Patents Issued in April 14, 2015
  • Patent number: 9007612
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for notifying operators of tasks to perform on printers by inserting operator instructions onto separator pages that are placed between print jobs. One embodiment is a print server that includes a control system and a page generator. The control system is operable to identify a print job, and to identify an operator instruction for the print job indicating a physical task for an operator to perform on a printer before the print job is printed. Also, the control system holds the print job responsive to identifying the operator instruction. The page generator generates a separator page comprising the operator instruction that indicates the physical task to perform on the printer, and transmits the separator page for printing to inform the operator of the task before the print job is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Gaertner, Joan Stagaman Goddard, Kumar V. Kadiyala, Marquis G. Waller
  • Patent number: 9007613
    Abstract: A secure mobile printing method and system allow a user to unlock remotely submitted print jobs without having to remember job identifiers and without imposing onerous barcoding requirements on printer firmware or requiring the user to scroll through a list of print jobs on a printer's front panel display screen. An exemplary method, performed on a mobile device, comprises initiating a print job, assigning a job identifier for the print job, selecting a printer for the print job, sending to the selected printer the print job and the job identifier whereby the print job is locked on the selected printer, imaging a printed printer identification code (PIC) on an exposed surface of the selected printer, resolving the printed PIC image to the job identifier, and sending to the selected printer the job identifier whereby the print job is unlocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: William John Vojak
  • Patent number: 9007614
    Abstract: A printing system comprising a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprises a unit configured to transmit a status acquisition request to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus comprises: a timeout processing unit configured to manage a timeout of a job to be processed; a determination unit configured to determine whether the status acquisition request contains an identifier of the job; and a unit configured not to reset a lapse of the timeout time of the job by the timeout processing unit when the determination unit determines that the status acquisition request does not contain the identifier of the job, and to reset the lapse of the timeout time of the job by the timeout processing unit when the determination unit determines that the status acquisition request contains the identifier of the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Honda
  • Patent number: 9007615
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for optimizing printing of an image on a non-optimal medium are disclosed. For example, the method analyzes one or more characteristics of a medium, determines that the medium is a non-optimal medium based upon the one or more characteristics that are analyzed, determines if an alternate medium having optimal medium characteristics is available, determines if a print parameter modification is available, increases a minimum border width of the non-optimal medium such that a sum of the minimum border width of each side of the non-optimal medium is greater than a pre-defined percentage of a width of the non-optimal medium if the alternate medium and the print parameter modification are not available, and prints the image on the non-optimal medium using the minimum border width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Eliud Robles Flores
  • Patent number: 9007616
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store electronic data including first data for identifying policy data that is information indicating an authority for handling the electronic data and is managed by a server apparatus. The data processing apparatus includes a print job data production unit configured to produce print job data based on electronic data to be printed, an acquisition unit configured to acquire the first data included in the electronic data, an adding unit configured to add the first data acquired by the acquisition unit to the print job data, and a sending unit configured to send the print job data having the first data added thereto to an image processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9007617
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide print security for sensitive information in a print datastream. One embodiment comprises a controller that identifies sensitive information of a page of a print datastream, and identifies a secure presentation area defined for the page. The controller compares print locations defined for the sensitive information with the secure presentation area, and generates an alert if the sensitive information has a print location that is defined outside of the secure presentation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Reinhard H. Hohensee, Harry R. Lewis
  • Patent number: 9007618
    Abstract: An image processing device that executes a job based on instruction operation by a user authenticated as a result of user authentication, comprises a human body communication controller that makes human body communication with a human body communication terminal held by a user through at least one human body communication antenna arranged around a device body, and an authenticating unit that performs user authentication based on user information the human body communication controller acquires from said human body communication terminal. The human body communication controller makes the human body communication terminal shift from a communication mode to a power-saving mode in response to authenticating a user by the authenticating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuki Harada
  • Patent number: 9007619
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a job receiver, a printing unit, a command receiver, a processor, and a memory. The printing apparatus is caused to determine whether the printing apparatus is in a secure mode when the command receiver receives a cancel command, perform a secure cancellation process when the command receiver receives the cancel command and the printing apparatus is in the secure mode, and perform a non-secure cancellation process when the command receiver receives the cancel command and the printing apparatus is not in the secure mode. The secure cancellation process includes analyzing a print job received by the job receiver and whose analysis is not finished, determining whether an analyzed print job is a secure print job or a normal print job, maintaining printing of the analyzed print job that is the secure print job, and cancelling the printing of the analyzed print job that is the normal print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9007620
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same, the method including: determining whether the extension of a data file is registered as a printable extension in an image forming apparatus; analyzing header of the data file to determine whether the data file is printable, if the extension is not registered as a printable extension in the image forming apparatus; and registering the extension in the image forming apparatus as a printable extension, if the data file is determined to be printable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong Il Park
  • Patent number: 9007621
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for outputting a scheduled print job by a printing device connected to a client device over a network. The method includes transmitting, by the client device, a request to print the scheduled print job to the printing device. The scheduled print job include print data and schedule data corresponding to a scheduled time the print data is to be printed. The printing device stores the received scheduled print job in memory, and executes the scheduled print job at the scheduled time. A determination is made as to whether the scheduled print job was outputted successfully at the scheduled time. Further, a message indicating whether the scheduled print job was outputted successfully, based on the determination, is sent to a predetermined device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daren Gilmore, Kazutaka Oba, Jayasimha Nuggehalli
  • Patent number: 9007622
    Abstract: A replaceable printer component includes a memory device and a communication link. The memory device includes a memory and a circuit configured to atomically update data stored in the memory. The communication link is configured to communicatively link the memory device to a printer controller when the replaceable printer component is installed in a printing system. The circuit is configured to receive a write request including data, a data length, and an address from the printer controller; copy the data length of data stored at the address to a backup area of the memory; store the data length and the address in the memory; set a write state stored in the memory to a first state; update the data length of data stored at the address with the received data; and set the write state stored in the memory to a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jacob Grundtvig Refstrup
  • Patent number: 9007623
    Abstract: A system for enabling at least one mobile device to communicate with at least one multi-function printer over a network, including at least one processor and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the at least one processor, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises one or more programming instructions for: registering the at least one mobile device with a web-based service; accessing, via the at least one mobile device, a user interface program providing a plurality of Extensible Interface Platform (EIP) options and services; prioritizing, sorting, and ranking the plurality of EIP options and services based on user preference so as to create a customized mobile EIP User Interface (UI); and enabling the customized mobile EIP UI of the at least one mobile device to communicate with and be executed on the at least one multi-function printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert St. Jacques, Jr., Hua Liu
  • Patent number: 9007624
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus requests a server apparatus selected from a first server apparatus and a second server apparatus to transmit image data, and after the request for the facsimile transmission, determines whether the requested facsimile transmission is completed. If the image processing apparatus determines that the requested facsimile transmission is not completed, it requests a server apparatus different from the selected server apparatus to execute the facsimile transmission. When the facsimile transmission becomes unavailable after receiving the request for the facsimile transmission, the server apparatus determines whether the requested facsimile transmission is completed by another server apparatus in response to a recovery from the unavailable status. If the server apparatus determines that the requested facsimile transmission is completed by another server apparatus, it cancels the requested facsimile transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 9007625
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus transmits a print job to a printer after performing print setting processing for variable print data. An operation information setting unit receives print setting information in which the leading page of each of the records is specified as the first page for a page or a page range in each of the records to perform print setting. A job ticket generation unit sets print setting information to a job ticket in accordance with the instruction which a hot folder manager gives that detects and manages print data. A print data transmission unit generates a print job and transmits it to a printer. The printer analyzes the received print job, and repeatedly applies the print setting information set to one record to each of the records to thereby execute print processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Morooka
  • Patent number: 9007626
    Abstract: A non-transitory, computer-readable medium has embedded therein instructions executable by a processor. The instructions simulate an operation of a print service provider (PSP) using a model of a printing system with a set of operation parameters for performing the PSP operation. The instructions determine a monitoring strategy based on the simulated PSP operation. The monitoring strategy is for monitoring the PSP operation when performed in the printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Eric Hoarau, Jun Zeng, Scott Clearwater
  • Patent number: 9007627
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a LED that emits white light, a light guiding body, and a photoelectric conversion element. The light guiding body is disposed along the main scanning direction. The light guiding body includes an incident surface, a plurality of groove portions, an emission surface, and a scattering portion. The incident surface is formed on one end in a longitudinal direction, faces the light emitting surface of the LED that emits white light, and receives incident light that is emitted from the light emitting surface. The plurality of groove portions is formed on the incident surface and is formed concentrically to the center of the incident surface. The emission surface is formed along the main scanning direction. The scattering portion scatters light and includes a plurality of prisms. The scattering portion is opposed to the light emitting surface and is disposed along the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichiro Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9007628
    Abstract: An image processing device includes an acquiring section, a determining section, a storage section, and a reacquiring section. The acquiring section is configured to acquire data based on reference information indicative of a reference location on a network. The determining section is configured to determine whether the acquiring section succeeds or fails in acquisition of the data. The storage section is configured to store the reference information when the determining section determines that the acquiring section fails in acquisition of the data. The reacquiring section is configured to reacquire data based on the reference information stored in the storage section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9007629
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus receives distribution of information of a server device which manages an image output device as an input destination of a print job, and automatically registers the server device as an output destination of a printing instruction. A computer device, which issues a printing instruction via a network to cause an image output device to execute a print job, makes an acquisition request of device management information to be updated, to a computer management device which manages the device management information including information regarding an output destination of the printing instruction issued by the computer device, and acquires the device management information to be updated. The computer device registers a cloud service server device as the output destination of the printing instruction based on information regarding the cloud service server device included in the device management information to be updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9007630
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided, which includes a searching unit searching for image forming devices to which the electronic apparatus is connectable, a user interface unit receiving a selection of an image forming device, by which a printing job is to be performed, of the searched image forming devices and receiving a selection of a document file, of which the printing job is to be performed, of document files stored in a cloud server, an updating unit receiving device information of the selected image forming device from the selected image forming device and updating device information of image forming devices pre-registered in the cloud server using the received device information of the image forming device, and a communication interface unit receiving print data of the selected document file from the cloud server and transferring the received print data to the selected image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-soo Park
  • Patent number: 9007631
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided for managing information technology devices in an information technology environment in which at least some of the devices are connected to a network, and settings information is collected from the IT devices and device settings are presented to a user for configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Hagiwara, Jim Vopni, Shun Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9007632
    Abstract: Approaches are provided for processing scan data based on a scan process definition (SPD) that defines a set of instructions for acquiring image data based on one or more printed documents. An SPD may include extension data that is used to store additional data in association with the scan data. An SPD may include rights management data that is used to provide security to the scan data that is generated based on the SPD. An SPD may be used as a print process definition for dictating how print operations are to be performed. An SPD may be associated with data that identifies one or more scan devices that are prohibited from using the SPD. An SPD may be associated with access delegation data that indicates one or more users who have been delegated access to the SPD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Senthil K. Selvaraj, Jiang Hong, Kenji Niimura
  • Patent number: 9007633
    Abstract: Capturing a sequence of images of a multi-page printed document is performed by a handheld device, such as a Smartphone. The device has one or more processors, memory, and a digital image sensor. The device monitors preview images of a first printed page of the multi-page printed document, where the preview images are generated by the digital image sensor. Without user indication of when to capture an image, the device captures a still image of the first printed page when a first quality metric of the preview images exceeds a first quality threshold. The device repeats the monitoring and capturing of additional pages until receiving indication from the user that capturing images is complete. In response to receiving indication from the user that capturing images is complete, the device concatenates the captured still images into a single digital document and stores the single digital document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakaida, Scott Carter, John Adcock, David M. Hilbert, Francine Chen
  • Patent number: 9007634
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an information processing device includes a receiving unit, a detection unit, a generation unit, and an output unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive an original image. The detection unit is configured to detect a write region in which additional information is to be written, from the original image. The generation unit is configured to generate a position specifying image for specifying a position of the write region in the original image, the position specifying image being to be added to a predetermined region in the original image. The output unit is configured to output the position specifying image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Soichiro Ono
  • Patent number: 9007635
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for generating a document recommendation obtain document setting information, generate a first document recommendation based on the document setting information, send the first document recommendation to an image-forming device, obtain document content information; generate a second document recommendation based on the document content information; and send the second document recommendation to the image-forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Torii
  • Patent number: 9007636
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an internal control portion to execute a process predetermined for an internal command, an application executing portion to execute an application program, and an application control portion to convert an application command output from the application executing portion into an internal command and output the internal command to the internal control portion. The application control portion includes a controlled-object determination portion to determine whether the hardware resource to be controlled by a first internal command obtained by converting a first application command input from a first custom portion and the hardware resource to be controlled by a second internal command obtained by converting a second application command input from a second custom portion are of the same type, and an arbitration portion to control timings for outputting the first and second internal commands on the basis of the determination result by the controlled-object determination portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tomono, Kenji Matsuhara, Kenichi Takahashi, Kazumi Sawayanagi, Yosuke Taniguchi, Manabu Furukawa
  • Patent number: 9007637
    Abstract: One example discloses a network system for managing a print job. The network system can comprise a printing system. The printing system can comprise a memory for storing computer executable instructions and a processing unit for accessing the memory and executing the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions can comprise a printer server to route a print job to a selected printer of at least two printers based on a received email message, wherein an addressee of the received email message is associated with each printer of the at least two printers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sudhindra Venkatesh Kulkarni, Raviraj Avadhut Kandalgaonkar
  • Patent number: 9007638
    Abstract: An information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus, and a second information processing apparatus. The second information processing apparatus periodically acquires information from the first information processing apparatus, and stops periodically acquiring information if there is a factor for shifting a power state of the first information processing apparatus into a power saving state. The second information processing apparatus transmits information to the first information processing apparatus in a case where periodically acquiring information from the first information processing apparatus is stopped. The first information processing apparatus shifts into the second power state if the information is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 9007639
    Abstract: An information providing device, which is capable of communicating with an information processing terminal and one or more information processing apparatuses executing processing responding to a request from the information processing terminal, including a position data obtaining unit configured to obtain position data of the information processing terminal and the information processing apparatuses; a specifying unit configured to specify, based on the obtained position data of the information processing terminal, a region where the information processing terminal is, and specify, based on the obtained position data of the information processing apparatuses, one or more of the information processing apparatuses which are in the region; and an instruction unit configured to, responding to the request from the information processing terminal, instruct an information processing apparatus of the specified information processing apparatuses specified by the specifying unit and specified by the request to execute
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michitaka Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9007640
    Abstract: A wireless communication system includes: a first communication device, which has a first controller coupled to a first interface; and a second communication device, which has a second controller coupled to a second interface, wherein at least one of the first controller and the second controller is configured to perform operations comprising: transmitting data from the first communication device to the second communication device; determining whether the wireless communication connection is terminated during the data transmission; suspending the data transmission if it is determined that the wireless communication connection is terminated; determining whether another wireless communication connection is established after suspending the data transmission; and transmitting a part of the data to the second communication device via the another wireless communication if the another wireless communication connection is established, wherein the part of the data includes at least remaining data that was not received
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 9007641
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus instructs a printing apparatus to stop print processing for a print command to be processed by the printing apparatus via a universal serial bus, if status information indicating a status of the printing apparatus indicates that the printing apparatus is in a state where the print processing cannot be continued, wherein the print command is generated by a printer driver configured not to include a language monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9007642
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a print job. During operation, the system receives, at a printer, a signal from a portable electronic device indicating the printer has been selected for the print job. Next, in response to the selection, the system generates an output that facilitates identification of the printer by a user of the portable electronic device. The system also provides a mechanism for confirming physical access to the printer by the user. Upon confirming the physical access to the printer by the user, the system establishes a connection between the portable electronic device and the printer, wherein the connection is subsequently used by the portable electronic device and the printer to perform the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Howard A. Miller, Michael R. Sweet, Tito Thomas
  • Patent number: 9007643
    Abstract: A communication apparatus includes: a processor; and a memory storing computer readable instructions causing the communication apparatus to: store a condition information in the at least one memory, the condition information representing a condition to transmit data and including a data identification information, and time information representing a target time; perform a determining process corresponding to the condition information, the determining process being performed every time the target time represented by the time information elapses and determining whether a value of the target data represented by the data identification information changes between the previous target time and the current target time; transmit the value of the target data to the management system when the value of the target data changes; and not transmit the value of the target data to the management system when the value of the target data does not change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sunao Kawai
  • Patent number: 9007644
    Abstract: Common portions of applications are extracted as common system service. A platform is formed by the common system service and a general purpose OS. A printer application, a copy application, and various applications are mounted on the platform. As a result, each software (application) corresponding to a printer, a copier, a facsimile device, and so on can be developed efficiently and the productivity of the apparatus as a whole can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Morita
  • Patent number: 9007645
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing steps on a computer. An operation terminal that is connected to a printed matter producing apparatus comprising a memory configured to store a database comprising a plurality of records each allocating character string data to a plurality of fields. The steps comprise an information acquiring, an object data determining, a print data creating, and a print data outputting. In the information acquiring, identification information of the field comprising a reference character string data is acquired and a plurality of offset values relating to each of a plurality of pieces of print object data are acquired. In the object data determining, the plurality of pieces of print object data is determined by using the identification information and by applying the plurality of offset values, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Nose
  • Patent number: 9007646
    Abstract: An improved system and method for deinterleaving a data unit containing chunks of two or more different data types. In an embodiment of the invention, both a device MPU and DMA hardware are used to deinterleave a data unit containing chunks of both compressed data and uncompressed data. The device MPU is used to transfer compressed data from an interleaved data buffer to a compressed data buffer, while the DMA hardware is used to transfer uncompressed data from the interleaved data buffer to a compressed data buffer. By using both the MPU and the DMA hardware, the overall efficiency of the data transfer process is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Timo Kaikumaa
  • Patent number: 9007647
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to methods and apparatus to identify images in print advertisements are disclosed. An example method comprises computing a first image feature vector for a first presented image, comparing the first image feature vector to a second image feature vector, and when the first image feature vector matches the second image feature vector, storing printed-media information associated with the first presented image in a database record associated with the second image feature vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Keqiang Deng, Alan Nguyen Bosworth
  • Patent number: 9007648
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can provide configurable entities in connection with electronic archival of print-based media. In accordance therewith, print-based media can be archived electronically (e.g., by imaging or scanning the print-based media) in a remastered form that provides for displaying the original work with readily modifiable entities, such as advertisements. Media or entities can be selected based upon the original advertiser, the original product, or another element or feature of the print-based media, and can also be selected based upon a profile associated with the media consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, Eric J. Horvitz, Lili Cheng
  • Patent number: 9007649
    Abstract: A card printing device may include a card conveying mechanism which conveys the card through a card conveying passage; a printing mechanism which transfers and prints ink applied to an ink ribbon on the card which is conveyed along the card conveying passage; and a print control section which controls printing on the card. The print control section may divide a printing image into a plurality of divided images in a conveyance direction of the card, rearrange an arrangement order of the divided images in the conveyance direction, control the card conveying mechanism to move the card forward or backward so that the divided images are printed on the card in a rearranged order and, so that the card is printed with the divided images in an original arrangement order before having been rearranged and then, perform printing on the card by the printing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Sankyo Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Higashi, Keiji Ohta
  • Patent number: 9007650
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a reception portion that receives a first image; a selection portion that selects a head to perform pre-ejection; a generation portion that includes the selected head and generates patterns for detection of a transport speed of a sheet; an output portion that synthesizes the generated patterns with the received first image to output a second image on a sheet; a reading portion that reads the second image; an extraction portion that extracts the patterns from the read second image; and a control portion that analyzes the extracted patterns and controls the transport speed of the sheet at the output portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Shimizu, Shinsuke Sugi, Shinya Takaishi, Kota Matsuo
  • Patent number: 9007651
    Abstract: In the generation of a threshold matrix for Nx speed writing, first and second areas are set, the first area being a cluster of a plurality of first partial areas substantially evenly distributed in a matrix space, and the second area being an area of the matrix space excluding the first area. Next, at least two writing elements in each of the first partial areas are allocated occurrence numbers and changed into determined elements. Then, at least one writing element in the second area is allocated an occurrence number and changed into a determined element. Thereafter, the other writing elements are allocated occurrence numbers and changed into determined elements. In accordance with the occurrence numbers, the threshold value of each writing element is determined to obtain a threshold matrix for Nx speed writing. This results in a reduction in the graininess of an image in a highlight area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Asai, Ikuhiko Takahama
  • Patent number: 9007652
    Abstract: A basic color to be printed in achromatic colors (a layer superimposed with another layer) is changed in response to the brightness of a pixel indicated by the original image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Shiohara
  • Patent number: 9007653
    Abstract: Provided is an ink jet printing apparatus that, without causing an increase in apparatus size, can print an image having high evenness in both of image clarity and glossiness regardless a gradation or gamut of the image. For this purpose, on the basis of input image data, pieces of multivalued color data respectively corresponding to colored inks, and first multivalued data and second multivalued data that correspond to image enhancing liquid are generated. On a print medium, the colored inks and the image enhancing liquid according to the first multivalued data are printed at nearly the same timing, and after the printing of them has been completed, the image enhancing liquid according to the second multivalued data is printed. In doing so, gloss properties appearing on the print medium can be made to fall within certain ranges, respectively, independently of input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hinako Ojiro, Takeshi Yazawa, Kei Yoshizawa, Makoto Torigoe
  • Patent number: 9007654
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading portion, an image processing portion, a storage portion, a storage selector portion, an image forming portion, and a control portion. The storage portion includes a first storage portion and a second storage portion with greater vibration resistance than the first storage portion, and stores image data scanned by the image reading portion and processed by the image processing portion. The storage selector portion selects one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion based on the strength of mechanical vibrations during an operation of the apparatus, and a data size of the image data. The control portion causes the image data to be stored in the storage portion selected by the storage selector portion, and controls the image forming portion to read the stored image data and form an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Koji Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 9007655
    Abstract: One dither mask having a highest spacial frequency is selected from a plurality of dither masks. Next, a granularity is obtained with reference to a table based on the selected dither mask and an ejection amount level per area. Moreover, a difference in granularity between adjacent areas is calculated with respect to all of the areas. A maximum value is obtained out of the obtained differences in granularity, and then, the maximum difference in granularity is compared with a determination threshold. When the maximum difference in granularity is the threshold or greater, it is determined whether or not a dither mask having a spacial frequency lower than that of the selected dither mask is stored in a memory. When there are dither masks having lower spacial frequencies, a dither mask having a spacial frequency lower by one level than that of the selected dither mask is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Iguchi, Nobutaka Miyake, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Hidetsugu Kagawa, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Junichi Nakagawa, Senichi Saito
  • Patent number: 9007656
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method, an apparatus and a printing equipment for printing documents, comprising: obtaining the name of the color document; retrieving the printing step information for the color document, according to the name of the color document, and determining if the printing step information for the color document is complete; printing the color document, according to the printing step information, in the case that the printing step information for the color document is complete. Thus, it is possible to avoid the problem of consuming a large amount of time caused by processing the color document at each time of printing it, so as to greatly increase the speed and efficiency of cyclic printing documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd., Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinghua Shen, Haifeng Li, Yanman Ma
  • Patent number: 9007657
    Abstract: A method for making a color transform for an output device is provided. The color transform represents a correspondence relation between a first and a second color space. Each of the two color spaces involves a number of color channels and the color channels of the second color space control the colorants in the output device. An excess relation for the color channels of the color space associated with the output device is established and only color points in the second color space wherefor a sum of the excess values related to the color point is lower than a predetermined limit, are included in the color transform. This enables to adapt the shape of a color gamut to a behavior of the colorants and enhances the flexibility in making a color transform for various print processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Oce-Technology B.V.
    Inventor: Maurice L. M. Luttmer
  • Patent number: 9007658
    Abstract: Color shift detection requires additional processing as compared to detection of other items, and thus increases the load on the inspection processing. Conventional inspection apparatuses have a problem that the processing speed associated with inspection is affected and the costs of the inspection processing apparatus are raised. In a case where an inspection setting specified by a user includes color shift detection (YES in S406), scan image data of a printed material for a test print is determined to be a reference (S407). Then, comparison is made between scan image data obtained by scanning the printed material associated with a print job and the scan image data of the printed material for the test print.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Ito
  • Patent number: 9007659
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for performing error diffusion are disclosed. For example, the method quantizes an error for a first pixel of a plurality of pixels in a first row, diffuses the error to an adjacent pixel of the plurality of pixels in the first row, performs the quantizing and the diffusing for each remaining pixel of the plurality of pixels in the first row and applies the error that is quantized for each one of the plurality of pixels the first row in a desired number of different directions in a plurality of parallel operations that is equal to the desired number of different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Chao Yu, Xing Li, David J. Metcalfe
  • Patent number: 9007660
    Abstract: The invention relates to a marking and/or scanning head comprising a plurality of receiving spaces in which individual marking and/or sensing devices can be arranged for marking and/or scanning an object, wherein the receiving spaces are arranged in at least two sub-arrays, wherein at least one sub-array is movable and/or rotatable with regard to at least one other sub-array. The invention further relates to a marking and/or scanning apparatus and a method for operating a marking and/or scanning head or apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Alltec Angewandte Laserlicht Technologie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Joerg Kueckendahl, Daniel Joseph Ryan
  • Patent number: 9007661
    Abstract: In an image reading device, a movable part provided below a document platen in a housing is moved in a sub scanning direction. A reflection control part extending along a movement range of the movable part is fixed to the housing near the movable part. The reflection control part has first reflection parts having a relatively large reflectance and second reflection parts having a relatively small reflectance arranged along the movement range. A detection light irradiation part provided in the movable part irradiates the reflection control part with detection light. A detection light reception part receives the detection light reflected by the reflection control part. A signal generating part generates a binary signal corresponding to the detection light received by the detection light reception part. A movement deciding part decides movement state of the movable part according to the binary signal generated by the signal generating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Haruki Sayama