Engraving Or Perforating Material To Form A Printing Surface (e.g., Printing Plate, Cylinder, Or Stencil) Patents (Class 358/3.29)
  • Patent number: 11501515
    Abstract: High-accuracy character recognition has not been realized for a document having a space between lines is narrow, a document in which line contact occurs at a plurality of positions, and a document in which a ratio of lines with line contact is high. Noises are removed from divided line images that are obtained by dividing a text image into line units, and the removed noises are added to a neighboring divided text line image, thus restoring the character image which has been divided into the plurality of lines. This realizes the high-accuracy character recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihito Nanaumi
  • Patent number: 10981413
    Abstract: Provided are an automatic continuous image engraving device capable of decreasing in size of an installing space of the device. The device comprises an unengraved medium accommodating part, an engraved medium accommodating part, a medium dispenser, a medium positioning and conveying part, and an image engraving part, wherein the medium dispenser releases the unengraved card-shaped engraving medium to cause the same to be succeeded at the succeeding position, the medium positioning and conveying part returns the engraved card-shaped engraving medium after image engraving from the engraving position to the succeeding position, and the medium dispenser adsorbs the engraved card-shaped engraving medium at the succeeding position, moves the same upward, travels above the engraved medium accommodating part, and releases the engraved card-shaped engraving medium to be accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: WORLD VENTURE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Hoshiyama
  • Patent number: 10596805
    Abstract: A printing device prints an object on a medium by inkjet printing. The printing device includes: a solid print nozzle discharging solid-color printing ink; a color printing nozzle discharging color printing ink; and a main scan driver prompting the nozzles to perform main scans in which the nozzles discharge the ink droplets while moving in a main scanning direction previously set, wherein with a density of ink dots formed on the medium by one nozzle in a preset number of the main scans being defined as a main scan dot density, the main scan driver prompting the solid print nozzle to form ink dots at a first main scan dot density, the main scan driver further prompting the color printing nozzle to form ink dots at a second main scan dot density lower than the first main scan dot density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Namiki, Kazuhiro Ochi, Eiichi Ohara, Sota Machii
  • Patent number: 10518473
    Abstract: According to an example, an arrangement of parts to be printed in a build envelope of a three dimensional (3D) printer may be determined through identification of a plurality of parts to be printed and generation of a respective virtual bounding box for each of the plurality of parts. In one example, a determination may be made that a total volume occupied by the generated virtual bounding boxes falls below a predetermined threshold of the build envelope volume and an arrangement of the virtual bounding boxes inside the build envelope that results in a total height of the virtual bounding boxes being minimized may be determined, to enhance efficiency in printing of the plurality of parts by the 3D printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Huang, Jun Zeng, Yan Zhao, Scott White, Sebastia Cortes I Herms
  • Patent number: 10286704
    Abstract: In a method for forming braille text on a recording medium, the braille text includes a plurality of cells with one or more dots included in each cell, and at least one of the cells includes a plurality of dots. The method includes discharging a photocurable ink onto the recording medium and curing with light the discharged photocurable ink, to form a print layer on the recording medium, and discharging a photocurable ink onto the print layer and curing with light the discharged photocurable ink, to form at least one additional print layer on the print layer. Resultant braille text is formed by the print layer and the at least one additional print layer, and the resultant braille text has an intra-cell dot-to-dot spacing of about 0.38 mm or more and about 1.32 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Nariyama
  • Patent number: 10018916
    Abstract: An apparatus for electrochemical experimentation with an isolated microstructural region on a surface comprising a metal sample coated with a photoresist, a region of interest, an exposed region of photoresist and unexposed region of photoresist wherein the exposed region is created by light and creating a developed region of unexposed photoresist, and an adhesive strip with a first perforated window over the region of interest and a sealed waterproof container with a second larger perforated window over the first perforated window. A method for isolating microstructural regions for electrochemical experimentation comprising providing a metal sample, identifying regions of interest, coating the metal sample, selecting regions of interest, exposing with light and creating exposed photoresist and unexposed photoresist by laser lithography without a mask, and immersing the metal sample in a developer solution and creating developed regions of unexposed photoresist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Steven A. Policastro, Raymond C Y Auyeung, Alberto Piqué, Farrell Martin
  • Patent number: 9962923
    Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of a) image-wise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a hydrophilic support and a coating containing a colorant precursor to form a lithographic image consisting of printing areas and non-printing areas, b) developing the plate precursor to remove the coating in the non-printing areas from the support, and c) drying the plate precursor, and d) subjecting the plate precursor to heat or radiation to induce a colour change of the coating in the printing areas, wherein before step b) the coating in the non-printing areas and the support are characterised by a CIE 1976 colour difference ?E1 which is 5.0 or less, and after step d) the CIE 1976 colour difference ?E2 between the coating in the printing areas and the non-printing areas is more than 6.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: AGFA NV
    Inventors: Peter Hendrikx, Paul Callant, Marin Steenackers, Sam Verbrugghe
  • Patent number: 9819543
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium stores a communication program for causing a computer to execute a process for performing a function, the process including: verifying, when detected that a type of a target communication device is changed, setting details which are previously prepared by changing setting of a communication protocol based on the setting details which are previously prepared for the type of the target communication device and communicating with the target communication device; and applying the changed setting of the communication protocol when verified that no communication error is detected during the verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Yoda
  • Patent number: 9558535
    Abstract: An image processing device according to one embodiment of the invention includes a contour direction estimating unit, a direction evaluating unit, a reference region weighting processing unit, and a composition operation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimitsu Murahashi
  • Patent number: 9417829
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is placed in communications with a print production planning and scheduling system to allow planning, monitoring, and adjusting of an automatic digital (ink jet) printing production line. In one embodiment, the order of the print jobs is defined by the print shop owner or by the associated supervisor. Each job becomes a paper based (printed) job ticket and the order in which the jobs arrive at the print operator side defines the print order. The same is true for the order at the RIP side. Any change in regards to this order requires a direct communication of the print shop owner or supervisor with the printer or RIP operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Electronics for Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Maureen Ann Sheldon, Mario Kuehn, Daniel Francis Unzen, Aditya Subhash Sumant, Ranjith Ramachandran, Rohit Kumar Gangwar, Santhosh Malligere Hulugegowda
  • Patent number: 9366938
    Abstract: A substantially planar waveguide for dynamically controlling the out-of-plane angle at which a light beam exits the waveguide. Generally, liquid crystal materials may be disposed within a waveguide in a cladding proximate or adjacent to a core layer of the waveguide. In one example, the waveguide may contain one or more taper regions such that the light beam exits the waveguide and propagates out-of-the-plane of the waveguide into an out-coupling medium at a propagation angle. In one example, the waveguide may contain one or more electrodes onto which one or more voltages may be applied. The magnitude of the propagation angle may be electronically controlled by altered by controlling or altering the magnitude of the one or more applied voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Vescent Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael H. Anderson, Scott R. Davis, Scott D. Rommel
  • Patent number: 9102189
    Abstract: An engraving machine includes a machine base, an engraving device and a clamping device assembled on the machine base, and a control unit. The clamping device is able to clamp a work piece and actuate the work piece to rotate. The control unit is composed of a 3-D picture converter, a coordinate location definer and a positioning controller. By so designing, a datum is first converted into a 3-D picture by the 3-D picture converter and then, coordinate locations of the circumferential face of the work piece is defined by the coordinate location definer and lastly, a carving knife is driven and positioned by the control unit to carry out operation of engraving, lowering cost, convenient in operation and able to freely to change speed ratio between a driving mechanism and a driven mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Inventor: Bor-Yann Chuang
  • Patent number: 9047551
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a printer includes a feeder, a printing head, a print object acceptance portion, a printing mode setting acceptance portion, a first and a second image creating portions, a first and a second display devices, an increment mode acceptance portion, an increment quantity acceptance portion, and a printing control portion. The print object acceptance portion accepts an input operation of the print object including a print identifier. The printing mode setting acceptance portion accepts a setting operation of printing modes. The increment mode acceptance portion accepts a setting operation of an increment mode. The increment quantity acceptance portion accepts a quantity setting operation of the printed matter to be produced. The printing control portion controls the feeder and the printing head so that the one first printed matter and the at least one second printed matter are created by using the printing mode setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu Ishii, Keisuke Tomatsu
  • Patent number: 8958131
    Abstract: A system and method which allows for a pre-constructed article of clothing to having printing on substantially all of its external surface area. Specifically, an image may be simultaneously printed across multiple components of a clothing article. The method generally provides for transfer of a digital image, such as a digital photograph, to be applied to an article of clothing in a manner that prints an entire two-dimensional surface of the clothing with a coherent image, that maintains coherency when the article of clothing is worn. There is also provided an article of clothing produced using the systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Inventors: Sydney Northup, Joseph Werner, II
  • Patent number: 8951714
    Abstract: A relief printing plate manufacturing method includes: generating binary image data based on multivalued image data representing a printing image; generating, from the binary image data, target stereoscopic shape data; calculating, based on the target stereoscopic shape data, exposure amount data; providing a predetermined exposure amount to an outside image adjacent pixel in a range of predetermined pixels adjacent to an ON pixel; and applying laser light to an area of OFF pixels based on the exposure amount data to engrave a portion outside of an area, and applying laser light to the outside image adjacent pixel based on the predetermined exposure amount to form a relief having a projecting shape with a corner part of a flange part of a top face of the relief at least partially chamfered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Norimasa Shigeta, Hirokazu Kondo, Takeshi Kiso
  • Patent number: 8937751
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image evaluating apparatus, an image evaluating method, and a non-transitory storage medium. In the present invention, two-dimensional relative positions between the image formation position of one color plate of a plurality of color plates and the image formation positions of other color plates are calculated based on known positional information of registration marks formed by the color plates and positional information of the registration marks that are actually formed as images on a recording medium. A position expressing image is generated which represents the calculated relative positions by way of two-dimensional positional coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Fumito Takemoto, Toshiki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8854693
    Abstract: An image editing apparatus configured to perform ganging of a plurality of content images on a printing plate capable of transferring ink onto an output medium, includes: a region dividing unit that two-dimensionally divides a predetermined region on the printing plate into a plurality of sub regions; a priority order giving unit that gives an order of priority of disposition to each of the sub regions in a descending order of relative transfer amounts of the ink onto the output medium; a usage amount estimating unit that estimates respective usage amounts of the ink according to two or more content images out of the plurality of content images; and a disposition determining unit that determines respective disposing positions of the content images according to a disposition rule for sequentially disposing the content images of which the usage amount is estimated to be large in the sub regions having high priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Seto, Kakuya Ide
  • Patent number: 8848233
    Abstract: A relief print master, such as a flexographic print master or sleeve is created by printing a sequence of intermediate layers on top of each other with an inkjet printing system. The top layer corresponds with the halftoned image that is to be printed by the print master and the lower intermediate layers are supporting layers. The pixels of the intermediate layers that are stacked on top of each other are printed with different nozzles to reduce image quality artifacts. Both a method and a system are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Chris Gullentops, Rudi Lenders
  • Patent number: 8824020
    Abstract: An image editing apparatus is configured to determine two or more scheduled disposition regions in a predetermined region on a printing plate or an output medium, and to gang two or more content images for the respective disposition regions. The apparatus includes: a ganging information managing unit that sequentially manages first list information regarding plural print jobs and second list information regarding assignment states of the print jobs; a job assigning unit that assigns the disposition regions to at least one print job; a ganging state monitoring unit that sequentially monitors the first and second list information and determines whether there is at least one combination of the print jobs which have not been assigned and the disposition regions; and a monitoring result informing unit that informs a user of there being the combination in a case where the ganging state monitoring unit determines that there is the combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Seto, Kakuya Ide
  • Patent number: 8760726
    Abstract: A method of high resolution digital embossing by printing a polymer overlayer over a printed file, comprising: receiving a digital image of a printed file, identifying text characters in the digital image, for each identified text characters determining the font type and size, using a lookup table to determine a percentage of polymer pixels reduction for the identified font type and size, creating a raster image for a polymer overlayer to be printed over the printed areas of the printed file and printing a polymer overlayer according to the raster image over the printed file, wherein creating a raster image comprises stochastically removing the determined percentage of pixels from the overlay area concurrent with each identified character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Scodix Ltd.
    Inventor: Eyal Barnoy
  • Patent number: 8724177
    Abstract: A printing apparatus having an automatic printing sheet feeder integrated thereto to improve mass productivity. The printing apparatus includes a base, a moving stage, an automatic printing sheet feeder, and a printing roll. The moving stage is linearly movable along the base, and has a lithographic plate seated on the top surface thereof, the lithographic plate having a printing pattern thereon. The automatic printing sheet feeder is installed on the moving stage. The automatic printing sheet feeder includes an unwinding roll, which supplies the printing sheet, a rewinding roll, which collects the printing sheet, and a plurality of guide rolls, which guide the printing sheet to pass through the printing area of the moving stage. The printing roll is installed on the base, and performs printing by transferring ink from recesses of a printing pattern of the lithographic plate to the printing sheet on the moving stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials
    Inventors: Taik Min Lee, Jeongdai Jo, Dong Soo Kim, Byung Oh Choi, Chung Hwan Kim, Dong Youn Shin
  • Patent number: 8654405
    Abstract: A method for producing a multi-layered film wherein an engraving layer is partially printed onto a support film. Said engraving layer may be made of a UV-cured printing ink and a cover layer is applied to the entire surface above the partial engraving layer, optionally, directly to the partial engraving layer. The cover layer may be made of a UV-curable printing ink and may be printed over the engraving layer. A film produced by such method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: tesa SE
    Inventors: Michael Siebert, Philipp Preuβ
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8614821
    Abstract: A data centric, cloud architecture for managing image forming device information through interactive communication with customer replaceable unit monitors (CRUMs) associated with customer replaceable units (CRUs) installed in image forming devices is provided. CRUM identifiers and a cloud data objects containing the same unique identifiers are used to aid a supplier or manufacturer in keying individual CRUs to particular installations in printers and/or other image forming devices. This association strengthens the ability to logistically control the CRUs. A cloud administration system is used to track an identifier for a CRU installed in a particular image forming device such as, for example, a printer, to determine whether the CRU identifier matches an associated cloud object identifier for that printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert William Burke, Jr., Karen Dobremsyl
  • Patent number: 8553290
    Abstract: The plate-making apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an exposure head which engraves a surface of a plate material by emitting a light beam toward the plate material; a scanning device which performs exposure scanning by relatively moving the plate material and the exposure head; a correction profile generation device which generates a correction profile for correcting an emission amount of the light beam emitted by the exposure head according to a characteristic difference of the plate material; and an exposure control device which, when a correction profile for a plate material to be used is generated by the correction profile generation device, uses the correction profile for the plate material to be used to control the emission amount of the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Norimatsu
  • Publication number: 20130258415
    Abstract: An image editing apparatus configured to perform ganging of a plurality of content images on a printing plate capable of transferring ink onto an output medium, includes: a region dividing unit that two-dimensionally divides a predetermined region on the printing plate into a plurality of sub regions; a priority order giving unit that gives an order of priority of disposition to each of the sub regions in a descending order of relative transfer amounts of the ink onto the output medium; a usage amount estimating unit that estimates respective usage amounts of the ink according to two or more content images out of the plurality of content images; and a disposition determining unit that determines respective disposing positions of the content images according to a disposition rule for sequentially disposing the content images of which the usage amount is estimated to be large in the sub regions having high priorities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi SETO, Kakuya IDE
  • Publication number: 20130242351
    Abstract: An image editing apparatus is configured to determine two or more scheduled disposition regions in a predetermined region on a printing plate or an output medium, and to gang two or more content images for the respective disposition regions. The apparatus includes: a ganging information managing unit that sequentially manages first list information regarding plural print jobs and second list information regarding assignment states of the print jobs; a job assigning unit that assigns the disposition regions to at least one print job; a ganging state monitoring unit that sequentially monitors the first and second list information and determines whether there is at least one combination of the print jobs which have not been assigned and the disposition regions; and a monitoring result informing unit that informs a user of there being the combination in a case where the ganging state monitoring unit determines that there is the combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi SETO, Kakuya IDE
  • Patent number: 8520265
    Abstract: An engraving processing apparatus includes a laser engraving unit configured to perform engraving processing for forming a recessed portion on a sheet by irradiating a laser beam onto the sheet, and a controller configured to control an engraving processing operation of the laser engraving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Kosasa, Masahiko Yokota, Wataru Kawata, Toshiro Tomono, Ryuichi Kojima, Akihiro Shimizu, Shoji Takeda
  • Patent number: 8514457
    Abstract: Tools are provided for (i) obtaining image data in which information is embedded by printing multiple types of patterns in a matrix, (ii) calculating multiple vertical-line-segment sequences and multiple horizontal-line-segment sequences, obtained by connecting vertically arranged patterns and horizontally arranged patterns, respectively, in the image data with polygonal lines, (iii) searching for a vertical line segment and a horizontal line segment intersecting with each other for each combination of one of the vertical-line-segment sequences and one of the horizontal-line-segment sequences, (iv) calculating an intersection point between the thus-found vertical line segment and the horizontal line segment as a position of a pattern, and (v) extracting the information embedded in the printed material by identifying types of patterns at the calculated intersection points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Ishii
  • Patent number: 8498018
    Abstract: Techniques for generated variable density mono-color under-print layer(s) for printing underneath an image on a substrate to improve the appearance of the printed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Vistaprint Technologies Limited
    Inventors: William K. Doggett, Jay T. Moody, Anatoliy V. Tsykora, Jacob A. Hyman
  • Patent number: 8477380
    Abstract: A method for seam for a layout of a packaging printing job (908). The method is adapted to create minimal plate waste (1312) and includes the following steps; providing a wrapped layout (120) comprised of plurality of step and repeat element elements, and analyzing the wrapped layout to produce seam cut line design (1204) for the packaging printing job. The cut line is produced by searching for an non imaged areas inside the images and the borders of the step and repeat elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yoav Telem, Shay Dardikman
  • Publication number: 20130114114
    Abstract: The invention describes a laser plotter and a method for engraving, marking or inscribing a workpiece. Two lasers are installed in a housing of the laser plotter and may alternatively operate on the workpiece. The workpiece is positioned on a processing platform and a laser beam is sent to at least one focusing unit configured for both lasers, from which the laser beam is deflected in the direction of the workpiece. Control of the workpiece is obtained by software running in a control unit. Graphic and/or text data are prepared on an external computer or other control device, and transferred to the control unit of the laser plotter. The lasers are allocated to the transferred data based on color code, whereby a height correction value to compensate for the various focal lengths of the lasers is preloaded in the data bank for the different colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Trotec Produktions u. Vertriebs GmbH
    Inventor: Stephan Fazeny
  • Publication number: 20130070306
    Abstract: A printing apparatus having an automatic printing sheet feeder integrated thereto to improve mass productivity. The printing apparatus includes a base, a moving stage, an automatic printing sheet feeder, and a printing roll. The moving stage is linearly movable along the base, and has a lithographic plate seated on the top surface thereof, the lithographic plate having a printing pattern thereon. The automatic printing sheet feeder is installed on the moving stage. The automatic printing sheet feeder includes an unwinding roll, which supplies the printing sheet, a rewinding roll, which collects the printing sheet, and a plurality of guide rolls, which guide the printing sheet to pass through the printing area of the moving stage. The printing roll is installed on the base, and performs printing by transferring ink from recesses of a printing pattern of the lithographic plate to the printing sheet on the moving stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Taik Min Lee, Jeongdai Jo, Dong Soo Kim, Byung Oh Choi, Chung Hwan Kim, Dong Youn Shin
  • Publication number: 20130070307
    Abstract: A method of high resolution digital embossing by printing a polymer overlayer over a printed file, comprising: receiving a digital image of a printed file, identifying text characters in the digital image, for each identified text characters determining the font type and size, using a lookup table to determine a percentage of polymer pixels reduction for the identified font type and size, creating a raster image for a polymer overlayer to be printed over the printed areas of the printed file and printing a polymer overlayer according to the raster image over the printed file, wherein creating a raster image comprises stochastically removing the determined percentage of pixels from the overlay area concurrent with each identified character.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: SCODIX LTD.
    Inventor: Eyal Barnoy
  • Patent number: 8354611
    Abstract: In laser engraving apparatus for engraving a gray-scale image on a plastic ID-card, the laser is a modulatable optically pumped semiconductor laser. Focusing optics focus a beam from the laser into a focal spot about 10 micrometers in diameter. The ID-card is mounted on a turntable which is rotated such that the focal spot sweeps over the ID card. The turntable is translated in a direction transverse to the rotation direction and the laser is modulated such that the engraved gray-scale image is formed by a matrix of parallel black lines of various length and spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, Luis A. Spinelli
  • Patent number: 8351087
    Abstract: This invention discloses new methods and security devices for authenticating documents and valuable products which may be applied to any support, including transparent synthetic materials and traditional opaque materials such as paper. The invention relates to parallax moire shapes which occur in a compound layer consisting of the superposition of specially designed and possibly geometrically transformed s-random base layer and s-random revealing layer with a small gap between them. The base and revealing layers are formed respectively by base layer element shapes and revealing layer sampling elements positioned at s-random locations, where the base layer locations and the revealing layer locations are strongly correlated. When tilting the compound layer or changing the viewing angle, a parallax moire intensity profile of a chosen shape is seen moving in the superposition, thereby allowing the authentication of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Isaac Amidror, Roger D. Hersch
  • Publication number: 20130003130
    Abstract: A printing process and a printing auxiliary agent used therein are disclosed. The printing process comprises mounting a plate, applying ink, conveying an object to be printed, and impressing. The printing auxiliary agent is applied to the object to be printed before an impressing point in an optional printing station. The printing auxiliary agent includes water and/or an organic substance which is in liquid state under normal temperature and normal pressure. The use of the printing auxiliary agent is also disclosed. The printing process and the printing auxiliary agent can be used in printing of all kinds of objects to be printed, thus improving printing quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SHANGHAI EAST STAR ENVIRONMENTAL INKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xudong Zheng, Shanzhong Chen
  • Publication number: 20120281256
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and a method thereof for setting, in a case where a plurality of component colors of a special-color object specified with a special color is included and a transition point is included in a region of the special-color object in image data, a transition point located in the region at a position where a generation of color unevenness can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideo Sato
  • Patent number: 8300275
    Abstract: Before image data are screened for the subsequent exposure of a printing form, files needed for the screening step are changed in such a way that the values of individual elements in the data fields are changed. The number of elements whose values are changed is determined by evaluating contiguous regions within the data fields. These can be, for example, threshold value matrices in which individual matrix elements are set to a value corresponding to the color white, or which, for the half-tones, are calibrated to a reduced value of the full-tone density. In the latter case, the full-tone image points are screened with a frequency-modulated screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Dietrich Blum, Andreas Gembe
  • Patent number: 8294943
    Abstract: A print control apparatus includes a command section for causing a printing apparatus to execute a print job, the print job for printing a print subject image on a sheet, with a mark overlaying the sheet. Furthermore, the print control apparatus includes: an accepting section that accepts a processing condition for an image process of the mark, during a processing condition accepting period, which is set for every print job and is the period before an input of an executive instruction; and an image processing section that performs the image process of the mark in accordance with the processing condition during the processing condition accepting period. This makes it possible to prevent delay in initiation of printing, without excessive consumption of storage capacity of a storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Itoh
  • Patent number: 8289579
    Abstract: A variable guilloche includes at least two guilloche curves, printed in a common space and having at least one point of overlap. The at least two curves are plotted from equations having variables corresponding to a specified data string of steganographic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven J. Simske, Henry Sang, Philippe Mucher
  • Patent number: 8270039
    Abstract: An image forming method includes marking a cutting pattern over an image to be printed, designating portions of the cutting pattern as a portion to be kept in the image to be printed and a portion to be discarded, creating an image mask using information of the designated portions, applying the image mask to create a modified image in which the portion to be kept is exposed and the portion to be discarded is hidden by the image mask, applying colorant only to the portion to be kept of the modified image, which is exposed by the image mask, to create an outputted image with colorant only on the portion to be kept, and cutting away the portion to be discarded of the modified image, which is hidden by the image mask, so that the portion to be discarded is not included in the outputted image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Shaun Pinney
  • Patent number: 8253983
    Abstract: A stamping system using a portable communication device is provided. In a preferred form, the stamping system has a server and a portable communication device, the server has a computer program for generating a file code and a log file, the portable communication device has a central processor, a communication unit, and a seal, the seal is used for generating a seal impression, when receiving a file code generation request, the server generates a file code and sends the file code to the portable communication device, the central processor sends a control signal to the seal in response to the file code, the seal generates a seal impression corresponding with the file code, the communication unit sends a log file generation request to the server, and the server generates a log file in response to the log file generation request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Lu, Shih-Fang Wong
  • Patent number: 8248666
    Abstract: To achieve an information output device in which information of a medium disposed on a stage surface can be surely and efficiently read out, and a stage effect and a security are high. In the information output device, media are disposed on a stage surface in a state where the media are opposite to the stage surface, the media where dot patterns are printed on medium surfaces on the basis of a predetermined rule, the dot patterns are read by imaging units disposed in a space below the stage and converted into code values or coordinate values indicating the dot patterns from photographed images obtained by the imaging units, and information corresponding to the code values or the coordinate values is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Inventor: Yoshida Kenji
  • Patent number: 8223385
    Abstract: A system for visualizing a print job includes a print job simulator which applies a print job model to print job image data to generate an image which simulates a rendered image of the print job if the print job were to be printed on a specific marking device. The system also includes a display in communication with the print job simulator for displaying the simulation image. The modified image data displayed on the display enables a customer to see a defect in the print job which would appear if the print job were to be rendered on the specific marking device. The print job model may be derived, at least in part, from information derived from the marking device, such as information derived from image data acquired by scanning a test image which has been rendered by the marking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Rajinderjeet S. Minhas
  • Patent number: 8164800
    Abstract: In a method or machine for engraving printing cylinders for packaging, pattern, or wallpaper printing and equipped with at least two engraving members, each engraving member engraving elements to be printed into the printing cylinder and, for an areal engraving, executes a feed movement parallel to a longitudinal axis of the printing cylinder. To shorten engraving time, a print image or layout for the printing cylinder is subdivided into at least two circumferential engraving strips, one engraving member being associated with each engraving strip. At least one strip boundary is automatically placed between said engraving strips in at least one white space remaining unengraved between at least some of the elements to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hell Gravure Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Walter Ulrich, Jan Herrmann Breiholdt
  • Patent number: 8159725
    Abstract: A method of forming an image on recording media includes providing a rotatable imaging drum adapted for supporting the recording media; providing an imaging head adapted for forming the image on the supported recording media; providing an encoder adapted for detecting incremental rotational positions of the imaging drum; positioning the imaging drum at a non-incremental rotational position; detecting one or more points on an edge of the supported recording media while the imaging drum is positioned at the non-incremental rotational position; determining a position of each of the detected one or more points; and operating the imaging head to form the image on the supported recording media in alignment with at least the determined position of each of the detected one or more points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Calvin D. Cummings, Peter J. Hawes
  • Patent number: 8144368
    Abstract: This disclosure describes methods for using embedded auxiliary signals in documents for copy detection and other applications. In on application, the auxiliary signal is formed as an array of elements selected from a set of print structures with properties that change differently in response to copy operations. These changes in properties of the print structures that carry the embedded auxiliary signal are automatically detectable. For example, the changes make the embedded auxiliary signal more or less detectable. The extent to which the auxiliary data is detected forms a detection metric used in combination with one or more other metrics to differentiate copies from originals. Examples of sets of properties of the print structures that change differently in response to copy operations include sets of colors (including different types of inks), sets of screens or dot structures that have varying dot gain, sets of structures with different aliasing effects, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Digimarc Coporation
    Inventors: Tony F. Rodriguez, Alastair M. Reed, Ravi K. Sharma, Osama M. Alattar, Brett T. Hannigan, Kenneth L. Levy, Hugh L. Brunk, Geoffrey B. Rhoads, Ammon E. Gustafson
  • Patent number: 8134752
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a determining section for determining if a value indicative of a size of the background portion in the background pattern is smaller than a predetermined threshold value; and a background pattern correcting section which corrects the background portion and the latent image portion, when the determining section determines that the value is smaller than the threshold value, so that the value indicative of the size of the background portion becomes equal to or larger than the threshold value, and which forms a background pattern having a corrected background portion in which a copy prohibiting pattern is embedded, wherein the image forming section forms on a sheet the background pattern when the determining section determines that the value is smaller than the threshold value, and forms on the sheet the background pattern when the value is equal to or larger than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8125688
    Abstract: A print data generating apparatus to generate print data, which is to be used in a printing apparatus to form an image in a plurality of colorants, based on originally inputted image data representing the image, is provided. The print data generating apparatus includes a black enabled image data converter unit to convert the inputted image data into black enabled image data, which indicates scale values of a plurality of colors including a black color to be used in the image, a white scale value calculator unit to obtain scale values of a white color to be used in the image to be formed. The white scale value calculator unit calculates the scale values of the white color by inverting the scale values of the black color obtained in the conversion by the black enabled image data converter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Watanabe