Reproduction (e.g., Facsimile, Copier, Etc.) Patents (Class 347/3)
  • Patent number: 5906005
    Abstract: A method of making a mask representing a photographic subject includes the steps of: simultaneously capturing a front and two side face views of the subject using a single camera and a pair of mirrors, one mirror on each side of the subject's head; forming a digital image of the captured front and side views; digitally processing the digital image by mirroring the two side views and blending the two side views with the front view to form a blended image; and transferring the blended image to a head sock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Wayne F. Niskala, Richard A. Simon, Joseph A. Manico, W. Patrick Fricke, Kristine A. Moon
  • Patent number: 5892523
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes traveling means for traveling in the recording directions by holding it for recording on a recording medium, guiding means for guiding the traveling means, and reading means detachably held by the guiding means. This printing apparatus further includes electrical connectors provided for the reading means and printing apparatus, respectively, for electrically connecting them, which are arranged to be installed or removed simultaneously by the operation of mounting the reading means on or demounting it from the guiding means, and also, detecting means for detecting a state of the reading means being mounted on the printing apparatus, controlling means for holding the power-supply to the traveling means and recovery means for recovering the performance of the recording means in a state of being cut off in accordance with the detection of the detecting means when the reading means is mounted on the printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tanaka, Tsutomu Kawai, Shinya Asano, Tetsuji Kurata
  • Patent number: 5880852
    Abstract: A recording apparatus in which a recording head for effecting recording on a recording medium can be carried on a carriage movable with a reading unit for performing an original reading operation carried thereon, including a white flat plate member removable provided at a location opposed to the reading unit and along an area in which the carriage is moved. A reading unit for use in a recording apparatus in which a recording head unit for effecting recording on a recording medium and the reading unit for reading the image of an original are selectively interchangeable relative to a reciprocally movable carrier, including original image reading means constituting a predetermined reading optical path entering and reflected by the surface of the original to read the image of the original, and a movable member having reference correction means for reading moved to a position on the reading optical path corresponding to the surface of the original when the carrier is in a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Asano, Tsutomu Kawai, Kazuya Iwata, Hiroyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5877783
    Abstract: A recording apparatus having an image reading operation capable of performing image reading by an image reading device for converting image information into electrical signals, and an image recording operation by a recording device for forming an image onto a recording medium is disclosed. The recording apparatus comprises a mounting unit capable of mounting both the image reading device and the recording device, a sensor for sensing which one of the image reading device and the recording device is mounted on the mounting unit, a quality preserving section for preserving the image quality in the recording operation, and a controller for controlling the reading operation by the image reading device, the recording operation by the recording device, and the quality preserving operations. The controller disenables the quality preserving operations by the quality preserving section, when the result sensed by the sensor indicates that the image reading device is mounted on the mounting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwasaki, Soichi Hiramatsu, Hideki Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Inoue, Takashi Nojima, Hitoshi Nakamura, Akira Kida, Hideaki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 5877782
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus comprises a FAX unit and a printer unit. The printer unit has an ink-jet printing head, and records image data received by the FAX unit or image data read by an original sheet reader in a copy mode. A sensor constituted by an actuator and a photointerrupter for detecting whether an original sheet is set is arranged in the original sheet reader. In a stand-up state of the housing of the apparatus, the actuator is removed from the photointerrupter, and this sensor is set in the same state as in the original presence state. Even if a power supply is turned on in this state, a recovery operation which is normally executed is inhibited. With this operation, contamination and occurrence of trouble caused by ink leakage can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Imai, Yasuhide Ueno, Takeshi Toyama, Naoya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5854687
    Abstract: A recording apparatus has an image scanner, which reciprocates along a main-scanning direction to read an original image and a recording head, which also reciprocates along the main scanning direction to record an image. To avoid slanting the recorded image by the reciprocating motion, the recording head has a plurality of recording elements which are aligned at a predetermined slanted angle to the subscanning direction of the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumio Mikami
  • Patent number: 5854648
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium by discharging comprise a conveyor for conveying the recording medium to a position opposed to an ink discharge portion of a recording head for discharging the ink, the conveyor having a conveying roller for conveying the recording medium, a paper presser bar provided to be able to abut on the conveying roller, a conveyance passage forming member for forming a conveyance passage of the recording medium, and an electrical conductive member provided opposed to a back portion of a face opposed to the ink discharge portion of the recording medium conveyed by said conveying means. The electrical conductive member is held at a potential lower than that of the charged recording medium opposed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Hanabusa
  • Patent number: 5847836
    Abstract: A printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus including a camera which performs image sensing with film exposure, and a printer which prints an image sensed by the camera. After a shutter button has been pressed and image sensing with strobe light emission has been performed, if printing is instructed by pressing of a print button, then electric charging a capacitor of a strobe circuit is made after the completion of the print operation. Otherwise, the charging of the capacitor is started immediately after the image sensing. In this case, even if printing is instructed during the electric charge, printing is started after completion of the electric charge. Thus, electric consumption upon print operation can be reduced and fluctuation of voltage can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Etsurou Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5822076
    Abstract: A facsimile apparatus which prints a received image using ink, and which can perform residual-ink detection and verification of detection result with simple construction. The apparatus judges whether or not the ink is exhausted, based on a detected pulse width from a photosensor for determining existence/absence of the ink. If the result of the residual-ink detection is not reliable, the apparatus examines again the detected pulse from the photosensor when actual ink discharge operation is not performed. If the result of the re-examination is different from an expected result, the apparatus notifies a message indicating an occurrence of abnormality on an LCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5819013
    Abstract: A communication apparatus suppresses an unnecessary recovery operation when the communication apparatus is raised from a low power consumption mode to a normal operation mode to shorten a time before a printer unit is ready for printing. When the printer unit wakes up from a sleep mode, a time counted by a recovery timer in a facsimile control unit is sent to the printer unit as time data through a bilateral path. A CPU in the printer unit adds time data stores in an NVRAM at the time of entry of the facsimile apparatus to the low power consumption mode to the sent time data to determine the recovery level based on the sum time data and the recovery operation is executed. When the supply of power to an ink jet printer is stopped to reduce the power consumption, a timer in the printer and a bilateral record correction value deviate so that the recovery operation which is to be executed at an interval of 72 hours cannot be executed at the correct time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Miyazaki, Masanori Momose, Shinichiro Kohri, Naomi Nakamura, Yasushi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 5812153
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus includes a sheet transporting mechanism for transporting a printing sheet along a vertical plane; a first printing head unit provided on a horizontal plane perpendicularly intersecting the vertical plane and having an ink emission portion for emitting ink to one side surface of the printing sheet; and a second printing head unit provided on a horizontal plane perpendicularly intersecting the vertical plane and having an ink emission portion for emitting ink to the other side surface of the printing sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Kikunosuke Tsuji, Setsuo Hori, Seiji Kado, Kenichi Satake, Hiromi Nakatsu, Kohichi Baba, Masayuki Ishii, Yoshiko Uriu
  • Patent number: 5805179
    Abstract: An office machine having a pair of printers includes a machine frame and a first printer mounted on the frame. A sheet transport assembly is mounted on the frame for moving sheets past the first printer along a sheet path. A second printer includes a printer cartridge having a cartridge frame and a thermal ink jet print head secured to the cartridge frame. An ink supply container is selectively secured to the cartridge frame so that it communicates with the ink jet print head. The ink supply container can be selectively removed from the cartridge frame. A carriage is mounted on the office machine frame so that the carriage can move in relation to the sheet path. The printer cartridge is removably mounted on the carriage. The carriage enables the printer cartridge to be selectively brought to a desired location in relation to the sheet path to allow the printer cartridge to print on a sheet travelling therepast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Taylor, Robert A. Panos
  • Patent number: 5801721
    Abstract: A printing system includes a scanner, a graphics computer, and a printer. The scanner optically scans an image and reduces it to a series of pixels represented in gray scale. After the scanner finishes converting the image into pixels, the graphics computer converts the gray scale representations of each pixel into a pixel conveying uniform density color information. The graphics computer then outputs the uniform density pixels to a print control system of the printer. The print control system receives the uniform density pixels and controls a printhead to print a reproduction of the image on a substrate suspended within the printer. Alternatively, the print control system controls a pair of printheads positioned on opposite sides of the substrate suspended within the printer to print a reproduction of the image on one side of the substrate and a mirror of the image on the opposite side of the substrate such that the images are in registry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Signtech U.S.A. Ltd.
    Inventors: James Gandy, Jubayer Ahmed, Don Ray Janysek
  • Patent number: 5795082
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes a high-density ink and a low-density ink with respect to a specific color ink, so as to improve the printing quality. The procedure of the present invention reads a recording ratio of deep dots by the high-density ink corresponding to input tone data from a table and determines whether or not deep dots by the high-density ink are to be formed in a target pixel. In case that deep dots are to be formed, a piezoelectric element PE on a head of the high-density ink is driven to form deep dots. In case that deep dots are not to be formed, on the other hand, the procedure determines whether or not light dots by the low-density ink are to be formed in the target pixel by referring to the table, and specifies the on/off state of the light dots in order to cause a mean recording ratio of the light dots to be equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumichi Shimada, Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Patent number: 5790915
    Abstract: A printing system for printing on a sheet of print media, the system including an electrophotographic printer operable to print on the sheet at a first print speed; and a color printer operable to print on the sheet of paper at a second print speed. The inkjet color printer includes a bidirectional sheet advancer operable to controllably move the sheet along an inkjet printer print path in either of first or second opposite directions, an inkjet pen carriage configured to support at least one inkjet pen and movable in a scan direction transverse to the inkjet printer print path for printing on the sheet, and a registration system operable to register a color image to be printed by the inkjet color printer relative to the black image printed by the electrophotographic printer. The registration system includes an optical sensor supported by the inkjet pen carriage for movement with the pen carriage along the scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: David J. Arcaro, Wayne E. Foote
  • Patent number: 5784171
    Abstract: A method for printing on a recording medium or on a cassette having the recording medium housed herein includes the steps of ejecting the ink by a first ink-jet printing head on the surface of the recording medium or of the cassette having the recording medium housed in it in a direction at right angles to the surface for forming an underlying layer, ejecting the ink by a second ink jet printing head supplied with data based on the printing picture information on the surface in a direction at right angles to the surface for forming a color printing layer on the underlying layer, and ejecting the ink by a third printing head on the printing layer in a direction at right angles to the surface for forming a protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Kano
  • Patent number: 5781202
    Abstract: A facsimile machine having a print head comprising: (1) a plurality of drop-emitter nozzles; (2) a body of ink associated with said nozzles; (3) drop selection means for selecting predetermined nozzles and generating a difference in meniscus position between ink in selected and non-selected nozzles; and (4) drop separating means for causing ink from selected nozzles to separate as drops from the body of ink, while allowing ink to be retained in non-selected nozzles. A customized magazine and information distribution system which uses a color facsimile machine as the information delivery system. Daily news and other updated information is matched against a customers information request profiles on a daily basis. This information is transmitted overnight to the customers facsimile machine, which uses a concurrent drop selection and drop separation drop on demand printing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 5777633
    Abstract: A facsimile apparatus is equipped with an ink jet printing unit, capable of reducing the number of ink discharge recovery operations of the ink jet recording head, thereby reducing the ink consumption. The received image data are stored in an image memory with inspection for errors in transmission in an error correction mode, and are collectively printed after a predetermined amount of image data are stored. The recording head is uncapped in response to receipt of a first procedure signal indicating the predetermined amount of image data being transmitted from a transmitting unit and in response to receipt of a second procedure signal, different from the first procedure signal, indicating one page of image data being transmitted from a transmitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seishi Ejiri, Yasuyuki Shinada
  • Patent number: 5774142
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to prevent the overflow of waste ink from a primary spittoon used in a service station of a thermal ink-jet device, such as a facsimile machine. An opening is defined in a wall of the primary spittoon such that when the waste ink level within the primary spittoon reaches the opening, the waste ink issues from the opening for collection by a secondary spittoon. A passageway may be employed to route the ink from the opening to the secondary spittoon, with the passageway preferably represented by a rib formed externally on the primary spittoon wall. By employing the method of the present invention, one avoids the potential contamination of the internal workings of the thermal ink-jet device caused by the unchecked overflow of ink from the primary spittoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Chan Nguyen, Alan Shibata
  • Patent number: 5771810
    Abstract: A method for microfluidic display and printing includes the steps of: providing colored inks needed for printing colored pixels; pumping the colored inks through capillary microchannels into delivery chambers where the colored inks are mixed to provide a desired color for each pixel, having the correct hue and tone scale; arranging the delivery chambers so as to provide a viewable representation of the image prior to printing; and evacuating the delivery chambers when it is not desired to print an image and moving a receiver into engagement with the delivery chambers when it is desired to print an image for transferring colored ink to a reflective receiver to thereby form an image having colored pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Dana W. Wolcott
  • Patent number: 5760795
    Abstract: A system overrides a low material mode in a facsimile environment. A transmitter initiates a transmission and transmits a job of image data. A receiver establishes the transmission and receives the job of image data. The receiver determines an amount of marking material available and produces a low material signal indicating a low marker material status when the amount of marking material is below a predetermined value. The receiver transmits a low marking material signal to the transmitter, and the transmitter, in response to the low marking material signal, transmits information relating to an amount of marking material for the job of image data. The receiver enables the rendering of the job of image data when it is determined that the amount of marking material for the job of image data is less than the amount of marking material available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John E. Beck
  • Patent number: 5758038
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a plurality of image forming units for forming, on an image receiving member such as a transfer sheet, toner images of a plurality of different colors such as magenta, cyan, yellow and black. Each of the image forming units includes a photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image carried by the image carrier to form a color toner image, and a transfer device for transferring the toner image to the image receiving member. The developing device in the image forming unit for forming on the image receiving member the toner image of an (i+1)-th color is of the type capable of simultaneously performing both development and removal of residual toner. The transfer currents T.sub.i and T.sub.i+1 employed by the transfer units which perform transfer of the toner images of an i-th color and the (i+1)-th color satisfy the following condition (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kashia
    Inventors: Masahiro Itoh, Kenichiro Waki, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Ryo Inoue
  • Patent number: 5721620
    Abstract: A facsimile apparatus performs head recovery processing for recovering the state of ink discharge of a plurality of ink heads for different colors. Mode determining circuitry determines a receiving mode and control circuitry controls the head recovery processing according to a receiving mode determined by the mode determining circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Arai, Kiyoharu Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 5719612
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus apparatus comprising a first and second housings fold-up on each other, and provided with a means for protecting the recording head or carriage from shock due to the incidental falling or collision during storage or conveyance, thereby preventing rattles caused by vibration, and also preventing incorrectness of standby position or erroneous control of movement upon being reused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Hirakue
  • Patent number: 5706037
    Abstract: A method and system for printing during a low ink condition. The system receives a user override instruction and determines if an amount of available ink is greater than a no ink condition. The system prints a page stored in a memory when the amount of available ink is greater than a no ink condition. The system also deletes a previously printed and stored page from the memory before the system prints the page from memory. After the printing process, the amount of available ink is updated. If the amount of available ink is equal or less than a no ink value, the system prevents the printing of the page in memory and the deletion of the previously printed and stored page in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Lloyd F. McIntyre
  • Patent number: 5652607
    Abstract: Power is supplied to a CPU without regard to an on/off-state of a power switch. In the off-state, the CPU renders a control signal, which indicates that an apparatus does not accept data, to an active state or a high impedance state to inform to a host. When data is received, the state is switched to the on-state for recording operation. The received data is stored in a memory, and when the state is switched to the on-state, the data is read from the memory for recording operation. In this manner, loss of record data due to data transmission from the host in the off-state of the power switch is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoaki Masaki
  • Patent number: 5650804
    Abstract: A recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a recording unit to record images on a recording sheet, and a photosensor which detects the density of the recording surface of a recording sheet. The apparatus records with the recording unit a given pattern on a given position on the recording sheet subsequent to the termination of image recording by the recording unit. A CPU is provided in order to judge the operating state of the recording unit in accordance with the result of the detection by the photosensor as to the pattern density, thus making it possible to automatically and accurately judge whether the image data are normally recorded. In particular, the CPU, using the output of the photosensor, determines whether the given pattern was recorded satisfactorily. If so, it is assumed that the image data was also recorded satisfactorily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Kawamura, Takeshi Ono
  • Patent number: 5642141
    Abstract: A method of printing a liquid ink which is produced from a heat activated dye which is selected from a limited group of dyes which are capable of transfer at low energy. A printer which uses liquid ink, such as an ink jet printer, prints an image onto an intermediate substrate medium. The dyes contained in the ink are not substantially activated during the process of printing on to the medium. The image formed by the printed ink is transferred from the medium to a final substrate by the application of heat and pressure for a short period of time to activate the ink. The dye and dispersing/emulsifying agent(s) are selected from a limited group to produce an ink which permits thermal transfer at low energy, with the resulting image, as deposited on the final substrate, having an optical density of 1.0 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Sawgrass Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu
  • Patent number: 5640180
    Abstract: A method of printing a liquid ink which is produced from a heat activated dye which is selected from a limited group of dyes which are capable of transfer at low energy. A printer which uses liquid ink, such as an ink jet printer, prints an image onto an intermediate substrate medium. The dyes contained in the ink are not substantially activated during the process of printing on to the medium. The image formed by the printed ink is transferred from the medium to a final substrate by the application of heat and pressure for a short period of time to activate the ink. The dye and dispersing/emulsifying agent(s) are selected from a limited group to produce an ink which permits thermal transfer at low energy, with the resulting image, as deposited on the final substrate, having an optical density of 1.0 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Sawgrass Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu
  • Patent number: 5629771
    Abstract: A copying machine in which an image scanner reciprocates along a main-scanning direction to read an original image, and a recording head of a printer also reciprocates along the main-scanning direction to record an image. To avoid slanting the recorded image by the reciprocating motion of the recording head, and to achieve high-speed printing, nozzles of the recording head are aligned in a line slanted with respect to a subscanning direction. Thus, image data read by the image scanner is real-time converted to a recording signal and supplied as a nozzle driving signal to the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumio Mikami
  • Patent number: 5623288
    Abstract: An image forming system for making enlarged prints, such as billboards, which utilizes a recording medium mounted on a rotating cylinder and which is supported so as to prevent deflection, utilizing a plurality of computer controlled spray heads having flow adjusting means which traverse the width of the recording medium and spray a deposition medium onto the recording medium in accordance with scanning signals from an original image to reproduce the image on the recording medium. The invention also includes apparatus and processes for mirror image forming on opposite sides of the recording medium and/or forming images on the recording medium using a translucent recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Vision Graphic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur D. Thomas, Timothy S. Fullmer
  • Patent number: 5623289
    Abstract: An image communication apparatus includes a communication unit for communicating a procedure signal associated with communication, and image data, a recording unit for ejecting a liquid droplet onto a recording member in accordance with image data received by the communication unit, a recovery unit for performing a predetermined recovery operation of the recording unit, and a control unit for causing the recovery unit to perform the recovery operation in accordance with a predetermined procedure signal communicated before reception of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Ono, Fumihiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5592262
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of different image forming units for recording with different methods. An ink jet recording unit is arranged on the upstream side of an electrophotography recording unit in a transporting path of a recording medium. Recording of the ink jet recording unit is performed prior to that of the electrophotography recording unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoharu Tanaka, Takashi Uchida, Akira Hiramatsu, Haruhiko Takahashi, Atsushi Munakata
  • Patent number: 5572329
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for recording a read image upon a recording medium. If a reading width of an image reading sensor is wider than a recording width of a recording head, the apparatus controls scanning of the image sensor and the recording head. The recording head comprises uniformly aligned recording elements divided into a plurality of groups. Image data read by the image sensor is stored into a memory, then used for activating the recording elements of the recording head. The apparatus conveys a recording medium by a length corresponding to one recording element group at each scanning of the recording head. If the amount of meaningless data or recorded data of the stored data corresponds to the amount of one scanning of the recording head or more, the image sensor performs the next reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiko Otsubo, Yuji Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5567068
    Abstract: A multifunction printer having scanning and printing functions includes: a first cover located at one side surface of the deice body of the printer; a second cover located in the device body, inside of the first cover; a first paper transfer path connected to an image reading unit having the scanning function, the first paper transfer path being defined between the first and second covers; a second paper transfer path connected to a printing unit, the second paper transfer path defined in the device body inside of the second cover; and diverging means for selectively diverging the paper into one of the first and second paper transfer paths. Whereby, if jamming occurs in the first paper transfer path, jamming paper can be easily removed by opening the first cover, whereas if jamming occurs in the second paper transfer path, jamming paper can be easily removed by opening the second cover after opening the first cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Egashira, Isao Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 5563712
    Abstract: Main scanning is performed by reciprocating a recording head having plural of recording elements. After the main scanning is completed, sub-scanning is performed by conveying the recording paper for a distance corresponding to the recording width of the recording head to record an image corresponding to received image data on the recording paper. At this time, the minimum transmission time for data is set in correspondence with the recording speed of the set recording mode. For example, a decision is made as to whether a one-direction recording mode or a bidirectional recording mode is set, and when the one-direction recording mode is set, the minimum transmission time for data is set to a time longer than that set in the bidirectional recording mode. This prevents overflow of memory for storing the received image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Nohata
  • Patent number: 5550638
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a circuit for inputting a plurality of color component signals of a subtractive color system, a circuit for detecting a minimum value signal of the color component signals input by the input means, a circuit for emphasizing a high-frequency component of the minimum value signal detected by the detection means, and a circuit for discriminating a feature of an image in accordance with the minimum value signal whose high-frequency component is emphasized by the emphasizing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ikeda, Hiroyuki Ichikawa, Mitsuru Kurita, Kimiyoshi Hayashi, Toshio Honma, Yoshiko Horie
  • Patent number: 5539526
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus comprises an interface for inputting a binary image signal, a binary-multi-value converter that converts the input binary image signal into a multi-value image signal, a corrector for correcting the converted multi-value image signal according to characteristic data of a recording element, and a driver for driving the recording element according to the corrected multi-value image signal, thereby performing image recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Suzuki, Hisashi Fukushima, Haruhiko Moriguchi, Yasushi Miura, Toshimitsu Danzuka
  • Patent number: 5532825
    Abstract: A scanner removably mountable on a printer output tray for scanning images on print media driven through a print media path in the printer. The scanner includes a hood with a light source which is mounted internally on the hood and directed toward the print media path to illuminate an image on the print media. A mirror reflects the image illuminated by the light source to a sensor which detects the reflected image and converts it to an electrical signal. The scanner is operable under the control of a scanner electronics cartridge which is inserted into a printer access port normally designated to receive font cartridges. The scanner electronics cartridge communicates the electrical signals to a host personal computer over an I/O cable that is connected between the scanner and the personal computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Chuin K. Lim, Frank L. Cloutier
  • Patent number: 5528376
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of connecting a plurality of types of printers including an ink-jet printer, includes a connection unit for electrically connecting a printer, a discrimination unit for discriminating a type of printer connected to the connection unit, a selection unit for, when the discrimination unit discriminates the ink-jet printer, selecting a presence/absence of setting of an ink fixing time, and a setting unit for, when the selection unit selects the presence of setting of the fixing time, allowing setting of the ink fixing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoshi Inoue, Shigeo Yoshida, Toshio Sugino
  • Patent number: 5485286
    Abstract: An image communication apparatus, for recording an image using a recording head for ejecting an ink from an ejection port by utilizing energy generated by an ejection energy generation element, includes a communication section for communication a procedure signal associated with a communication and image data, a driving section for driving the recording head in accordance with the image data received by the communication section, a preservation section for performing preservation processing of the recording head, and a control section for discriminating a procedure signal transmitted after the image data, and controlling an operation of the preservation section on the basis of the discrimination result. When the control section discriminates that a specific procedure signal for successively performing reception is transmitted, it causes the preservation section to execute the preservation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seishi Ejiri, Yasuyuki Shinada, Yasuhito Shimamura, Akihiro Ryuka, Tsunehiro Makino, Hideaki Chishima
  • Patent number: 5471322
    Abstract: A recording apparatus for receiving a page description language representing image data to be recorded and for recording an image includes a memory for storing bit image data smaller than a one-page capacity, a recording unit for recording the bit image data stored in the memory, a unit for generating partial bit image data of an area corresponding to the memory on the basis of the input page description language, and a controller for storing the partial bit image data generated by the generating unit in the memory, and for causing the recording unit to repeat recording of the partial bit image data stored in the memory until one page of bit image data has been recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Murata
  • Patent number: 5457540
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus adds information to read image signals and arranges a mark indicative of a position where the information is added so that the additional information can be easily extracted. An image processor processes full-color image signals from a line sensor and a binarization circuit binarizes the signals using a pseudo half-tone processing. A density judgment circuit judges the density of the image signals and controls a modulator which adds additional information. The modulator refers to the contents of a ROM and changes dot positions in the binarized image signals based on the referred information and adds the additional information to the image signals. A FIFO compensates for image signals delayed by the density judgment circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Kajita
  • Patent number: 5452095
    Abstract: Disclosed is a recording apparatus using a recording head for recording in line units and having a recording mode for recording on a recording medium by repeatedly recording recording data for one line a plurality of times. A counting means counts a time interval between the termination of recording for one line and the start of recording for a next one line. A controlling means controls energy to be applied to the recording head at recording for the next one line in accordance with a time interval counted by the counting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Inventors: Takeshi Ono, Masakatsu Yamada
  • Patent number: 5440410
    Abstract: In a communication control system between a device for outputting image data, and a recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in units of predetermined unit recording widths in accordance with the image data output from the device, the device requests, to the recording apparatus, information associated with an image data amount necessary for recording an image in the predetermined unit recording width, and the recording apparatus sends back the information associated with the image data amount to the device in response to the request from the device. The information associated with the image data amount is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyohisa Sugishima
  • Patent number: 5432617
    Abstract: In a communication control system between a device for outputting image data, and a recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in units of predetermined unit recording widths in accordance with the image data output from the device, the device requests, to the recording apparatus, information associated with an image data amount necessary for recording an image in the predetermined unit recording width, and the recording apparatus sends back the information associated with the image data amount to the device in response to the request from the device. The information associated with the image data amount is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyohisa Sugishima
  • Patent number: 5416596
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmission, reception and recording of an image, such as a facsimile apparatus, capable of correcting the unevenness in density or improper density resulting from fluctuation in the performance of the recording head of the receiving unit, with a limited amount of data transfer. At the start of communication, correction data for uneven or improper density of the recording head are sent from the receiving unit to the transmitting unit. The transmitting unit corrects the multi-value image data to be transmitted, based on the received correction data, and sends the corrected image data after conversion into binary state. The receiving unit receives the binary image data and effects image recording. The time and cost for data transmission can be reduced, as the correction is conducted at the transmitting unit and the data transmission can be made in binary data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Suzuki, Hisashi Fukushima, Haruhiko Moriguchi, Yasushi Miura, Toshimitsu Danzuka
  • Patent number: 5404229
    Abstract: An image communication apparatus includes a communication unit for communicating a procedure signal associated with communication, and image data, a recording unit for ejecting a liquid droplet onto a recording member in accordance with image data received by the communication unit, a recovery unit for performing a predetermined recovery operation of the recording unit, and a control unit for determining according to a type of procedure signal transmitted from a calling side after reception of image data of one page whether or not the recovery operation by the recovery unit is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Ono, Fumihiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5376959
    Abstract: A printing system for the reproduction of large scale images by spray painting on a wide flexible medium such as vinyl or paper. A movable cradle is provided with a series of spaced endless belts that provide lateral support for the roll of medium to be painted or imprinted. The endless belts are in turn rotatably supported by a frame of sufficient strength to prevent significant bending of the structure. The belts are mounted on low-friction rollers that permit the medium roll to rotate as material is drawn from the roll into the painting system. The direction of material withdrawal is substantially vertical so that the roll remains in its controlled position as the size of the roll becomes smaller and to facilitate printing on either surface of the medium. The cradle is mounted on casters so that it can be readily moved into the frame of the painting system and locked in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Vutek Inc.
    Inventor: Rainer Rall
  • Patent number: 5376957
    Abstract: The present invention is an ink jet printer utilized to enlarge color images. Signals from a scanned image are converted by a color correction computer into control signals representing the density of the individual pixels of that scanned image. The color density signals are used to control the application of ink from ink jet spray nozzles located on a pair of printheads. Thus, the ink jet printer of the present invention reproduces the image on both sides of a translucent substrate to enhance the quality of the viewed image. The present invention is further provided with dual air sources to apply the ink. A first source is pulse width modulated to control the amount of ink sprayed onto the substrate. A second air pressure source is continuously applied to the ink jet spray nozzles to remove the excess ink that accumulates about the nozzles during print operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Signtech USA, Ltd.
    Inventors: James Gandy, Myles F. Clauser, Donald Mickish