Responsive To Condition Patents (Class 347/14)
  • Patent number: 12214591
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to move while holding a substrate, a discharge unit including nozzles for discharging a liquid, a control unit configured to control the discharge unit to discharge the liquid from the discharge unit, and a position acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of a movement target object at a predetermined timing while the substrate stage or the discharge unit is moved as the movement target object. The control unit controls a discharge timing for discharging the liquid from the discharge unit, based on a difference between the position of the movement target object acquired by the position acquisition unit at the predetermined timing and a target position of the movement target object at the predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosei Ito
  • Patent number: 12214599
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic equipment including: a memory in which a program is stored; and at least one processor that executes the program stored in the memory. The processor obtains ink information including information regarding a percentage of an ink remaining amount for each of a first ink and a second ink that has a color different from a color of the first ink in a print head that prints the first ink and the second ink, and selects a printing design based on the ink information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Irie
  • Patent number: 12208613
    Abstract: Disclosed is an industrial single-pass inkjet printer/press incorporating a line-scan camera. The line-scan camera enables system software to inspect every sheet for quality assurance purposes. These inspection results are tied back to a digital printer to take one or more of several possible actions. Actions include ensuring a particular number of acceptable prints are generated and sorted. Actions further include performing nozzle checks without pausing or interrupting production orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Steven A. Billow, Ghilad Dziesietnik, John A. Weismantel, Darin Schick, Boris Liberman, Noam Rabin, Hsinchia Chen
  • Patent number: 12208621
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discard absorbing member (first absorbing member) that absorbs a liquid discarded from a discharge head to an outer side of an end portion of a medium supported by a support section as a waste liquid. Further, the recording apparatus includes: a cap which is an example of a waste liquid receiving section that receives the liquid ejected from the discharge head as a waste liquid; a waste liquid absorbing member (second absorbing member) that absorbs the waste liquid sent from the cap; and a waste liquid box (accommodating section) that holds the waste liquid absorbing member. The discard absorbing member and the waste liquid absorbing member 50A are coupled to each other such that the waste liquid can be delivered from the discard absorbing member to the waste liquid absorbing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Yamada, Takatoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 12207701
    Abstract: A system can include one or more image sensors, a processor system, one or more output devices, and one or more computer-readable storage media. The output devices can include a printing device configured to apply a graphic on an article. The one or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processing system, cause the system to perform a method of processing an article. The instructions can include instructions to receive an image of the article from the one or more image sensors, instructions to determine a location of one or more fiducials in the image of the article, instructions to determine a print location on the article based on the location of the one or more fiducials in the image of the article, and instructions to send a signal to the printing device to print the graphic on the article at the print location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael D. Collier, Amie Evans, Laurel Manville, Todd W. Miller
  • Patent number: 12202265
    Abstract: A head includes: a silicon substrate; an insulating film on the silicon substrate; an electrode wiring on the insulating film; a flexible wiring connected to the electrode wiring; and a conductive film electrically connects the flexible wiring and the electrode wiring in a bonding area. The silicon substrate has an exposed area on a surface of the silicon substrate facing the insulating film, and the exposed area is in a vicinity of the bonding area and is exposed from the insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuu Sugioka, Toshiaki Masuda, Kentaroh Yamanaka, Hitoshi Usami
  • Patent number: 12202260
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes liquid discharge head units, an image sensor, and processing circuitry. The circuitry detects, based on image data detected by the sensor, an amount of deviation between positions on an object onto which liquid has been discharged by the head units; corrects a timing of discharging the liquid, based on the amount of deviation; switches between first control of conveying the object at a first speed while the sensor images the object with a first image size and second control of conveying the object at a second speed faster than the first speed while the sensor images the object with a second image size having a smaller number of pixels; and sets pixel positions of the sensor used for imaging during the second control, according to the amount of deviation detected based on the image data imaged with the first image size by the first control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Gohda, Masahiro Mizuno, Tomoaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 12204802
    Abstract: When a printing interruption cause occurs during printing of an image on a printing medium, printing of a page being printed is completed, and further only a position mark is printed on a printing resumption page. Then, a printing unit is stopped, and a conveyance speed is decelerated to stop conveyance of the printing medium. Next, the printing medium is rewound so that printing is resumed from the printing resumption page. Thereafter, the conveyance speed is accelerated to a predetermined speed, and printing is resumed from the printing resumption page on which the position mark is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Susumu Takahashi, Tetsuya Ishida
  • Patent number: 12194758
    Abstract: A printing apparatus configured to perform printing by a combination of transport of a printing medium by a transport unit and main scanning for discharging ink in association with movement of a scanning unit, wherein the control unit is configured to calculate, a one-time transport amount by the transport unit for each nozzle row at each of the nozzle row positions, the one-time transport amount being a complementary transport amount at which non-discharge of ink by the defective nozzle is complementable by discharge of ink by the normal nozzle, based on a relationship between the main scanning before the transport and the main scanning after the transport, determine a common transport amount to the nozzle rows at the respective nozzle row positions based on the complementary transport amount for each nozzle row, and perform the printing the determined common transport amount as the one-time transport amount by the transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12182643
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a correction processing unit prints a test pattern using a recording head, determines ink ejection malfunction positions on the basis of a scanned image of the test pattern, sets one of first and second correction modes for each of the ink ejection malfunction positions in accordance with a density of the ink ejection malfunction position on the basis of the scanned image, and performs the correction process for the ink ejection malfunction position in the set first or second correction mode. In the first correction mode, the correction process is performed for both a nozzle corresponding to the ink ejection malfunction position and an adjacent nozzle of the nozzle. In the second correction mode, the correction process is not performed for the nozzle corresponding to the ink ejection malfunction position but is performed for the adjacent nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Naoko Kawashima
  • Patent number: 12179490
    Abstract: A recording device includes a vertical array type recording head, and when an image is recorded by performing main scanning a plurality of times, by forward scanning, sub scanning, and return scanning, with a range of first nozzles of a first nozzle group adjacent in a second direction to a second nozzle group corresponding to a first chromatic color having a lowest discharge ratio among a plurality of chromatic liquids as a first range, and a range of first nozzles of the first nozzle group adjacent in a second direction to a second nozzle group corresponding to a chromatic color other than the first chromatic color of the plurality of chromatic colors as a second range, performs first recording control in which a discharge ratio of an achromatic liquid by the first range is made higher than a discharge ratio of the achromatic liquid by any second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takuma Hayashi
  • Patent number: 12172426
    Abstract: A recording device includes transport units, a corona irradiation unit, an ejecting unit, and a control unit, and changes intensity of irradiation, performed the corona irradiation unit, according to ejection density of the white ink, when a target recording medium is formed with a colored image with a colored ink on the background image after the target recording medium is formed with a background image with a white ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Hayasaka
  • Patent number: 12168355
    Abstract: A recording method according to the present disclosure is a recording method that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording method including a white ink adhesion step of adhering a white ink composition containing a white color material to the recording medium and a non-white ink adhesion step of adhering a non-white ink composition containing a non-white color material to the recording medium, in which the white ink adhesion step and the non-white ink adhesion step are performed by relative scanning between a recording head and the recording medium, the white ink adhesion step and the non-white ink adhesion step are performed by the same relative scanning on the same scanning region of the recording medium, and in the recording region to which the white ink composition and the non-white ink composition are adhered, an adhesion amount of the white ink composition is 60% by mass or less with respect to 100% by mass of an adhesion amount of the non-white ink composition per unit region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Seguchi
  • Patent number: 12168357
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a head having nozzles; a conveyer; and a controller. The controller is configured to carry out a conveyance process of conveying a recording medium in a conveyance direction, and a discharge process of discharging a liquid from the nozzles to the recording medium. The discharge process includes a plurality of discharge steps carried out to a unit area of the recording medium based on data obtained by decomposing an image data into complementary patterns. In at least one of the discharge steps corresponding to the unit area, a function of a discharge duty of the nozzles has an ascending portion or a descending portion. The controller is configured to carry out before the discharge process: a detection process of detecting a defect nozzle in the nozzles; and in a case that the defect nozzle is detected, a change process of changing the function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunari Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12166944
    Abstract: An image recording device comprises a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction, a head configured to record an image, a moving mechanism configured to move the head with respect to the conveyance mechanism in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, a sensor configured to detect a position of an orthogonal edge that is an edge of the recording medium in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform deriving a correction amount for a recording position of the head in the orthogonal direction based on the edge position detected by the sensor, correcting the recording position of the head by driving the moving mechanism to move the head based on the correction amount, and causing the head to record an image based on image data at the corrected recording position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 12157307
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to be movable while holding a substrate, a discharge unit having nozzles for discharging droplets, a control unit configured to perform control to supply driving signals for discharging droplets from the nozzles to the discharge unit while moving the substrate stage, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire sizes of the droplets discharged onto the substrate, wherein the control unit performs control to discharge a plurality of droplets from the nozzles onto the substrate by supplying a plurality of driving signals for discharging droplets of different volumes to the discharge unit, and wherein the control unit identifies the driving signals corresponding to the droplets on the substrate based on the sizes of the droplets on the substrate acquired by the acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Kato
  • Patent number: 12157305
    Abstract: A method of inkjet printer operation indicates a need for a remedial printhead operation by predicting a number of inoperative inkjets and locations for the inoperative inkjets in at least one printhead in the inkjet printer at a predetermined time. The prediction is made using Markov chain Monte Carlo models that correspond to different ranges of area coverage density for inkjet areas of a printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Palghat S. Ramesh, Qingyu Yang
  • Patent number: 12145361
    Abstract: A drive waveform determination method includes: a first acquisition step of executing first acquisition processing for acquiring, in a first environment condition which is a condition of an environment in which a liquid ejection head is provided, first information on an ejection characteristic of a liquid when each of a plurality of drive waveform candidates is applied to a drive element; a second acquisition step of executing second acquisition processing for acquiring, in a second environment condition which is a condition of the environment in which the liquid ejection head is provided and is different from the first environment condition, second information on the ejection characteristic when each of the plurality of drive waveform candidates is applied to the drive element; and a waveform determination step of determining a drive waveform based on the first information and the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Toyofuku, Toshiro Murayama
  • Patent number: 12138916
    Abstract: Provided is a printhead that performs printing by supplying a drive signal inputted to a second terminal to a drive element according to print data inputted to a first terminal, the printhead including: the first terminal; the second terminal; a determination circuit configured to perform based on different criteria, first determination to determine, in response to a first signal inputted to the first terminal, whether a potential of the second terminal is normal and second determination to determine, in response to a second signal inputted to the first terminal, whether the potential of the second terminal is normal; and a permission circuit configured to permit printing when the potential of the second terminal is determined to be normal in the first determination and second determination and does not permit printing when the potential of the second terminal is determined to be not normal in the first determination or second determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Nakano, Jun Sato, Motonori Chikamoto, Toshihito Takagi
  • Patent number: 12134266
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a conveyance portion, a recording head, a detection portion, and a control portion. The recording head is disposed opposite the conveyance portion, and includes a plurality of nozzles which eject ink to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance portion. The detection portion detects the thickness of the recording medium. The control portion controls the ink ejection speed from the recording head based on the thickness of the recording medium detected by the detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Daichi Kawano
  • Patent number: 12128477
    Abstract: An additive method of forming a metallic nanoparticle microdot on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes: (A) estimating or obtaining a position of an outlet of a capillary tube at zero height above the substrate (zero-height position); (B) extruding a metallic nanoparticle composition from the outlet at a first height h1 above the zero-height position, including forming a fluid bridge between the outlet and the substrate; (C) optionally lifting the capillary tube relative to the substrate by a height increment of Dh while continuing to extrude the metallic nanoparticle composition from the outlet; and (D) rapidly lifting the capillary tube to separate the outlet from the fluid bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: XTPL S.A.
    Inventors: Jolanta Gadzalińska, Piotr Kowalczewski, Karolina Fiączyk, Aneta Wiatrowska, Filip Granek
  • Patent number: 12121637
    Abstract: A method of atomizing a fluid composition is provided that includes dynamically measuring the minimum-required actuation energy for the fluid composition. The method includes the steps of: connecting a microfluidic cartridge with a housing of a microfluidic device, the microfluidic cartridge comprising a reservoir containing the fluid composition and a microfluidic die in fluid communication with the reservoir; the microfluidic device comprising a controller; measuring the minimum-required actuation energy for the fluid composition at a first time; atomizing the fluid composition in a first atomization period; measuring the minimum-required actuation energy for a fluid composition at a second time that is after the first time; and atomizing the fluid composition in a second atomization period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bruce David Gibson, Stephan Gary Bush, Chisomaga Ugochi Nwachukwu, Judith Ann Hollingshead
  • Patent number: 12122155
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an ink application unit, a reactant application unit, a control unit configured to control an application amount of the reactant to be applied by the reactant application unit, and an identification unit configured to identify a pixel included in a line portion based on image data indicating an image to be formed on the print medium. The control unit controls the application amount of the reactant so that an amount per unit area of the reactant to be applied to a region in which the line portion to be formed on the print medium with the pixel identified by the identification unit is to be printed is less than the amount per unit area of the reactant to be applied to a region in which an image including a pixel not identified by the identification unit is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yugo Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 12115792
    Abstract: When inspection driving is performed by a liquid ejection head, a signal output circuit outputs a determination signal indicating whether a nozzle is an abnormal nozzle. The inspection driving is driving the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from the nozzle for checking whether the nozzle is the abnormal nozzle. A recovery device performs a recovery operation of discharging liquid from the nozzle. A controller is configured to: in response to receiving a first signal, perform the inspection driving and, in response to determining that the determination signal transmitted from the signal output circuit indicates that the abnormal nozzle exists, store flag information in a memory, the flag information indicating that the recovery operation needs to be performed; and in response to receiving a second signal different from the first signal and determining that the memory stores the flag information, control the recovery device to perform the recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade, Hironori Takasaki, Toshiro Ueda, Tatsuya Shindo, Ryuji Horata
  • Patent number: 12113147
    Abstract: A method for inkjet printing includes setting a target volume and a target concentration of ink discharged to a pixel, measuring a volume and a concentration of a liquid drop for each of nozzles, selecting first nozzle groups for achieving the target volume, from a volume pool of the liquid drop for each of the nozzles, selecting second nozzle groups for achieving the target concentration, from the first nozzle groups, selecting recipes by combining brightness trend lines, from the second nozzle groups, performing a printing simulation for each of the recipes to select a final recipe, and performing inkjet printing by using the final recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kang Soo Han, Ju Yong Kim, Ho Yong Shin, Gyeong Eun Eoh, Jun Hwi Lim
  • Patent number: 12109808
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head including a heating element, a first protection layer that blocks contact between the heating element and liquid, a second protection layer that covers at least a portion of the first protection layer to be heated by the heating element and that functions as a first electrode, a second electrode that is electrically connected to the first electrode through the liquid, an ejection port that ejects the liquid, and a temperature detection element that corresponds to the heating element, and a detection unit configured to detect a feature point in a temperature curve that indicates a relationship between time and temperature, in which a combination of a potential set for the first electrode and a potential set for the second electrode in a case where printing is performed varies from that in a case where the detection unit detects the feature point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hamada, Takahiro Matsui, Takatsugu Moriya, Nobuyuki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 12112218
    Abstract: There are provided a chart manufacturing apparatus, a chart manufacturing method, a program, and an image forming system that do not need to switch backgrounds in a case of measuring a chart using two types of backgrounds having colors different from each other. The chart manufacturing apparatus that forms, on a transparent substrate, a chart (102) measured by applying a first background color and a second background color, forms a first measurement background image (130) on a transparent substrate (100) using a coloring material corresponding to a first background color, forms a first patch group (122) including one or more first patches (126) using a coloring material of a first color at a position corresponding to the first measurement background image, and forms a second patch group (120) including one or more second patches (124) at a position where the first measurement background image is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyomi Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 12098051
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor that acquires first and second data groups of paper characteristics by measuring a recording medium; a processor that determines a parameter for controlling at least one of image formation and conveyance of a recording medium on a conveyance path based on the first and second data groups acquired by the sensor; an image former that forms an image on a recording medium conveyed on the conveyance path based on the parameter. The processor compares the first and second paper characteristic data groups, the first paper characteristic data group has been measured at a first time period and the second paper characteristic data group has been measured at a second time period nearer to a present time than the first time period, and the processor controls the image formation based on a the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ogata, Yumiko Izumiya, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Hiroyuki Maruyama, Masashi Sugano, Tsuyoshi Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 12101444
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a first detection unit to detect a first movement amount of a recording medium. The apparatus includes a first liquid discharge unit, a first image capturing unit to capture a first image of the medium in a capturing range between the first detection unit and the first liquid discharge unit, a second image capturing unit to capture a second image of the medium in the capturing range between the first discharge unit and the first capturing unit, a second detection unit to detect a second movement amount of the medium based on the first and second images, a first determining unit to determine a discharge timing of the first discharge unit based on the first and second movement amounts, and a second determining unit to determine a capturing timing of the second capturing unit based on the first and second movement amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Maruoka
  • Patent number: 12100689
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a light emitting display device includes a substrate transfer stage including a plurality of support plates arranged at an interval in a first direction, each of the plurality of support plates extending in a second direction; and at least one electric-field application module disposed on at least one side of the substrate transfer stage. The at least one electric-field application module includes a probe head including at least one probe pin; and a driver connected to the probe head to move the probe head at least up and down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Hyuk Kang, Hae Yun Choi, Han Su Kim, Eun A Yang, Hyun Min Cho, Keun Kyu Song, Jin Oh Kwag
  • Patent number: 12076995
    Abstract: When inspection driving is performed by a liquid ejection head, a signal output circuit outputs a determination signal indicating whether a nozzle is an abnormal nozzle. The inspection driving is driving the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from the nozzle for checking whether the nozzle is the abnormal nozzle. A recovery device performs a recovery operation of discharging liquid from the nozzle. A controller is configured to: in response to receiving a first signal, perform the inspection driving and, in response to determining that the determination signal transmitted from the signal output circuit indicates that the abnormal nozzle exists, store flag information in a memory, the flag information indicating that the recovery operation needs to be performed; and in response to receiving a second signal different from the first signal and determining that the memory stores the flag information, control the recovery device to perform the recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade, Hironori Takasaki, Toshiro Ueda, Tatsuya Shindo, Ryuji Horata
  • Patent number: 12067303
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus includes an operation panel, the image forming apparatus forming an image based on image data; and a user terminal having a printer driver capable of configuring preliminary setting information pertaining to formation of the image. The user terminal is able to transmit the preliminary setting information configured by the printer driver to the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is accessed by a user after receiving the preliminary setting information, the image forming apparatus transitions to an image-data acquisition standby state to accept an operation to acquire image data, and when the image data is acquired, the image forming apparatus forms an image based on the image data by applying the preliminary setting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Chikako Tomita, Akitoshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 12059899
    Abstract: A method of printing an image from a print chip having plurality of horizontal nozzle rows. The method includes the steps of allocating first dot data for an image line of the image to nozzles in a first row portion of a first nozzle row; allocating second dot data for the image line to nozzles in a second row portion; sending the first and second dot data to the print chip and firing respective droplets. Some bits of the first dot data correspond to pixels of the image line aligned with the second row portion, and some bits of the second dot data correspond to pixels of the image line aligned with the first row portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Brian Brown, Julie Hogan, Ronan Palliser, Keshu Nazneen, Juliette Le Hir, Rodney Hardy
  • Patent number: 12059894
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge device and circuitry. The liquid discharge device includes a plurality of rows of nozzles. The circuitry determines a timing at which the plurality of nozzles discharge the liquid based on a density of a plurality of patch images. Each of the plurality of patch images includes a reference dot and an adjustment dot. The reference dot and the adjustment dot are formed by the liquid discharged from the plurality of nozzles in a first row and in a second row, respectively, of the plurality of rows of nozzles. The reference dot corresponds to a prescribed base pixel. The adjustment dot corresponds to an adjustment pixel adjacent to the base pixel in the width direction. The adjustment pixel is shifted from the base pixel in the conveyance direction by a number of pixels that differs for each of the plurality of patch images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Motegi
  • Patent number: 12059902
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing unit that includes an ejection port surface provided with ejection ports through which liquid is ejected, a wiping unit, a depressurizing unit, and detection unit. The wiping unit has an opening and wipes the ejection port surface by moving in a predetermined direction while the opening abuts against the ejection port surface. The depressurizing unit applies negative pressure to the ejection port surface via the opening. The detection unit detects an ejection state of the ejection ports. After driving the depressurizing unit when the opening abuts against the ejection port surface, the suction operation sucks the liquid from the ejection ports while moving the wiping unit. The suction operation is performed from a first ejection port detected as an ejection-failed ejection port by the detection unit under a suction condition different from suction conditions of the ejection ports other than the first ejection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Sasaki, Shuichi Tokuda, Takahiro Kiuchi, Koki Kudo, Yuka Tani, Akira Kida
  • Patent number: 12043028
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a recording head ejects ink corresponding to an image to be printed, using arranged nozzles. A control unit determines nozzles corresponding to the image to be printed, correspondingly to a position of a print sheet, and causes the recording head to eject ink from the nozzles. A correction processing performs a correction process corresponding to each of ink ejection malfunction positions in the image. Further, the correction processing unit (a) sets the ink ejection malfunction positions as targets of the correction process in advance, and (b) excludes from the targets on the basis of a sheet size of the print sheet an ink ejection malfunction position corresponding to a nozzle that is not used for the print sheet among nozzles corresponding to the plural ink ejection malfunction positions and thereafter performs the correction process for the targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroomi Nakatsuji
  • Patent number: 12023914
    Abstract: A belt suitable for detection of a meandering amount of the belt and detection of a reference position for one round of the belt is realized with a simple configuration. The recording device belt has a plurality of marks for belt position detection disposed in a transport direction of the belt. Each of the plurality of marks has: a first specific portion whose dimension in the transport direction differs depending on a position in an intersecting direction that intersects with the transport direction; and a second specific portion whose dimension in the transport direction is constant regardless of the position in the intersecting direction. The plurality of marks include a reference mark whose dimension in the transport direction of the second specific portion is different from that of the other marks in the plurality of marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Naohiro Anan
  • Patent number: 12017452
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to bring a print head into a liquid ejectable state while reducing waste ink. The present invention is a printing apparatus including: a tank in which liquid is stored; a print head that comprises an ejection port surface on which an ejection port is formed, the ejection port ejecting the liquid which is supplied from the tank; a cap mechanism that caps the ejection port surface of the print head; a timer that counts a time during which the ejection port surface is capped; and a circulation unit configured to circulate the liquid in a circulation path including the tank and the print head, and in a case where the timer counts a predetermined time, the circulation unit circulates the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Fukasawa, Takatoshi Nakano, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshinori Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 12017463
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control so that a distribution ratio based on which color separation data separated as having a predetermined color is distributed into data for a first nozzle array and a distribution ratio based on which color separation data is distributed into data for a second nozzle array are different depending on a tone value in the color separation data, and a generation unit configured to generate printing data to be used for printing by the first nozzle array based on the distributed data for the first nozzle array and generate printing data to be used for printing by the second nozzle array based on the distributed data for the second nozzle array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABU SHIKI KAIS HA
    Inventors: Shin Genta, Yuji Konno, Yoshitomo Marumoto, Naoko Baba, Jumpei Jogo, Takayuki Ushiyama, Yumi Shimokodachi, Taichi Yokokawa, Serena Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 12017451
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes: a head including a nozzle configured to eject ink toward a recording medium; a storage portion storing therein ink and formed with an air communication opening allowing an interior of the storage portion to be communicated with an outside thereof; a valve movable between an opening position opening the air communication opening and a closing position closing the air communication opening; an actuator configured to move the valve; a state sensor configured to output a detection signal based on the state of the inkjet recording device; and a controller configured to perform: (a) determining, on the basis of the detection signal, whether the inkjet recording device has an abnormality; and (b) controlling, in a case where determination is made in (a) that the inkjet recording device has an abnormality, the actuator to move the valve to the closing position from the opening position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Fumio Nakazawa, Taichi Shirono, Sosuke Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 12017462
    Abstract: A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes at least one physical memory device to store halftone calibration logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the halftone calibration logic determine an uncalibrated deposition distribution for each of a plurality of pel forming elements, determine a calibrated deposition distribution for each of the plurality of pel forming elements and determine calibration values for each of the plurality of pel forming elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikel Stanich, Nikita Gurudath, Walter F. Kailey, Larry M. Ernst
  • Patent number: 12009233
    Abstract: An apparatus for imprint lithography can include a logic element configured to generate a fluid droplet pattern of fluid droplets of a formable material to be dispensed onto a substrate. The fluid droplet pattern includes an imprint field, wherein the imprint field has a side and a drop exclusion zone along the side, and the drop exclusion zone is narrower at a first point farther from the center of a side and wider at a second point closer to the center of the side. In another aspect, a method can be carried out using the apparatus. The apparatus and method can be useful in filling an imprint field with a formable material relatively quickly without extrusion defects or other complications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Amir Tavakkoli Kermani Ghariehali, Edward Brian Fletcher
  • Patent number: 11987048
    Abstract: A driving device includes a piezoelectric element, a driving electrode, a first switch that performs switching whether to electrically couple the first wire to the driving electrode, a detection circuit that detects, via a second wire, a vibration produced in the piezoelectric element, a second switch that performs switching whether to electrically couple the second wire to the driving electrode, and a determination circuit that determines a state of the piezoelectric element. The second switch remains off during a first period, remains on during a second period subsequent to the first period, remains off during a third period subsequent to the second period, and remains on during a fourth period subsequent to the third period. The determination circuit determines a state of the piezoelectric element, based on a detection result of the detection circuit in at least part of the fourth period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daichi Orihara, Masashi Kamiyanagi
  • Patent number: 11987050
    Abstract: A droplet ejection device includes a processor; and a memory device configured to store a program, the program executed by the processor to cause the processor to: acquire information of a droplet ejection unit including a plurality of nozzles, the plurality of nozzles moving in a first direction toward an object and ejecting a droplet; and set ejection conditions of the droplet in each of the plurality of nozzles based on the acquired information of the droplet ejection unit. The droplet ejection device further may include an inspection unit configured to inspect the nozzle. The information of the nozzle may include information of a shape in a tip of the nozzle. It is possible to eject a droplet in a stable and consistent manner at a predetermined position by using one embodiment of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: SIJTechnology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Murata
  • Patent number: 11987062
    Abstract: A method for correcting an image includes: moving first and second ink jet heads and a medium relative to each other, each of the first and second ink jet heads including nozzles and drive elements corresponding to the nozzles respectively; discharging ink droplets from the nozzles of the first and second ink jet heads, by connecting each of the drive elements to one of power supply circuits and by applying voltage to each of the drive elements, the power supply circuits having different output voltage values each other; determining a density difference between a first image region and a second image region; and switching the voltage to be applied to first drive elements to a first voltage by switching the power supply circuits to be connected to the first drive elements based on the density difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Kato, Hiroto Sugahara, Taro Nagano
  • Patent number: 11979532
    Abstract: A reading apparatus includes a conveyance roller configured to convey a medium, a reading unit configured to read an image of the medium conveyed by the conveyance roller, a detection unit configured to detect a rotation phase of the conveyance roller, a storage unit configured to store index values, each index value being associated with the rotation phase of the conveyance roller and corresponding to a conveyance amount of the conveyance roller per unit rotation angle, and a timing control circuit configured to select the index value based on a detection result of the detection unit and to control a reading timing of the reading unit based on a result of comparing a cumulative value of selected index values with a threshold corresponding to a reading resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Eiyama, Kazuya Koizumi, Takuya Tsunemi
  • Patent number: 11975533
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device including: inkjet head having a pressure chamber; a first pressure source to adjust ink energy per unit volume to generate “energy per unit volume” P1(Pa) relative to static ink at an atmospheric pressure at a nozzle opening height; a second pressure source to adjust ink energy per unit volume to generate “energy per unit volume” P2(Pa) relative to static ink; and a hardware processor. The first pressure source, pressure chamber, and second pressure source are connected in this order by a flow path. Assuming that a pressure loss occurring from the first pressure source to the nozzle due to circulation flow rate is ?Pa, a proportionality constant of a differential pressure (P1?P2) and ?Pa is “a”, and an appropriate pressure in vicinity of the nozzle opening is Pn, the hardware processor controls pressure to establish P2={Pn?(1?a)P1}/a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yusuke Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 11964489
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink, a conveyor belt that has a plurality of apertures and conveys recording media one by one, a control unit, an ink receiver, and a pipe-shaped ink discharge flow path. The control unit controls drive of the recording head and the conveyor belt to perform flushing, in which the ink is ejected from the nozzle of the recording head to pass through one of the apertures, at a timing different from a timing contributing to image recording. The ink receiver is disposed to face the recording head sandwiching the conveyor belt therebetween, to receive the ink after passing through the aperture when the flushing is performed. The ink discharge flow path is connected to the ink receiver. When the flushing is performed, a predetermined amount of liquid is stored in the ink receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Somete, Chikara Ishihara, Noriaki Furukawa, Takuma Araki, Jun Nakano, Hiroomi Nakatsuji, Issei Nakano
  • Patent number: 11958289
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head control circuit controls a liquid ejecting head and a switching circuit. The liquid ejecting head control circuit includes a drive signal output circuit, and a switching control circuit. The switching control circuit outputs an ejection control signal defining an amount of a liquid to be ejected from a nozzle, a switching timing signal defining switching timing of the switching circuit, and a state selection signal defining a state of the switching circuit in a control period defined by the switching timing signal. The state selection signal for a first time period for which the liquid ejecting head is controlled so as to eject the liquid from the nozzle is different from the state selection signal for a second time period for which the liquid ejecting head is controlled so as not to eject the liquid from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sukehiro Ito
  • Patent number: 11951752
    Abstract: A controller includes a print controller configured to cause the print execution engine to convey the print medium in a conveying direction and execute a plurality of partial printings. The print controller causes the print execution engine to execute first and second partial printings. On a print medium, first and second target ranges on which printing is to be performed by the first and second partial printings, respectively, form an overlapping range. The first and second target ranges include first and second non-overlapping ranges, respectively, that do not overlap the second and first target ranges, respectively. The print controller generates print data based on non-overlapping range data and overlapping range data. The generating the print data includes increasing a density of at least a portion of the image to be printed in the overlapping range as compared with a density of the images to be printed in the non-overlapping ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane