Measuring And Testing (e.g., Diagnostics) Patents (Class 347/19)
  • Patent number: 9962949
    Abstract: In an implementation, a printhead includes a nozzle and a fluid channel. A sensor plate is located within the fluid channel. An impedance measurement circuit is coupled to the sensor plate to measure impedance of fluid within the channel during a fluid movement event that moves fluid past the sensor plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Adam L. Ghozeil, Scott A. Linn, David Maxfield, Andrew Van Brocklin
  • Patent number: 9962931
    Abstract: Examples include estimation of pen to paper spacing (PPS). Examples include an alignment pattern printed on a medium at a target speed, an optical scan procedure performed on the printed alignment pattern to determine values of cross-media misalignment for first and second portions of the alignment pattern, determination of a dynamic swath height error (DSHE) effect value based on the values of cross-media misalignment, and estimation of an amount of PPS based on the determined DSHE effect value and the target print speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jordi Sender Beleta, Montserrat Sorano Pallarol, Marcos Casaldaliga Albisu, M. Isabel Borrell Bayona
  • Patent number: 9956789
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling archival sheet curl formation in image receiving media substrates on which images are formed using aqueous inks as the marking material. Archival curl occurs over time and is based on a partial coverage of the image receiving media substrates by the deposited water-based marking materials. A unique post-processing scheme applies selective aqueous clear fluid onto imaged substrates (cut sheets) to substantially counteract long-term archival curl formation in the individual image receiving media substrates. Both opposing sides of the cut sheet are processed in a manner that causes them to substantially equally undergo the generally irreversible shrinkage phenomenon that leads to archival curl, thus substantially canceling out the archival curl formation mechanism. A clear fluid is applied image-wise to portions of one or both sides of the image receiving media substrates to counterbalance the formed aqueous ink image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R Moore, Paul J McConville, Peter Michael Gulvin, Jason M. LeFevre, David A. VanKouwenberg, Andrew W. Hays
  • Patent number: 9956799
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for test patterns that detect misalignment. One embodiment is a printer that includes a marking engine having rows of nozzles. The rows are separated along a Y direction, and each row of nozzles extends in an X direction. The printer also includes a controller that directs the marking engine to print multiple bands of a test pattern. Each band is printed by selecting nozzles in a first row, selecting nozzles in a second row that occupy adjacent X positions to the selected nozzles of the first row, and forming a band having multiple marks. Each mark includes a continuous line from a nozzle in the first row and a continuous line from a nozzle in the second row. Each band of the test pattern is printed by ejecting ink from nozzles in a different combination of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Edward Manchester, Mikel John Stanich
  • Patent number: 9950515
    Abstract: An information processing device performs processing of specifying a positional relationship between a first printing section and a second printing section based on image capturing data of a test image that is printed on a printing medium by the first printing section and the second printing section in each of which a plurality of printing elements are arranged. The test image includes a plurality of first lines which are printed by the first printing section so as to have printing positions different from each other in a line arrangement direction on the printing medium and a plurality of second lines which are printed by the second printing section so as to have printing positions different from each other in the line arrangement direction. The information processing device contains a printing coordinate acquisition section, a printing position acquisition section, and a positional shift amount calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masaru Iida
  • Patent number: 9944103
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid droplets; and a pattern forming unit configured to form a test pattern used for positional deviation adjustment including a first pattern serving as a reference pattern and a second pattern serving as an adjustment pattern. The first pattern and the second pattern each are a linear pattern that is parallel to a nozzle arrangement direction and has a disconnected portion. The disconnected portion of the first pattern and the disconnected portion of the second pattern are shifted from each other in the nozzle arrangement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Okada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Daisaku Horikawa, Yuichi Sakurada, Makoto Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 9944104
    Abstract: At least a part of an inspection image is divided into a finite number of local regions by allowing overlap in a first direction. A streak intensity signal quantitatively showing intensity of a streak for a position in a second direction intersecting with the first direction is created for each of the local regions. A position of a streak-like signal is detected by using each of at least one of T thresholds, where T is 1 or more. Presence or absence of a streak is determined for a position in accordance with the number of times of detection for each of thresholds in a local region group composed of two or more local regions connecting in the first direction. The number of times of detection required for determining that there is a streak for at least one of the thresholds is two or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Ukishima
  • Patent number: 9942419
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit, a detecting unit, and a creating unit. The forming unit forms a first image and at least one of second and third images on a recording medium. The first image is used to create correction data for gradation correction. The second image is used to detect a streak in a cross direction which is produced in the first image. The cross direction intersects a conveying direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The third image is used to detect the streak in the conveying direction which is produced in the first image. The detecting unit detects the streak by using at least one of the second and third images. When the detecting unit detects the streak, the creating unit creates the correction data on the basis of a portion other than a region corresponding to the streak in the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sugimoto, Masaomi Sakamoto, Shinsuke Sugi
  • Patent number: 9931857
    Abstract: An expendable supply includes a memory that stores a timing of a last warning after a recommended limit. A warning generator of a printer determines whether to generate a warning upon occurrence of certain operations. The warning generator generates a warning when the last warning generation time is not stored in the memory of the expendable supply upon detection by a printer detector, or upon the last warning generation included in a first time period is stored in the expendable supply memory at the detection by the detector and the first time period has elapsed at the detection by the detector. A warning is not generated upon the timing of the last warning generation included in the first time period is already stored in the expendable supply memory upon detection by the detector and the first time period having not elapsed at the detection by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Ohtaka, Tomoki Matsumura, Naoto Tajima
  • Patent number: 9931855
    Abstract: A liquid storage container for storing a liquid has a label member attached to a surface thereof. A bonding face of the label member that is bonded to the surface includes a first area and a second area having a low bonding strength. The second area covers a liquid supply port. A score line is formed on the label member, and the score line extends along a boundary between the first area and the second area and is formed in the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Fukui, Masanori Kaneko, Keiichiro Tsukuda, Yasuo Kotaki, Tatsuo Nanjo, Masafumi Seki
  • Patent number: 9931868
    Abstract: A recording apparatus which includes a transport belt which transports a medium; a pressing roller which presses the medium to the transport belt; and a support unit which can support the transport belt, in which at least a part of a portion of the support unit, which faces the pressing roller through the transport belt is subjected to friction relief processing. By setting to a recording apparatus with such a configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in friction force between the transport belt and the support unit which can support the transport belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9931839
    Abstract: In some examples, a printhead drop detector comprises a plurality of drop detection units to detect any drops passing through a sampling volume between the radiation source and the radiation detector. A radiation detector of a first drop detection unit and a radiation source of a second drop detection unit is arranged on a first side of the sampling volume and a radiation source of the first drop detection unit and a radiation detector of the second drop detection unit is arranged on the second side of the sampling volume. The distance between the first drop detection unit and the second drop detection unit is based on an angle of a beam producible by the first radiation source such that the beam is wide enough to cross into a portion of the sampling volume corresponding with the second drop detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jose Francisco Bravo de Vega, Francisco Gomez, Jordi Bas, Alejandro Mielgo
  • Patent number: 9927710
    Abstract: An image forming device in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in a designated alignment direction, wherein a plurality of pixels constituting a formed image includes dot omission pixels continuous in a scan direction by a defective nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and neighboring pixels within a designated distance in the alignment direction from the dot omission pixels, the image forming device comprising a pattern determining unit configured to determine a dot pattern after supplementation formed on neighboring pixels within designated range based on at least the number of dots to be formed on the pixels within the designated range including a portion of the dot omission pixels and a portion of the neighboring pixels according to recording data before supplementation of dots by the defective nozzle, and a pattern forming unit configured to form the dot pattern after supplementation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo
  • Patent number: 9925786
    Abstract: A remaining amount of ink display apparatus includes a printing executing section which executes printing by discharging ink that is retained in a retaining section, a consumption amount acquiring section which acquires an amount of ink consumption used in printing executed by the printing executing section based on a print job, a remaining amount acquiring section which acquires a remaining amount of ink in the retaining section, a display section which displays information, and a display control section which displays the amount of ink consumption and the remaining amount of ink on the display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Niiyama
  • Patent number: 9919535
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including a casing, a liquid consuming section, and a tank. The tank includes a box-shaped body having a light-transmitting property and having five walls and a partition wall; a film adhered to rear end portions of the walls; and a positioning section disposed at least on an outer surface of each of the upper and lower walls, or of each of the right and left walls. In a state that the liquid consuming apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, the box-shaped body is positioned at a posture at which the positioning section is brought into contact with the casing to thereby allow the front wall to be exposed from a side surface of the casing which extends in a direction crossing the horizontal plane, and at which the rear end portions are located inside the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akinori Igarashi
  • Patent number: 9914306
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory includes a mechanism that communicates a classification of the consumable product to a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Paul L. Jeran
  • Patent number: 9914304
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a carriage including a recording head that performs recording on a medium, the carriage being movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a control portion that controls the recording head and the carriage. The carriage has a first disposal section in which a first cartridge that supplies a liquid to the recording head is disposed and a second disposal section in which a second cartridge that does not supply a liquid to the recording head is disposed. The first cartridge includes a first information holder that holds information about the first cartridge. The second cartridge includes a second information holder that holds information about the second cartridge. The control portion executes a control of performing recording by using only the liquid contained in the first cartridge on the basis of the information held by the second information holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirotori, Tadahiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9902148
    Abstract: An ejection device capable of preventing a discharge part from contacting an object is provided. The ejection device has a discharge part, a light projecting part, a light receiving part and a controller. The discharge part discharges a droplet to an object. The light projecting part projects a light between the discharge part and the object to form a light path across the object, and the light receiving part receives the light projected by the light projecting part. The controller stops driving the discharge part when the light receiving part does not receive the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minghui Liu, Yasunori Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9906668
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an edge detection unit that detects one edge, in a conveyance direction, of a conveyed sheet; a passing detection unit that detects passing of the one edge; a judging unit that judges whether the edge detection unit or the passing detection unit has detected the one edge, within a predetermined monitoring time after the edge detection unit or the passing detection unit detected the one edge; a notifying unit that gives a notification indicating that front-back magnification correction is difficult to perform on the sheet when the judging unit has judged that the one edge is not detected within the monitoring time; an acquiring unit that acquires a desirable front-back magnification correction value input via an input unit according to the notification; and a correction unit that performs a front-back magnification correction process on the sheet, using the acquired front-back magnification correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nozomu Takahashi, Tatsuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 9895915
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to swath height error compensation. Some examples may determine a density of an image to be printed in an overlap area of a printing material. The overlap area may include target pixels capable of being printed by a first set of drop ejection elements and a second set of drop ejection elements that are redundant to the first set of drop ejection elements. Some implementations may also determine a mask to apply to the first and second set of drop ejection elements based on the determined density, and the mask may designate at least one additional drop to apply to at least one target pixel in the overlap area by at least one of the first and second set of drop ejection elements. Some implementations may also apply the mask to the first set of drop ejection elements and the second set of drop ejection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: M. Isabel Borrell Bayona, Xavier Farina Vargas, Leticia Rubio, Utpal Kumar Sarkar
  • Patent number: 9895880
    Abstract: When discharge timing of a first head module and a second head module, adjacent to each other, is adjusted in a recording head in which a plurality of head modules each having s nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles is arranged in different positions in a first direction is joined in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the discharge timing is adjusted so that a complementary region recording shift amount being a recording shift amount in the first direction in a complementary region in a joined portion between the first head module and the second head module becomes a value between a first non-complementary region recording shift amount and a second non-complementary region recording shift amount that are recording shift amounts in the first direction in respective non-complementary regions in the first head module and the second head module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yasutoshi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9898690
    Abstract: A device controls at least one of a machine, a color measurement device or an inspection system of the graphic arts industry. The device contains a control console that has at least one screen for displaying at least one of machine information, color information or image information. The control console includes a plurality of sensors for detecting gestures of an operator who operates the machine, the color measurement device or the inspection system via the control console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Winfried Berg, Dieter Hauck, Edelbert Koenig
  • Patent number: 9889642
    Abstract: In an example, a method of managing a nozzle condition test on a printhead includes instructing a printhead to perform impedance measurements on a plurality of nozzles in a first set of nozzles. The method also includes retrieving from the printhead, an impedance measurement result corresponding with each nozzle, where each impedance measurement result indicates a nozzle condition of its corresponding nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daryl E Anderson, Eric T Martin
  • Patent number: 9884482
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head in which, upon heating performed by a heating element, a bubble is formed in a liquid retained in a bubble forming chamber, the liquid is ejected, and the bubble disappears without any atmospheric communication. When a length L is a length of the heating element in a liquid supply direction, when viewing in a liquid ejection direction, a position of a center of gravity of an ejection port is spaced apart from a position of a center of gravity of the heating element by L/3.5 or more in the liquid ejection direction, and when a length of an ejecting portion in the liquid ejection direction is l and a length of the bubble forming chamber in the liquid ejection direction is h, l/h is 2 or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michinari Mizutani, Kenichi Ueyama
  • Patent number: 9873272
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided, which is configured to acquire gap information related to a gap between an ink discharging surface and a recording sheet in each individual position of top-formed positions and bottom-formed positions within a predetermined wave-shape generating range, identify, when the predetermined wave-shape generating range includes a partial range in which the recording sheet is not placed, a top-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired and a bottom-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired, within the partial range, complement the unacquired gap information in the identified top-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other top-formed positions, and complement the unacquired gap information in the identified bottom-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other bottom-formed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 9868285
    Abstract: There is provided a printer including first to fourth head chips, and first and second rollers. The first to fourth head chips are arranged at intervals in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction. A nozzle, of nozzles arranged in a second head chip N and used for printing, which is positioned closest to the one side in the second direction is referred to as a nozzle A. A nozzle, of nozzles arranged in a fourth head chip N and used for printing, which is positioned closest to the one side in the second direction is referred to as a nozzle B. The nozzle A is arranged closer to the one side in the second direction than the nozzle B and the first roller is arranged closer to the other side in the second direction than the second roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hirai, Shohei Koide
  • Patent number: 9862183
    Abstract: A waveform amplifier for a piezoelectric liquid ejection element. The amplifier provides an amplified waveform to the liquid ejection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Andrew L. Van Brocklin
  • Patent number: 9860405
    Abstract: The time for detecting an object position for measuring a print position displacement is shortened. A printing apparatus control method includes printing, by a printing unit, an image including an object on a sheet; reading, by a reading unit, the image on the sheet on which the image including the object is printed; generating first image data according to the reading of the image by the reading unit; determining an area to detect a position of the object from second image data generated based on the generated first image data having resolution lower than that of the second image data; detecting the position of the object from the determined area; obtaining a print position based on the position of the object detected by the detecting unit; and controlling, based on the obtained print position, the printing unit to print the image on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshitake Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9849669
    Abstract: A recording method for performing recording on a medium by forming dots by ejecting a liquid from nozzles during scanning. The recording method includes detecting an abnormal nozzle; disposing a normal nozzle in a row where dot missing occurs due to the abnormal nozzle by moving a medium by a first moving amount; performing first complementary recording in which at least a part of a dot missing region is complemented by a first dot which is recorded by the normal nozzle during the scanning; moving the medium by a second moving amount; and performing second complementary recording in which a second dot of which a size is greater than a size of a dot determined based on printing data is recorded on a row adjacent to a row of the abnormal nozzle by the normal nozzle that is positioned adjacent to the abnormal nozzle during the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukazawa, Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo, Hiroki Sato
  • Patent number: 9849676
    Abstract: A printer includes a printhead assembly, a spit zone, and a controller. The printhead assembly includes nozzles to eject ink drops. The spit zone is to store maintenance ink. The controller is to move the printhead assembly over the spit zone while ink is ejected from the nozzles during spits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Randal Morrison, Jafar N. Jefferson, Lisa Michels, Cris Jansson, Bob Davis
  • Patent number: 9843847
    Abstract: A system is described for monitoring an environmental parameter in a closed server cabinet. The monitoring system includes a cabinet sensor probe (CSP) that includes a sensor assembly and a vertical linear actuator. The sensor assembly includes at least three environmental parameter sensors, wherein each one of the environmental parameter sensors is configured to at least render a signal representative of a sensed temperature. The sensor assembly also includes a sensor carriage configured to hold the at least three environmental parameter sensors at particular horizontally distinct positions such that each one of the at least three environmental parameter sensors occupies a position horizontally displaced from each of the other ones of the at least three environmental parameter sensors. The CSP further includes a vertical linear actuator that is configured to move the sensor assembly along a linear vertical path between a top and bottom of a door of the closed server cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Evan Lewis
  • Patent number: 9843695
    Abstract: An information processing system includes an acquisition unit that acquires internal information of an information processing apparatus, an acquisition unit that acquires, from a user, an execution request for a process to be executed, and a process executing unit that executes the process in accordance with the execution request. In a case where the acquired internal information indicates a symptom of a malfunction occurrence in the information processing apparatus, and where the requested process is determined to affect the malfunction occurrence, the process executing unit executes a restriction process in which execution of the requested process is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kohei Genda
  • Patent number: 9838568
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus and an image forming system are provided which can reduce the influence of magnification error, detect patches in correct positions, and save the sheets required for adjusting an image. The image reading apparatus makes use of an image scanner which reads patches printed on a sheet P, a spectral colorimeter which colorimetrically measures the patches read by the image scanner, and is provided with a timing compensation unit which compensates the colorimetric measurement timing with which colorimetric operation of the spectral colorimeter is triggered based on the positional information of the patches read by the image scanner, and an image correction unit which corrects the color information of the patches read by the image scanner based on the colorimetric values of the patches colorimetrically measured by the spectral colorimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Hiroyuki Futami, Katsunori Takahashi, Takashi Nara, Tatsuhiro Noutomi
  • Patent number: 9834021
    Abstract: A control method for a printing apparatus includes: an image defect detecting step of detecting an ejection curve amount of a nozzle in an inkjet head and an image defect from a recordable medium on a surface of which an image is recorded by an image recording part provided with the inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles, and a stamp step of attaching a stamp indicating presence of the image defect on the recordable medium by a stamping device in a case where the image defect is detected, the stamp step differentiating an attachment form of the stamp by the stamping device in accordance with a magnitude of the ejection curve amount of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazumasa Hattori
  • Patent number: 9834008
    Abstract: A thermal head includes a substrate; a heat generating section disposed on the substrate; an electrode which is disposed on the substrate and is electrically connected to the heat generating section; and a connector including a fixing ping electrically connected to the electrode, a movable pin which holds the substrate between the movable pin and the fixing pin, and a connection pin which connects the fixing pin and the movable pin. The movable pin includes a movable section which is bent or curved and a contact section making contact with the substrate. The movable pin is disposed so as to protrude from the connection pin beyond the fixing pin. The contact section is located closer to a connection pin side than a tip end of the fixing pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Hirayama, Yuuna Ookubo, Yasumitsu Yamamoto, Youichi Moto, Yui Tanaka, Hisatoshi Takada
  • Patent number: 9819835
    Abstract: A transform wrapper is stored on a memory device and the memory device may be included in a printer cartridge. The transform wrapper may dynamically build a transform map for a printer based on metadata stored at the memory device. The metadata may indicate at least one of a type of depositing material, transform map, print media and printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Nichols, Jay S. Gondek, Jefferson P. Ward
  • Patent number: 9815291
    Abstract: A replaceable integrated printhead cartridge is provided that comprises a liquid reservoir and a linear nozzle array being disposed in a bottom and extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Arun K. Agarwal
  • Patent number: 9811050
    Abstract: An image forming device is provided. The device includes a main body which includes a main controller controlling operations of the image forming device, a consumable unit mounted on the main body to enable communication with the main controller, and a CRUM chip which is provided in the consumable unit and stores usage information of the consumable unit and characteristics information The main controller and the CRUM chip transmit and receive signals which include data and integrity detection data between each other. The integrity detection data is generated by accumulating and reflecting integrity detection data included in a previous signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Yoon Lee, Hong-Rok Woo
  • Patent number: 9811036
    Abstract: An endless rotatable belt device including an endless rotatable belt, a scale tape bonded on the belt, at least one optical sensor to detect a scale pattern, and auxiliary tape to cover at least one of the first end and the second end of the scale tape of the belt. The scale tape has a first end and a second end and includes at least one scale pattern. The auxiliary tape has a lower surface friction coefficient than the surface friction coefficient of the scale tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junpei Fujita, Kenji Sugiura, Yuuji Wada, Hiroyoshi Haga, Seiichi Kogure, Naohiro Kumagai, Kazuki Yogosawa
  • Patent number: 9811941
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products pertaining to simulating liquid bodies are presented. The subject matter of this document can be embodied in a method that includes obtaining one or more data arrays representing low frequency spatial features of a simulated volume of liquid, and up-sampling the one or more data arrays to produce corresponding high resolution data arrays. The method also includes obtaining procedural data representing high frequency spatial features of a simulated liquid surface, and modifying the one or more high resolution data arrays using the procedural data to produce corresponding modified data arrays that reflect both the high frequency and the low frequency spatial features of the simulated volume of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Frederick E. Hankins, Nicholas Grant Rasmussen, William Geiger
  • Patent number: 9809035
    Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing colors of a color printer by printing color patches on a test sheet of paper associated with a paper type, determining spectral data of the color patches using an inline full width array spectrophotometer of the color printer, determining measurements based on the spectral data, determining that a measurement is equal to or within a range of a measurement associated with an existing paper profile; and printing subsequent sheets of paper associated with the paper type using parameters associated with the existing paper profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Matthew J. Ochs
  • Patent number: 9807253
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for predicting colorant usage by printing devices are provided. A prediction server can receive a request to predict colorant usage for a first printing device. The prediction server can determine first plurality of functions to predict colorant usage for the first printing device. The first plurality of functions can include at least one linear function and at least one non-linear function. The first plurality of functions can be based on colorant-usage rates indicating historical rates of change in colorant used by the first printing device. The prediction server can determine a prediction of colorant usage for the first printing device using the first plurality of functions. The prediction server can provide an output involving the prediction of colorant usage for the first printing device, where the prediction of colorant usage can include a confidence interval related to the prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Oleksandr Osadchyy
  • Patent number: 9796162
    Abstract: A multiple ply printed product and a method of producing it are described. The method comprises providing a substrate layer having a first surface supporting at least one wireless communication chip and a second surface, reverse to the first surface. A first paper stock having a first surface and a second surface is also provided. A first bonding operation is performed to substantially bond together the first surface of the substrate layer and the second surface of the first paper stock, to sandwich the wireless communication chip between the first paper stock and the substrate layer; providing a second paper stock having a first surface and a second surface. At least one of the first surface of the first paper stock and the second surface of the second paper stock may be printed on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: MOO PRINT LIMITED
    Inventor: Paul Thorogood
  • Patent number: 9782967
    Abstract: A distance measuring device includes: an imaging unit that captures a test pattern image including a pair of first markers and a second marker that is formed under a condition different from a condition applied to the first markers; a position detecting unit that detects a position of each of the pair of first markers and the second marker in a captured image captured by the imaging unit; a ratio calculating unit that calculates a ratio of a distance between the pair of the first markers in the captured image and an actual distance between the pair of the first markers; and an actual distance calculating unit that calculates an actual distance between one of the first markers as the pair and the second marker by multiplying a distance between the one of the first markers as the pair and the second marker in the captured image by the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Kawarada, Nobuyuki Satoh, Kenji Morita, Yuichi Sakurada, Tomohiro Sasa, Daisaku Horikawa
  • Patent number: 9776440
    Abstract: An image printing device and method of printing may include an image medium advancing device to advance an image medium in a first direction, an oscillating printhead to oscillate or move along a second direction defined by an angle not normal to the first direction, and a plurality of ink nozzles associated with the printhead to apply ink to the image medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Kevin T. Kersey
  • Patent number: 9776396
    Abstract: A system and method for testing printheads is disclosed. The system comprises an optical sensor mounted on a movable carriage. The optical sensor is moved past a nozzle to be tested on the printhead while the nozzle ejects ink. The output signal of the optical sensor can be used to determine when the trajectory of the ejected ink is improper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Laura Portela Mata, David Soriano Fosas
  • Patent number: 9776419
    Abstract: An example provides a fluid ejection device including a fluid feed slot, a fluid chamber between a nozzle layer and a passivation layer, and a printhead-integrated sensor to sense a property of a fluid in the fluid chamber. The sensor may include a ground electrode exposed to the fluid chamber through a via in the passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Ning Ge, Patrick Leonard, Adam L. Ghozeil
  • Patent number: 9776425
    Abstract: The inkjet head ejection performance evaluation method includes: printing a test pattern for examining an ejection condition for each nozzle by an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles arrayed in a matrix and is read by an image reading device; and measuring a depositing position for each nozzle from the read image to calculate a deposit displacement amount based on the depositing position and pattern information, wherein a position of a center of gravity in a Y direction of nozzles used for calculation for calculating the deposit displacement amount of the nozzle number n is equal to a position of a center of gravity in the Y direction of all nozzles existing in the nozzle range of the nozzles used for calculation, where a direction of relative movement between the inkjet head and a recording medium is the Y direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Kyoso
  • Patent number: 9770926
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to swath height error compensation. Some examples may determine a density of an image to be printed in an overlap area of a printing material. The overlap area may include target pixels capable of being printed by a first set of drop ejection elements and a second set of drop ejection elements that are redundant to the first set of drop ejection elements. Some implementations may also determine a mask to apply to the first and second set of drop ejection elements based on the determined density, and the mask may designate at least one additional drop to apply to at least one target pixel in the overlap area by at least one of the first and second set of drop ejection elements. Some implementations may also apply the mask to the first set of drop ejection elements and the second set of drop ejection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: M. Isabel Borrell Bayona, Xavier Farina Vargas, Leticia Rubio, Utpal Kumar Sarkar
  • Patent number: 9770899
    Abstract: A method for controlling the amount of printing fluid deposited by a printhead for a plurality of passes of a swath width of a printing process is described. The printing process may include periodic servicing of the printhead. The method may include determining an amount of printing fluid to be deposited for each pass of the swath width; identifying which pass of the swath width servicing is to occur; and reducing the determined amount of printing fluid deposited during a first pass immediately following servicing of the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Mauricio Seras Franzoso, Marina Cantero Lazaro, Antonio Gracia Verdugo