Measuring And Testing (e.g., Diagnostics) Patents (Class 347/19)
  • Patent number: 10542158
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a print unit, a print control unit, a reading unit, and a processing unit. The print unit forms an image on a medium at a resolution selected from several resolutions including a first resolution and a second, higher, resolution. The print control unit controls the print unit to print an image for correction including a first test pattern for printing a test pattern for gamma correction of the first resolution at a third resolution higher than the first resolution, and a second test pattern for the gamma correction of the second resolution, on the medium at the third resolution. The reading unit reads the image for correction printed on the medium. The processing unit obtains first correction information using the gamma correction for the first resolution and second correction information using the gamma correction for the second resolution, based on the image for correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takafumi Terada
  • Patent number: 10532578
    Abstract: A printing apparatus (200) includes a slot (230) to and from which a memory unit (100) storing permitted usage amount information can be attached and removed, and a processing unit (210) that carries out a process for updating estimated ink amount information. The processing unit (210) carries out a charging process using a first memory unit (100-1), and in the case where a second memory unit (100-2) has been attached to the slot (230) after the charging process, the processing unit (210) does not carry out a charging process using the second memory unit (100-2) until a consumed ink amount expressed by the estimated ink amount information exceeds a prescribed threshold (WTH). The processing unit (210) carries out the charging process using the second memory unit (100-2) in the case where the consumed ink amount has exceeded the prescribed threshold (WTH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Koganehira, Yasuhiko Kosugi
  • Patent number: 10532581
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an ink-jet head provided with first and second nozzles for jetting a first ink and a second ink respectively, first and second drive elements which apply energy to the first and second inks respectively; a power supply circuit; and a controller. The controller estimates viscosity of the first ink in the first nozzle, controls the power supply circuit to generate a first drive voltage or a second drive voltage higher than the first drive voltage based on the viscosity of the first ink in the first nozzle estimated, drives the first and second drive elements by use of the drive voltage generated in the power supply circuit, and calculates a jetting amount of the first ink to be jetted from the first nozzle and a jetting amount of the second ink to be jetted from the second nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shotaro Iida, Satoru Arakane, Tomohiro Nodsu
  • Patent number: 10525703
    Abstract: Herein is described a method involving a drop detector. The method may comprise: ejecting ink drops from the nozzles on a printhead toward a drop detector. A drop characteristic may then be determined from the drop detector for each ink-jet nozzle. Drop characteristics for the nozzles across the printhead may be collated into a data set, and compared with a predetermined data set for a printhead having predetermined print behaviour to determine if and how the data sets differ in terms of the pattern of drop characteristics across the printheads. If the data sets differ, a recovery strategy may be selected based how the data sets differ in terms of the pattern of drop characteristics across the printheads. A system and computer readable medium are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Antonio Gracia Verdugo, Mauricio Seras Franzoso, Joan Jorba Closa
  • Patent number: 10525742
    Abstract: In one example a method is disclosed for printing duplex images. The method includes printing an image on side A of media, including an alignment mark. Detecting the alignment mark with a sensor. The velocity of the media is determined when the alignment mark is detected. Printing an image on side B of the media where the location of the image on side B is dependent on the velocity of the media. In another example a printer is disclosed that uses the method to print duplex images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Cesar Fernandez, Jose Galmes, Alisher Alikhodjaev
  • Patent number: 10513110
    Abstract: Disclosed is an industrial single-pass inkjet printer/press incorporating an line-scan camera. The line-scan camera enables system software to inspect every sheet for quality assurance purposes. These inspection results are tied back to a digital printer to take one or more of several possible actions. Actions include ensuring a particular number of acceptable prints are generated and sorted. Actions further include performing nozzle checks without pausing or interrupting production orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Steven A. Billow, Ghilad Dziesietnik, John A. Weismantel, Darin Schick, Boris Liberman
  • Patent number: 10507646
    Abstract: Priority order is updated so that an ejection port that is selected as an ejection port subjected to ejection failure determination in a pixel row in which a previous ejection operation is to be performed has the lowest priority order, which is used for selecting an ejection port subjected to ejection failure determination, in a pixel row in which a subsequent ejection operation is to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kitai, Kouichi Serizawa, Masahiko Umezawa, Atsushi Takahashi, Shinsuke Ikegami, Takeshi Murase, Masashi Hayashi, Yuki Sawai
  • Patent number: 10500849
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for printhead waveform adjustment. One embodiment is a system that includes a controller that correlates a series of printhead waveforms input to a printhead with a series of optical density values output by the printhead. The controller determines a single target optical density for the printheads based on an average optical density of the printheads. Also, for each of the printheads, the controller determines a functional relationship between the parameter of the printhead waveforms input to the printhead and the optical density values output by the printhead, and determines a target printhead waveform parameter for the printhead based on the single target optical density input to an inverse of the functional relationship. The controller updates printhead settings to include information of the target printhead waveform parameter determined for each of the printheads for applying to the printheads to output ink at consistent optical density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Larry M Ernst, Nikita Gurudath, Shinta Moriya, Mikel John Stanich
  • Patent number: 10504053
    Abstract: A method performed using a computer includes receiving a cumulative consumption value for a printing fluid corresponding to a supply from a printer at the computer. The method also includes calculating a plurality of variable values by way of the cumulative consumption value for the printing fluid, a statistically derived depletion quantity for the printing fluid, and an estimated time to ship a supply of replacement printing fluid to the printer to form calculated variable values. The method also includes causing the supply of replacement printing fluid to be shipped to the printer in accordance with the calculating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
    Inventors: Rowdy K Webb, Daniel M Holcomb, Phillip A Mcoog, Jean-Frederic Plante, Jefferson P Ward, Kerry J Kilk, Erik M Peterson, Michael Mulloy
  • Patent number: 10500846
    Abstract: A print head, including a plurality of piezoelectric actuators, a pseudo-actuator, a drive rail, electronic selection circuitry connected to each of the plurality of piezoelectric actuators, the pseudo-actuator, and the drive rail, the electronic selection circuitry configured to select at least one of the piezoelectric actuators or the pseudo-actuator to connect to the drive rail, and a controller coupled to the drive rail, the controller configured to generate a waveform to drive the drive rail and measure a signal on the drive rail connected to a piezoelectric actuator, a pseudo-actuator, or without any connected piezoelectric actuators or the pseudo-actuator, and using the resulting measurements to calculate an impedance of a piezoelectric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: David L. Knierim
  • Patent number: 10500792
    Abstract: A method for identifying an angle of roll for a multi-nozzle extruder includes moving the extruder in a first process direction to form a first set of swaths of extrusion material using two nozzles in the extruder and moving the extruder in a second process direction to form a second set of swaths of extrusion material. The method further includes identifying a location of one nozzle relative to the other nozzle in two dimensions based on cross-process direction distances between the first and second sets of swaths and identifying the angle of extruder roll for the extruder based on the location of the one nozzle and a predetermined geometry of the extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Mantell, Christopher G. Lynn, Mark A. Cellura, Peter J. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 10493774
    Abstract: On an element substrate having a multilayered structure in which a temperature detection element is provided in an intermediate layer of a wiring layer and a print element layer, a wiring layer and a temperature detection element formed on the first interlayer insulation film are connected by a first conductive plug which penetrates through the first interlayer insulation film. In addition, a wiring layer and a print element which are formed on the second interlayer insulation film formed on the first interlayer insulation film are connected by a second conductive plug which penetrates through the first and second interlayer insulation films. By manufacturing the element substrate by this arrangement, the thickness of an interlayer insulation film between a print element and a temperature detection element can be made thin, and the sensitivity of the temperature detection element can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Kanno, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Sadayoshi Sakuma
  • Patent number: 10488804
    Abstract: A management server of the management system receives event information related to the replacement of a toner bottle mounted on a printing apparatus. After receiving event information, if the received event information is an alarm indicating the detection of a failure in a memory tag of the toner bottle, the management server generates a preliminary delivery alarm that provides an instruction to deliver the toner bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junko Sato
  • Patent number: 10474082
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a controller configured to control the photosensitive member, the charging unit, the exposure unit, the developing unit, and the transfer unit to form a measurement image on the sheet, and acquire read data on the measurement image output from a reading device. The measurement image includes a first measurement image and a second measurement image. The controller forms the first measurement image based on a first image signal value and forms the second measurement image based on a second image signal value different from the first image signal value. The controller detects a streak included in the first measurement image or the second measurement image and determines an error based on a detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tomii
  • Patent number: 10464342
    Abstract: A method for printing including disposing a first ink onto a substrate to form a first ink layer on the substrate in an area where a diagnostic image will be printed; disposing a second ink onto the first ink layer to form a second ink diagnostic image, wherein the first ink has a first color density and the second ink has a second color density that is different from the first ink color density, wherein the second ink drops hit and displace areas of the first ink layer creating holes which provide a density contrast; curing or drying after forming the second ink diagnostic image; wherein the second ink diagnostic image is rendered visible by the contrast between the second ink diagnostic image and the substrate as compared to the first ink layer and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul J. McConville, Dale R. Breed, Christine A. Steurrys
  • Patent number: 10469713
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method thereof are provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a scanner configured to generate a scan image by scanning a document, a processor configured to generate color information of a medium representing content of the document using a predetermined area of the scan image, and to gamma-correct color of an entire area of the scan image based on the color information, and a printer configured to print the gamma-corrected scan image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: HP PRINTING KOREA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyeong-man Kim, Hyun-soo Oh, Seong-wook Han
  • Patent number: 10464339
    Abstract: Surface elements comprising a decorative upper layer and a supporting core are disclosed. In such surface elements the decorative upper layer can comprise a digitally applied wood grain pattern made up of at least four colors, said pattern being applied to an underlying white ground coating provided on said supporting core, said pattern comprising at least one of visually simulated knots, cracks, flaws and grain. In such surface elements the decorative upper layer can further comprise an at least partly translucent wear layer arranged over said pattern, said wear layer consisting of a cured substance comprising silicon oxide. In such surface elements the decorative upper layer can further be provided with a surface structure increasing the realism of said wood grain pattern, being directed in accordance with the direction of said pattern and being in the form of narrow elongated recesses simulating the pores of wood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventors: Krister Hansson, Johan Lundgren, Hakan Wernersson
  • Patent number: 10455113
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for document classification and digitization. One or more physical documents may have a classification code applied thereon. The classification code may be a unique identifier for the document and/or page of the document. The classification code may utilize ink outside the visible spectrum for the purpose of being machine readable. A digital version of the physical document may be created. The digital version may include a visible reproduction of the document without showing the classification code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: RIPCORD INC.
    Inventors: Alex Fielding, Kevin C. Hall, Kirk H. Knight
  • Patent number: 10448894
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method involves obtaining, by a body-mountable device, sensor data, where the body-mountable device includes a data storage. The method further involves making a determination that each condition in a condition set has been satisfied. In addition, the method involves responsive to making the determination that each condition in the condition set has been satisfied, storing the obtained sensor data in the data storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC
    Inventors: Daniel James Yeager, Brian Otis
  • Patent number: 10449759
    Abstract: A method corrects for defective printing nozzles in an ink jet printing machine via a computer. The defective printing nozzles are compensated for after the screening process by neighboring printing nozzles applying an increased amount of ink. The method includes precalculating different compensation halftones for different area coverages by the computer, printing the compensation halftones embedded in area coverage halftone areas, evaluating the printed compensation halftones via the computer, and selecting and saving, for every area coverage level, the compensation halftone that best matches the coloration of the original halftone in the respective area coverage halftone area. A defective printing nozzle is detected during production printing by the computer. The local area coverage is determined along the detected defective printing nozzle by the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Ilias Trachanas, Martin Mayer, Peter Hachmann
  • Patent number: 10434772
    Abstract: A printhead comprises a print element substrate that includes a print element and a circuit board electrically connected to the print element substrate. An ink leakage detection unit, which includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and which is configured to detect ink leakage, is provided on the circuit board. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is electrically connected to a terminal of the print element substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kengo Umeda, Satoshi Kimura, Shingo Okushima, Satoshi Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10434806
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet head having a first nozzle for ejecting first ink supplied from a first tank and a second nozzle for ejecting second ink supplied from a second tank, and a controller. The controller determine whether a replenishment condition is satisfied. When print data instructing to print with the first ink is received, in a case of determining that the replenishment condition is not satisfied, the controller causes the inkjet head to perform a first ejecting operation of ejecting ink from the first nozzle toward a medium and prohibiting ejection of ink from the second nozzle. When print data instructing to print with the first ink is received, in a case of determining that the replenishment condition is satisfied, the controller causes the inkjet head to perform a second ejecting operation of ejecting ink from at least the second nozzle toward a medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabusiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 10430974
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for generating data for overlappingly forming a first image including a boundary between a plurality of areas representing different gloss characteristics and a second image having a plurality of areas including a plurality of pixels, on a recording medium includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire first image data representing gloss characteristics of the first image and second image data representing color characteristics of the second image, and a conversion unit configured to convert colors represented by respective pixels of the areas in the second image into one color out of the colors represented by the respective pixels of the areas, based on the first image data, in which the areas in the second image correspond to areas obtained by dividing the first image into a plurality of areas, and include a part of the area corresponding to the boundary in the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Totsuka
  • Patent number: 10421285
    Abstract: An image-recording apparatus includes a cartridge including a first storage chamber, a tank including a second storage chamber, a recording portion, a pivoting member disposed in the second storage chamber, a detector for detecting pivoting of the pivoting member, and a controller. Liquid in the first storage chamber is supplied to the second storage chamber through a liquid inlet port, and from the second storage chamber to the recording portion through a liquid outlet port. The pivoting member is pivotable about a pivot axis when a liquid level of the liquid in the second storage chamber is not higher than a prescribed position. The controller notifies the cartridge should be replaced upon receipt of a detection signal from the detector. A shaft defining the pivot axis is positioned lower than the liquid level of the liquid in the second storage chamber at the time of execution of the notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuma Tanabe, Masahiro Hayashi, Akinari Ishibe, Masatake Sato, Akihito Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10414162
    Abstract: A method of detecting droplets of printing fluid output from a nozzle array includes, in an example, grouping a number of nozzles into a number of individual groups of nozzles and sequentially detecting, with a printing fluid detector, printing fluid ejected from each group of nozzles using a linear position encoder to synchronize the position of the printing fluid detector wherein the printing fluid detector stops moving while detecting each group of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven B Elgee, Gregory N Burton, Jody L Clayburn, Lorraine T Widmann
  • Patent number: 10419624
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a correction unit configured to execute first correction processing to be executed to bring reproduction characteristics of an image formed by an image forming unit close to a target value and second correction processing different from the first correction processing, and an adjustment unit configured to execute a plurality of adjustment processing including the second correction processing, wherein correction processing by the correction unit is set to be executed at a predetermined timing, and wherein in a case that correction processing by the correction unit is executed at the set timing after adjustment processing is executed by the adjustment unit, the image forming apparatus performs control not to execute the second correction processing included in the adjustment processing and to execute the second correction processing after executing the first correction processing by the correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Toriyabe
  • Patent number: 10418324
    Abstract: Method of manufacturing electronic devices using a maskless lithographic exposure system using a maskless pattern writer. The method comprises generating beamlet control data for controlling the maskless pattern writer to expose a wafer for creation of the electronic devices, wherein the beamlet control data is generated based on a feature data set defining features selectable for individualizing the electronic devices, wherein exposure of the wafer according to the beamlet control data results in exposing a pattern having a different selection of the features from the feature data set for different subsets of the electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcel Nicolaas Jacobus van Kervinck, Vincent Sylvester Kuiper, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland
  • Patent number: 10416455
    Abstract: The present invention provides a head mounted display comprising: a frame which is wearable on a user's head; a display unit which is mounted to the frame so as to output screen information; a lens module which is detachably inserted into the frame and includes a pair of lenses having a predetermined refractive index so as to form a virtual image of the screen information; a sensing unit which senses the lens module inserted into the frame; and a control unit which controls the screen information on the basis of the type of the sensed lens module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sunghyun Yi, Hangyu Oh
  • Patent number: 10414608
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to adjusting print medium retrieval. For example, a system may include a printing device that may have a pick roller attached to a pick arm and a servomotor to apply torque to the pick roller. The system may further include a controller associated with the servomotor to determine a measured position of the servomotor relative to an intended position of the servomotor in a particular time frame during the print medium retrieval. The controller may further determine adjustment of the print medium retrieval based on comparison of a pulse width modulation (PWM) magnitude in adjacent time frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Qiang Tang
  • Patent number: 10414165
    Abstract: A processor of a print device performs empty processing in a case where it has determined that it has received, from a remaining ink amount detector, a first signal that indicates that a remaining amount of an ink is not greater than a first prescribed amount. The processor also performs the empty processing in a case where it has not determined that it has received the first signal, but has determined that it has received a second signal. In the empty processing, the processor performs soak cleaning of a nozzle face and stores an empty soak standby flag in an EEPROM. The empty soak standby flag is a flag that prohibits the performing of a printing operation. Therefore, the print device is able to reduce the possibility that a decline in print quality will occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KYOGO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunori Nishida, Yoshinori Kato
  • Patent number: 10419642
    Abstract: A system includes a memory to store pre-computed boundary look-up tables (LUTs) for respective drop weight boundary classes of a printer having a plurality of colorants. Each pre-computed boundary LUT provides one Neugebauer Primary area coverage (NPac) for each node of the LUT in response to a device color input value that corresponds to each node. Measurement data stored in the memory represent measured drop weight values for the plurality of different colorants of the printer. A processor executes instructions that interpolate among the pre-computed LUTs based on the measured drop weight values to determine a proportional weighting of each of the pre-computed LUTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jan Morovic, Peter Morovic
  • Patent number: 10406805
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a plurality of dischargers that discharge a liquid, a determination portion that determines discharge states of the liquid in the dischargers, and a controller that controls the plurality of dischargers, in which, in a case in which the determination portion determines that the discharge state of the liquid in one discharger is abnormal, the controller controls the plurality of dischargers so as to cause the liquid to be discharged from another discharger instead of causing the liquid to be discharged from the one discharger until a predetermined time has elapsed since determination, and controls the plurality of dischargers so that a repair operation, which repairs the discharge state of the liquid in the one discharger to normal, is caused to be executed after the predetermined time has elapsed since the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hosokawa, Toshiyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10399271
    Abstract: A method of aligning an agent distributor in an apparatus for generating a three-dimensional object comprises selectively depositing an agent on a layer of build material to form a predetermined alignment pattern (211, 212, 311, 312), and detecting the alignment pattern (211, 212, 311, 312) from a height profile in a surface of the build material, and performing an alignment operation using the detected alignment pattern (211, 212, 311, 312). An alignment pattern (211, 212, 311, 312) may comprise, for example, a series of triangles which are scanned to determine misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Isabel Sanz Ananos, Sergi Culubret, Santiago Sanz Ananos
  • Patent number: 10399343
    Abstract: In order to make it possible to inform as apparatus handler through a simple, means of precautions to take in handling ink of the correct ID number when an inputted ink ID number is correct, this inkjet recording apparatus is provided with a print head having; a nozzle part, an ink container that houses ink supplied to the nozzle part, information reading unit for reading information that distinguishes the type of ink accompanying an ink supply container that supplies ink to the ink container, a determination unit for determining from the read information whether the ink housed in the ink supply container is the correct ink, a storage unit for storing ink-related information in correlation with the ink-type-distinguishing information, a stored-information extraction unit for extracting from the storage unit the ink-related information corresponding to the ink-type-distinguishing information read by the information reading unit when the ink is determined to be correct by the determination unit, and a display u
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Suzuki, Manabu Kato, Masahiko Sakuraba, Keisuke Nagai
  • Patent number: 10404877
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus that is capable of forming an image of a plurality of colors and includes: an inspector that compares a scanned image obtained by scanning a surface of a sheet on which a job image and a marker image are formed with a reference image, and detects a defect in the scanned image, wherein a color of the marker image is a color having the lowest visibility, and the inspector extracts feature points of the job image and of the marker image from a scanned image of a color corresponding to a complementary color of the color having the lowest visibility included in the scanned image, and determines a position of the scanned image corresponding to the reference image based on the extracted feature points and feature points of the job image and of the marker image in the reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masanori Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 10399372
    Abstract: A method of creating a test pattern including a plurality of ruled lines for measuring an impact displacement in a main scanning direction includes creating the test pattern such that the test pattern includes at least three parts arranged in a sub-scanning direction of the printing apparatus, the at least three parts being selected from parts for measuring an impact displacement due to head displacement, chip displacement, round-trip displacement, column displacement, and/or position displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Kanai
  • Patent number: 10391764
    Abstract: An exemplary element substrate includes: function circuits for executing functions for a print operation; a discrimination circuit for receiving a data signal and transferring the received data signal to a corresponding function circuit in accordance with a result of discriminating the type of data included in the received data signal; and an error detection circuit for detecting whether a transfer error occurs in the received data signal. The detection result is reflected in a received latch signal and a received reset signal. In accordance with the executed functions, some function circuits are caused to latch the transferred data signal by the latch signal in which the detection result is reflected. On the other hand, remaining function circuits are caused to reset the transferred data signal by the reset signal in which the detection result is reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidenori Yamato
  • Patent number: 10391775
    Abstract: An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer includes a bottom face and a front face; an ink interface on the front face of the ink cartridge for connection to a cartridge receiving structure; a guide interface in the bottom face for guiding the cartridge along a straight line during insertion into the cartridge receiving structure for connecting the ink interface; a latch track disposed in the bottom face of the ink cartridge to guide a latch of the cartridge receiving structure; a latch stop disposed in the latch track for engaging the latch, where the latch track comprises a locking track and an unlocking track to accommodate movement of the latch with respect to the latch stop, the locking track being at least partly separate from the unlocking track; and a latch guide for redirecting the latch towards the locking track, rather than the unlocking track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David C. Harvey, Curt Gonzales, Ralph L. Stathem, David Olsen, David Welter
  • Patent number: 10386181
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a cartridge and a detection method for the same. The cartridge comprises an outer frame and barriers located inside the outer frame. The cartridge further comprises a detection device. The detection device comprises a sensing device configured to sense the barriers so as to acquire sensed information, and a first information processing device configured to judge whether the positions of the barriers are correct according to the sensed information. For the cartridge provided by the present invention, whether barriers are located at correct positions and thus whether the loading size of the cartridge is matched with the size of a substrate to be loaded can be effectively detected, so that the damage to the substrate during loading of the substrate is effectively avoided and it is ensured that the substrate can be safely loaded into the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiali Wang, Shengguang Sang
  • Patent number: 10384445
    Abstract: In some examples, a printing system comprises a controller to determine, during a print operation, first status information that relates to a condition of a first nozzle set of the print head, and second status information that relates to a condition of a second nozzle set of the print head. In response to determining from the first status information that a number of malfunctioning nozzles in the first nozzle set does not exceed a first threshold value and determining from the second status information that a number of redundant nozzles in the second nozzle set exceeds a second threshold value, the controller is to cause the second nozzle set including the redundant nozzles of the print head to be operated in place of the first nozzle set to continue the print operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: HP SCITEX LTD.
    Inventors: Marc Isal Cortes, Yair Shemesh, Oren Perets
  • Patent number: 10377130
    Abstract: According to an example, in a method for mitigating damage to a plurality of drop generators in a printing system, data corresponding to an image to be printed on a media by the printing system may be accessed. In addition, the plurality of drop generators may be controlled to print the image on the media while mitigating damage to the plurality of drop generators and without shifting placement of the image on the media or shifting the plurality of drop generators in a direction perpendicular to a feed direction of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Clayton L Holstun, Joshua A Mann, Lisa A Underwood
  • Patent number: 10363738
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes: an ejector including: a piezoelectric element displacing corresponding to a drive signal potential; a pressure chamber changing volume corresponding to the piezoelectric element displacement; and a nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber, and ejecting liquid from the pressure chamber; and a detector detecting residual vibrations produced by the ejector after piezoelectric element displacement. The detector detects the residual vibrations in a third period when the drive signal having a drive waveform is supplied to the piezoelectric element. The drive waveform being set to a first potential in a first period, a second potential in a second period, and a third potential in the third period. The volume of the pressure chamber in the second period is smaller than the volume in the first period. The volume of the pressure chamber in the third period is larger than in the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Shinkawa
  • Patent number: 10357918
    Abstract: A fabrication process and apparatus for producing three-dimensional objects by depositing a first polymer layer, printing a first ink layer on to the first polymer layer, depositing a second polymer layer on to the first ink layer, and printing a second ink layer on to the second polymer layer. The deposition and printing steps may be repeated until a three-dimensional object is formed. The inks used to form at least one of the first and second ink layers may include dyes or pigments so that the three-dimensional object may be a colored three-dimensional object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: RIZE INC.
    Inventor: Eugene Giller
  • Patent number: 10350881
    Abstract: A printer prints on a printing medium as the printer is moved. The printer includes a printing unit, a detector, and a controller. The printing unit prints an image on the printing medium. The detector detects a region on the printing medium that is not suitable to be printed on by the printing unit. The controller makes the printing unit stop printing when the detector detects the region on the printing medium that is not suitable to be printed on while the printing unit is printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sumito Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10350900
    Abstract: A method for responding to read/write consumable volume information in an imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: APEX MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xuejin Sun, Linlin Zhang, Chaoai Deng
  • Patent number: 10345151
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a colorimetric value from color measurements for multiple ambient color sensors which for each color measurement, in various approaches, select a lighting cluster similar to the color measurement and determine whether the color measurement is valid or invalid based on a calculated similarity between the color measurement and the selected lighting cluster, calculate a weight for the color measurement for combination with other color measurements based on the calculated similarity between the color measurement and its selected lighting cluster, determine whether the color measurement is valid or invalid based on perceptual color space distances for the color measurement for multiple reference light sources, and/or calculate a weight for the color measurement for combination with other color measurements based on the perceptual color space distances for multiple reference light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Abhijit Sarkar, Stefan Angelevski, Samu Matias Kallio, Hiroo Umeno
  • Patent number: 10343435
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles, storage, a first reading section, a first computing section, a selection section, and a controller. The storage stores first information and first pattern image data representing a first pattern image. The first reading section scans a sheet to generate sheet data. The first computing section computes positions of both edge portions of the sheet in a main scanning direction based on the sheet data. The selection section selects a plurality of used nozzles. The controller directs the used nozzles to form a second pattern image on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuo Mikashima
  • Patent number: 10336054
    Abstract: An alignment method adopted by a 3D printer having a 3D nozzle for jetting material and a 2D pen-module for jetting colored ink is disclosed. The 3D printer first controls the 3D nozzle to print an alignment template on a printing platform, wherein the alignment template comprises multiple alignment blocks respectively and separately printed along an axis, and each alignment block respectively deviates from each center-line according to an accumulated offset. Next, the 3D printer controls the 2D pen-module to print an ink matrix on the alignment template, wherein the ink matrix comprises multiple ink blocks respectively and separately printed along the same axis, and each ink block is exactly corresponding to each center-line respectively. The 3D printer uses covering status of each alignment block and each ink block to determine a deviation between the 3D nozzle and the 2D pen-module, so as to perform an alignment action thereupon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignees: XYZPRINTING, INC., KINPO ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Ming-En Ho, Yi-Chu Hsieh, Chun-Hsiang Huang, Jia-Yi Juang, Yang-Teh Lee
  • Patent number: 10336073
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejection head comprising: an ejection opening row along a first direction; a pressure chamber with print-element; a passage communicating with the pressure chamber; a supply opening row along the first direction with supply openings extending in a second direction to supply liquid to the passage; a collection opening row along the first direction with collection openings extending in the second direction to collect a liquid from the passage; a first common supply passage along the first direction to supply a liquid to the supply opening row; a first common collection passage along the first direction to collect a liquid from the collection opening row; a first supply side communication opening extending in the second direction to supply a liquid to the first common supply passage; and a first collection side communication opening extending in the second direction to collect a liquid from the first common collection passage, wherein at least one of the first supply side communication openi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shingo Okushima, Seiichiro Karita, Takatsuna Aoki, Noriyasu Nagai, Eisuke Nishitani, Yumi Komamiya
  • Patent number: 10336083
    Abstract: The application provides an ink cartridge chip, an ink cartridge and an operation method for giving response to printing work, and belongs to the technical field of printing. The ink cartridge chip comprises a storage module at least provided with a first ink quantity data block and a second ink quantity data block which share data with a printer and make the printer have one printing mode, wherein the first ink quantity data block is fixed in the printing mode, and the second ink quantity data block is variable in the printing mode. The ink cartridge comprises the ink cartridge chip. The application with a printing system is easy, convenient and fast, universality is high, printing at a high ink utilization rate is achieved in one printing mode, and the problems of resource waste, consumable loss, high cost and the like are solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: HANGZHOU CHIPJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhengdong Zhang, Yun Sun, Shan Luo