Measuring And Testing (e.g., Diagnostics) Patents (Class 347/19)
  • Patent number: 12157321
    Abstract: An inkjet printer prints on a first side of a media sheet less than all of the color separations in an image, generates a first set of image data of the printed color separations to identify image features, returns the partially printed media sheet to a position that precedes the print zone in the printer, generates a second set of image data of the partially printed media sheet before it reenters the print zone to identify the image features, compares the positions of the image features in the first set of image data to the positions of the image features in the second set of image data to register one or more color separations remaining to be printed with the color separations printed on the first side of the media sheet, and prints the remaining registered color separations on the first side of the partially printed media sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Herrmann, Seemit Praharaj, Jason M. LeFevre, Jorge A. Alvarez, Chu-Heng Liu
  • Patent number: 12155795
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes: a processor to inspect whether or not a printing result is normal based on a comparison of an image previously scanned by an image scanner that scans an image on a recording medium to an image scanned by the image scanner when a print job is executed; and a display, wherein the processor sets an area exempt from inspection; and wherein the processor displays the area in a solid opaque color, with respect to the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Tetsu Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 12138913
    Abstract: Provided are a control unit that predicts the life of an inkjet head unit and maximizes its life to be used, and a substrate treating apparatus including the same. The control unit performs maintenance of an inkjet head unit for discharging a substrate treatment liquid onto a substrate and comprises a count module for counting the number of discharges for each nozzle of the inkjet head unit, a comparison module for comparing the number of discharges with a reference value to determine whether the number of discharges is equal to or greater than the reference value, and an evaluation module for evaluating whether a life of the inkjet head unit has reached a usable life based on whether the number of discharges of each nozzle is equal to or greater than the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yeon Chul Song, Myeong Jun Lim, Kwang Sup Kim, Jong Min Lee, Jun Ho Oh, Ji Hoon Yoo, Young Ho Park
  • Patent number: 12138918
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharge apparatus includes: a metallic discharge head configured to discharge a liquid droplet onto a print medium; an electrode arranged facing the discharge head; a voltage source configured to generate a potential difference between the discharge head and the electrode; a current detection part configured to detect a current flowing between the discharge head and the electrode; and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a volume of the liquid droplet based on a current value detected by the current detection part, in a case that the liquid droplet is discharged from the discharge head in a state that the potential difference is generated between the discharge head and the electrode by the voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruhisa Takayama, Atsushi Ito, Yuya Kato
  • Patent number: 12126781
    Abstract: A color printing system manages ICC profiles by controlling ink use without performing the ICC profile creation operations. To obtain an ink limit for an ICC profile, a table associated with the ICC profile is parsed to determine the ink limit. The ink limit is decreased or increased. For an ink limit decrease, a color over the decreased ink limit is adjusted to meet the new ink limit. The ICC profile is updated accordingly. For an ink limit increase, the combination of primary colors are boosted by a percentage amount. Checks are made with regard to the volume-based ink limit and an quality check operation to accepted the boosted amount. The ICC profile is updated accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Michael M. Chang, Javier A. Morales
  • Patent number: 12115780
    Abstract: A printer includes a conveyor to convey a tape having a plurality of marks in a conveyance direction, the marks including a first mark, and a second mark formed downstream of the first mark in the conveyance direction, a print head to print an image on the tape, a reflection sensor to detect the marks on the tape by emitting light toward the tape and receiving reflected light from the tape, and output a detection signal according to the reflected light when detecting the marks, and a controller. The controller is configured to set a threshold to be variable based on a level of the detection signal when the reflection sensor detects the second mark, and identify a position of the first mark based on a result of comparison between the threshold and a level of the detection signal when the reflection sensor detects the first mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Ota
  • Patent number: 12109809
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a liquid discharge head having a nozzle; an electrode facing the nozzle; a power supply which generates a potential difference between the liquid discharge head and the electrode; a first output unit which outputs a first signal in accordance with an electric change in a case that the liquid discharge head is caused to perform inspection driving; a low-pass filter; a second output unit; a high-pass filter; a third output unit; and a controller. The controller executes determination as to whether or not the liquid is normally discharged from the nozzle, based on the first signal; and determination as to whether or not a short circuit occurs between the liquid discharge head and the electrode, based on a second signal output from the second output unit and a third signal output from the third output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayoshi Hayashi, Ryuji Horata, Takafumi Nakase, Nobumasa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12090499
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a quality inspection system for the entire process of inkjet printing manufacturing of display devices, which includes a substrate inspection module, a nozzle inspection module, an ink droplet inspection module, a coating thickness inspection module, and a control module. Through the design and matching of these modules, it is possible to realize a series of operations such as substrate inspection, nozzle inspection, flying ink droplet inspection, liquid coating inspection, and cured coating inspection. The system also discloses a corresponding quality inspection method for the entire inkjet printing manufacturing process for display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: HUAZHONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jiankui Chen, Zhouping Yin, Qiangqiang Liu
  • Patent number: 12090771
    Abstract: A printing machine includes a plurality of inkjet print heads arranged together in a printing unit and controlled by a control unit. At least two of the inkjet print heads are jointly arranged in relation to a stationary position in a transport path at a printing nip. The control unit activates a first inkjet print head when a substrate of a first substrate type moves past the stationary position, and activates a second inkjet print head when a substrate of a second substrate type moves past the stationary position. The first substrate type and the second substrate type differ from each other in material and/or nature of a surface to be printed. The inkjet print heads arranged in the printing unit are each configured to print an ink that comprises at least one colorant, both for the first substrate type and for the second substrate type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Breunig, Simon Stahl
  • Patent number: 12090754
    Abstract: Provided are a nozzle inspection method and a nozzle inspection apparatus capable of accurately detecting a defect in an inkjet head nozzle within a short time. The nozzle inspection method comprises discharging a plurality of droplets into a first region of interest of a substrate using a first nozzle to form an inspection pattern, and determining whether the first nozzle is defective based on the inspection pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Uk Son, Yong Tak Hyun, Dae Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 12086663
    Abstract: The inkjet printing apparatus is configured to be able to execute a batch adjustment process of performing a plurality of times of adjustment processes related to printing in succession based on one instruction from an outside. The conveyance control unit maintains the conveyance speed at a first speed in a period when a chart printing process is performed and a period when a chart imaging process is performed. The conveyance control unit decreases the conveyance speed from the first speed to the second speed after the end of the chart imaging process in an adjustment process except for an adjustment process that is performed last in the batch adjustment process, and increases the conveyance speed from the second speed to the first speed before the start of the chart printing process in an adjustment process that is performed next.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigenori Arizono, Kohei Ueda, Ryoko Sakurai, Yuya Takagi, Hiroki Endo, Kenichi Yokouchi, Tomotaka Kato, Asuka Muramatsu, Kensuke Usui
  • Patent number: 12070959
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes at least one processor, an apparatus main body that is capable of holding a tank that stores liquid; and a sensor that detects at least a state of motion of the tank. The processor outputs dispersion information showing an operation to move the apparatus main body to disperse the liquid in the tank based on the state of the motion of the tank detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Fumihiro Osakabe
  • Patent number: 12067305
    Abstract: A method for controlling an information processing apparatus includes a notifying step of, if an error is occurring in a printing apparatus under non-completion of an initial setting process for the printing apparatus when a predetermined program is operating on the information processing apparatus, executing a notification process for notifying a user of the error occurring in the printing apparatus on the basis of error information, the initial setting process being a process executed in response to the user turning on the printing apparatus for a first time after the printing apparatus is unpacked, and not executing the notification process if an error is occurring in the printing apparatus under completion of the initial setting process for the printing apparatus when the predetermined program is operating on the information processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshinori Kawaura
  • Patent number: 12043024
    Abstract: A shift amount detecting chart is formed on web paper, and the shift amount detecting chart is photographed by an image pickup unit. An image processor calculates shift amounts smaller than a maximum shift amount in absolute values as correction values based on a variation trace of density peak positions from image data corresponding to the shift amount detecting chart photographed by the image pickup unit. A controller corrects printing timing with these correction values. Consequently, even when temporal variations occur to the shift amounts within a predetermined length, since the correction values are calculated based on the shift amounts smaller than the maximum shift amount in absolute values, an excessive correction can be prevented, thereby to improve printing quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Ichioka
  • Patent number: 12036791
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge device, a driving device, processing circuitry, and a reading device. The discharge device discharges liquid to a recording medium to form a test pattern. The driving device causes the discharge device to discharge the liquid according to a driving waveform. The processing circuitry inputs a plurality of driving waveforms and acquires first data indicating a standard pattern that corresponds to the driving waveform and is formed with the driving waveform or indicating a parameter of the standard pattern. The reading device reads the test pattern to generate second data. The processing circuitry compares the second data with the first data and selects a driving waveform generating a smallest difference between the second data and the first data, based on a result of comparison of the second data with the first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12036796
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharging unit configured to be capable of discharging a plurality of kinds of liquids onto a medium, and a waste liquid tank including a storage part configured to store a waste liquid of the liquid. The waste liquid tank includes a first inflow port and a second inflow port from which the waste liquid flows into the storage part, and a restriction portion located between the first inflow port and the second inflow port, and configured to restrict movement of the waste liquid in the storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Takenaga, Koya Iwakura, Hideaki Matsumura, Tetsu Hamano, Nobuhiro Toki, Daiju Takeda, Fumie Kameyama, Koki Shimada, Shota Asada, Yusuke Tanaka, Yuta Araki, Taiji Maruyama, Atsushi Matsuyama, Yusuke Naratani, Kousuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12017450
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head having nozzles; a signal output device; a recovery device configured to perform a first recovery operation or a second recovery operation, to discharge liquid from the nozzles; and a controller configured to: in response to receiving a second signal, activate the signal output device, and drive the liquid ejection head in a check mode for ejecting liquid from the nozzles, the second signal instructing to record a check pattern on a recording medium; in response to receiving a first signal indicating that a first nozzle being one of the nozzles is in failure in liquid ejection when the liquid ejection head in driven in the check mode, activate the recovery device to perform the first recovery operation; and subsequent to the first recovery operation, drive the liquid ejection head to record the check pattern on the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Shindo
  • Patent number: 12011917
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a transport belt, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a controller. The transport belt transports the recording sheet. The optical sensor emits light to the transport belt, and receives the light reflected by the transport belt. The ultrasonic sensor transmits ultrasonic wave to the transport belt, and receives the ultrasonic wave transmitted through the transport belt. The controller decides whether an output from each of the optical sensor and the ultrasonic sensor represents a normal value or an abnormal value, and executes predetermined control, depending on a combination of decision results about the respective outputs from the optical sensor and the ultrasonic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hayamizu, Daijiro Ueno, Tetsuya Ueno, Hisaji Kawai, Haruki Sayama
  • Patent number: 12011921
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a storage chamber which is connectable to a cartridge storing liquid and stores liquid supplied from the cartridge; a movable member provided in the storage chamber and including a float and a detection target portion, the float being lower in specific gravity than the liquid stored in the storage chamber; and a detection unit which detects movement of the movable member by detecting the detection target portion. The detection target portion is movable from a first position to a third position through a second position. The detection unit is arranged to detect the detection target portion in a case where the detection target portion is present at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 12005705
    Abstract: Misalignment between landing positions is appropriately corrected. A printing device 10 that performs printing by an inkjet method includes an inkjet head 102, a carriage 100, a main scan driving part 18 (carriage drive mechanism), a detection mechanism 106, and a controller 30. The controller 30 detects a position where a concentration is the highest among concentrations of a correction pattern changing depending on positions in a main scanning direction, calculates magnitude of misalignment between a landing position of ink ejected from the inkjet head 102 when the carriage 100 moves to a first direction side and a landing position of the ink ejected from the inkjet head 102 when the carriage 100 moves to a second direction side based on a detection result of the position where the concentration is the highest, and corrects the misalignment between the landing positions based on a calculation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuhide Misaizu
  • Patent number: 11993071
    Abstract: This document discloses a system to dispense a precise and continuous amount of ink for a large printing press. The dispensing system can be judiciously combined into a more elaborate dispensing system that uses two chambers with ink having a different density to dispense ink with a precise, adjustable and stable ink density. The dispensing system can be used to compensate the drifts in quality observed in presses when the speed, or any environmentable parameters vary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BOBST FIRENZE S.R.L.
    Inventors: Federico D'Annunzio, Antonio Bellosi, Andrea Melchiorri
  • Patent number: 11993079
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: an ejection section ejecting a liquid; a state detection section detecting a state of the ejection section; a determination section determining whether or not the ejection section has an abnormality; a recording section recording a determination result of the determination section; a temperature detection section detecting a temperature of the ejection section; and a maintenance section executing maintenance processing on the ejection section, in which when the recording section records abnormality information indicating the abnormality of the ejection section as the determination result by determining that the abnormality occurred in the ejection section by the determination section, and the temperature detection section detects a temperature that is out of an inspection temperature range in which the state detection section detects the state of the ejection section, the abnormality information recorded in the recording section is reset if the maintenance section execute
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daichi Orihara, Masashi Kamiyanagi
  • Patent number: 11981147
    Abstract: A first printing unit and a second printing unit are supplied with ink from a first sub-tank and a second sub-tank, respectively. The first sub-tank and the second sub-tank are supplied with the ink from a first branch pipe and a second branch pipe, respectively. The first branch pipe is provided with a first valve, and the second branch pipe is provided with a second valve. A central control unit determines which one of the first sub-tank and the second sub-tank is to be preferentially supplied with ink based on at least one of the amount of remaining ink in each of the first sub-tank and the second sub-tank, and an estimated amount of consumption of ink in each of the first printing unit and the second printing unit, and controls the first valve and the second valve based on a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Mizuta, Mitsuru Tanemoto, Yuto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11981138
    Abstract: An information processing system includes a storage portion that stores a learned model obtained by performing machine learning on a maintenance condition for a print head based on a data set in which nozzle surface image information obtained by photographing a nozzle plate surface of the print head and maintenance information representing necessity of maintenance of the print head or a recommended execution timing of the maintenance are associated with each other, an acquisition portion that acquires the nozzle surface image information, and a processing portion that outputs the maintenance information based on the nozzle surface image information and the learned model at a timing before a discharge defect of the print head occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunaga Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11974490
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a display device, the apparatus comprising: a droplet discharger comprising a nozzle configured to discharge a droplet; a first detector on a falling path of the droplet that falls from the droplet discharger and configured to detect a shape of the droplet; a second detector spaced apart from the first detector and configured to detect the shape of the droplet that falls from the droplet discharger; and a controller configured to calculate at least one of a volume of the droplet, a falling speed of the droplet, the falling path of the droplet, or a discharge angle, at which the droplet is discharged from the nozzle, based on results detected by the first detector and the second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeongwon Han
  • Patent number: 11970001
    Abstract: A driving waveform determining method with which a waveform of a driving pulse applied to a driving element provided in a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid is determined includes: a first step of determining a waveform candidate of the driving pulse; a second step of notifying a user of candidate information of the waveform candidate; a third step of receiving an instruction issued by the user in accordance with the candidate information; and a fourth step of determining the waveform of the driving pulse in accordance with the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Toyofuku, Toshiro Murayama, Takahiro Katakura
  • Patent number: 11964480
    Abstract: A driving waveform determining method with which a waveform of a driving pulse applied to a driving element provided in a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid is determined includes: a first step of measuring, by performing a simulation, ejection characteristics of the liquid from the liquid ejecting head when a waveform candidate is used for the driving pulse; a second step of measuring, by performing an actual measurement, the ejection characteristics of the liquid from the liquid ejecting head when the waveform candidate is used for the driving pulse; and a third step of determining the waveform of the driving pulse in accordance with a measurement result obtained in the first step and a measurement result obtained in the second step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Toyofuku, Toshiro Murayama, Takahiro Katakura
  • Patent number: 11964478
    Abstract: A waveform determination method is disclosed that includes acquiring second timing information regarding a timing at which the flight distance of the droplet reaches the first distance when each of the plurality of waveform candidates indicated by the second waveform information is used, and a determination step of determining a waveform of each of the first drive pulse and the second drive pulse based on the first timing information and the second timing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Murayama, Atsushi Toyofuku, Shunya Fukuda, Takahiro Katakura
  • Patent number: 11958299
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that performs printing on a medium while being manually moved relative to the medium, the printing apparatus including a first discharger including a first nozzle row that discharges a first liquid, a second discharger including a second nozzle row that discharges a second liquid, a mode determination section that evaluates whether the printing apparatus operates in a first mode in which the printing apparatus is movable in an oblique direction with respect to a first direction or a second mode in which the printing apparatus is not movable in an oblique direction with respect to the first direction, and a first control section that restrains printing using both the first and second dischargers when the mode determination section determines that the printing apparatus operates in a first mode in which the printing apparatus operates in the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 11902490
    Abstract: A color printing system manages ICC profiles by controlling ink use without performing the ICC profile creation operations. To obtain an ink limit for an ICC profile, a table associated with the ICC profile is parsed to determine the ink limit. The ink limit is decreased or increased. For an ink limit decrease, a color over the decreased ink limit is adjusted to meet the new ink limit. The ICC profile is updated accordingly. For an ink limit increase, the combination of primary colors are boosted by a percentage amount. Checks are made with regard to the volume-based ink limit and an quality check operation to accepted the boosted amount. The ICC profile is updated accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Michael M. Chang, Javier A. Morales
  • Patent number: 11896985
    Abstract: A system for analysing drops capable of being ejected by a coating product applicator, includes a light source configured to illuminate a drop ejection zone, designated observation zone; a first image acquisition device configured to acquire an image of the observation zone; and an image analyser configured to determine, from the image of the observation zone, the presence of drops at a given distance from the applicator, the size of the drops and the absence of satellite; the light source and the first image acquisition device being situated on a same side of the observation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventors: Cédric Le Strat, Juan Guillermo Palacio
  • Patent number: 11899999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a former that performs image formation on a sheet conveyed on a conveyance path; a first hardware processor that detects a type of the sheet on which the image is formed; a second hardware processor that receives specification of a type of a sheet from a user; and a third hardware processor that receives a user setting regarding the image formation, wherein the user setting includes a setting for allowing the former to continuously perform the image formation in a case where the sheet type detected by the first hardware processor is different from the sheet type specified by the user received by the second hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Akinori Kimata, Kenichi Hayashi, Shiro Umeda, Yukinobu Iguchi, Satoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11897271
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, having a power source, a drivable device, a head, a motor, a carriage, a sensor, and a controller, is provided. In a recording process, the controller sets a limitation current calculated by subtracting a variable first driving current from an allowable current to the power source, controls the power source to supply the first driving current to the drivable device and simultaneously supply a variable second driving current not exceeding the maximum current to the motor, and when the controller determines, based on a signal output from the sensor, that a behavior of the carriage satisfies an error condition, on condition that the drivable device has completed a targeted conveying action, issue an error alert, and on condition that the drivable device has not completed the targeted conveying action, control the motor to cause the carriage to continue moving without issuing the error alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Arakawa
  • Patent number: 11888844
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrical circuit system for performing a test. The electrical circuit system includes a first circuitry that transmits a test request signal; a second circuitry that receives a response signal including a test authentication key, generates a test authentication-related value by performing a first Exclusive-OR operation on the test authentication key and a security, and sends the generated test authentication-related value to a third circuitry; and the third circuitry that generates the test authentication key in response to the request for test authentication, send the test authentication key, to the second circuitry, receives the test authentication-related value from the second circuitry, create a verification key by performing a second Exclusive-OR operation on the test authentication-related value and the security key, and generates a test result by verifying whether the verification key is identical to the test authentication key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SECUVE Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-Yoong Hong
  • Patent number: 11878530
    Abstract: A method of inkjet printer operation indicates a need for printhead purging without requiring analysis of printed images to detect streakiness in the images. The method compares terms of a histogram of a filtered response of an inkjet status vector to a streakiness metric to determine whether the distribution of inoperative inkjets in a printhead enables missing ink techniques to be used to compensate for inoperative inkjets in the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart A Schweid
  • Patent number: 11878520
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described herein for measurement of droplets dispensed from a printhead of an inkjet printer onto a substrate. An inkjet printer described herein comprises a printhead assembly comprising a printhead and an imaging system, the imaging system comprising a camera and a strobed LED source; and a deposition unit for positioning a substrate to receive droplets dispensed from the printhead and for imaging the droplets using the imaging system and the strobed LED source. Methods described herein comprise dispensing droplets of a liquid from a printhead of a printhead assembly of an inkjet printer onto a substrate; positioning the substrate with respect to an imaging system coupled to the printhead assembly, the imaging system comprising a camera and an LED light source; and imaging the droplets on the substrate by relatively scanning the substrate and the imaging system and strobing the LED light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry Chang
  • Patent number: 11875066
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling an information processing apparatus configured to execute an extension application associated with printing data generation software operatable in the information processing apparatus to extend a function, the method including: obtaining input data including printing setting; displaying a screen related to a specific function on a display unit in a case where it is determined based on the printing setting that the specific function is executed; editing the input data, such that the specific function is executed, to convert the input data into printing data; and transmitting the printing data to a printing apparatus after the screen is displayed on the display unit in the displaying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoki Shibamori
  • Patent number: 11865834
    Abstract: Examples relate to computer-implemented methods for a printing system comprising a printhead, and to printing systems. A method for a printing system comprises retrieving a stored first offset applied to the printhead to align the printhead, the first offset determined based on a first user input signal; and further aligning the printhead according to a further offset determined based on a further user input signal, the further offset indicating a difference from the first offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Maria Vila Abad, Xavier Quintero Ruiz, David Vendrell Tornero, Carles Carmona Calpe
  • Patent number: 11868058
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for compensating for variation of the image placement for each color station in an intermediate transfer drum system. A sensor detects the image placed by the previous station and triggers the imaging on the drum such that it properly registered to the previous image. However, the variation of the drum's radius results in runout which creates an error in the image placement, since the surface drum travel will be larger or smaller than expected. The method to correct for a lead edge offset for radial runout involves dividing the drum into regions and calculating an offset center of each region. As the drum transitions from region to region the offset value is updated to determine when to start imaging for proper placement on the sheet. The offset can be derived from the image runout to find the distance traveled from the transfer point or can be measured directly from color-to-color registration variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Patricia J. Donaldson, Jack T. Lestrange
  • Patent number: 11850841
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus has: a liquid discharge section configured to change an inner volume of a first pressure chamber communicating with a nozzle by a first piezoelectric element; a pressure vibration section configured to change an inner volume of a second pressure chamber by a second piezoelectric element; a driving signal generation section configured to generate a discharging driving signal for the first piezoelectric element and a detection driving signal for the second piezoelectric element; and a vibration detection section that detects residual vibration of a liquid filled in the second pressure chamber after the supply of the detection driving signal. The viscous resistance of a flow path between the second pressure chamber and the common flow path is lower than the viscous resistance of a flow path between the first pressure chamber and the common flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Katakura, Toshiro Murayama
  • Patent number: 11850866
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the technical field of printer consumables, and in particular, to a communication method for a consumable chip, a consumable chip, and a consumable. The communication method for a consumable chip includes: in the process of consumable serial number authentication, performing non-AC authentication with an imaging device based on a first serial number, and performing AC authentication with the imaging device based on a second serial number. The non-AC authentication is performed on the chip by using the first serial number before the device is upgraded, such that the imaging device records the first serial number as a used chip serial number. The second serial number, which is set after the device is upgraded, is only used for AC authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hangzhou Chipjet Technology Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Ding, Quan Sang
  • Patent number: 11841374
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media are provided for determining a sequential ordering of predefined transfers for transferring an object from source points of a source array to destination points of a destination array in a laboratory automation system. For each transition to a next transfer, first and second component travel costs between current and next transfer positions are determined. A transition travel cost is determined from the first and second component travel costs. The cost of each sequential ordering of the predefined transfers is based upon an aggregate of the transition travel costs for each ordering of the transfers. The resolved sequential ordering may be based upon the sequential ordering that has the lowest cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventor: Christopher Bremner
  • Patent number: 11831844
    Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes at least one physical memory device to store compensation logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the compensation logic to generate transfer functions for each of a plurality of color planes to compensate for overlapping pel forming elements of adjacent printheads, wherein the transfer functions are generated based on ink deposition functions for groups of pel forming elements including non-overlapping pel forming elements and the overlapping pel forming elements, wherein the transfer functions transform input digital counts, and wherein the ink deposition functions represent output ink amount versus input digital count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikel Stanich, Walter F. Kailey, Nikita Gurudath, Ziling Zhang, Brandon Skogen
  • Patent number: 11820157
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a reading device, and circuitry. The image forming device discharges ink droplets through nozzles to form an image on a recording medium conveyed in a first direction. The reading device reads the image formed on the recording medium. The circuitry generates a correction chart that includes patches, located in the first direction and representing different densities from each other, and two marks located at different positions from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The circuitry locates opposed end portions of the patches in the second direction outside the two marks in the second direction. The circuitry derives correction data, based on read data of an area of the patches existing inside the two marks in the second direction included in read data provided by the reading device reading the correction chart formed on the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuki Sagimori
  • Patent number: 11820141
    Abstract: An element substrate of a liquid ejection head includes an ejection element for ejecting a liquid, a plurality of electrode pads for receiving power for causing the ejection element to eject the liquid, and a sensor for detecting that the liquid has invaded the vicinity of the plurality of electrode pads. The sensor has first wiring connected with one electrode pad of the plurality of electrode pads and second wiring connected with one electrode pad different from the electrode pad connected with the first wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yohei Osuki
  • Patent number: 11820135
    Abstract: A print head includes a head portion that includes a driving element driven by a drive signal and ejects a liquid in response to the drive of the driving element, a flow path member provided with a liquid flow path for supplying a liquid to the head portion, a circuit board provided with a supply circuit for supplying the drive signal to the driving element and disposed between the head portion and the flow path member, and a light emitting element disposed between the circuit board and the flow path member, in which the flow path member is provided with a light guide tube that guides light emitted by the light emitting element to an outside of the flow path member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Nakano, Tatsuya Sato, Masahiro Toki, Shunsuke Kasai
  • Patent number: 11820134
    Abstract: A print head includes a head portion that includes a driving element driven by a drive signal and ejects a liquid in response to the drive of the driving element, a flow path member provided with a liquid flow path for supplying a liquid to the head portion, a circuit board provided with a supply circuit for supplying the drive signal to the driving element and disposed between the head portion and the flow path member, and a sound emitting element disposed between the circuit board and the flow path member, in which the flow path member is provided with a sound guide tube that guides sound emitted by the sound emitting element to an outside of the flow path member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Nakano, Tatsuya Sato, Masahiro Toki, Shunsuke Kasai
  • Patent number: 11801680
    Abstract: A method of operating a printer iteratively performs printhead purges and test pattern analysis until either every printhead has a number of inoperative inkjets that is less than a predetermined threshold or a maximum number of iterations is reached. An error message is generated for each printhead having a number of inoperative inkjets that is greater than the predetermined threshold. The iterative performance of the printhead purges and test pattern analysis is performed automatically prior to the commencement of printing operations with the printer to remove subjective and time-consuming analysis by a printer operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth L. Barrese, Dara N. Lubin, Ron E. Dufort, Matthew J. Ochs
  • Patent number: 11794472
    Abstract: A method of processing phase signals for continuous inkjet printing, said method comprising: providing at least one phase signal, wherein said at least one phase signal is an analogue signal; converting the at least one phase signal into at least one corresponding digitised phase signal; and processing said at least one digitised phasing signal, wherein the processing comprises extracting at least one predetermined phase parameter from the at least one digitised phasing signal when the at least one digitised phasing signal is a time-domain digitalised phase signal, and wherein the at least one predetermined phase parameter comprises one or more time-domain signal features of the at least one digitised phasing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventors: Nigel Edward Sherman, Arkadiusz Cezary Zawada, David Horsnell, Paul Cox
  • Patent number: 11794478
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head having a plurality of nozzles, a determination circuit, a clock, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the clock is in an on or off state. In response to determining that the clock is in an on state, the controller is configured to perform an inspection process at a first time. In the inspection process, the controller drives the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from a nozzle of the plurality nozzles and receive a determination signal that is output from the determination circuit in response to ejection of liquid from the nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. In response to determining that the clock is in an off state, the controller is configured to perform the inspection process at a predetermined time that is a time after the clock is returned to an on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Shindo, Toshiro Ueda, Ryuji Horata, Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade, Hironori Takasaki