varying the wavevector of the incident lightwave. The relation between the phase of output optical wave and the applied voltage is measured, and the solution concentration or the material property is obtained by using the slope of a regression straight line of this relations. The invention can be used in the experimental arrangements of the attenuated-total-reflection (ATR) structure and the optical waveguide structure, and has advantages of high sensitivity, high stability, small bulk, low equipment cost, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: National Taipei University Technology
    Inventors: Tzyy-Jiann Wang, Chih-Wuei Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7728980
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a light source unit emitting parallel light; a light-receiving element array; and a prism rendering emitted light from the light source unit incident on a specimen placement section and introducing totally reflected light from the specimen placement section into the light-receiving element array. The prism has an entrance surface rendering the parallel light emitted from the light source unit incident on the prism, a curved reflecting surface which reflects light passing through the entrance surface and incident on the prism toward a focal position thereof, the specimen placement section of a planar shape provided at a position including the focal position of the curved reflecting surface, and an exit surface making light totally reflected at the focal position of the curved reflecting surface in the specimen placement section emerge into the outside of the prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuru Namiki
  • Patent number: 7728981
    Abstract: A device for measuring the profile of single optical pulses includes an optical fiber loop (1, F) for creating a series of replica pulses (Ri) of the initial optical pulse, starting from the initial optical pulse (I), an automatic gain control (2, 3, 4, AMP) for adjusting the amplitudes of replica pulses (Ri) to values substantially the same as each other, an optical sampler (7, Ech) for forming optical samples (Ei) starting from replica pulses (Ri), and a detector (D) for forming an electrical signal from the optical samples (Ei). The device is applicable to measurement of single optical or electrical pulses or pulses with a low repetition rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Alain Jolly
  • Patent number: 7728982
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting the presence or amount or rate of binding of an analyte in a sample solution is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optical assembly having first and second reflecting surfaces separated by a distance “d” greater than 50 nm, where the first surface is formed by a layer of analyte-binding molecules, and a light source for directing a beam of light onto said first and second reflecting surface. A detector in the apparatus operates to detect a change in the thickness of the first reflecting layer resulting from binding of analyte to the analyte-binding molecules, when the assembly is placed in the solution of analyte, by detecting a shift in phase of light waves reflected from the first and second surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: ForteBio, Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Tan, Yushan Tan, Duan Jun Chen, Krista Leah Witte
  • Patent number: 7728983
    Abstract: Diffraction grating based fiber optic interferometric systems for use in optical coherence tomography, wherein sample and reference light beams are formed by a first beam splitter and the sample light beam received from a sample and a reference light beam are combined on a second beam splitter. In one embodiment, the first beam splitter is an approximately 50/50 beam splitter, and the second beam splitter is a non 50/50 beam splitter. More than half of the energy of the sample light beam is directed into the combined beam and less than half of the energy of the reference light beam are directed into the combined beam by the second beam splitter. In another embodiment, the first beam splitter is a non 50/50 beam splitter and the second beam splitter is an approximately 50/50 beam splitter. An optical circulator is provided to enable the sample light beam to bypass the first beam splitter after interaction with a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac Ostrovsky, Mark D. Modell, Robert J. Crowley
  • Patent number: 7728984
    Abstract: For evaluation of a measured parameter with a measuring cell having a cavity which generates for light an optical path length difference changing corresponding to the variation of the measured parameter, the method includes: introducing light from a white light source with the aid of an optical waveguide via a coupler (3) disposed in the path of the optical waveguide into the cavity, coupling out at least a portion of the light reflected back into the optical waveguide from the cavity with the aid of the coupler and conducting this reflected light to an optical spectrometer, determining the optical spectrum of the reflected light in the spectrometer and generating a spectrometer signal, conducting the spectrometer signal to a computing unit, wherein the spectrometer signal is directly converted through the computing unit to an interferogram and from its intensity progression the location of the particular extremal amplitude value is determined and this particular location represents directly the particular va
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Waegli, Felix Mullis
  • Patent number: 7728985
    Abstract: Polarization sensitive common path OCT/OCR devices are presented. Optical radiation from a source is converted into two cross-polarized replicas propagating therethrough with a predetermined optical path length difference. The two cross-polarized replicas are then delivered to an associated sample by a delivering device, which is, preferably, an optical fiber probe. A combination optical radiation is produced in at least one secondary interferometer by combining a corresponding portion of an optical radiation returning from the associated sample with a reference optical radiation reflected from a tip of an optical fiber of the optical fiber probe. Subject to a preset optical path length difference of the arms of the at least one secondary interferometer, a cross-polarized component, and/or a parallel-polarized component of the combined optical radiation, are selected. The topology of the devices allows for time domain, as well as for frequency domain registration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Imalux Corporation
    Inventors: Felix I. Feldchtein, Valentin M. Gelikonov, Grigory V. Gelikonov
  • Patent number: 7728986
    Abstract: Systems and methods for digital detection of an analog tomographic signal are described. The methods include receiving an amplitude-modulated analog signal containing tomographic information, the analog signal having a modulation frequency, f?i; and converting the analog signal into a digital signal at a sampling frequency, fs, to produce a number of samples, K. The digital signal is multiplied by an in-phase reference signal to obtain an in-phase signal component, the in-phase reference signal having the frequency, f?i; and the digital signal is multiplied by a quadrature reference signal to obtain a quadrature signal component, the quadrature reference signal having the frequency, f?i. The in-phase signal component and the quadrature signal component are passed through the K-point averaging filter. A signal amplitude is computed based on the filtered in-phase signal component and the filtered quadrature signal component, the signal amplitude being representative of the tomographic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Joseph M. Lasker, Andreas H. Hielscher, James Masciotti, Christoph H. Schmitz, Matthew Schoenecker
  • Patent number: 7728987
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical element includes testing the optical element by using an interferometer optics generating a beam of measuring light illuminating only a sub-aperture of the tested optical element. The interferometer optics comprises a hologram. Results of the sub-aperture measurement are stitched together to obtain a measuring result with respect to the full surface of the optical element. Further, a method of calibrating the interferometer optics includes performing an interferometric measurement using a calibrating optics having a hologram covering only a sub-aperture of the full cross section of the beam of measuring light generated by the interferometer optics and stitching together the sub-aperture measurements to obtain a result indicative for the full cross section of the interferometer optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Ralf Arnold, Bernd Dörband, Frank Schillke, Susanne Beder
  • Patent number: 7728988
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a part has two reflective surfaces, one being a conic surface portion having an axis with a focus thereon, and the other being part of a spherical surface with a centerpoint at the focus. According to a different aspect, a method includes fabricating a part with first and second reflective surfaces, the first being a conic surface portion with an axis and a focus on the axis, and the second being a spherical surface portion with a centerpoint at the focus. The second surface is used to position the part so that the focus coincides with the centerpoint of a spherical wave from an interferometer. Then, a reflective further spherical surface portion on a member is used with the interferometer to position a centerpoint of the further surface at the focus. The interferometer then evaluates the first surface for accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: William Conrad Stenton
  • Patent number: 7728989
    Abstract: Methods for digitizing complex surfaces of dental objects such as impressions of dental surfaces and shapes. While an impression mold is being scanned by translation along a known trajectory, typically in a plane, the line of sight of a distance probe is directed toward successive positions on the surface of the impression mold, such as by a periodic series of reflecting surfaces characterized by normal vectors at distinct non-orthogonal angles with respect to their axis of symmetry. One or more reference objects are scanned using the same translation and mirror positioning systems. Gathered coordinate data are processed to apply angular corrections and combined to form a single distortion-corrected image of the impression mold. An apparatus and methods are provided for measuring both sides of a dental object separately, and then registering the two sides relative to each other in a digital representation of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Optimet, Optical Metrology Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Doherty, Yitzhak Daniel, Eli Zeitlin, Karol Sanilevici, Gabriel Y. Sirat, Gregory Agronik
  • Patent number: 7728990
    Abstract: The position of an imaging means relative to a measurement stage is moved based on a stage movement instruction input. The amount of light illuminating a work is adjusted by flashing strobe illumination at a certain cycle repeatedly and adjusting the pulse width of the strobe illumination based on an illumination adjustment instruction input. A part program is generated for image measurement including fetching positional information about the imaging means relative to the measurement stage and information about the pulse width of the strobe illumination based on a certain instruction input, irradiating the measuring object with strobe illumination of the pulse width passing through the position indicated by the fetched positional information and fetched at that position, and capturing instantaneous image information about the work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yoshiki
  • Patent number: 7728991
    Abstract: A printer is provided for printing, onto a surface, an interface of document data and coded data. The document data includes first identity data indicative of an identity associated with a region of the interface. The coded data includes tags each including the first identity data and second identity data defining a relative position of the respective tag. The printer comprises an actuator, a coded data generator configured to generate the coded data based at least partially on the first identity data, and a printing mechanism. The printer is configured to print the interface onto the surface, using the printing mechanism, in response to actuation of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun
  • Patent number: 7728992
    Abstract: Even a simple media sensor obtains a print result of the best print quality by applying a user-set printing condition and the determined media group by performing a print processing using the optimum print profile for any supplied paper. To solve the above-mentioned problem, a print data generating process unit sets a printing condition for print data by selecting a print profile for printing corresponding to any group stored in a print profile storage unit based on a media group determined by a paper type determining process unit and a printing condition set by a print setting process unit in an operation performed by a user according to information obtained from a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Hideo Natori, Hideki Honda, Hiroshi Kai, Masakazu Nomoto
  • Patent number: 7728993
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a receiving device which receives data to be printed. a reading device which reads a document, a selecting device which selects one of a print function of printing the data received by the receiving device and a copy function of printing the data read by the reading device, in accordance with an operation of a user, and a control device which inhibits printing by the copy function even if the document is set in the reading device, and changes a state of the receiving device from a state of not receiving the data to a state of receiving the data, when the print function is selected by the selecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazumasa Sugino
  • Patent number: 7728994
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which enables easy management of proofs in a printing process. An image forming apparatus 299 is provided with a reader unit 50, a transfer charger 220, color sensors 274-1 to 274-4, a printer controlling unit 21. The reader unit 50 inputs image data for forming an image on a sheet having an RFID tag 701. The transfer charger 220 generates a transfer image for forming the image on the sheet based on the inputted image data. The color sensors 274-1 to 274-4 measure image formation conditions of the transfer image. The printer controlling unit 21 writes the measured image formation conditions into the RFID tag 701.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Fujimori, Hajime Kaji, Jun Yamaguchi, Takashi Nagaya
  • Patent number: 7728995
    Abstract: A system and method are described for providing an indication of the proximity of a moveable device. The system comprises at least a first moveable device having a transmitting means for transmitting data comprising an identification of the first device and a second device having a receiving means for receiving data from the first device and a transmitting means for transmitting data including the identification of the first device together with an indication of the proximity of the identified device. A further device with a receiving means for receiving the data transmitted by the second device can be used in order to obtain an indication of the proximity of the first device. The indication of the proximity of the first device is a scale value which degrades as the first device moves away from the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Gary Paul Noble
  • Patent number: 7728996
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input unit to input an image, a connection unit to perform connection to an external network, an output unit to output a request for processing the input image to a unit connected thereto through the external network, and a control unit to perform connection to an authentication unit connected to the external network using the connection unit and requesting the authentication unit for an authentication process, when the output unit outputs the request for the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Machida
  • Patent number: 7728997
    Abstract: A digital copying machine is connected to at least another one of digital copying machines with which data communications can be performed. The digital copying machine has a link copy function that a document is set in the machine itself or another digital copying machine and at least two units of the digital copying machines share the job of executing copy operation on the document, and a printer function of printing according to a print request from the outside. When receiving the print request from the outside during the copy operation based on the link copy function from its start to finish, the digital copying machine puts the print request on hold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Moriyuki Koike, Hiroshi Mori, Hisashi Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 7728998
    Abstract: A printing management system includes a plurality of printing apparatus and a client terminal that is connected to the plurality of printing apparatus via a communication line. The client terminal includes an information output unit that outputs print information to a portable storage medium, the print information including print subject location information for identifying a location of at least one print subject to be printed. Each of the plurality of printing apparatus includes an information acquiring unit that acquires the print information from the storage medium, a print subject receiving unit that receives the print subject from the location that is identified by the print subject location information of the acquired print information, and a print executing unit that prints the received print subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhito Gassho, Tadashi Shiozaki
  • Patent number: 7728999
    Abstract: A driver for a printing device includes a communication protocol configured to retrieve capabilities of the printing device, invocation commands for invoking the capabilities of the printing device, and display strings for guiding display of the capabilities of the printing device for the printing device when the driver is initialized for use; a user interface configured to display the capabilities of the printing device for a user based on the display strings for the capabilities of the printing device as retrieved by the communication protocol; and a command emission protocol configured to render a print job of the user for the printing device based on the invocation commands for the capabilities of the printing device as retrieved by the communication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott A. White, Charles J. Gazdik, Kristofer Erik Metz
  • Patent number: 7729000
    Abstract: In order to prevent leakage of confidential information, MFP includes a communication I/F to receive print data, an image forming portion to perform image formation on print data, and a CPU to prohibit the image forming portion from performing image formation on the print data before the print data is subjected to image formation by the image forming portion, when a prescribed time has passed since the print data was received or when an input of an instruction to protect the print data is accepted, and to store the print data in a storage device, and to allow the image forming portion to perform image formation on the print data in response to accepting a log-in instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takao Shudo
  • Patent number: 7729001
    Abstract: In a printing method, summarizing information is extracted from a print job. Additional content is generated based on the summarizing information. The additional content is integrated into the print job to produce an augmented print job including the additional content. The augmented print job is printed. In an illustrative advertising application, summarizing information is extracted from a print job, advertising content is selected from a database of advertising content based on the summarizing information, and the selected advertising content is integrated into the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Zerox Corporation
    Inventor: Florent Perronnin
  • Patent number: 7729002
    Abstract: A print-job-information display system holds print jobs over a plurality of printers and displays information about a print job, for a predetermined system user, of among the print jobs being held. The system includes a collating-information acquiring section that acquires collating information to collate the system user, a plurality of print-job holding sections that hold a plurality of print jobs corresponding respectively to and relevant to the plurality of printers, in association with the collating information, a print-job-information acquiring section that acquires print-job information matched to the acquired collating information of among the information of the print jobs being held by the print-job holding sections, and a print-job-information display section that displays the acquired piece of print job information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Senichi Mokuya
  • Patent number: 7729003
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a print mode initializing unit, a print mode modifying unit, a data retaining unit that retains the modified print settings for a predetermined period, a data receiving unit that receives data, a storage unit that stores the data, a data size calculating unit that calculates a size of an available storage area of the storage unit and a size of print data in accordance with the modified print settings when the data receiving unit receives the data when the modified print settings are retained. A comparing unit outputs a signal in response to a condition where the size of print data exceeds the available storage area. A print mode adjustor modifies, in response to the signal, the print settings so that the print data can be stored in the available storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Kasamatsu
  • Patent number: 7729004
    Abstract: A method for providing a print job manifest includes querying a press database containing data corresponding to print jobs recorded on a web. A print job manifest is generated according to the press database. The print job manifest is recorded on the web so that at least a portion of the manifest is located generally adjacent to a loose end of the web when the web is wound to form a roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin G. Currans, Arne D. Thormodsen, John V. Peterson, Steve Morris
  • Patent number: 7729005
    Abstract: An engine control section detects that a sheet in a cassette is exhausted during duplex image formation. If a sheet with its first surface being printed is on standby in a duplexer, an image formation timing signal is output for a first surface of a sheet not fed because of a paper-out. Subsequently, an image formation timing signal is output for a second surface of the sheet that is in the duplexer and has its first surface printed. After completing the image formation of the second surface of the sheet, the operation is halted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Okanishi, Kazuhisa Maruyama, Ryuichi Yoshizawa, Akihiro Nakamura, Atsuya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7729006
    Abstract: A host-based color printing system having a color printing accelerator module that assists the host processor in order to speed up the rate at which color formatting tasks are performed by the host. The color printing accelerator module has an I/O interface that connects to a first I/O port of the host computer of the host-based color printing system. A second I/O port of the host computer connects to an I/O interface of the printer. After the color formatting tasks have been performed by the host computer and the color printing accelerator module, the processed data is sent from the host computer to the printer for printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Marvell International Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Randall Don Briggs, Jay Russell Shoen
  • Patent number: 7729007
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for generating a visual representation provides the capability to illustrate the various combinations of settings quickly and efficiently. A method for generating a visual representation comprises providing a plurality of predefined visual representations, accepting a plurality of values of a plurality of parameters, and generating a visual representation representing effects of the parameters based on the predefined visual representations and on the values of the parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Thomas Stevens
  • Patent number: 7729008
    Abstract: The system provides for controlling color reproduction of input color image data in a network having nodes (or sites). The system distributes the input color image data from one of the nodes to other nodes, and provides data structures in the network. The system has means for providing color calibration data at each node characterizing output colors (colorants) of the rendering device of the node, and means for producing at each node, responsive to the color calibration data of the rendering device of the node, information for transforming the input color image data into output color image data at the rendering device of the node. The rendering device of each node renders a color reproduction responsive to the output color image data, wherein colors displayed in the reproduction at the rendering device of each node appear substantially the same within the output colors attainable by the rendering devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Rah Color Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Richard A. Holub
  • Patent number: 7729009
    Abstract: An is an image processing apparatus including: an image memory section to store an image data obtained by reading an image of an original manuscript; an external light memory section to store a data of external light entering to a stage for the original manuscript and to form histograms of each color based on the data of external light; a judging section to calculate an external light level from a higher luminance by each color out of luminance values of a foot of a peak including a maximum frequency value measured on the histograms; and an area detecting section to determine a non-image area erase threshold based on the external light level, so as to detect an image area and to erase a non-image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Monica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mieko Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 7729010
    Abstract: A system for recovering degraded images captured through atmospheric turbulence, or other atmospheric inhomogeneities, such as snow, rain, smoke, fog, or underwater fluctuations, is provided having an imager for capturing through such turbulence both a degraded image of a scene having at least one object, and an image of a point source associated with the object. The imager converts the degraded image into first image data signals representing the degraded image, and converts the image of the point source into second image data signals representing a point spread function. A computer of the system receives the first and second image data signals and produces third image data signals representing a recovered image of the object of the degraded image in accordance with the first and second image data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Nicholas George
  • Patent number: 7729011
    Abstract: A color adjustment apparatus includes a pair generating section, a vector generating section, a weight calculating section, a synthesized-vector generating section and a color converting section. The pair generating section generates pairs of colors in a first color gamut and corresponding colors in a second color gamut. One of the pairs includes white in the first color gamut. The vector generating section generates plural vectors each connecting the color in the first color gamut and the color in the second color gamut, which belong to each generated pair. The weight calculating section calculates weights in accordance with distances between a color, which is to be processed and is in the first color gamut, and origins of the generated vectors. The synthesized-vector generating section applies each calculated weight to the corresponding vector to generate a synthesized vector. The color converting section converts the color to be processed using the synthesized vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jungo Harigai
  • Patent number: 7729012
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed that controls a user interface according to image properties. The image processing apparatus includes a document data acquiring unit to acquire document data, an image recognizing unit to determine the image properties of the document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data, and a user interface providing unit to receive the recognition data so as to provide the user interface. Operations that can be performed on the document data by the image processing apparatus through the user interface vary according to the recognition data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7729013
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a character-area extracting unit that extracts a character area in which characters are displayed from image data including characters, a character-color converting unit that converts the color of characters in the character area extracted by the character-area extracting unit to a predetermined prescribed character color, and a background-color converting unit that converts a background color of the background, which is an area other than the characters in the character area extracted by the character-area extracting unit to a predetermined prescribed background color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirobumi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7729014
    Abstract: Color processing methods and apparatus are provided that blend the gray component replacement (“GCR”) level of arbitrarily-specified input color data with an estimate of the GCR level of an output profile, and then converts processed device-independent data to output CMYK data that has a GCR level that substantially matches the GCR level of the input CMYK data. Methods and apparatus in accordance with this invention may be used to receive CMYK data that approximates a spot color, and provide tints of spot colors using an output profile that has a GCR level that differs from the GCR level of the input color data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Electronics For Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Falk, Jonathan B. Marsden
  • Patent number: 7729015
    Abstract: Multiple input patches are received on an output media, which patches are characterized by print density representing a document processing system's response to different input grayscale values over a potential response space. Values associated with the print density of each input grayscale value are measured. Reference Engine Response Curves are determined from the measured print density values and input gray scale values. A variance data representative of a difference between each measured print density value and a respective reference Engine Response Curve is determined. The variance data is transformed into individual components. Based at least on one selected individual component, a set of calibration compensating Tone Reproduction Curves is determined. The determined calibration compensating Tone Reproduction Curves are applied to input grayscale values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Howard A. Mizes, Robert P. Loce, Lalit K. Mestha, Peter Paul
  • Patent number: 7729016
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first image processing section to which original image data is inputted; an image storing section connected downstream of the first image processing section; a second image processing section connected downstream of the image storing section; a loop-back path through which image data output from the second image processing section is returned to the first image processing section; an instruction inputting section which inputs an instruction in relation to a processing content; a controller for controlling a flow of image data and contents to be processed in the first and second image processing sections according to the instruction input from the instruction inputting section, wherein a plurality of types of image data different from each other in contents which have been processed, are capable of being generated on the basis of the original image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kosuke Toura
  • Patent number: 7729017
    Abstract: A scanning device including a controller and a light source operatively coupled to the controller. The light source is shaped and located such that at least part of the light emitted from the light source is reflected off of a document to be scanned, and the light source has a maximum output when the light source is fully warmed up. The scanning device further includes a receptor operatively coupled to the controller, the receptor being located to receive the light reflected from the document to be scanned such that the at least part of the visual properties of the document to be scanned are transmitted to the receptor in a scanning process. The controller is configured to selectively allow the scanning process to proceed when an output of the light source is less than about 80% of the maximum output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Keith Owens, William Chad Wedding
  • Patent number: 7729018
    Abstract: An image processing system includes a pattern detecting unit that detects a plurality of patterns included in a read image, a magnification determining unit that determines a magnification of the reading the read image on the basis of positional relation between adjacent patterns out of the plurality of patterns detected by the pattern detecting unit, and an information detecting unit that detects information from the read image on the basis of the magnification determined by the magnification determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Matsunoshita
  • Patent number: 7729019
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide an image reading apparatus which can reselect a film type after prescanning, and after confirming the result on the monitor, perform actual scanning. To achieve this object, a film scanner selects from a color table storage a color table corresponding to the type of film, sets the color table in an image data converter, and performs prescanning. If the user reselects a film type after prescanning, the color table set before prescanning and a color table selected after prescanning are transferred to a confirmation image changing unit where the difference between the two tables is calculated. Pres-canned image data is transferred from a memory to the confirmation image changing unit, added to the difference, and returned to the memory. The color table selected after prescanning is set in the image data converter, and scanning for obtaining a high-resolution image is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Yamada, Takahisa Akaishi
  • Patent number: 7729020
    Abstract: A transmission mechanism of an image scanner with adjustable resolution is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Chuwn-Jen Chien
  • Patent number: 7729021
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a detector, a parameter calculating section, a storing section, a correction section, and a pseudo continuous tone processing section. The detector detects an amount of an out of color registration of a color laser printer. The parameter calculating section calculates a correction parameter based on the amount of the out of color registration detected by the detector. The storing section stores the calculated correction parameter. The correction section corrects input image data based on the calculated correction parameter by reading from the storing section. The pseudo continuous tone processing section applies a pseudo continuous tone process to the corrected input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirohisa Inamoto
  • Patent number: 7729022
    Abstract: A method for processing an image is provided. The method is to calculate the amount of original gray levels in a frame according to the original gray level difference between each pixel and an adjacent pixel thereof and adjusts the contrast of the frame according to the calculated amount of gray levels and the contrast difference between the current frame and the previous frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ming-Jong Jou, Yao-Jen Hsieh, Huan-Hsin Li
  • Patent number: 7729023
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus which is capable of preventing images read from a double-sided original from suffering an in-surface color irregularity on each of images read from the respective opposite sides of a double-sided original and a color difference between the front and reverse. A CCD line sensor reads a front-side original image. An image processing ASIC calculates shading correction data for performing shading correction on original image data read from the original image by the CCD line sensor, based on read luminance values obtained by the CCD line sensor by reading a plurality of halftone gradation patches thereon on a correction chart. The shading correction data calculated by the image processing ASIC is corrected based on read luminance values associated, respectively, with at least two of the gradation patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7729024
    Abstract: A color-drift correcting method in an image forming apparatus includes a first and a second color-drift correcting. The first color-drift correcting includes correcting the color-drift amount in a sub scanning direction and a skew relative to the reference color image being based on each color-drift amount of at least three mark-patterns, each of which mark-pattern is formed each color image, so as to decide a corrected-image line as a virtual image line for each color, assumed when the color images are superposed onto a transfer media. A second color-drift correcting includes correcting the color-drift amount in the sub scanning direction so that the virtual image lines corresponding to each of the colors other than the reference color intersect with the virtual image line of the reference color at at least two points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Joh Ebara, Yasuhisa Ehara, Noriaki Funamoto, Toshiyuki Uchida, Seiichi Handa, Yuji Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7729025
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve the compression ratio of a color image and to clearly display the outlines of characters and the like. A hue cluster classifying/unifying unit reduces the number of hue values of each pixel in a color image, based on a hue histogram, allocates the number-reduced hue value to each pixel and classifies pixels with the same hue value into one cluster. Furthermore, the unit unifies clusters whose hue values are below a predetermined value. The unit also traces the outline of a cluster whose size is below a reference value and determines that a cluster that has a lot of change points belongs to a character area. An encoding unit determines the characteristic of each cluster, based on both an area determined by an area determining unit and whether the cluster belongs to a ruled line area or a character area, and encodes pixels in each cluster by a coding method suitable for the characteristic of the cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Shinichi Eguchi, Kouichi Kanamoto, Naoko Suzuki, Yutaka Katsumata
  • Patent number: 7729026
    Abstract: A metameric optical structure is disclosed having first optical structures comprising diffractive flakes having diffractive structures thereon, and a second optical structures having non-diffractive flakes which may have other special effect properties, such as color shifting. At one angle of incidence or one viewing angle, near normal. The hues match and at other angles they do not match. The diffractive flakes are preferably magnetically aligned so that the grating structures are parallel. Disclosed is also an image formed of at least a first region of diffractive flakes and a second region of non-diffractive flakes wherein the regions are adjacent one another and wherein one of the regions forms a logo, symbol or indicia that appears or disappears in dependence upon the angle of viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Alberto Argoitia, Dishuan Chu, Neil Teitelbaum
  • Patent number: 7729027
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image-formed object having security property improved, in which, even in the case where the image-formed object comprises a plurality of optical diffraction structures, the presence of each optical diffraction structure is hardly recognized. An image-formed object comprises a background region where an optical diffraction structure for background focusing a predetermined design as a hologram image at a predetermined image-formation distance, and at least one inset region provided so as to be inset in the background region, wherein, in the inset region, an optical diffraction structure for inset focusing a hologram image of the same design and color as the hologram image of the optical diffraction structure for background is formed at an image-formation distance different from the image-formation distance of the optical diffraction structure for background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Matsuyama