Size, Resolution, Or Scale Control Patents (Class 358/1.2)
  • Patent number: 8711427
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an anti-aliasing processing unit configured to perform an anti-aliasing process on gloss-control plane image data that specifies a type of a surface effect applied to a recording medium and a drawing area to which the surface effect is to be applied to the recording medium and on color plane image data indicative of a drawing area of a color image. The anti-aliasing processing unit corrects a pixel value of each pixel in the color plane image data to a value obtained by multiplying the pixel value by a first area ratio of a drawing area of the color plane image data before rasterization in each pixel, and corrects a pixel value of each pixel in the gloss-control plane image data to a value obtained by multiplying the pixel value by an area ratio of 100 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Tokushima, Hiroaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8711373
    Abstract: Print settings changed in a direct printing-capable image forming apparatus are treated as either temporary changes or permanent changes depending on the state of the image forming apparatus when the print settings are changed. Specifically, print settings changed when the image forming apparatus is in a direct printing-executable state are treated as temporary, whereas print settings changed when the image forming apparatus is in a direct printing-inexecutable state are treated as permanent. Usability regarding print settings is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Masumoto, Atsushi Shimazaki, Michihei Murayama, Shigeru Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 8705055
    Abstract: A method disclosed. The method includes receiving a print job, transmitting a query to two or more printers requesting a time estimate to print the print job at each of the two or more printers, receiving the time estimates from the two or more printers and selecting a first of the two or more printers at which the print job is to be printed based on the received time estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: InfoPrint Solutions Company LLC
    Inventor: Stephen G. Price
  • Patent number: 8705073
    Abstract: A density detection apparatus includes the following elements. A storage unit stores therein image information. A measuring unit measures amounts of light components reflected by an image carrier or density detection images represented by the image information. A light amount obtaining unit obtains a variation in amounts of light components reflected by each region in which the associated density detection image is formed, and obtains, as a reference value, a representative value of the amounts of light components. An image correcting unit corrects the image information by changing an arrangement order of the density detection images. An image forming unit forms the density detection images on the image carrier on the basis of the corrected image information. A density obtaining unit obtains density levels of density detection images corresponding to their area ratios by using the amounts of light components reflected by the density detection images and the reference values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Suzuki, Toru Iwanami, Makoto Hamatsu, Wenxiang Ge, Kenjo Nagata, Hidefumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8705077
    Abstract: A printing method and a printing system are provided where a printing property of the printing system is stored, a printing compatibility of a printing data of an object to be printed is determined by comparing a data property of the printing data with the stored printing property of the printing system, and the determined printing compatibility is displayed to a user. Accordingly, a printing system and a printing method, which are capable of preventing user inconvenience and waste of resources due to re-printing are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyeong-man Kim, Hyun-soo Oh, Mi-jung Jang
  • Patent number: 8705111
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus comprises a distributing unit configured to distribute print data for printing dot into data used for printing by first printing elements provided in a print head and data used for printing by second printing elements provided in the same print head, and a determining unit configured to, for the data used for printing by the respective parts of the printing element arrays of each of first and second print heads which have the overlapped print regions, determine a ratio between amount of the data used for printing by a combination of the first and second printing element arrays in the first print head and a combination of the first and second printing element arrays in the second print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Masuda, Norihiro Kawatoko, Hitoshi Nishikori, Osamu Iwasaki, Tomoki Yamamuro, Atsuhiko Masuyama, Fumiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8705079
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus for converting image data to print data. The apparatus includes a reception unit for receiving printing data concerning a prescribed print setting in a prescribed unit. An input unit inputs the print setting applied to the received printing data. A conversion unit converts the print setting corresponding to the print setting input by the input unit, within the print setting designated in the prescribed unit of printing data received by the reception unit, into the print setting input by the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Toshinori Ohtomo
  • Publication number: 20140104625
    Abstract: An embodiment of this invention is directed to increasing the number of printable images on a continuous sheet and printing throughput when printing an image in which images of different sizes coexist and are arranged. In a printing apparatus which prints a plurality of images by using a full-line inkjet printhead while conveying the sheet, the size of an image and a position of a sheet where the image is printed are analyzed from inputted image data. A necessary type of preliminary discharge is determined in accordance with the analysis result. Then, print data is generated by adding, to the image data, data for preliminary discharge complying with the determined type of preliminary discharge. It is controlled to print by the full-line printhead based on the generated print data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiya Fujinaga
  • Publication number: 20140104624
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a print request combining unit and a reduced-size image display unit. The print request combining unit combines multiple print requests to generate one print request. The reduced-size image display unit reduces sizes of images of to-be-displayed pages among pages to be formed in accordance with the one print request generated by the print request combining unit, and displays reduced-size images of the to-be-displayed pages. The reduced-size image display unit extracts at least one to-be-displayed page from each set of to-be-printed pages specified in a corresponding one of the multiple print requests having been combined by the print request combining unit, and displays reduced-size images of the extracted to-be-displayed pages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Yuya YAMAGUCHI, Nobuhide Kawabata
  • Patent number: 8699054
    Abstract: A multi-media printer renders an image from a submitted print job. A decoding module receives the submitted print job and extracts a print client indicator from the submitted print job. A mapping module includes a plurality of entries, each of the plurality of entries including the print client indicator and a corresponding job settings file. A parameter determination module receives the at least one print client indicator and compares the print client indicator to the plurality of entries in the mapping module to determine if a matching entry corresponds to print client indicator. The parameter determination module determines if the corresponding job settings file in the matching entry includes at least one media selection parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Codonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Edwards, Alan J. Gilbert, Gary W. Keefe, Peter O. Botten
  • Patent number: 8699057
    Abstract: An arrangement which is capable of copying a clear toner image formed by a clear toner. In the image forming apparatus, a scanner section of an MFP reads an original. A CPU of the MFP determines whether or not position information indicative of a position where a clear-toner image formed by a clear toner is formed is contained in an image of the original read by the scanner section. When the CPU determines that the position information indicative of the position where the clear-toner image is formed is contained in the image of the original, the CPU forms the image of the original and the clear-toner image based on the position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hajime Ohno
  • Patent number: 8699082
    Abstract: An apparatus to control a printing density in an image forming device and a method thereof, capable of controlling the printing density of a printed matter according to an amount of pages for a single page and a print rate. The apparatus and method solve a problem wherein the printing density is recognized as being degraded due to an increase of pages for a single paper or a reduced print rate. The printing density is set automatically or manually, and a bias voltage applied to a developing roller is controlled according to set-up information so that the printing density is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Ju Kim, Bong Gi Lee
  • Publication number: 20140098385
    Abstract: The printing apparatus includes a reference drive signal generation section that generates a reference drive signal, a signal modulation section that modulates the reference drive signal to generate a modulation reference drive signal, a signal amplification section that amplifies the modulation reference drive signal using switching elements to generate a modulation drive signal, a signal conversion section that converts the modulation drive signal to a drive signal, a piezoelectric element that deforms in response to the drive signal, a pressure chamber that expands or contracts due to the deformation of the piezoelectric element, a nozzle opening portion that communicates with the pressure chamber, and a frequency control section which limits a switching frequency to be less than a predetermined value in a case where a product of the printing resolution and the printing speed is equal to or larger than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori ENDO, Toshihisa Saruta, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 8693032
    Abstract: Methods and associated structure for displaying the status of a plurality of print jobs using a graphical user interface to present a broad overview of the status of the print jobs. Status information regarding the plurality of print jobs is received from one or more print servers. The status of each job is analyzed to associate a top-level category with each job and a status sub-category with each job. A graphical object is presented to the user to represent each of the top-level categories and each of the sub-categories within each top-level category. A count of the number of jobs associated with each graphical object may be presented to the user as a number associated with the graphical object. The graphical objects may be color-coded to indicate the level of operator intervention (if any) required for the print jobs associated with the corresponding top-level category or sub-category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joan Stagaman Goddard, Kumar V. Kadiyala
  • Patent number: 8693044
    Abstract: An operation screen generating apparatus includes: an image-in-work-screen generating unit that displays a subject image on a work screen, which is displayed at an aspect ratio same as that of a print area, in a display position and at a display magnification designated by user operation; and an image-in-confirmation-screen generating unit that displays in enlargement, on a confirmation screen prepared separately from the work screen, a reference line representing an outer edge position of the work screen and a subject image located near an outside and an inside of the reference line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Keitaro Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 8693045
    Abstract: A printing control device which includes a printing density determination unit which obtains attribute information of an object included in input document data, and determines a printing density for printing the object according to the line width of an image of the object for which attribute information is a line drawing attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kubota, Kazunobu Nimura
  • Publication number: 20140092397
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a detector, and first to fourth generation units. The detector detects an instruction to magnify a portion of a reduced image obtained by reducing an original image, using the first generation unit. Upon detection of the instruction, the second generation unit generates a first magnified image by magnifying the reduced-image portion such that the degree of the magnification becomes smaller from the center of the magnification toward a surrounding area. The third generation unit specifies a portion of the original image corresponding to a first magnified image region having a perimeter from which a distance to the center of the magnification is predetermined, and generates a second magnified image by magnifying the specified original image portion. The fourth generation unit composes and then outputs an image by superimposing the second magnified image on the first magnified image at the center of the magnification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
  • Publication number: 20140092398
    Abstract: An image processing method includes an extraction step, a specifying step, and a data generating step. The extraction step extracts the positions of one or a plurality of objects and the position of a reference character indicating reference to each object, included in image data. Based on the extraction result of the extraction step, the specifying step specifies, among the objects, a specific object for which the corresponding reference character is to be printed on a side opposite to the object printed side when the image data is printed by both-side printing. The data generating step, based on the image data, generates edited image data in which the specific object is copied to a position that allows the specific object to be printed on a paper sheet different from that for the reference character corresponding to the specific object when the both-side printing is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Syuji Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20140092399
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus includes an area setting unit configured to set, in a case where it is not determined that a page of an aspect ratio can be set in an application, a data arrangement area which the data to be printed is arranged, in a page setting of the application, so that an aspect ratio of the data arrangement area fits to the aspect ratio of the printing area, and a scaling setting unit configured to set a scaling of the page in which the data arrangement area set by the area setting unit, so that the page is scaled in accordance with the printing area and the data arrangement area, based on a size of the page and the size of the printing area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideharu Sawada
  • Patent number: 8687241
    Abstract: Method for security printing. A digital model of a feature for printing is received, wherein the feature is for authentication by an external device. Deviation from the digital model is compensated for, to a printed instance of the feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven J. Simske, Malgorzata M. Sturgill, Jason S. Aronoff, Juan C. Villa, Galia Golodetz
  • Patent number: 8687230
    Abstract: An image processor includes an acquiring unit that acquires a plurality of image files each corresponding to an image; a correction unit that corrects each image by conforming a characteristic quantity of each image to a reference characteristic quantity, the characteristic quantity representing image characteristic of each image; and an output control unit that outputs the corrected images on a same output plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Kondo, Tomohiko Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8687228
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a plug-in of a general use application, sheet size information and margin information set by the application are calculated by using a scaling factor at the time of an expansion or reduction printing. The calculated sheet size information and margin information are reconfigured into the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadanobu Fujita
  • Publication number: 20140085644
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an area dividing unit extracts character areas in each one of plural page images as objects of combination printing. An area excluding unit excludes a character area that has a size of which a ratio to a largest size of the character areas is smaller than a predetermined threshold value among the character areas extracted by the area dividing unit in each one of the plural page images. A character size identifying unit identifies a smallest character size of the character area that are not excluded by the area excluding unit among the character areas extracted by the area dividing unit in each one of the plural page images. A combination quantity determining unit determines a combination quantity of combination printing on the basis of the smallest character size identified by the character size identifying unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Toru Honda
  • Publication number: 20140085645
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a control unit that processes a plurality of pages by aggregating a certain number of pages among the plurality of pages into an output page, and a specifying unit that specifies a specific page among the plurality of pages and excludes the specific page from an object of the aggregation by the control unit. When an orientation of the specific page is different from an orientation of the output page containing aggregated pages, the control unit aligns the orientation of the specific page and the orientation of the output page with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hirohito OKAZAKI
  • Patent number: 8681371
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a formation unit for forming patch images for calibration of an output image, a detection unit disposed on a paper conveyance path and configured to detect the fixed patch images formed on paper by the formation unit, and a correction unit for performing the calibration using the patch images detected by the detection unit is provided. When the formation unit forms the patch images, the formation unit arranges the images on both sides of a medium. On the front surface of the medium, a low-density patch image is formed, and on the back surface of the medium, a high-density patch image is formed. Alternatively, a media on which the patch image is formed is discharged once, and a user turns the medium upside down and feeds the medium again such that the first and second patch image formation positions differ from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Hirose
  • Publication number: 20140078522
    Abstract: An information processor includes a first input unit configured to accept designation of an enlargement/reduction rate, an extraction unit configured to extract a first output setting for printout at the designated enlargement/reduction rate and a second output setting different from the first output setting for printout at the designated enlargement/reduction rate, a calculation unit configured to calculate a first fee for the first output setting and a second fee for the second output setting, a display configured to display the first output setting and the first fee in association with each other, and the second output setting and the second fee in association with each other, a second input unit configured to receive a selection of one of the first output setting and the second output setting, and a controller configured to cause the execution of image formation onto a medium with the selected output setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takuya HIRAKI
  • Publication number: 20140078521
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a resolution conversion unit configured to convert the resolution of a pixel provided by input image data; a gradation conversion unit configured to perform matrix conversion onto the pixel; and a writing unit configured to perform a write operation, wherein, in the normal mode, the gradation conversion unit performs matrix conversion onto the pixel with reference to the gradation conversion table for the normal mode, and the writing unit performs the write operation of the pixel in a normal order that is the order image data being input into the image forming apparatus, and in the reverse mode, the gradation conversion unit performs matrix conversion onto the pixel with reference to the gradation conversion table for the reverse mode, and the writing unit performs the write operation of the pixel in a reverse order opposite to the normal order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Masayuki HAYASHI, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Hiroaki Ikeda, Akinori Yamaguchi, Tomohiro Ohshima
  • Patent number: 8675246
    Abstract: An image processing device for determining whether to carry out color printing or monochrome printing to achieve a printing operation on a print sheet based on an original document, the device including: a determination area obtaining unit configured to automatically obtain a partial area of the original document estimated to be printed on the print sheet; and a color/monochrome determination unit configured to carry out the determination with using image data of the obtained partial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Aya Okada, Shoji Kurita
  • Patent number: 8675245
    Abstract: Since, for detecting a two-dimension code added to a document, the detection processing is performed by checking the four corners of the read image, if the user specifies an A3 size as a reading size of an image in the copy of an A4-size document, the two-dimensional code is not detected. When the document size detected by the copying machine differs from the reading size of the image specified by the user, the processing for the two-dimensional code detection is performed checking the four corners of the region of the document size detected by the copying machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Itoh
  • Patent number: 8675224
    Abstract: A printing device includes at least one printing engine that has actuators and sensors. At least one engine controller is operatively connected to the printing engine, the engine controller uses software to control operations of the printing engine. At least one non-volatile memory is operatively connected to the engine controller. The non-volatile memory stores values used by the engine controller to control operations of the printing engine. Further, at least one adapter card is operatively connected to the non-volatile memory and to the actuators and sensors. The adapter card stores data and receives sensor feedback from the sensors. The adapter card uses the data and the sensor feedback to control the actuators by bypassing the engine controller when communicating with the actuators. The adapter card provides adapter card feedback to the non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Paul, Aaron M. Burry, Bruce Earl Thayer, Michael F. Zona
  • Patent number: 8675239
    Abstract: In a method for printing a recording medium, an object type of image elements to be printed is determined for a corresponding print page using digital data. In generation of a bitmap for generation of a latent image for a first print process or a second print process, dependent on the object type image points are adapted in a direction of at least one main axis corresponding to an expected shrinkage. The recording medium is printed with a first toner image in a first print process. The first toner image is fixed on the recording medium in the fixing device where the recording medium shrinks along said at least one main axis. In the second print process, a second toner image is applied on the same recording medium in the direction of the main axis in a form compressed relative to that of the first print process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Jörgens, Herbert Gibisch, Peter Thiemann
  • Patent number: 8675243
    Abstract: Techniques for creating an individual image sized to a desired print area plus a desired amount of bleed area to thereby reduce an amount of ink applied outside a desired print area are presented. In an embodiment, each of the desired print area dimensions, a default ink bleed width, and an ink bleed adjustment setting are obtained. The individual image comprises an image container sized to a desired print area plus a desired amount of bleed area. Each of the respective dimensions of the image container of the individual image is set to the corresponding respective dimension of the desired print area plus the default ink bleed width. A base image providing image content for the image container is sized to the dimensions of the image container if dimensions of the base image do not already equal the dimensions of the image container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Vistaprint Schweiz GmbH
    Inventor: Jacob A. Hyman
  • Patent number: 8675233
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit to communicate with other electronic apparatuses and a license management apparatus; a license file management unit to obtain license files from the license management apparatus; a license information management unit to manage license information to determine licensed software programs; an apparatus management unit to manage apparatus-related information including component parts information; and a license distribution management unit. The license distribution management unit confirms that licensed software programs are present. When transferring licenses for the confirmed software programs, the license distribution management unit requests and obtains the license information and the apparatus-related information from the other electronic apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Ogasawara, Yoshihiro Ogura
  • Patent number: 8675244
    Abstract: An apparatus includes, in a case of performing rendering based on print data in which a plurality of objects for which a clip is not set are defined, and rendering an object on a predetermined scan line, which is a scan line subsequent to the scan line whose edge information has undergone edge processing, an update unit configured to read edge information about a predetermined page clip edge on the predetermined scan line, and set a predetermined clip count corresponding to the predetermined page clip edge to valid, and set a clip count corresponding to the different page clip edge to valid, and a rendering unit configured to render an object corresponding to both page clip edges after the predetermined clip count and the different page clip edge are set to valid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Morikazu Ito
  • Patent number: 8675241
    Abstract: A method implemented in a printer controller for printing oversized image data is described. During printing, a process is executed to determine whether the data to be printed have a page data size that exceeds the maximum printable area for the specified recording medium. The page data size of a given page is the total extent (width and height) of the data objects on the page. If the page data size exceeds the maximum printable area, the process determines whether the portions of the image that exceeds the maximum printable area are background data. If they are, a portion of the background data that exceeds the maximum printable area are cut off, and the document is printed without reducing the size of the non-background data. The method can also be implemented on a print driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Keiko Torikoshi
  • Patent number: 8670150
    Abstract: When draw data that has been created by an application program is spooled, whether the resolution of the draw data is to be lowered is decided. If it is decided that the resolution of the draw data is to be lowered, printer information in which the resolution of print data to be spooled has been lowered is returned and spooling is performed at the lowered resolution. The draw data thus spooled is rasterized into a raster image at a resolution that conforms to the resolution of an image forming device, and the raster image that has been rasterized is output to a printer to thereby form an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Tomomatsu
  • Patent number: 8670630
    Abstract: An image processing module performs efficient image enhancement according to a multi-scale energy minimization process. One or more input images are progressively downsampled to generate a pyramid of downsampled images of varying resolution. Starting with the coarsest downsampled image, a label map is generated that maps output pixel positions to pixel positions in the downsampled input images. The label map is then progressively upsampled. At each upsampling stage, the labels are refined according to an energy function configured to produce the desired enhancements. Using the multi-scale energy minimization, the image processing module enhances image via hole-filling and/or super-resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Vivek Kwatra
  • Patent number: 8670149
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing a pre-rasterized print job for variable data printing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a set of printer characteristics may be determined and then transferred to a typesetting system. The typesetting system may then pre-rasterize objects of the print job based in part on the received printer characteristics. A pre-rasterized print job, including the pre-rasterized objects and print layout instructions may then be generated, such as in the form of a PostScript file, which may then be transferred to a raster image processor (RIP) for generation of printed output. In another embodiment, a printer characterization file may be used for execution on a printing system to determine the set of printer characteristics, that may include native resolution, rotation angle, compression data and/or other data or information characterizing the printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Printable Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Neal Cogan, Kevin A. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8670157
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for processing isolated dots of an image to be printed by a printer. The method includes detecting whether pixels corresponding to an isolated dot in the image are in an on state. A first sum of pixels that are in an on state in a first pixel ring surrounding the pixels corresponding to the isolated dot when the pixels in the isolated dot are detected to be in the on state is determined. The first sum of pixels in the first pixel ring that are in the on state is compared with a first threshold sum. A first number of pixels in at least a second pixel ring either comprising of or surrounding the pixels corresponding to the isolated dot are turned on when the first sum of pixels in the on state is less than the first threshold sum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Amal Malik, Zhenhuan Wen, Xing Li
  • Publication number: 20140063511
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printing section configured to print on a sheet an image formed on an original, a determination section configured to determine whether or not the image formed on the original is formed with an erasable material, and a conversion section configured to change a color of the image to be printed by the printing section if the determination section determines that the image formed on the original is formed with the erasable material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hajime TOMIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20140063512
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image obtaining unit which obtains print target data to be printed; a second print size specifying unit which specifies a print size for printing the obtained print target image on one or more print media; a print medium size specifying unit which specifies a size of the print media on which the print target data is printed; and a division judging unit which judges whether or not the print target data is divided into the plural print media when being printed, on the basis of the specified print size and the specified size of the print media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 8665484
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof in which input image data and generates a plurality of tile images, each including a substance region and overlap regions each of which overlaps with a part of each adjacent tile image, by dividing the input image data. The apparatus executes image processing separately on each of the plurality of the generated tile images, and when generating each tile image, converts a resolution of image data in the overlap regions such that the resolution of the image data in the overlap regions is smaller than a resolution of image data in the substance region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Yamada, Jun Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8665485
    Abstract: A method for printing including preparing an image at a first resolution in a first direction, selecting pixels from the prepared image, reordering the selected pixels to create a translated image having a second resolution in the first direction, where the second resolution is different from the first resolution, and printing the translated image. Also included are a printing system and an article of computer readable code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: David Allen Mantell
  • Patent number: 8659773
    Abstract: Provided is an image sending apparatus capable of preventing an erroneous sending effectively using a preview display without causing a user to feel troublesome with unnecessary confirmation operation. An image forming apparatus (illustrated as a digital multi-functional peripheral) is provided with a setting storage portion (illustrated as a control memory) for storing setting information (illustrated as a table) related to a preview display by a display control portion (illustrated as a panel control portion) for each sending destination. The setting information includes forcible execution information showing whether or not a preview image is displayed forcibly by the display control portion. The display control portion performs a display control based on the stored setting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Terumi Hayashi, Masanori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8659788
    Abstract: A printer can print to paper with a narrow width while maintaining a print format with good legibility without changing the application program and printer driver installed on the host computer. The control method of a printer that prints based on print data 5 sent from a host computer 3 has a step S105 of extracting data attributes contained in the print data 5 and assigning the print data 5 to data segment areas for each data attribute; a step of setting the data segment areas to specific printing areas based on the data attribute; an actual print data generating step (steps S122, S107, S133, S134, S111) of converting the print data 5 assigned to the data segment areas to actual print data according to the data attributes; and a printing step S113 of printing the actual print data in the printing areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Watanabe, Akihiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8654154
    Abstract: A method for varying a view of a digital image to be sent to a display. The method comprises retrieving image data representing a first area of the digital image from a reduced size, in regard of number of pixels, representation of the digital image, sending the retrieved image data representing the first area to the display, receiving a user input signal requesting a second area to be sent to the display, retrieving image data representing the second area of the digital image from the reduced size representation of the digital image, and sending the retrieved image data representing the second area to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mobile Imaging in Sweden AB
    Inventors: Sami Niemi, Johan Stén
  • Patent number: 8654358
    Abstract: An image data processing device includes a plurality of image data treating units, a storing unit, and a setting unit. The plurality of image data treating units treats image data. The storing unit stores a plurality of conditions relating to a property of image data to be treated by each of the image data treating units. The setting unit is configured to set a condition in the storing unit to each of at least two of the image data treating units at a time. The conditions set to the at least two of the image data treating units is associated with one another so that the at least two of the image data treating units treat image data with same concept of processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriko Sugimoto, Tatsuya Sato
  • Patent number: 8654391
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: a storing unit that stores image data of plural pages, an operating unit and a setting unit that sets the number of sheets used for N-up printing of the plural pages. A determining unit determines the number of pages aggregated on a single side of a single sheet when N-up printing is performed using the number of sheets set by the setting unit. An orientation selecting unit selects a paper orientation that lowers a reduction ratio of a page when N-up printing is performed on the number of pages determined by the determining unit. An image forming unit uses the image data stored in the storing unit to form images of the plural pages onto sheets according to the number of sheets set by the setting unit, the number of pages determined by the determining unit, and the selected paper orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Hideya Muramoto
  • Patent number: 8648862
    Abstract: A method, system and computer readable media relating to automatically adjusting a graphics feature to compensate for a predetermined resolution limit. The method generally relates to automatically identifying, within a selected area of a graphics file, one or more portions of at least one graphics feature meeting predetermined criteria for adjustment, including criteria for defining a thin portion having a thickness less than the resolution limit. The method then automatically modifies only the identified one or more portions to have an adjusted thickness greater than the initial thickness. Additional criteria may be used to restrict which thin portions of the feature are actually modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Esko Software BVBA
    Inventors: Luc Henri Maria Leon Schildermans, Wim Jan C. Fransen, Frank Adegeest
  • Publication number: 20140036279
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a document reading unit 110 allowing input of image data generated from a read document, a paper feed unit 140 containing recording paper, an image forming unit 120 forming an image on the recording paper based on the image data, and a touch-panel display 132 displaying a preview image representing a state of image formation. The touch-panel display displays a preview image in a designated orientation for a document of a prescribed size, and displays a preview image in accordance with size and orientation of recording paper fed from the paper feed unit, for a document not of the prescribed size. Thus, for documents of a prescribed size, preview images in a prescribed orientation can be displayed regardless of the direction of arrangement of the recording paper, and easier confirmation of expected finish of the formed image becomes possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsaku Tohki, Kumiko Ogino, Toshihiro Shoji