Patents Issued in March 31, 2015
  • Patent number: 8994941
    Abstract: An optical system includes a radiation source, a radiation-illuminating device, and a radiation-collecting device. The radiation source is configured to generate radiation. The radiation-illuminating device is optically coupled to the radiation source and configured to direct and focus the radiation obliquely with respect to an optical axis thereof onto a sample. The radiation-collecting device is configured to collect back-scattered radiation scattered from the sample and spatially separated from noise radiation. Associated apparatus and method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Xiaolei Shi
  • Patent number: 8994942
    Abstract: An interference object is identified in a scatter volume of an optical fire detector, which operates according to the scattered light principle. To achieve a higher level of interference protection using a simple structure in a compact fire detector, a common scatter volume is used instead of separate scatter volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Walter Vollenweider
  • Patent number: 8994943
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide selectivity for imaging devices and systems. Polarization may be applied to emitted light radiation and/or received light radiation to select a desired imaging result. Using polarization, an imaging device or system can pass desired light radiation having desired information and reject unwanted or stray light radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Franz Darrer
  • Patent number: 8994944
    Abstract: In a method of determining the focus of a lithographic apparatus used in a lithographic process on a substrate, the lithographic process is used to form a structure on the substrate, the structure having at least one feature which has an asymmetry in the printed profile which varies as a function of the focus of the lithographic apparatus on the substrate. A first image of the periodic structure is formed and detected while illuminating the structure with a first beam of radiation. The first image is formed using a first part of non-zero order diffracted radiation. A second image of the periodic structure is formed and detected while illuminating the structure with a second beam of radiation. The second image is formed using a second part of the non-zero order diffracted radiation which is symmetrically opposite to the first part in a diffraction spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hugo Augustinus Joseph Cramer, Arie Jeffrey Den Boef, Henricus Johannes Lambertus Megens, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde, Adrianus Johannes Hendrikus Schellekens, Michael Kubis
  • Patent number: 8994945
    Abstract: A method for determining the effectiveness of the treatment of a fluid for the purpose of reducing or eliminating particles in the fluid. The method includes the steps of obtaining samples of the fluid before and after treatment, delivering the samples to a particle imaging system, obtaining image information of particles in the samples, including particle colors, and comparing the difference in particle color from the first sample to the second sample. A change in particle color detected is indicative of particle death.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Fluid Imaging Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Duplisea, Corie Drake, Mason Ide
  • Patent number: 8994946
    Abstract: An analytical assembly within a unified device structure for integration into an analytical system. The analytical assembly is scalable and includes a plurality of analytical devices, each of which includes a reaction cell, an optical sensor, and at least one optical element positioned in optical communication with both the reaction cell and the sensor and which delivers optical signals from the cell to the sensor. Additional elements are optionally integrated into the analytical assembly. Methods for forming and operating the analytical system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Joseph McCaffrey, Stephen Turner, Ravi Saxena
  • Patent number: 8994947
    Abstract: A method for detecting component concentrations in human gas emissions such as breath and gas emitted from skin. A gas sample containing a specified component is collected into a gas cell using a pump and a series of valves to draw the gas sample into the cell and control the gas pressure within the cell. A tunable optical radiation beam is passed through the gas cell and the amount of energy absorbed by the specified component may be measured indirectly by taking the difference between the incident and emerging beam energy or directly by optoacoustic methods. Concentrations of the specified component as small as 0.1 ppB may be determined. Additionally, the tunable optical radiation beam may be multiplexed for use with a plurality of systems utilizing the beam for medical purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Pranalytica, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Kumar Patel, L. Ravi Narasimhan
  • Patent number: 8994948
    Abstract: An apparatus for the non-destructive testing of the integrity and/or suitability of sealed packagings having at least one portion (111,121) at least partially optically transparent, preferably food packagings, in particular through a verification of conformity of the atmosphere inside such food packagings, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one inspection area (20); at least one laser source (11) with an optical axis (A); at least one detector (13) positioned so as to detect at least one portion of back-scattered beams (12?) following the collision of the laser beam (12) emitted by the laser source (11) with a target (100,200) and provide—at the output—a representative datum of an absorption spectrum of the gas. The apparatus includes means for measuring a distance covered by the laser beam (12) and electronic processing means for calculating the concentration of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: L Pro S.R.L.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Tondello
  • Patent number: 8994949
    Abstract: A gas detector including an assembly of two hemispherical caps having opposite concavities, and which are reflective on at least a portion of their opposite surfaces, and a wafer arranged in an equatorial plane of the assembly of the two caps, in the vicinity of but spaced apart from the center of the equatorial plane, including, back-to-back: a diverging light emitter directed towards the first cap and a light receiver directed towards the second cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Serge Gidon, Pierre Gidon
  • Patent number: 8994950
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods, apparatus, and systems of sensing a substrate in a chamber. The invention includes emitting radiation of at least two different wavelengths; directing the emitted radiation of a first wavelength through a view port of a chamber at an interior of the chamber; directing the emitted radiation of a second wavelength through the view port of the chamber at a location of a hole in a blade of a substrate carrier; detecting any of the emitted radiation reflected by the blade, the interior of the chamber, or a substrate on the blade; and determining if a substrate is present on the blade based on the reflected radiation detected. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald Vern Schauer
  • Patent number: 8994951
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a frame element of a laser gyroscope comprising a substrate comprising mobile ions and an electrode fixed to the said substrate, comprising at least one electrically conducting element, connected electrically to the said electrode, and furnished with at least one distal part integrated into the said substrate and exhibiting at least one tip and/or at least one groove, forming at least one blind hole and/or at least one groove in the said substrate, of shape corresponding to that of the said distal part or parts, so as to obtain a tip effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Alexandre Charles Lucien Mary, Bertrand Morbieu
  • Patent number: 8994952
    Abstract: A ring laser gyro with no piezoelectric elements for dither detection includes a laser beam receiving unit for receiving a laser beam taken out of a gyro block, a laser beam intensity measuring unit for measuring the intensity of the laser beam received by the laser beam receiving unit, a dither mechanism, a dither control unit for driving the dither mechanism, and a gyro case housing the gyro block, wherein the laser beam receiving unit is secured to the gyro case, the laser beam receiving unit has a laser beam receiving surface for receiving the laser beam from the gyro block to detect a laser beam receiving position on the laser beam receiving surface and output positional information indicating the laser beam receiving position. The dither control unit drives the dither mechanism on the basis of information indicating the amplitude of the laser beam receiving position obtained from the positional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited
    Inventors: Kei Iizuka, Kazunori Yoshioka, Naoki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8994953
    Abstract: Interrogation of a phase based transducer is performed by temporally overlapping and interfering a single pulse output from the transducer to determine the rate of change with time of the measurand represented as a phase change. The rate of change, or derivative of the phase change typically has a much smaller amplitude than the signal itself, and the derivative measurement therefore has reduced sensitivity. In this way, large amplitude signals which might otherwise be subject to overscaling effects can be measured more effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Qinetiq Limited
    Inventor: Roger Ian Crickmore
  • Patent number: 8994954
    Abstract: An optical coherence analysis system uses a laser swept source that is constrained to operate in a stable mode locked condition by modulating a drive current to the semiconductor optical amplifier as function of wavelength or synchronously with the drive voltage of the laser's tunable element based on stability map for the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Axsun Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Walid A. Atia, Randal A. Murdza, Peter S. Whitney
  • Patent number: 8994955
    Abstract: A Fabry-Perot interferometer includes an input mirror and an output mirror arranged facing the input mirror via a gap. Each mirror includes a pair of high-refractive layers and a space layer arranged selectively between the high-refractive layers. At least one of an input-side bridge part and an output-side bridge part arranged crossing the gap, is movable as a membrane. Each bridge part includes a transmission portion and a periphery portion. Each transmission portions includes a mirror element in which the space layer is sandwiched by the pair of high-refractive layers. In a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the mirror element of the input mirror has a width larger than seven times of a maximum wavelength of a transmission light output from the output mirror, and functions as a diffraction restriction mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoki Tanemura, Shuichi Yamashita, Hiroyuki Wado, Yukihiro Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8994956
    Abstract: A device for observation, by reflection, of the structural details of an object (2) that exhibits a behavior that is at least partially specular, located in an exposure area, which includes: at least one radiation source with an emission surface (6) possessing at least two distinct zones (26, 27) emitting streams of radiation, where at least one of the characteristics differs from one zone to the next; an optical projection system that is located in line with the radiation source in relation to the exposure zone, in the path of the radiation; an optical exposure system (18) designed to optically link the entry aperture (14) of the optical projection system and the emission surface (6); a projection surface (10) that is linked optically with the object in the exposure zone, and whose received radiation depends on the deflection on the object (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Signoptic Technologies
    Inventor: Becker François
  • Patent number: 8994957
    Abstract: A detection method of detecting a position of an uppermost substrate of a plurality of substrates stacked on each other includes applying illumination to a region covering a portion of an edge of the uppermost substrate and a portion of a lower substrate stacked with the uppermost substrate, identifying a position of the edge of the uppermost substrate based on a position of a step-like portion present in the region due to a step formed between the uppermost substrate and the lower substrate, and identifying a position of the uppermost substrate based on the position of the edge of the uppermost substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kito, Masanori Arai, Tatsuo Fukui
  • Patent number: 8994958
    Abstract: An optical position measuring instrument including a scanning plate and a scale, wherein the scale and the scanning plate are movable relative to one another. The optical position measuring instrument including a grating and a light source that emits a beam toward the grating, wherein the grating receives the beam and splits the beam into two partial beams with orthogonal polarization states. The optical position measuring instrument including a polarizer being arranged in beam paths of the two partial beams, wherein the polarizer has a structure to generate polarization effects on the two partial beam striking the polarizer that are periodically variable, wherein a polarization period of the periodically variable polarization effects is greater than a graduation period of the grating. The two partial beams being reunified into a resultant beam. A detection unit that receives the resultant beam and generates a plurality of displacement-dependent scanning signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 8994959
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for capturing the rotary position (D) of at least one rotary device (4) provided for receiving a container (3) by means of at least one sensor unit (5), wherein the rotary device (4) is provided for driving the container (3) about a rotary axis (DA), and the at least one sensor unit (5) is advantageously designed for non-contact capturing of the rotary position (D) of the rotary device (4) relative to the rotary axis (DA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Beckhaus
  • Patent number: 8994960
    Abstract: In an image forming device, an edge expansion unit executes an edge expansion process on an edge of an object by modifying image data so as to expand at least a first toner layer at the edge by a predetermined number of pixels' worth of width so that a surface area occupied by the first toner layer is larger than that occupied by a second toner layer along a recording surface, the first toner layer being made up of toner of a first color that is transferred onto the recording surface among a plurality of colors, the second toner layer being made up of toner of remaining color other than the first color, the edge expansion unit supplying the modified image data to an image forming unit, thereby causing the image forming unit to form an image represented by the modified image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Shimahashi
  • Patent number: 8994961
    Abstract: Wasteful consumption of recording media is minimized without making any changes to the control device. When a string is recorded based on a string recording command and the string is a repetitive string made by repeating characters related to font data having white space on either or both the end in the direction corresponding to the conveyance direction and the end in the direction corresponding to the opposite direction, the recording control unit of the printer converts the repetitive string to a repetitive pattern formed by compressing the part of each character in the repetitive string that contains white space, and records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomokazu Makabe
  • Patent number: 8994962
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus coupled in tandem to the first image forming apparatus which are assigned differently to print images on respective different regions on a recording sheet. The first image forming apparatus includes two compressing and expanding sections and is configured to receive both image data to be printed by the first image forming apparatus and image data to be printed by the second image forming apparatus. When performing any one process of a compressing process and an expanding process for the image data to be printed by the first image forming apparatus and a compressing process for the image data to be printed by the second image forming apparatus, a compressing and expanding section being used for no process is selected from the two compressing and expanding sections, and assigned to perform the any one process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mikimasa Honma
  • Patent number: 8994963
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance unit including a sheet tray on which a stack of sheets is placed, a sheet feed member to feed sheets from the stack of sheets, a separation/feed unit to separate a topmost sheet from the rest of sheets fed by the sheet feed member and feed the topmost sheet to a predetermined position, and a pre-separation unit disposed between the sheet tray and the separation/feed unit. The pre-separation unit includes a downward sloped portion to guide a leading edge of each sheet diagonally downward, and an upward sloped portion provided downstream from the downward sloped portion in a conveyance direction of the sheets to guide the leading edge of each sheet diagonally upward. Both ends of the upward sloped portion in a lateral direction are sloped upward more gently than the center of the upward sloped portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Osanai, Yasunobu Youda, Taku Kudoh, Takayuki Andoh, Koji Hatayama
  • Patent number: 8994964
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a document transport controller and an operation portion. The document transport controller controls to discharge a document in one of two sheet discharging modes including a first sheet discharging mode in which the document is turned over again after both sides of the document have been read, and a second sheet discharging mode in which the document is discharged without being turned over again. The operation portion accepts an instruction to select one of the first sheet discharging mode and the second sheet discharging mode to discharge the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Toru Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8994965
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to improve the maneuverability and usability of the apparatus concerned. The apparatus includes: a display section to display a screen thereon; a controlling section to form a synthesized image in which position detecting symbols are synthesized with an image onto which the screen displayed on the display section is to be arranged; a storage section to store a table in which the keys and corresponding positions of the keys, arranged on the paper sheet, are correlated with each other, respectively; and a printing section to print the synthesized image onto the paper sheet. When acquiring positional information, the controlling section refers to the table so as to specify a specific key correlated with the positional information, and establishes a status of the image forming apparatus, being same as that established by designating the specific key from the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshihisa Motosugi
  • Patent number: 8994966
    Abstract: A method of changing a position of a menu in an image forming apparatus includes displaying a screen of a first mode user interface having menus for a use of a function of the apparatus, selecting any one menu of the first mode user interface, shifting the selected menu to a second mode user interface, and deleting the selected menu from the screen of the first mode user interface, adding and displaying the selected menu to a screen of the second mode user interface When the first mode is a user mode, the second mode is a manger mode, and when the first mode is the administrator mode, the second mode is a user mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-nam Bae, Tae-gyun Cho
  • Patent number: 8994967
    Abstract: A computer system with a scanner web service set up as a local host is provided. An HTTP message is received from a client-side web application code client-side running in a web browser on the computer system by the scanner web service. A message based on the received HTTP message is sent to a scanner driver that is in communication with a scanner connected to or integrated with the computer system. Scanned image information is received from the scanner driver, and is provided to the client-side web application code running the web browser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Clay Mayers, Rao Kota, Kirill Vanyukov
  • Patent number: 8994968
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of displaying a real size preview and reduces user's time and effort required for forming the image on the recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes a printing unit which forms an image on a recording medium, and a user interface for displaying information to a user. A real size preview image is displayed on the user interface. A display magnification slider is used for enabling a user to change a display magnification of the image displayed on the user interface. A controller unit selects a size of the recording medium on which the image is to be formed, based on the display size changed by the user. A printing unit forms the image on the recording medium having the selected size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motoki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8994969
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a maintenance method for an information processing apparatus comprises: acquiring a machine identification information for identifying the machine of the information processing apparatus and a machine information includes a setting value information of a plurality of setting items of a machine and an error information of the machine through an external storage apparatus, associating the acquired machine information with the machine identification information and storing the associated information in a database, acquiring a statistical image which is generated based on the setting value information of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, generating a setting value image determined by the setting value information of the machine based on the machine information stored in the database and combining the setting value image with the statistical image and displaying the combined image on a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sou Miyazaki, Reiji Murakami, Yoshikatsu Kamisuwa, Masaki Narahashi
  • Patent number: 8994970
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a first selection unit configured to receive selection of a first device object having a first function of an output apparatus via a setting screen, a second selection unit configured to select a second device object having a second function of the output apparatus, which corresponds to the first device object selected by the first selection unit, and a setting unit configured to set both the first device object selected by the first selection unit and the second device object selected by the second selection unit to a virtual device object, wherein the first function differs from the second function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuya Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8994971
    Abstract: A printing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of sheet feed trays, stores sheet information including property information indicating a property of a sheet and sheet feed tray information indicating a sheet feed tray to which the sheet is allowed to be assigned, and selects a sheet feed tray from the plurality of sheet feed trays based on a designation made by a user. The printing apparatus further displays a sheet allowed to be assigned to the selected sheet feed tray based on the stored sheet information and assigns, to the selected sheet feed tray, a sheet designated by the user from among the displayed sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shin Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8994972
    Abstract: A printing system includes an image forming apparatus, a management server, and a print data transmission apparatus, each of which are coupled one another via a network. The print transmission apparatus transmits print data to the management server in association with a user. The image forming apparatus, including apparatus-supported setting data, (i) causes the management server to authenticate the user, and (ii) prints the print data. The management server (i) manages the print data transmitted from the print data transmission apparatus, (ii) performs authentication of the user, and changes the print data associated with the user to supported print data corresponding to the apparatus-supported setting data, and (iii) transmits the supported print data to the image forming apparatus, if the authentication of the user is successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Keisaku Matsumae, Daisuke Yoshida, Ryusuke Nakatani
  • Patent number: 8994973
    Abstract: A user terminal apparatus to connect to an image forming apparatus having a scan function to be driven on an operating system of Windows 8™ includes a storage to store a metro application which displays a user interface window to receive a command to perform a scan job and a V4 driver to communicate with the image forming apparatus, a user interface to perform the scan job of the image forming apparatus by utilizing the user interface window provided by the metro application, if the metro application implements, a communicating interface to request and receive address information of the image forming apparatus by utilizing the V4 driver, and a controller to control the communicating interface to transmit the command to perform the scan job to the image forming apparatus based on the received address information and to receive the scan data corresponding to the command to perform the scan job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gi-won Seo, Jeong-hun Kim, Hyung-jong Kang, Mi-sook Song
  • Patent number: 8994974
    Abstract: A printer includes a print unit; a processor; and memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the printer to: operate the printing unit in an operation mode, which is one of a power supply mode and a power saving mode, wherein power consumption in the power saving mode is less than power consumption in the power supply mode; execute a correction process to acquire a correction value; adjust printing characteristics of the print unit in accordance with the acquired correction value; and in case that a particular condition is satisfied while the correction process is performed and there is a print job to be executed in accordance with the adjusted printing characteristics after completing the correction process, change the operation mode from the power supply mode to the power saving mode after completing the correction process and executing the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fei Cheng
  • Patent number: 8994975
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an analysis part that analyzes a set of output data that has been input to obtain an attribute value of an output attribute; a determination part that determines whether to generate a preview image of the set of output data, based on the attribute value of the output attribute of the set of output data and history information that associates attribute values of the output attribute of sets of output data with information concerning preview displays of the sets of output data; and a preview image generation part that generates, based on the determination result of the determination part to generate the preview image of the set of output data, the preview image of the set of output data, and stores the generated preview image in a storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yohei Ono
  • Patent number: 8994977
    Abstract: An image transmission apparatus includes a destination setting unit configured to set a transmission destination of image data, a transmission unit configured to transmit the image data to the destination set by the destination setting unit, an authentication unit configured to perform processing for authentication required for the transmission unit to transmit the image data to the destination set by the destination setting unit, a storage unit configured to store a destination table in which authentication information required for the authentication unit to perform the processing for authentication is registered in such a manner that the authentication information is associated with the destination, a selection unit configured to select one of a first authentication mode, in which the authentication unit performs the processing for authentication using the authentication information stored in the storage unit when the transmission unit transmits the image data to the destination set by the destination setti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Kasuya
  • Patent number: 8994978
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs a direct printing function. A selecting section selects at least two files from a plurality of files stored in at least one of an internal storage medium and an external storage medium. A human interface receives passwords form a user. A password determining section determines whether the selected files are protected by passwords. A file extracting section extracts the selected files from an internal storage medium or external storage medium. A password verifying section determines whether passwords contained in the selected files and the passwords inputted through the human interface coincide. A printer prints the selected files. A printing controller controls the printer, causing the printer to print at least one of selected files if the password verifying section has determined that the password contained in the at least one selected file and the password inputted by the user coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsuzuki, Kimitoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 8994979
    Abstract: A print relay system determines whether a printing function (capability) of an image forming apparatus corresponding to user authority setting has been registered in a printing service. Having determined that the printing function has been registered, the print relay system enables other users having the same authority to share the printing function (capability) of the image forming apparatus registered in the printing service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Kashioka
  • Patent number: 8994980
    Abstract: A management apparatus receives an allocation request from a printer in accordance with a designation of a user, and reads a page count upper limit and an already-allocated page count for the user. The management apparatus calculates an allocable page count by subtracting an already-allocated page count from the page count upper limit, and if the allocable page count is greater than 0, calculates a page count allocation that is based on the printing speed of the printer and is lower the lower the allocable page count is. The printing management apparatus prints the obtained allocable page count to the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8994981
    Abstract: A calibration system includes a plurality of printers, a grouping unit, a printer-selecting unit, a corrections data acquiring unit, a group determining unit, and a print-data creating unit. A set of condition data is set for each printer. The grouping unit allocates each printer into either one of at least one group, based on the set of condition data for each printer. The printer-selecting unit selects, for each group, a printer among at least one printer belonging to the each group. The correction data acquiring unit acquires, for each group, one set of correction data created by the selected printer. The group determining unit determines one group, to which one of the printers that is desired to perform printing belongs. The print-data creating unit creates a set of print data based on the set of correction data corresponding to the determined group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8994982
    Abstract: The image forming device includes an image data input unit that receives image data of a document; a set password acquisition unit that acquires information regarding a password from the image data received by the image data input unit; an input password receiving unit that starts reception of input of the password before the reception of the image data of all pages of the document is completed by the image data input unit; a password verification unit that performs verification between an input password and a set password; and a job execution unit that cancels execution limit of a job based on a verification result and executes the job, wherein, when the password is set in arbitrary one page of the document, the image data input unit sequentially completes the reception of the image data of the next page of the arbitrary one page of the document, before the input of the password corresponding to the password set in the arbitrary one page is completed by the input password receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kei Shigehisa, Takeshi Morikawa, Nobuo Kamei, Takeshi Minami
  • Patent number: 8994983
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus connected to a network in which a plurality of devices having a transmission request reception function for transmitting a transmission-requested image to a designated destination is installed and including an address book used for registering destination data indicating the designated destination includes an address registration unit configured to register, in the address book, transmission request destination data designating one of the plurality of devices and the destination data in association with each other, an address designation unit configured to designate the destination data registered by the address registration unit, an image designation unit configured to designate an image to be transmitted, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the image designated by the image designation unit and the destination data designated by the address designation unit to the device designated by the transmission request destination data associated with the destination data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenta Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8994984
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a plurality of output circuits that output a plurality of pieces of information to an external device. Each of the output circuits includes a synchronization control unit that synchronizes an operation clock of the output circuit with an operation clock of a separate output circuit; an information receiving unit that receives a piece of information that is different from a piece of information that is received by the separate output circuit; and an output control unit that outputs the received piece of information to the external device in accordance with the synchronized operation clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hideaki Yamamoto, Tetsuya Satoh
  • Patent number: 8994985
    Abstract: Systems and methods that generate initial printing device capabilities data including one or more initial printing device capabilities based on the initial print ticket markup language data, receive second print ticket markup language data, generate updated printing device capabilities data including one or more updated printing device capabilities based on the second print ticket markup language data, and generate one or more changed printing device capabilities markup language data based on the initial printing device capabilities data and the updated printing device capabilities data, wherein the one or more changed printing device capabilities markup language data includes one or more changed printing device capabilities that indicate differences between the one or more initial printing device capabilities and the one or more updated printing device capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chihsin Steven Young, Charles Thomas Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8994986
    Abstract: A print control apparatus, a program, a method of displaying a print setting screen are provided. The print control apparatus includes a display device, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a size of a displayable area of the display device, a changing unit configured to change a size of a print setting screen related to a print setting according to the size of the displayable area, and a screen displaying unit configured to display the print setting screen changed by the changing unit on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Yamada
  • Patent number: 8994987
    Abstract: A method and system for tracking and calculating achievement-based compensation for a print service provider. The method includes determining one or more print services associated with a print job to be completed, receiving information indicating at least one of the one or more print services has been completed by a worker, updating a job ticket associated with the job to be completed to indicate that at least one of the one or more print services has been completed, and determining a compensation level for the worker based upon a rate of compensation associated with the one or more completed print services. The system includes various computer system for implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Charles T. Graf, Patrick E. Miner
  • Patent number: 8994988
    Abstract: Disclosed are an image forming apparatus, a host apparatus, and a print method thereof. A method includes receiving a one touch print command from a print button provided in the image forming apparatus to print an image of at least one monitor among a plurality of monitors of a host apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus. With this configuration, high quality output products may be provided without any image distortion due to a difference in resolution upon receiving a one touch print command in the multi monitor environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sun-ki Min, Do-hyung Kim, Tae-joon Chung
  • Patent number: 8994989
    Abstract: A management server capable of communicating with a providing apparatus via a network and using a function provided by the providing apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive failure information from the image forming apparatus, and a notification unit configured to perform notification for arranging maintenance of the image forming apparatus according to the failure information received from the image forming apparatus, wherein the management server does not arrange the maintenance of the image forming apparatus if it can be identified that the failure is caused by the providing apparatus based on the received failure information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8994990
    Abstract: A system management server in a printing system assigns print document information and printing device information of a tenant to a plurality of servers to perform distributed management. When print document information and printing device information of a given tenant are divided and moved, the plurality of servers are searched for a server for managing the given tenant. When the found server is allowed to store the divided print document information and printing device information, the server is determined to be a destination server of the movement. The divided print document information and printing device information are moved to the determined destination server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8994991
    Abstract: A printing control method, printer and printing system are provided. The printing control method comprises: receiving the ticket data to be printed; printing the ticket data; judging whether the printed ticket data is complete; and performing predetermined process according to the judgment result. The invention can conveniently and accurately judge whether a ticket is completely printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Shandong New Beiyang Information Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qiangzi Cong, Chuntao Wang, Tianxin Jiang, Zhuanlong Yu, Jiabo Xu, Zhihua Han