Facsimile Measuring, Testing, Or Calibrating Patents (Class 358/406)
  • Patent number: 7446900
    Abstract: A calibration target curve with less error is provided even when the number of points to be edited of the calibration target curve is small. An efficient and accurate method for editing or generating the calibration target curve is also provided. For this purpose, on the basis of specified input data values versus a plurality of predetermined output density values, there is generated a calibration target curve which shows the correspondence relation from the input data values to the output density values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Kise
  • Patent number: 7443537
    Abstract: A test pattern printed by a printer is assessed—without colorimetric equipment—to provide data used in recalibrating the printer. The assessment may be made by an unskilled operator, and can include discerning whether a particular pattern is visible in the printed test pattern, or whether a feature in the test pattern is relatively wider or narrower. From such assessment, needed changes to the printer's calibration data are inferred and implemented. A variety of other printer calibration techniques are disclosed. The technology is illustrated in the context of dye sublimation printers, and is particularly useful in optimizing printing of digitally-watermarked graphics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventor: Alastair M. Reed
  • Patent number: 7443546
    Abstract: A method for generating a calibration curve is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. Calibration data of one line image of a previous scan are first provided. Reference pixels are selected from the image line. Then a calibration board is scanned and calibration data of the reference pixels are generated. Calibration data of the reference pixels of a previous scan are then selected from the calibration data of one image line of a previous scan. Ratios of the calibration data of the reference pixels and the calibration data of the reference pixels of a previous scan are calculated. Calibration data of all pixels of the image line are finally generated by multiplying the calibration data of the image fine of a previous scan and the ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Transpacific IP, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chui-Kuei Chiu
  • Publication number: 20080259407
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a communicating apparatus and its program in which in the case where the RTC pattern or the RCP frame cannot be received due to the noises or in the case where a modem diverges and data cannot be normally demodulated, a procedure signal can be certainly detected, the modem can advance to a low-speed mode, and a possibility of a communication error can be remarkably reduced. During the image reception, both a carrier of V.21ch2 modulation and data signal quality (EQM) in a high-speed mode are, in parallel, monitored. When the data signal quality (EQM) deteriorates to a value larger than or equal to a predetermined threshold value and the carrier of the V.21ch2 modulation is detected, the modem advances to the low-speed mode and the procedure signal is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoshi SAITO
  • Patent number: 7440144
    Abstract: An image input/output apparatus having a scanner unit disposed at an upper stage of an apparatus body and a liquid jet recording unit installed at a lower stage of the apparatus body includes a window which light passes through between the scanner unit and the liquid jet recording unit; an exposure controlling unit configured to control linear irradiation by a light source which illuminates an original platen when a maintenance mode of the recording unit is selected; and a luminous flux irradiation unit configured to irradiate a periphery of a liquid jet recording head in the above liquid jet recording unit with a luminous flux emitted from the light source passing through the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukuo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7440706
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus comprises: an automatic adjustment unit for automatic adjustment of the apparatus; a job queuing unit for queuing image formation jobs; a counting unit for counting the number of pages from the previous automatic adjustment, for each automatic adjustment item; a determining unit for determining whether the number of image formation pages for automatic adjustment will be reached during execution of the image formation queued job; and a control unit wherein, in the event that the determining unit determines that the number of image formation pages for automatic adjustment will be reached during execution of the image formation job queued by the job queuing unit, automatic adjustment is performed before starting executing of the image formation queued job even though the number of image formation pages counted by the counting unit has not reached the number for the automatic adjustment is to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Moriyama, Kenji Fukushi, Yoshio Mizuno, Tatsuaki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7436552
    Abstract: An information processing method for managing the usage of an image processing apparatus. The image processing method includes a managing step for managing log information that indicates the usage of the image processing apparatus; a registering step for registering image-processing-apparatus user information concerning an image-processing-apparatus user in the log information managed in the managing step; a first acquiring step for acquiring a limit value of an amount used that is input in response to the registration of the image-processing-apparatus user information in the registering step; and a setting step for automatically setting the limit value acquired in the first acquiring step as a limit value of a usage fee for the image-processing-apparatus user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiji Nozato
  • Patent number: 7436542
    Abstract: An management system of an image forming device, which is structured by the image forming device and a management device for managing the image forming device through a communication network; the management device comprising a communication unit for sending a data of a computing parameter for conducting an image processing and a data of a set value indicating a computing procedure of the image processing, to the image forming device; the image forming device comprising: an image processing circuit for conducting the predetermined image processing for an image data; and an operating frequency measurement unit for measuring an operating frequency of the image processing circuit; wherein the image forming device conducts an operating test of the image processing circuit by the operating frequency measurement unit on the basis of the sent data, and sends a test result of the operating test to the management device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Azumai
  • Patent number: 7433065
    Abstract: Image forming device consumable monitoring methods, consumable monitoring systems and image forming devices are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Quintin Phillips, Jake Heusinkveld
  • Publication number: 20080231877
    Abstract: This invention solves the problem of color misalignment upon reading a color image. An image reading apparatus according to this invention reads an image by scanning a scanning unit which mounts a reading sensor which reads light beams which are emitted by three light sources, which emit light beams of three primary colors, and reflected by an original document. The image reading apparatus conveys the original document by ? of the reading width of the reading sensor in the conveyance direction of the original document every time the image is read. The image is read by switching between the three light sources so that each pixel of the image is read with the light beams from them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Ono
  • Patent number: 7428078
    Abstract: A movable calibration device for a sheet-fed scanner includes a calibration sheet and a cam. A scanning module scans an image on the calibration sheet for calibrating the sheet-fed scanner. The cam, driven by a motor, moves the calibration sheet into and out of a scan window of the scanning module. The calibration sheet can be moved out of the scan window without reversing the rotational direction of the motor. The entire calibration sheet is moved in a linear path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Chi-Ting Yang
  • Patent number: 7426352
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an automatic adjustment unit for automatic adjustment of the apparatus, a job queuing unit for queuing image formation jobs, a counting unit for counting the number of pages from the previous automatic adjustment for each automatic adjustment unit, and a determining unit for determining whether the number of image formation pages for automatic adjustment will be reached during the execution of the image formation queued job. In the event that the determining unit determines that the number of image formation pages for automatic adjustment will be reached during execution of the image formation job queued by the job queuing unit, automatic adjustment is performed before starting execution of the image formation queued job, even though the number of image formation pages counted by the counting unit has not reached the number for the automatic adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Moriyama, Kenji Fukushi, Yoshio Mizuno, Tatsuaki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7426062
    Abstract: A signal output apparatus comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact. An apparatus for determining the type of sheet comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact, wherein the type of the sheet is determined based on the signal from the detection unit. An image forming apparatus comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact. A method for determining the type of sheet comprises the steps of applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, outputting a signal from a detection unit by the applying step, and determining the type of sheet based on the signal. An apparatus carries out the method for determining the type of sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Nojiri, Masatake Akaike, Norio Kaneko, Takehiko Kawasaki, Koichiro Nakanishi, Naoyo Gemma, Toshitsugu Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7423789
    Abstract: Methods of identifying the location and dimensions of a contaminant particle on a calibration strip comprise imaging a calibration strip comprising a plurality of channels and a plurality of pixel columns. The method also includes generating a normalized local average pixel intensity value and locating a contaminant particle in a pixel column by comparing the intensity of an individual pixel in the pixel column to the normalized local average pixel intensity value. An intensity value of an individual pixel less than a predefined limit set below the normalized local average pixel intensity value corresponds to a location of a contaminant particle. The method further includes identifying the number of adjacent pixels in a pixel column less than a predefined limit set below the normalized local average pixel intensity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse R. Borders, Chengwu Cui, Larry L Kiser
  • Publication number: 20080212112
    Abstract: A print control device includes: a drawing control unit that allows a plurality of print elements arrayed in a print head to draw a test image used for checking operation statuses of the print elements on a recording medium, classifies at least a part of the plurality of print elements into a plurality of partial arrays in each of which a constant number of print elements are successively arrayed, classifies the plurality of partial arrays into a plurality of patterns so that the numbers of print elements belonging to the partial arrays are combinations of numbers not having a common divisor other than 1, and allows the print elements disposed at corresponding positions in each of the plurality of patterns of partial arrays to sequentially draw lines on the recording medium in a predetermined direction of the recording medium so as to draw the test image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Masatoshi Araki
  • Patent number: 7420719
    Abstract: Method embodiments herein print a test document using a multi-function printing device to produce a printed document. This printed document is examined in a first direction to determine a first skew of the printing device. The first skew comprises a combination of raster output scanner skew and media path skew. The printed document is also examined in a second direction to determine a second skew. However, this second skew only includes the media path skew of the printing device. Once these two skews are acquired, the method can subtract the media path skew from the first skew to calculate the raster output scanner skew of the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael C. Mongeon
  • Patent number: 7421145
    Abstract: An image correction method able to avoid error image. According to opposite properties of black and white, only the last few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for black correction, while only the first few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for white correction. Further, the most significant bit of the digital signal is 1 for white correction. Therefore, the unwanted LBB effect on the scanned image caused by dust or spot on the correction document is avoided. In addition, as only a few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted, the requirement in memory capacity is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Transpacific IP Ltd.
    Inventor: Tom-Chin Chang
  • Publication number: 20080204816
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a storing unit that stores a color test pattern made up of a set of test images for grayscale characteristic measurement; a print position setting unit that sets plural positions where the color test pattern stored in the storing unit is printed, based on paper size information supplied thereto; an outputting unit that outputs the color test pattern retrieved from the storing unit in plural positions on a printing medium according to the print positions set by the print position setting unit; a grayscale correction data creating unit that creates grayscale correction data according to results of calorimetric measurements of the test images of plural color test patterns printed on the printing medium; and a grayscale characteristic correction unit that corrects grayscale characteristics of print data to be printed, according to the grayscale correction data created by the grayscale correction data creating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7417755
    Abstract: In an image processing system in which a server, a plurality of image processing apparatuses that execute image quality stabilization processing, and a terminal apparatus are connected to each other via a network, the server calculates, with respect to each image processing apparatus, the time period elapsed since the image quality stabilization processing was last executed, and selects the apparatus having the shortest elapsed time period as the apparatus to execute a job requested by the terminal apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Imaizumi, Yoichi Kawabuchi, Yoshikazu Ikenoue
  • Patent number: 7407108
    Abstract: A network node in a communication path between a client station and a web content server determines or estimates a power consumption level associated with particular web content requested by the client station. The client station is preferably a wireless communications device operating on battery power. Based on the current battery level in the device, the battery type or total capacity, user preferences and determined or estimated power consumption level, the node sends a power consumption notification to the client station, either prior to or simultaneously with the transmission of the web content. The notification message alerts the user to the possibility of their battery being drawn down to a low level if they download the content, and thus allows the user to abort the download to preserve battery capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Euler, Jim F. Pearce
  • Patent number: 7403303
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing system and a printing method that avoids interrupting a printing process in order to execute a calibration process, while stably reproducing colors. A second printer includes a printing engine having a temperature sensor, a density sensor, and a density sensor and a print controller which acquires information from the various sensors in the printing engine to provide calibration process information to a first printer. The print controller includes a density converted characteristic generating section that converts output density values corresponding to density values inputted to the first printer so that the output density values exhibit an ideal characteristic. The density converted characteristic information generating section generates density converted characteristic information. The first printer receives the density converted characteristic information and executes a printing process while carrying out a density conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20080151319
    Abstract: A method for removing show-through defects in scanned document images is provided by adjusting the scanner's image sensor calibration gain in the area of a drive roll gap. The method will also compensate for drive roll contamination. The invention uses a modified calibration scheme in conjunction with a document transmission sensor in the document handler to measure radiant energy transmitted through the document, i.e., transmission. The scanner adjusts the calibration gain factors to simulate a uniform background with knowledge of the gap and the input document's transmission thus a uniform scanner response is determined and presented to the image processing. A device for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene A. Rogalski, Roger Triplett
  • Patent number: 7391525
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calibrating media indexing errors in a printing device are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises feeding a calibration media through a printing device, sensing the position of the media as it moves through the printing device, sensing positions of a media indexing component as the media moves through the printing device, determining media indexing position errors based upon the sensed positions, and calculating a compensation factor to be applied based upon the errors. In some embodiments, parameters of a line and/or other function are determined from the error data and the parameters are utilized to calculate a compensation factor. Moreover, in some embodiments, it is determined what range the data fits within, and a predetermined compensation factor is determined based upon the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander L. Chapman, David G. King, Patrick L. Kroger, Michael A. Marra, III, Randall D. Mayo, Barry B. Stout
  • Publication number: 20080143838
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a mark quality verifier assembly wherein the assembly includes a camera including a camera field of view (FOV) and a processor for running software programs that are stored in a memory that is accessible to the processor, the method comprising the steps of providing a calibration program in the memory that is accessible by the processor, providing a calibration code on a surface of a calibration tool wherein the calibration code includes calibration information, positioning the calibration tool adjacent the camera so that the calibration code is within the FOV, obtaining at least one image of the calibration code via the camera, using information in the calibration code to determine that a verifier calibration process should be performed and commencing the calibration program when the calibration code indicates that a calibration process should be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Sateesha Nadabar, Venkat K. Gopalakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7388690
    Abstract: A method for calibrating an imaging apparatus configured for scanning a document, the imaging apparatus including a scanner head having an illuminant and a sensor, and a phosphorescent material forming a phosphorescent area located opposite the scanner head, the method including at least one of performing an ambient light calibration based on a background light emission intensity level of the phosphorescent area; performing an ambient light time calibration based on a decay constant of the phosphorescent material; performing a horizontal calibration to compensate for irregularities in at least one of the illuminant and the sensor across a width of the phosphorescent area; and performing a vertical calibration to compensate for changes of scanning speed of the scanner head in a lengthwise scanning direction along a length of the phosphorescent area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Inventor: Khageshwar Thakur
  • Patent number: 7388681
    Abstract: A method for predicting when maintenance is required for a scanner comprises tracking a quality parameter history in a scanner, predicting when maintenance is required based on the quality parameter history, and notifying a user when maintenance is predicted to be required based on a quality parameter trend. The quality parameter is selected from a group consisting of an average brightness, a maximum brightness, a video gradient, and a contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ravinder Prakash
  • Publication number: 20080137150
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiment disclosed herein comprises several aspects of defining and using optimal color test patches for calibrating a printing system for various purposes (e.g., multi-media, gamut extension, drifting correction, etc.). One aspect is the creation and use of color patches where the color patches are selected optimally to result in minimum mean square error when those color patches are used to determine weights of a limited number of basis vectors that model the system (e.g., model the print engine response). A joint optimization technique is given as a method to select the optimal color test patches for calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Yao Rong Wang, Lalit Keshav Mestha, Zhigang Fan, Alvaro Enrique Gil
  • Patent number: 7385738
    Abstract: A read module includes: a light source that applies light to an original to read an image; a photoelectric conversion section that converts reflected light from the original into an image signal of the image; and a connector to be electrically connected to a controller connector in a controller. The connector has a plurality of terminals placed side by side in a predetermined direction. The plurality of terminals includes an image signal output terminal section that outputs the image signal to the controller and a power terminal section that inputs electric power for lighting the light source supplied from the controller to the read module. The power terminal section is placed in the proximity of one end of the plurality of terminals in the predetermined direction thereof. The image signal output terminal section is placed in the proximity of an opposite end in the predetermined direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Hori
  • Publication number: 20080130061
    Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of outputting, without using any special device, an image which is free from changes in density and tint even upon crisscross rotation and exhibits good proportion of a small character. To accomplish this, the pulse width of a laser emission signal is controlled at 16 levels for one dot at 600 dpi, controlling an actual image in the main scanning direction. When adjusting vertical and horizontal line widths, patch data are created by rotating an anisotropic pattern through 0° and 90° (S1 in FIG. 5). Then, a reader/scanner (15) reads each patch as density data (S2 in FIG. 5). A pulse width, that is, line width correction value at which the densities of the patch patterns rotated through 0° and 90° become equal to each other is obtained (S3 in FIG. 5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Nakase, Naoyuki Yamamoto, Masanobu Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7382844
    Abstract: A method of self-synchronizing clocks in a multiple chip system, by assigning one chip as the master chip and the other chips as slave chips. A training signal is sent from master chip to the slave chips to determine the latency from the master chip to a slave chip, and then a synchronization signal is sent out to synchronize the “time zero” of the chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charlie C. Hwang, Timothy G. McNamara, Ching-Lung Tong, Wiren Dale Becker
  • Patent number: 7379216
    Abstract: A sheet-fed scanning device includes a scanning module, a sheet-feeding module, a driving module, a calibration sheet moving module, and a calibration sheet. The sheet-feeding module transports a document across a scan region, in which the scanning module scans the document. The driving module drives the sheet-feeding module and the calibration sheet moving module. The calibration sheet is moved to the scan region before the document is transported, is gradually moved away from the scan region as the document is being transported so that the scanning module scans a plurality of scan lines on the calibration sheet for calibration, and is moved completely out of the scan region when the document reaches the scan region, such that the scanning module scans the document thereafter. The calibration sheet cannot be moved back to the scan region until the driving module reverses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Chi-Ting Yang
  • Patent number: 7379196
    Abstract: In a printing system, before transmitting print data to a printer, a personal computer transmits a virtual printing start command to the printer. When the data received by the printer is a virtual printing start command, the printer performs a virtual printing operation until the printer receives a virtual printing end command from the personal computer. At the virtual printing operation, procedures are similar to those of an actual printing operation. However, at the virtual printing operation, sheets are not conveyed nor is a developing agent, such as ink and toner, adhered to the sheets by a printing unit. For example, the received print data is developed into a memory as an image data. When an error occurs during the virtual printing operation, the printer provides error information to the personal computer. Then, the personal computer displays the error information via a dialog box to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Ohara
  • Patent number: 7365890
    Abstract: As a method of calibrating colors other than primary colors such as secondary colors, the contents of an ink color-separation table are reconstructed. However, it is difficult to reconstruct the ink color-separation table within the limitation of total ink amount permissible for a print sheet. Accordingly, a color patch corresponding to a signal value of a color to be calibrated is formed in a printer, then the signal value is calibrated based on a measured color value of the formed color patch and a target value corresponding to the signal value of the color to be calibrated, and calibration multidimensional table data is generated based on the measured color value of the formed color patch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Saito, Hiroshi Mori, Mitsuru Uratani
  • Patent number: 7362476
    Abstract: A CCD is such that a single image sensing area is produced by performing exposure four times in four areas. Four correction circuits are provided in association with respective ones of the four areas. Four items of image data obtained based upon respective ones of the four areas are input to corresponding correction circuits, which apply a correction to prevent image disturbance at the area boundaries. One frame of image data is generated from corrected image data of respective ones of the areas and the image data is recorded on a memory card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7352492
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a method for compensating for printer characteristics having a tone reproduction curve which is either too rough to be fitted by interpolation or which does not have a simple parametric function. The method comprising first placing a first set of control points on the tone reproduction curve such that each point is representative of the behavior of the curve in the vicinity of that point and fitting a first smoothed curve to the first set of control points. A subset of points belonging to the set of first control points along the first smoothed curve is moved, thereby indicating a desired change in that region of the curve of the original function. A second set of control points is generated from the set of moved first control points and the remaining unmoved first control points and a second smoothed curve is then fitted to the second set of control points. A differential function between the first and second fitted curves is then determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin S. Maltz
  • Patent number: 7349124
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for modifying the rendered output of a marking engine for a print job in progress. A marking engine commences printing print data for a print job. A parameter of a printed page of the print job is measured while the marking engine prints the print job. The measured parameter is compared to a reference, and the print data are modified before the print job completes, such that all subsequent portions of the print job are rendered with modified print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Electronics for Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter A. Zuber
  • Patent number: 7342696
    Abstract: The amount of moiré in halftone printed images is reduced using unique moiré intensity functions and moiré vectors in a halftoner. In various embodiments, moiré phase angle zones are determined over the full field of an image and high addressability units in the full-field moiré phase angle zones of the image are adjusted, including in an iterative manner, until they significantly reduce the moiré. A useful relationship between halftoner memory locations and moiré phase angle zones in a full field image is determined. The moiré that occurs in a halftone image is quantified and moiré compensation values obtained are then used to generate an inverse moire amount which is used to compensate for the moiré.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas Curry, David Goldberg
  • Publication number: 20080055663
    Abstract: The present invention provides a calibration method used in an image-capture apparatus. The method comprises providing a calibration chart not built in the image-capture apparatus. Users can select any kind of calibration chart by themselves. The calibration chart consists of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, which can prevent dark lines on the output of a scanned article. The information of the calibration chart is captured by the image-capture apparatus and then subjected to a correction means, such as a low-pass filter, whereby corrects aberrance of the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Chui-Kuei Chiu
  • Patent number: 7339702
    Abstract: Provided is a picture reading device that is suited for discriminating the type/surface condition of a recording medium while requiring only a small circuit scale and less memory, and an image forming apparatus that uses the picture reading device. In a CMOS area sensor chip having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, there is provided a calculating unit for calculating the maximum value, the minimum value, and an average value of digital information related to a photoelectric conversion element in a specific area among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. Information calculated by the calculating unit is output in addition to digital information related to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Akita, Shoji Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20080030795
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a test chart is provided. First, a reference scanning device scans a reference test chart to obtain a plurality of reference optical density (OD) values. The reference test chart includes a plurality of reference blocks. Then, the reference scanning device scans a test chart to obtain a plurality of first OD values. The test chart includes a plurality of blocks, which corresponds to the reference blocks. Next, a compensation function derived from respectively converting the first OD values into the reference OD values is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Ming-Hsien Hsieh, Sheng Peng Hsu, Chin Ping Yang
  • Patent number: 7327497
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to suppress a decrease in reading efficiency while preventing image degradation. To achieve this object, an image reading apparatus includes a light source which illuminates an object, a sensor which photoelectrically converts light reflected by the object and reads information on the object, a first density reference member which serves as a reference for correcting an image signal obtained by reading an original by the sensor, a second density reference member which is different from the first density reference member, a comparison unit which compares the second signal obtained by reading the second density reference member by the sensor and the third signal obtained by reading again the second density reference member by the sensor, and a correction unit which corrects the image signal on the basis of the first signal obtained by reading the first density reference member by the sensor, and the comparison result of the comparison device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kenjii Hiromatru
  • Patent number: 7317561
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus comprising a conveying means for conveying a sheet to a reading position; a platen glass guiding the sheet conveyed at the reading position; a reading apparatus for reading through the platen glass an image on the sheet conveyed at the reading position; a sheet guide member disposed on a side opposite to the reading device with respect to the platen glass for forming a small gap with the platen glass; and a driving means for moving the reading device. The drive device can move the reading device to a main reading position for reading operation at a position at which the sheet conveyed to the reading position is in contact with the platen glass and to at least one sub reading position for reading operation at a position at which the sheet conveyed to the reading position is not in contact with the platen glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Makino, Yuji Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7315404
    Abstract: When a group print job is to be processed, a print application issues a grouping start instruction to a print system client first. The respective print jobs are then transmitted to a spooler. The print system client extracts the print jobs and sends them to a printer in accordance with scheduling by a print system server. In this case, if a transmission retry, transmission error, error after transmission, or the like occurs in a member print job belonging to the group job, the corresponding status is set as the status of the group job. The subsequent processing is performed as if the error had occurred in the overall group job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuo Kimura
  • Publication number: 20070297019
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, mobile station and computer program product are provided for filtering noise from a digital signal. In particular, a signal-dependent noise model is used that provides the pointwise (or pixelwise) standard deviation of the temporal noise of raw data outputted from a digital imaging sensor as a function of the image intensity. In addition, unlike conventional noise models, the standard deviation of the noise (?) is a parameterized function, where the parameters are key characteristics of the digital imaging sensor. These parameters may include, for example, the pedestal level (p), the quantum efficiency (q), and the analogue gain (?) associated with the digital imaging sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Alessandro Foi, Vladimir Katkovnik, Dmitriy Paliy, Karen Egiazarian, Mejdi Trimeche, Sakari Alenius, Radu Bilcu, Markku Vehvilainen
  • Patent number: 7312890
    Abstract: A method of applying a control strip having an appropriate size in accordance with the size of a print image is provided. Print image data is rasterized or RIP-processed in Step S1. Image layout data is acquired from the print image data in Step S2. The size of control strip image data is adjusted based on the image layout data in Step S3. The size of the control strip is determined to be a positive integral multiple of an ink key size, based on a previously established equation. Based on the size of the control strip image data, a previously prepared control strip having a maximum size is cut. The adjusted control strip image data and the print image data are combined together in Step S4. In Step S4, blank data are added to the left and right of the print image to extend the size of the print image to the size of the control strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Hatayama, Hiroya Yagi
  • Patent number: 7307751
    Abstract: A mechanism for performing tab paper printing and test printing by simple operation is provided. A printer performs a print process with an image formation position unshifted in the test printing and a print process with the image formation position shifted in the tab paper printing. In case of performing the tab paper printing after the test printing, the printing is performed by using print data already held in the printer or a host computer. It structured to enable to output to a plain paper a print result in which a decoration is added only to a tab position correspondence portion, enable to change its decoration method, and enable easy discrimination of the position. By the above structure, a user can easily correct the position of the content intended to be printed on a tab, and costs necessary for the tab paper used in the test can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Aritomi
  • Patent number: 7307754
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which is capable of quickly performing measurements required for obtaining a proper image density. The image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming apparatuses performs an image density adjustment control process by carrying out a maximum density control process at a reference image forming speed, and carrying out a density gradation control process at each of the plurality of image forming speeds. Image forming conditions for carrying out the density gradation control process at speeds other than the reference image forming speed are determined by performing operation on image forming conditions determined by the maximum density control process carried out at the reference image forming speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiichi Motoyama, Mitsuhiko Sato, Yoshihito Osari, Takashi Fujimori
  • Patent number: 7298517
    Abstract: A facsimile device includes a printing unit for printing an image by using an expendable component, and a communication circuit connectable to a supplier of the expendable component via a communication network. Particularly, the facsimile device further includes an order controller for confirming that maintenance of the expendable component is required a number of times corresponding to an order-unit quantity, and for controlling the communication circuit such that order information for ordering the expendable component of the order-unit quantity is transmitted to the supplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Harunobu Maeda
  • Patent number: 7274453
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring an electromagnetic radiation response property associated with a substrate and calibrating an electromagnetic measurement device are disclosed. The methods and apparatus generate electromagnetic waves and capture a portion of the generated waves after the waves pass through a first polarized filter, reflect from a substrate, and pass through a second polarized filter arranged in a cross polar arrangement with respect to the first polarized filter. In addition, the apparatus captures electromagnetic waves that pass through an attenuating filter and reflect from one or more calibration standards. Digital data is determined from the captured electromagnetic waves. The digital data is used to recalibrate the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company, Innovative Measurement Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: John Phelps Sottery, Jorge Hernan Jaramillo, Patricia Alison LaFleur
  • Patent number: 7268897
    Abstract: In this invention, when a printer driver uses data obtained by referring to a table, the printer driver searches a first table of two, first and second tables to obtain a search condition of the second table. The printer driver searches the second table using the obtained search condition to obtain required data. When another search condition is added, the search condition is added to the first able, and data corresponding to the added search condition is added to the second table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Moro, Masahiro Nagatani, Kazuyoshi Sumiuchi, Takeshi Matsushita