Detail Of Medium Positioning (e.g., Movement To Or From Presentation Location Of Medium, Etc.) Patents (Class 358/1.12)
  • Patent number: 9389775
    Abstract: A list of a plurality of objects to be displayed, which corresponds to page images to be operated, respectively, is displayed; it is determined which object is selected as an object to be moved among the plurality of displayed objects to be displayed; it is determined which object is selected as a movement destination object among the plurality of displayed objects to be displayed; and allocation page images are displayed in a state where a page image corresponding to the object determined as the object to be moved and a page image corresponding to the object determined as the movement destination object are allocated to a single page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: 9384422
    Abstract: A machine may be configured to perform image evaluation of images depicting items for sale and to provide recommendations for improving the images depicting the items to increase the sales of the items depicted in the images. For example, the machine accesses a result of a user behavior analysis. The machine receives an image of an item from a user device. The machine performs an image evaluation of the received image based on an analysis of the received image and the result of the user behavior analysis. The performing of the image evaluation may include determining a likelihood of a user engaging in a desired user behavior in relation to the received image. Then, the machine generates, based on the evaluation of the received image, an output that references the received image and indicates the likelihood of a user engaging in the desired behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Di, Vignesh Jagadeesh, Robinson Piramuthu, Elizabeth Churchill, Anurag Bhardwaj
  • Patent number: 9367276
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying conflicts between the requirements of an incoming print job and the configuration of a printer that has been requested to print the job. The system receives a request to move a print job to a queue for a printer and identifies a requirement of the print job. The system analyzes a current and a scheduled configuration of the printer to determine whether the current configuration or the scheduled configuration of the printer can handle the print setting. Responsive to determining that the current and scheduled configuration of the printer cannot handle the print setting, the system analyzes configurations of at least one other printer to identify another printer having a current configuration or a scheduled configuration that can handle the print setting. Further, the system provides information identifying the other printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joan Stagaman Goddard, Cosmin Andrei Grosan, Kumar V. Kadiyala
  • Patent number: 9367268
    Abstract: A print production system includes a dispatcher and a task-resource scheduler. The dispatcher sorts print requests for placement among a series of containers to identify relative priorities among all print requests in each container and then merges the containers together to produce a prioritized list of print requests among all containers. Upon release by the dispatcher of a top N print requests from the prioritized list, the scheduler converts the prioritized list into a task-resource schedule for print production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jun Zeng, Qing Duan, Krishnendu Chakrabarty, I-Jong Lin, Gary J Dispoto
  • Patent number: 9361548
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an execution unit, a reception unit, and a control unit. The execution unit executes a printing job using a tab sheet from a first sheet supply unit and a sheet, other than a tab sheet, from a second sheet supply unit. The reception unit receives an instruction to confirm printed material of the printing job. The control unit controls the execution unit to stop a printing operation of the printing job that the execution unit is executing and print, for confirmation, at least one page included in the printing job, based on receiving the instruction. The control unit further controls the execution unit to restart the stopped printing job after the printing for the confirmation is ended and to execute the printing for the confirmation by not using a tab sheet and by using a sheet other than a tab sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9340342
    Abstract: A packaged product is provided. The packaged product includes a package and a magnet fixedly disposed within the package. The packaged product also includes an electrically powered device disposed in the package. The device includes a magnetic switch disposed in close proximity to the magnet such that the magnet actuates the magnetic switch. The device operates in a test mode when the magnet is in close proximity to the magnetic switch and operates in a normal use mode when the device is removed from the package such that the magnet is no longer in close proximity to the magnetic switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Brandon, II
  • Patent number: 9329808
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for user interfaces that aid a user in rule-based workflow generation. The system accesses activities available at a print shop, displays the available activities to a user at a sequence bar that sorts the activities by their priority, receives input from the user defining a rule that relates to a print shop activity, and stores the rule in a memory. Further, the system determines that a workflow of activities to perform has been generated for a print job of the print shop based upon the rule, wherein the workflow comprises an ordered subset of the activities available at the print shop, accesses the workflow, and displays the workflow of activities to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tiberiu Dumitrescu, Daniel Hufnagel, Michael Raines
  • Patent number: 9313351
    Abstract: A power control apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the same are disclosed. The power control apparatus can directly enable or disable a DC/DC converter for converting reference DC power to a secondary DC power without an additional microcomputer based power circuit by connecting an enable or disable operation of the DC/DC converter with an operation of a power button by a user. Accordingly, the number of components of a power control circuit can be reduced to decrease material cost and simplify the power control circuit. Furthermore, the power control apparatus and the image forming apparatus including the same can reduce unnecessary power consumption in a system off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kwang Sung Park
  • Patent number: 9304724
    Abstract: A data generating device may be provided with a processor; and a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein. The computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, may cause the data generating device to perform: acquiring a first document file; identifying a first type of content data described in the first document file, the first type of content data being content data by which a content to be outputted is changeable in a state where an image represented by the first document file is displayed on a display device; generating a second document file in a case where the first type of content data is identified, the second document file not having the first type of content data described by using the first document file; and sending the second document file to the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koichi Tsugimura
  • Patent number: 9298404
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing printed page products includes defining a plurality of subbatches each comprising one or more of the pages, creating layouts for the pages in the plurality of subbatches, separating the plurality of subbatches into N groups each comprising a total number of pages equal or less than M, minimizing the difference between the total pages in the N groups and M×N, and printing the layouts of the pages on a stack of sheets each configured to contain layouts for N pages. The layouts of the pages in the stack of sheets are positioned in N columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Shutterfly, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Ray Niblett, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9291983
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of connecting to a network receives via the network an electric power control signal for instructing electric power control, turns off a power of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the electric power control signal, and presents, to a user, information indicating that the image forming apparatus entered a power off state due to the electric power control signal. Also, a method of controlling such an image forming apparatus, and a program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takaharu Osawa
  • Patent number: 9294641
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus including a contact image sensor module, a holder, and an urging member is provided. The contact image sensor module may extend in a first direction and include a shaft extending in the first direction and a protrusion protruding from the contact image sensor module in a second direction. The holder may accommodate the contact image sensor module and include an insertion section, in which a leading edge of the shaft is inserted, and a contact section contacting the protrusion from one side in the first direction. The first urging member may urge the contact image sensor module toward the one side in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mayu Uno
  • Patent number: 9280804
    Abstract: In some implementations, a method rotates images based on image content to correct image orientation. In some implementations, a method includes obtaining one or more identifications of content depicted in an image and determining a current orientation of the content depicted in the image. The current orientation is determined based on the one or more identifications of the content. An amount of rotation for the image is determined that orients the content closer to a predetermined reference orientation than to the current orientation. The image is rotated by the determined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Aravind Krishnaswamy, Nicholas Butko
  • Patent number: 9259941
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a driving unit that feeds a treatment object; a pretreatment unit that performs pretreatment on a surface of the treatment object fed by the driving unit; a retaining unit that retains the treatment object on which the pretreatment has been performed in the pretreatment unit; an image forming unit that performs image formation on the treatment object after being retained in the retaining unit; and a drive control unit that controls the driving unit so as to return the treatment object from the retaining unit at least to the pretreatment unit if the treatment object has been retained in the retaining unit for a time longer than a predetermined time after being subjected to the pretreatment in the pretreatment unit, and to feed the treatment object on which the pretreatment has been performed again in the pretreatment unit to the retaining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Watanabe, Koji Nagai, Hiroyuki Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 9245016
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a module which stores document information to which content that includes link character strings linked to other items on an item basis is caused to correspond, a first display control module which displays content on an arbitrary item stored as first content according to a user operation, a second display control module which lists the link character strings included in the displayed first content and displays them together with the first content, a selection module which selects, according to a user operation, a link character string displayed, and a third display control module which displays content on an item stored in such a manner that the item is linked to the selected link character string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Abe
  • Patent number: 9242485
    Abstract: A recording device includes: a housing having an opening; an opening/closing cover that can be disposed in a closed position where the opening is covered, and an open position where the opening is exposed; a medium holder that holds a medium; a recorder that performs recording on a medium; and a transport mechanism that transports the medium from the medium holder toward the recorder along a transport path, in which the medium holder is provided with, a feed port for the medium, connected to the transport path and an alarm unit that warns that the medium is disposed at a position where the medium can be transported by the transport mechanism, and when the opening/closing cover is disposed in the open position, the feed port and the alarm unit can be visually checked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoyuki Wada
  • Patent number: 9218551
    Abstract: The application discloses a method and an apparatus for rasterizing a page digital image. The method comprises steps of parsing a page digital image to obtain basic information, position information and rasterization information of the image, with the basic information including image data, image type, a width, height and bit depth of the image (S10); decoding data encoding type to obtain the image data and saving the image data into a buffer (S20); acquiring the image data from the buffer and rasterizing the image data by using the image type, the width, height and bit depth of the image and the position information to obtain a rasterized page lattice (S30). The solution may reduce the reading and writing operations for data files on disk and improve the rasterization efficiency of the digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignees: PEKING UNIVERSITY FOUNDER GROUP CO., LTD., PEKING UNIVERSITY FOUNDER R & D CENTER, BEIJING FOUNDER ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Ji
  • Patent number: 9213508
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a printer driver, a reception unit, a first and second determination unit, a transmission unit, and a change unit to instruct, via the printer driver, a printer to execute printing. The reception unit receives print data including setting data having setting values for print setting items. The first determination unit determines whether setting values cause an inconsistency. The second determination unit determines whether the client apparatus or the information processing apparatus is to resolve an inconsistency. The transmission unit transmits, in response to determining that the setting values cause an inconsistency and that the client apparatus is to resolve the inconsistency, an instruction for resolving the inconsistency to the client apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiko Sueshige
  • Patent number: 9195897
    Abstract: A media processing device 1 has an MICR reader 17 that reads magnetic ink characters recorded on a check; an interface 32 that communicates with a web browser; and a control unit 30 that controls the MICR reader 17 to read magnetic ink characters recorded on the check based on control data received from the web browser, and sends data based on the read result of the MICR reader 17 to the web browser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9185252
    Abstract: An electronic device in the present disclosure includes the following: an imaging device configured to scan a paper sheet, wherein the paper sheet comprises a first side and a second side, wherein scanning the paper sheet produces an image; a display device; a printing image acquisition unit configured to acquire a printing image; an image forming apparatus configured to print the printing image; and a display control unit configured to control the display device to display, if the produced image includes an image of a paper sheet, a composite image that combines the acquired printing image and the image of the paper sheet within the produced image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Kowaka
  • Patent number: 9159071
    Abstract: A method and article for increasing the opening/reading rate of mail and thus adding value to advertising by mail. A coupon value is embedded within a machine readable code of an information based indicia used as postage evidence on each piece of a mailing. The amount of the coupon and type of coupon can be determined by the customer creating the mailing. The information based indicia is digitally signed prior to printing, allowing a redeeming vendor to verify the authenticity of a coupon, preventing fraud and changing of data within the information based indicia. In addition, the customer originating the mailing may obtain marketing information such as mailing date, type of products purchased, after the coupon is redeemed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventors: Roy R. Gordon, Wayne A. Wilkerson
  • Patent number: 9132630
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing method that can output a high-quality image having high dispersing quality in the configuration for printing an image using a plurality of different kinds of dots. Therefore in the same region of a printing medium, binary data is generated such that a low frequency component of space frequency characteristics is suppressed with priority to a dot pattern of a combination in which a plurality of kinds of dots are relatively noticeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ochiai, Tomokazu Yanai
  • Patent number: 9124818
    Abstract: An image erasing apparatus includes a scanning unit configured to scan an image on a sheet and a mark printing area on the sheet where one or more marks may be printed, an erasing unit configured to erase the image from the sheet, a marking unit configured to put a mark on the sheet from which the image is erased, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to determine a number of the marks printed on the sheet based on the scanned mark printing area, determine an image area based on the scanned image, and determine a position of the mark to be put on the sheet by the marking unit based on the determined number of the marks and the determined image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunichi Megawa
  • Patent number: 9104362
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a determination unit and a receiving unit. The determination unit determines whether information on use of tab sheets is included in a printing job received from an information processing apparatus. The receiving unit receives selection of either an arbitrary page or all pages as a range of a confirmation page for a printed material obtained according to the printing job from among pages included in the printing job, in a case where information on use of tab sheets is not included in the printing job, and receives selection of not an arbitrary page but all pages as a range of a confirmation page for a printed material according to the printing job from among pages included in the printing job, in a case where information on use of tab sheets is included in the printing job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9088680
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a first conveying unit that sequentially feeds a plurality of media placed in a tray one by one in a conveying direction, a second conveying unit disposed downstream of the first conveying unit in the conveying direction and conveys a medium among the plurality of media fed by the first conveying unit in the conveying direction, and an imaging unit disposed downstream of the second conveying unit in the conveying direction. The imaging unit captures an image of the medium conveyed thereto and generates image data of the medium. The image reading device detects the medium conveyed based on the image data, and stops conveying a next medium subsequent to the medium conveyed before the first conveying unit starts conveying the next medium. The image reading device resumes conveying the next medium when the medium conveyed is no longer detected based on the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Akira Iwayama
  • Patent number: 9083742
    Abstract: A computer implemented method may allow for the upload and verification of a document. In one aspect, the method may receive a file associated with an insurance company event, determine if the file contains malicious code and transmit the file to a temporary data server. The method may also determine if the file is in a supported file format and if the file meets a supported file size, convert the file and transmit the converted file to the client device for a verification that the converted file can be uploaded. The method may further receive the verification from the client device that the converted file can be uploaded, flag the converted file for association with a customer account associated with the client device and transmit the converted file to a permanent storage server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey Mousty, John Dillard, Surendra Karnatapu, Robert Fatima
  • Patent number: 9073339
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control method for a digital ink-jet printing device to carry out multicolor ink-jet printing on an intermittent rotary printing device. The method includes: determining whether a current page is the first page; if yes, calculating a length of an image to be printed on the current page by subtracting a distance between an imaging component group and a reference from a length of a page, wherein the reference is the foremost printing imaging component group in a movement direction of a printed body, and acquiring image data of the current page, the length of which is the calculated length, after delaying the distance; if no, acquiring unprinted image data of a previous page, the length of which is the distance, and image data of the current page, the length of which is the calculated length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignees: Peking University Founder Group, Co., Ltd., Peking University, Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd., Peking University Founder R&D Center
    Inventors: Jianmei Huang, Tao Yang, Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 9077871
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and method which allow a user to readily select, upon transmission of an electronic mail or upon uploading of image data, image data of a plurality of images to be attached to the electronic mail or image data to be transmitted. The user uses a cross key and a determination button of an inputting section of a camcorder: to operate an anchor on an image selection screen, to operate a page backward feeding button and to operate a page feeding button to select a thumbnail image displayed. In response to an operation by the user, the anchor is positioned on the side of the number of the thumbnail image designated by the user, and image data of the thumbnail image at which the anchor is positioned are selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Nagata, Hidenobu Takemura, Tetsuya Kimura
  • Patent number: 9077838
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes following components. Processing units each operate when being supplied with power. A first detector detects an object entering a first detection area. A second detector detects an object entering a second detection area. A first controller controls power supply to the processing units and the first and second detectors. At a start of a power-saving mode, the first controller stops supplying power to the second detector and at least one processing unit and supplies power to the first detector. After the start of the power-saving mode, the first controller restarts supplying power to the second detector when the first detector detects an object entering the first detection area. When the second detector detects an object entering the second detection area in the power-saving mode, the first controller restarts supplying power to the at least one processing unit so as to cancel the power-saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisaji Hiramatsu, Kenji Kuroishi, Yuji Murata, Shunsuke Kasahara
  • Patent number: 9070054
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a printed matter production processing program for executing steps. The steps comprise an edition-screen display step, a database display step, a region-specification reception step, and a print-object arrangement step. In the edition-screen display step, an edition screen is displayed for receiving an input operation of the print object to be arranged in each of at least one block. In the database display step, a database that is stored in the memory and includes plurality of records is displayed. In the region-specification reception step, specification of a character-string including region is received. The character-string including region includes a plurality of character strings to be allocated as print objects. In the print-object arrangement step, the plurality of character strings included in the character-string including region are allocated to each of the block in accordance with a desired allocation rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shanshan Guan, Tomoki Miyashita, Keigo Kako
  • Patent number: 9071715
    Abstract: A method for detecting whether a paper is remained and a multi-function printer (MFP) thereof are provided. The method includes executing a detection procedure when the MFP accomplishes image capturing and outputting of the paper; recording a time of starting executing the detection procedure; calculating an executed time of the detection procedure; and determining whether to activate an alarm according to the executed time of the detection procedure and a similarity comparison result obtained by executing a scan procedure, so as to remind a user whether the paper is remained in the MFP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignees: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited, Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Hung-Chieh Chang
  • Patent number: 9041975
    Abstract: A printer device has a two-sided printing function and a circulatory transporting path for transporting a printing medium. The printer device is configured such that after creating a set of print data for a first recording surface to be printed with two-sided printing, the printer device adds a set of dummy print data for a second recording surface corresponding to a back side of the first recording surface to the set of print data for the first recording surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Arazaki
  • Publication number: 20150138578
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that enables a user to use a post-processing apparatus without giving a mode changing instruction after execution of a print job including post-processing by the post-processing apparatus has ended in a printing apparatus. Specifically, during execution of a print job in which the execution of post-processing on a sheet is set, the printing apparatus determines whether or not the post-processing apparatus has discharged a sheet on which printing processing has been performed, without executing the post-processing. If it is determined that the post-processing apparatus has discharged the sheet on which printing processing has been performed, without executing the post-processing, the printing apparatus changes the post-processing apparatus to a manual stapling (MS) mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Masaki Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 9036173
    Abstract: The present specification discloses systems and methods for enabling users to troubleshoot multifunction devices using handheld devices, such as mobile phones. In one embodiment, software executing on the handheld device receives data indicative of an error state in a multifunction device, causes the handheld device to obtain and display an image representative of an area of the multifunction device which would need to be serviced to address the error state, determines instructions for addressing the error state, and causes the handheld device to display the instructions in relation to the image representative of an area of the multifunction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David Andrew Thomas, Martin Richard Walsh
  • Patent number: 9036166
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a discharge mechanism including a drive roller rotatable in a normal direction to discharge a medium and in a reverse direction reversed to the normal direction, and a driven roller in contact with the drive roller and configured to be rotated by the rotation of the drive roller. The apparatus also includes a stacker on which the medium discharged from the discharge mechanism is to be stacked. The driven roller is movable in position depending on the rotation of the drive roller in the normal direction or the reverse direction, such that the driven roller is located at a first position in the vicinity of the stacker when the drive roller is rotating in the normal direction, and the driven roller is located at a second position further away from the stacker than the first position when the drive roller is rotating in the reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Osaki
  • Patent number: 9036165
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, including a driving unit, a separator unit, a conveyer unit, a reader unit, a reducer unit, a size detecting unit; and a controller is provided. The separator unit includes a drive shaft, a contact member, and a clutch. The controller manipulates the conveyer unit via the driving unit to convey the sheet at a first conveying speed when the size of the sheet detected by the size detecting unit is greater than a predetermined size. The controller manipulates the conveyer unit via the driving unit to convey the sheet at a second conveying speed, which is lower than the first conveying speed, when the size of the sheet detected by the size detecting unit is one of smaller than and equivalent to the predetermined size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Katsuro Miura, Muneaki Takahata
  • Patent number: 9036164
    Abstract: A feeder feeds a first recording medium in a first direction. A curved guide guides the first recording medium fed by the feeder upward along a first path. An upper guide receives a leading edge of the first recording medium, guided by the curved guide, and guides the first recording medium in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction. An insertion guide guides, along a second path, a second recording medium inserted from an opening. A conveying unit disposed downstream of the upper guide in the second direction conveys the first recording medium and the second recording medium to a recording unit which records an image on each recording medium supported by a supporting unit. A deflecting member has a surface inclined with respect to the second direction and deflects a leading edge of the second recording medium, guided by the insertion guide, upward toward the upper guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shota Iijima, Iwane Sano
  • Patent number: 9038190
    Abstract: A communication apparatus may include a reception portion, a decision portion, and a transmission portion. The reception portion may receive a first data request transmitted through a first security level communication, and a second data request transmitted through a second security level communication, the second security level being more secure than the first security level. The decision portion may decide whether a specific data request is the first data request or the second data request. The transmission portion may transmit a specific data to an apparatus that is a transmission source of the specific data request if the specific data request is the second data request, and may transmit different data to the apparatus if the specific data request is the first data request. The different data contains display information for causing the apparatus to retransmit the specific data request through the second security level communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Munehisa Matsuda, Yohei Maekawa, Takeshi Miyake, Yuki Yada
  • Patent number: 9030678
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of option devices includes a signal changing unit connected to a first control unit of a recording apparatus without a second control unit of another option device and configured to change a signal supplied from the first control unit, and a communication line configured to connect the first control unit and the second control unit without the second control unit of another option device. The first control unit determines the number of the option devices by inputting a signal to the signal changing unit in each of the plurality of option devices. After that, in the case where communication can be performed between the first and second control units, it is determined that the second control unit of the option device is normal. In the case where the communication cannot be performed, it is determined that the second control unit is faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Ito
  • Publication number: 20150116742
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a pivotable display unit, and a support unit linked to pivoting of the display unit, to support the display unit. Through this configuration, the display unit is tiltable to meet an arrangement state or use state of the image forming apparatus. Since the structure to support the display unit is linked to a tiling operation of the display unit, convenience of use is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sae Hoon HAN
  • Publication number: 20150116743
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stopping part, a mode deciding part, a changing part and a type distinguishing part. The stopping part temporarily stops print execution if a type value indicating a type of a sheet conveyed according to the print execution is not included within a given range. The mode deciding part decides whether or not a mode set in the print execution is a specific mode using a different sheet from a sheet used in normal print condition. The changing part changes, if the mode set in the print execution is the specific mode, a width value used for distinguishing the sheet type to a first width value smaller than a normal width value. The type distinguishing part measures the type value and decides whether or not the type value is included within a threshold range defined by the changed width value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Hiroshi YAMASHITA
  • Patent number: 9019524
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and image forming system for communicating with a network via a server are disclosed. The server responds to an inquiry about device information of the image forming apparatus based on device information stored in a memory in a case that the server is in a power saving mode, and also updates device information in the memory upon receiving device information from the image forming apparatus. In addition, the server updates device information in the memory by requesting the image forming apparatus for the device information of the image forming apparatus in a case where the server shifts to the power saving mode. In a case that the device information of the image forming apparatus has changed, the image forming apparatus transmits the changed device information to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Tokumaru
  • Publication number: 20150109628
    Abstract: Depending on a sheet used in printing, in some cases, a user desires to perform printing without an effect of an abnormal pixel, and in other cases, the user desires prompt execution of the reading of a document. Therefore, a method includes determining whether second image data includes an abnormal pixel, the second image data being generated by a reading unit performing reading with no document placed at a reading position, and performing control so that the determining is performed in a case where a sheet on which an image is to be printed by a printing unit is a sheet that is to be subjected to the determining, and performing control so that the determining is not performed in a case where the sheet on which the image is to be printed by the printing unit is a sheet that is not to be subjected to the determining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Koichi Unno
  • Patent number: 9013751
    Abstract: A system in which when a setting of a certain sheet storing unit of a group of sheet storing units is changed, and the changed setting of the certain sheet storing unit is different from settings of other sheet storing units within the same group as the certain sheet storing unit, a user is notified accordingly, or the changed setting is set to the other sheet storing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Inui
  • Publication number: 20150103362
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, includes: an acceptance unit that accepts image data and reading data; an extraction unit that extracts rectangular images by segmenting one image of the image data and the reading data; a first searching unit that selects at least one of the rectangular images extracted by the extraction unit, set a search range calculated from the error, searches for a matching position of the selected rectangular image in the other image of the image data and the reading data; an estimation unit that estimates a matching position of a rectangular image in the other image on the basis of the matching position of the selected rectangular image in the other image; and a second searching unit that searches for a matching position of the other rectangular image in the other image using the matching position estimated by the estimation unit as a reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroyuki KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20150103363
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, includes: an acceptance unit that accepts image data and reading data read from a medium; an extraction unit that extracts a rectangular image by segmenting one image of the image data and the reading data to have a size calculated based on an error; a searching unit that searches for a matching position of a rectangular image in the other image of the image data and the reading data, which corresponds to a position of the rectangular image extracted by the extraction unit within a range of a movement amount calculated based on the size of the rectangular image extracted by the extraction unit and a predetermined size calculated by the error; and a comparison unit that compares the rectangular image extracted by the extraction unit with the rectangular image in the other image at the position searched by the searching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroyuki KAWANO
  • Patent number: 9007609
    Abstract: A copy machine includes a reading unit, a printing unit, a processor and memory. In a case where a specific condition, which includes at least a condition that a read mode of the reading unit is performed in a discontinuous read mode, is satisfied, the copy machine controls the printing unit to perform printing in a preceding print mode, including starting printing of the image of the document before the reading of the document by the reading unit is completed. In a case where the specific condition is not satisfied, the copy machine controls the printing unit to perform printing in a memory print mode, including starting printing of the image of the document after the reading of the document by the reading unit is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Sakuragi
  • Patent number: 9007608
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an exposure glass on which an original is to be placed; a scanner cover to openably cover the exposure glass from above, a tip of the scanner cover is lifted to open the exposure glass; a document scanner to read a two-dimensional objet of the original on the exposure glass and output read image data; a camera unit to capture an image of a three-dimensional object of the original on the exposure glass and output captured image data; photography lighting equipment including movable light source unit to illuminate the three-dimensional object put when the camera unit captures the image of the three-dimensional object; an image forming unit to convert the read image data and the captured image data to form a printed image on a recording medium; and a setting controller to control a reading process, a capturing process, and an image forming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taisuke Omi, Masaaki Kawamura, Kazuo Koike, Kenichi Yamada, Tasuku Kohara, Tsuyoshi Endoh, Hiroshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 9008429
    Abstract: A system and method for comparing a text image and a character string are provided. The method includes embedding a character string into a vectorial space by extracting a set of features from the character string and generating a character string representation based on the extracted features, such as a spatial pyramid bag of characters (SPBOC) representation. A text image is embedded into a vectorial space by extracting a set of features from the text image and generating a text image representation based on the text image extracted features. A compatibility between the text image representation and the character string representation is computed, which includes computing a function of the text image representation and character string representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jose Antonio Rodriguez-Serrano, Florent C. Perronnin
  • Patent number: 9001338
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a controller. The acquisition unit is configured to, in a case of a recording medium having different thicknesses along a direction crossing a feeding direction in which the recording medium is fed by a feeding unit, acquire correction information that is set on the basis of an orientation of the recording medium in a case where the recording medium is fed by the feeding unit. The controller is configured to move a print start position of a print unit in the direction crossing the feeding direction on the basis of the correction information acquired by the acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Syunichi Kunihiro