Unauthorized Copy Prevention Patents (Class 399/366)
  • Patent number: 11870963
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance unit that is configured to transport a print medium along a conveyance path. An antenna is configured to emit radio waves towards a predetermined portion of the conveyance path. A controller is configured to control the antenna to emit the radio waves towards the predetermined portion with a polarization direction set according to a type of the print medium being transported by the sheet conveyance unit. The print medium may have, for example, one or more wireless tags thereon or therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumiharu Nakayama, Takashi Tomiyama, Yuki Koike, Toshihiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11720294
    Abstract: The information processing apparatus includes an input device, a communication device, and a control device. The image indicated by the document is input to the input device. The communication device communicates with other electronic apparatuses. The control device includes a processor, and the processor functions as a controller by executing a control program. The controller detects a code indicating permission or prohibition of a job related to the document and a provider of the document from the input image, and determines the permission or prohibition of the job related to the document and the provider of the document on the basis of the detected code, and, in a case where it is determined that the job related to the document is permitted, executes the job related to the document, and notifies the provider that the job related to the document has been executed via the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hara Danica Teves
  • Patent number: 11652941
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses methods and systems for securing confidential content of a document. The method includes receiving a print request to print the document. A user interface is provided to the user having a secure option, the secure option further includes a partial secure option to secure partial content of the document. Based on the selection of the partial secure option, a selection of a confidential area including the confidential content in the document is received. Based on the selection, one or more coordinates of the confidential area are calculated. Then, an infrared (IR) mark is embedded in the document. While embedding the IR mark, the one or more coordinates of the confidential area including the confidential content in the document is embedded. Finally, a printed document is output with the IR mark including the coordinates of the confidential area for later identification of the confidential content and/or use such as masking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sainarayanan Gopalakrishnan, Rajasekar Kanagasabai, Haripriya Chandran, Anand Arokia Raj Antony Muthu Rayar
  • Patent number: 11457119
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance unit that is configured to transport a print medium along a conveyance path. An antenna is configured to emit radio waves towards a predetermined portion of the conveyance path. A controller is configured to control the antenna to emit the radio waves towards the predetermined portion with a polarization direction set according to a type of the print medium being transported by the sheet conveyance unit. The print medium may have, for example, one or more wireless tags thereon or therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumiharu Nakayama, Takashi Tomiyama, Yuki Koike, Toshihiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11394845
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes circuitry that binarizes image data, a memory, and a print engine unit that forms an image of the binarized image data. When the image data is low in resolution, the circuitry has the image data stored in the memory and thereafter performs on the image data, detection processing for detecting whether or not the image data includes a predetermined pattern before binarization processing. When the image data is high in resolution, the circuitry binarizes the image data, thereafter has the image data stored in the memory, thereafter further performs multivalue converting processing on the image data, and thereafter performs detection processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hisashi Uchida
  • Patent number: 11308596
    Abstract: A display system includes a display device including a plurality of displays to output first content received from a first server, a second server to receive the first content from the first server and to store a plurality of error patterns which is able to occur in the first content, and a photographing device to transmit second content obtained by photographing the display device to the second server. The second server displays whether a defect is present on the display device, by comparing the second content with the plurality of error patterns, when the second content is received from the photographing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changgun Ko, Anupam Khandelwal, Hyunsuk Min, Jihun Yoon, Chaejin Lim
  • Patent number: 10951624
    Abstract: In one embodiment, in access gateway comprising at least one computer processor, a method for real-time data protection may include: (1) receiving a user login comprising a user identifier; (2) retrieving, using an in-memory entitlements graph, a role definition for the user identifier, wherein the role definition comprises allowed actions, entitled assets, and a system account; (3) receiving a selection of a requested asset from the entitled assets and a requested action from the allowed actions; (4) verifying the user's entitlement to access the requested asset and perform the requested action with the system account using the in-memory entitlement graph based on the user identifier, the system account, the requested asset, and the requested action; and (5) authorizing the user's entitlement to access the requested asset and perform the requested action with the system account substantially at a time of requested access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
    Inventors: Rejith G. Kurup, Kanishka Hettiarachchi, Vladimir Belinkis, Ish K. Ahluwalia, Ricky Hei Wong Chan, Dennis Joseph
  • Patent number: 10936923
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, an image reading portion, an analysis processing portion, a generation processing portion, and a printing processing portion. The image forming portion forms an image on a paper sheet. The image reading portion reads a first image from a printed side of a used paper sheet supplied from a sheet feed portion. The analysis processing portion analyzes content of the first image read by the image reading portion. The generation processing portion generates, based on the content of the first image analyzed by the analysis processing portion, a second image that degrades visibility of the first image when the second image is superimposed on the first image. The printing processing portion causes the image forming portion to execute a printing process such that the second image generated by the generation processing portion is superimposed on the first image on the printed side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takayasu Ninagawa
  • Patent number: 10848641
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including applications and system side software for providing system side services to the applications is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes: an authentication module for displaying an authentication screen on an operation panel of the image forming apparatus, wherein the authentication module allows the image forming apparatus to display a screen for using the image forming apparatus instead of the authentication screen if authentication data input from the authentication screen satisfies an authentication condition, and wherein the authentication module is provided in the image forming apparatus separately from the system side software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shohhei Moroi
  • Patent number: 10768571
    Abstract: A lock control device is configured to control a plurality of lock devices respectively provided in a plurality of storage sections. The lock control device includes control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to: cause an indicator to indicate a plurality of pieces of storage section information representing the plurality of storage sections; receive an input of partial storage section information of the plurality of pieces of storage section information; and output an unlocking signal to a lock device of the plurality of lock devices corresponding to the partial storage section information, to unlock the lock device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 10534987
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a target value calculation unit configured to calculate a target value to be output in a predetermined region in input image data based on pixel values of pixels included in the region, a distribution order determination unit configured to determine a distribution order of output values for distributing output values corresponding to the target value in the region based on a pixel value of each pixel included in the region and a threshold value in the threshold matrix corresponding to the pixel, and an output value determination unit configured to determine an output value of each pixel included in the region by allocating the target value to at least one pixel included in the region in the distribution order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeo Kodama, Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10114596
    Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of preventing information leakage without significantly lowering the user-friendliness when an error occurs during execution of a print job. A storage unit stores a plurality of print jobs. If an error occurs during execution of a print job, a print job out of the print jobs stored in the storage unit, to which is added predetermined information indicating to cancel the print job, is automatically canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaki Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 10027849
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can reduce an amount of setting work of an administrator in the image forming apparatus provided with databases for respectively managing a department and a group. A recording unit records the number of printed sheets on a basis of a first group to which a login user belongs in a case where a print process is performed based on a request from the login user. A display unit displays an address book corresponding to a second group to which the login user belongs based on a request to display the address book by the login user. The image forming apparatus switches between managing the first group and the second group as different groups and managing the first group and the second group as the same group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Uruma
  • Patent number: 9729743
    Abstract: A printing apparatus has first and second sheet storage units, where a second sheet conveyance path is longer than a first sheet conveyance path, and includes a determining unit and a permitting unit. When a sheet stored in the first sheet storage unit is for printing of a Nth page included in a first job and a sheet stored in the second sheet storage unit is for printing of a N+1th page included in the same first job, the determining unit determines a feeding schedule in which the N+1th page sheet feeding is initiated before the Nth page sheet feeding is initiated. When an issued instruction is issued to perform a second job by interrupting the first job after determining the feeding schedule, the permitting unit permits printing of a page included in the second job before the printing of the N+1th page included in the first job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Miyajima
  • Patent number: 9418245
    Abstract: Included is an encryption processing unit configured to divide and input configuration bits of data to be data processed into a plurality of lines, and to repeatedly execute data conversion processing of data for each line. The encryption processing unit includes an F function execution unit to input data from one line configuring the plurality of lines and generate converted data, an XOR calculation unit to execute an XOR calculation with other lines of data corresponding to the output from the F function, an intermediate data storage register to store intermediate data during the process of generating converted data in the F function execution unit, and an inverse calculation executing unit to calculate input data regarding the F function execution unit on the basis of the data stored in the intermediate storage register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoji Shibutani, Toru Akishita, Takanori Isobe, Taizo Shirai, Harunaga Hiwatari, Atsushi Mitsuda
  • Patent number: 9390460
    Abstract: A system for dynamically generating a digital image comprising a security feature for a document. The system includes a processor 222 configured to receive data indicative of a security feature to be embedded in the document. The processor 222 generates a digital image having content at least partially specified by the received data. The processor 222 transmits a signal indicative of the generated digital image. The generated digital image has a foreground and a background, at least one of which includes a line screen pattern. The foreground and the background of the digital image are configured such that a scanned reproduction of an original printed version of the digital image is reproduced in an altered form relative to the original printed version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Document Security Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Caton, David Wicker, Patrick White, Michael Roy, Timothy Trueblood
  • Patent number: 9323946
    Abstract: An authoring component determines the sensitivity of an authored document and generates a user interface conveying contextual educational information about data dissemination policies that apply to the document. The user interface also provides user input mechanisms that allow the user to provide inputs affect the enforcement of a given data dissemination policy on the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Brett A. Tanzer, Vidyaraman Sankaranarayanan, Lynn C. Ayres, Asaf Kashi
  • Patent number: 9256811
    Abstract: A head performs recording or reading information with respect to a sheet-shaped recording medium. A pair of rollers sandwich therebetween and transport the recording medium in a transport path of the recording medium passing through the head. A cantilevered frame extends while being cantilevered in a direction traversing the transport path. One end of an opening and closing unit is rotatably supported by the cantilevered frame. The opening and closing unit is revolvable around the one end to move between a closed position where the opening and closing unit covers at least a transport portion by the pair of rollers in the transport path and an open position where the transport position is exposed to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Furihata, Shinsuke Tomomatsu
  • Patent number: 9232108
    Abstract: A method for managing reproduction of a print generation of a document, where a machine-readable pattern of the original print has been previously generated and printed on the original print and containing document registration and management information of the original print. The method includes the steps of receiving a print-on-demand (POD) job order for producing a reprint of the original print, retrieving document registration information and print management information from the machine-readable pattern, authenticating the original print based on the document registration information, verifying reprint permission based on the print management information, generating a new machine-readable pattern for the reprint, maintaining a master machine-readable pattern on a digital form of the document or a data file for the document with updated information of the reprint, and completing the POD job order by producing the reprint with the new machine-readable pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA LABORATORY U.S.A., INC.
    Inventor: Wei Ming
  • Patent number: 9208452
    Abstract: While documents which may be subject to existing copyrights are scanned to form electronically transmissible files, information is extracted from the copyright notice, supplemented by manual or automated research and processed by performing calculations of critical dates for geographical areas of interest preferably provided from memory as a table of algorithms to determine if the document is in the public domain or if a license for electronic distribution can be obtained. Automated generation and/or transmission of license requests is also provided. Deletion of electronic files from local storage for particular areas and identifiers thereof form indices for particular areas are also provided if a license for electronic distribution of particular documents is not obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tijs I. Wilbrink, Edward E. Kelley
  • Patent number: 9159004
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an internal device that executes a job, a controller, a user management unit, a lock requesting unit, and an unlock requesting unit. The controller suspends the execution of the job when the controller detects a predetermined failure in the internal device during the execution of the job, and resumes the suspended job or starts execution of a next job when the controller detects an elimination of the failure. The user management unit specifies identification information of a user mobile device associated with a user. The lock requesting unit transmits a lock request with the identification information to a predetermined server when the controller has suspended the job. The unlock requesting unit transmits an unlock request with the identification information to the predetermined server when the controller has resumed the suspended job or when the controller has started the execution of the next job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Norie Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9141978
    Abstract: A management system is implemented by one or more information processing apparatuses connected via a network to one or more execution apparatuses that execute processes constituting a process flow. The management system includes a first registration unit that registers, in a storage unit, an information structure that is generated when the process flow is executed and that is used to store at least one of billing information and an execution result of each of the processes in the process flow. The system also includes a receiving unit that receives at least one of the billing information and the execution result from each of the execution apparatuses. Further, the system includes a second registration unit that registers at least one of the billing information and the execution result received by the receiving unit in the information structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Kino
  • Patent number: 9088735
    Abstract: A computer-based method and a system for adding and printing variable security data. The system includes a memory, a processor, and a printer. The memory stores received print data. The processor modifies the print data for adding variable security print data and sends the modified print data for printing. The printer receives and prints the modified print data. The variable security data may vary between different printing operations. The processor captures a portion of the stored print data based on data-capturing criteria and modifies the stored print data based on the captured portion of the stored print data. The data-capturing criteria may be user-defined and may include leading tag data, trailing tag data, matching tag data, or combinations thereof for indicating a relative position of the captured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: TROY GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: David Altfeder
  • Patent number: 8953994
    Abstract: A fixing device that fixes an image on a recording medium includes a rotatable endless belt, deployed in a loop supported by rollers, a nip forming member provided inside the loop formed by the belt, a support member that supports the nip forming member, a counter rotation body disposed outside the loop formed by the belt and configured to form a nip with the belt by being in contact with the nip forming member through the belt, and a heat source configured to heat the belt directly by a radiant heat except at the nip. The support member includes a base portion that contacts the nip forming member and two arms extending from the base portion in a direction away from the nip forming member to partially surround a part of heat generating portion of the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kazuya Saito, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8909117
    Abstract: A fixing device that fixes an image on a recording medium includes a rotatable endless belt, deployed in a loop supported by rollers, a nip forming member provided inside the loop formed by the belt, a support member that supports the nip forming member, a counter rotation body disposed outside the loop formed by the belt and configured to form a nip with the belt by being in contact with the nip forming member through the belt, and a heat source configured to heat the belt directly by a radiant heat except at the nip. The support member includes a base portion that contacts the nip forming member and two arms extending from the base portion in a direction away from the nip forming member to partially surround a part of heat generating portion of the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kazuya Saito, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8873084
    Abstract: A copier that includes a reading unit to read a document to obtain an image and a printing unit configured to print the obtained image to obtain a copied document. The copier further includes a setting unit to set a setting for adding an image indicating that copying the copied document is inhibited and a controlling unit to control the printing unit so in a case where a document having an image indicating that copying the document is permitted subject to an input of authentication information is read to obtain an image and the setting is not set, the obtained image is printed subject to an input of the authentication information, and in a case where a document having an image indicating that copying the document is permitted subject to an input of authentication information is read to obtain an image and the setting is set, not printed the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8737901
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate counterfeit deterrence in a printer or the like. A final image is scanned from a photoreceptor belt before or after transfer of the image to a print medium or from the print medium itself prior to output, and the scanned image data is assessed using a set of stored criteria to detect counterfeit signatures in the scanned image. Upon a determination that the scanned image includes a restricted image, and therefore contains one or more counterfeit image, the printer is shut down, electronically locked until serviced, and/or caused to damage or mark the printed counterfeit image(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Mark F. Enzien, Gregg A. Bonikowski
  • Patent number: 8707578
    Abstract: A sheet processing machine, in particular a sheet-fed printing press, includes a varnishing unit and at least one combination drier for applying radiation energy and heated air to a newly varnished sheet. The at least one combination drier includes a plurality of circular or polygonal air nozzles and narrow-band high-power infrared light sources disposed between the air nozzles. The infrared light sources apply radiation at a radiation density of at least 25 kW/m2 in total to the varnished sheet. The temperature of the heated air passing through the nozzles is below 100° C., preferably below 80° C. A method of drying sheets is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Jochen Jung, Uwe Ernst, Rolf Müller
  • Patent number: 8711436
    Abstract: A image generation device generates, on a print medium, an image including a first image portion and a second image portion. The device has a first screen processing unit which generates image data by an area modulation screen having a first screen ruling, for pixels of the first image portion; and a second screen processing unit which generates image data by an area modulation screen or a density modulation screen having a second screen ruling which is higher than the first screen ruling for pixels of the second image portion. And the first screen processing unit generates a halftone dot at a center of gravity position of an image of the first image portion in a cell corresponding to a halftone dot formation area in the area modulation screen processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Nobuhiro Karito
  • Patent number: 8681384
    Abstract: For image processing for printing an original, first and second ground patterns are generated. The first ground pattern can be recognized with naked eyes in the original but cannot be recognized with naked eyes in a reproduction of the original obtained by an image forming apparatus, while the second ground pattern has a latent image which cannot be recognized in the original but can be recognized in the reproduction of the original. The first ground pattern and the second ground pattern are synthesized, and print data to be printed by the image forming apparatus is created. The print data has an image of the original, and the synthesized first and second ground patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takahiro Fujii
  • Patent number: 8619337
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read a print product and a transmission unit configured to transmit image data of the print product to an external apparatus. The apparatus further includes an inhibition unit configured to inhibit the transmission of the image data based on inhibition information included in the image data. If the image data includes trace information to be used to trace a printer user of the print product in addition to the inhibition information, a control unit acquires the trace information and causes a display unit to perform a display based on the trace information without causing the output unit to transmit the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Aritomi, Akiko Tokumaru
  • Patent number: 8610916
    Abstract: Even when an image output is prohibited, an image forming device, an image forming method and a program are provided that can track an evidence of attempt to perform the image output. Output prohibition information and tracking information for tracking a user are acquired from an image of a scan document. The image output of the scan document is prohibited according to the acquired output prohibition information, and the acquired tracking information is stored as a log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8594538
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer tank and a developing roller. An internal space of the developer tank is divided into a first conveying path, a second conveying path, a first communication path, and a second communication path by a partition wall. In the first conveying path, there is disposed a first developer conveying section that conveys the developer within the developer tank in a conveying direction X. In the second conveying path, there is disposed a second developer conveying section that conveys the developer within the developer tank in a conveying direction Y. The first developer conveying section includes an inner spiral blade, an outer spiral blade, an upstream spiral blade, a rotation tube, a delivery portion, support members, and a first gear. The rotation tube has an admission port portion and a discharge port portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Mihara, Takafumi Nagai
  • Patent number: 8587832
    Abstract: A dual color matching feedback control method, system and processor-readable medium for hiding an infrared marking in a wide range of customer selectable colors. The approach includes an inline spectrophotometer sensor to measure at least two color mixtures and a matching color feedback control unit adjusts the two mixtures to match each other in color appearance. A customized color can be selected from a smaller gamut of darker color by a customer and a sufficient difference in a black toner (k toner) between the two color mixtures can be maintained to provide sufficient contrast for the infrared detection. An initial match can be provided by incorporating a color model that is similar to a predicted color mixture. The two colors can then be rendered and adjusted for better match prior to rendering the hidden mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Edward Hoover
  • Patent number: 8570549
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a recording device; discharge trays; a discharge mechanism; detectors; an input device through which is inputted authentication information relating to image data; and a controller including: an image-data reception portion; an authentication-information confirming portion to make a confirmation as to whether the authentication information contains specific information; a confirmation-necessity judging portion to judge whether the confirmation by the confirming portion with respect to the image data is necessary; a selecting portion to select one discharge tray on which the recording medium is not placed, wherein, where the judging portion judges that the confirmation is necessary, the controller permits selection of the one discharge tray, controls the recording device to record the image based on the image data after the confirmation that the authentication information contains the specific information, and controls the discharge mechanism to discharge, to the select
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunsuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8514422
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a reading unit, authentication unit, job processing control unit, and output unit. The reading unit sequentially performs reading of low jobs making up a high job. The authentication unit stores a user information table in which user information elements on authorized users are registered and sequentially determines whether each low job is proper or improper by verifying a user information element corresponding to the low job against the user information table to carry out authentication. The job processing control unit controls, if a low job is determined to be improper in the determination, an operation of skipping the low job determined to be improper and sequentially performing the reading and determination on subsequent low jobs. The output unit outputs a low job determined to be proper in the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8498413
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: an image obtaining unit that obtains original images one by one from an original document on which image processing is to be performed by the image processing device; an output unit that outputs each of the original images obtained by the image obtaining unit; an information acquiring unit that acquires control information for controlling operations to be performed by the image processing device, the control information being extracted from a control image represented by a specific image in the original image obtained by the image obtaining unit; and a control unit that determines whether the control information acquired by the information acquiring unit requires an authentication, determines whether an output of the original image having the control information is restricted on the basis of a result of the authentication when the control information requires an authentication, restricts the output of the original image when the output is determined to be restricted, and c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Kita, Masakatsu Kanda, Tadaomi Suzuki, Hiroshi Hayashi, Tsutomu Kimura, Takeshi Furuyama, Shinji Hanaoka, Shintaro Adachi, Kenji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8494416
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first development unit, a second development unit, and a control unit. The first development unit forms a first developer image with a first developer absorbing a light having a prescribed wavelength. The second development unit forms a second developer image with a second developer permeating the light having prescribed wavelength therethrough. The control unit controls print of a background design image by the first development unit and print of a print image by the second development unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8477341
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is configured to perform printing in accordance with a print job and in accordance with a schedule registered before the printing. The printing apparatus includes an authority setting unit configured to, if authority of a user for the print job is authorized, set the authority of the user for the print job; a determination unit configured to, if a command to handle the print job is issued by the user, determine whether the user has the authority to perform the handling based on the authority set by the authority setting unit; and an execution unit configured to, if the determination unit determines that the user has the authority, execute a process according to the handling on the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hayato Matsugashita
  • Patent number: 8467078
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read a print product and a transmission unit configured to transmit image data of the print product to an external apparatus. The apparatus further includes an inhibition unit configured to inhibit the transmission of the image data based on inhibition information included in the image data. If the image data includes trace information to be used to trace a printer user of the print product in addition to the inhibition information, a control unit acquires the trace information and causes a display unit to perform a display based on the trace information without causing the output unit to transmit the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Aritomi, Akiko Tokumaru
  • Patent number: 8462365
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a combining unit configured to combine a document image and a coded image; a setting determining unit configured to determine whether a setting for combining a document image including a previously combined coded image and an other coded image is made when a reproduction of the document image is instructed; and a prohibiting unit configured to prohibit the combining unit from combining the document image including the previously combined coded image and the other coded image according to the setting when the result of the determination indicates that the setting is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8441693
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that generates print data sent to a printing device acquires variable information from a plurality of devices, the variable information being finalized when the printing device carries out printing. The apparatus selects variable information from the plural pieces of variable information acquired from the plurality of devices in accordance with its own operation environment and operating location. The apparatus then adds the selected variable information to the print data and outputs the resultant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Aritomi
  • Patent number: 8416437
    Abstract: It is analyzed whether print data includes first image data common between pages and second image data different between pages. When a specific discharge device is designated as a discharge device for discharging a printing medium printed based on the print data, and it is analyzed that the print data includes the second image data different between pages, print processing is controlled not to print the second image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Hosoda
  • Patent number: 8405863
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus includes: a list transmitting unit configured to transmit a handling user list to the first terminal device; an inquiring unit configured to make an inquiry, when notification indicating that a specified handling user is selected, to a second terminal device to which the selected specified handling user is logging in, the inquiry relating to the handling of the execution of the private print; and a job recording unit configured to record, when notification transmitted from the second terminal device and indicating that the handling of the execution of the private print is agreed to is accepted, identification information for identifying the specified handling user thus agreeing and job data that corresponds to the print request accompanied by the private print instruction in association with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Mai Gouda
  • Patent number: 8395823
    Abstract: Provided is a device that prevents unauthorized copying of a document to which copy inhibition information is added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Kakutani
  • Patent number: 8392715
    Abstract: The document identification method comprises: a step of marking the document with an anti-copy mark that is identical for a plurality of documents, a step of reading an anti-copy mark, a step of generating an identification mark that can vary from one document to another and according to the reading of the anti-copy mark and a step of marking said document to form said identification mark on said document. In embodiments the method comprises, in addition, a step of printing a uniform area and the step of marking the document to form the identification mark comprises a step of emitting light with a laser in the uniform area. In embodiments the method comprises, in addition, a step of invisibly marking the identification mark on said document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Track and Trace
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Massicot, Alain Foucou, Zbigniew Sagan
  • Patent number: 8387150
    Abstract: Segmented media content rights management is described. A media device can receive segments of protected media content from media content streams that each include a different version of the protected media content. A media content file can be generated to include the segments of the protected media content that are sequenced to render the protected media content for viewing. A file header object can be instantiated in a file header of the media content file, where the file header object includes DRM-associated features, such as one or more DRM licenses, properties, and/or attributes that correspond to the media content file to provision all of the segments of the protected media content together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Patrik Schnell
  • Patent number: 8363284
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an identifying unit configured to identify a printing capability of an apparatus that is a transmission destination of first image data, and a converting unit configured to convert the first image data, which has been instructed to be printed with a transparent recording material, into second image data that can be printed by the transmission destination apparatus, on the basis of the identification result of the identifying unit and information attached to the first image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitake Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8358848
    Abstract: An image recognition device of the invention includes an image reading means for reading image information from a manuscript, discriminating a specific image in which a surrounded image is surrounded by a surrounding image from the image information. The image recognition device includes a first determination means for determining whether the surrounding image is included in the image information or not and a second determination means for determining whether there is the specific image in the image information or not by extracting n×n images to be processed by dividing an extraction region positioned at the center of the surrounding image into n×n regions (“n” is an odd-number of three or more) when the first determination means determines that the surrounding image is included in the image information, then, by checking respective images to be processed with a specific image template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Sato
  • Patent number: 8355178
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce influences of showthrough where a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern is visualized after printing. In order to attain the above object, the apparatus of the present invention is provided with determination means for determining whether a setting for printing a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image in which a character portion is rendered to a minor dot portion on both sides of a sheet is made and control means for controlling so that a warning screen is displayed where the determination means determines that the above setting has been made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Ishimoto