Including Programmed-control-system For Record-medium Feed (e.g., On Auxiliary Record) Patents (Class 400/582)
  • Publication number: 20140140749
    Abstract: A printing system includes a receiving unit, a printing unit, a grouping unit, a determining unit, and a control unit. The receiving unit receives a job in which a sheet feeding source is designated. The printing unit prints an image on a sheet fed from one of a plurality of sheet storage units. The grouping unit groups some of the sheet storage units as one virtual sheet storage unit. The determining unit determines which of one of the sheet storage units or the virtual sheet storage unit is the sheet feeding source. The control unit controls sheet feeding to continue the printing. When the sheet feeding source is determined to be a sheet storage unit, a sheet is fed from the designated sheet storage unit. When the sheet feeding source is determined to be the virtual sheet storage unit, sheets are respectively fed from the grouped sheet storage units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: CANNON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuzo Harano
  • Patent number: 8721206
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: at least one roller pair which has a driving roller and a driven roller facing the driving roller and which rotates while interposing the recording medium therebetween to transport the recording medium in a first direction; a recording section which records an image on the recording medium transported by the roller pair; a position detecting section which detects a position of the recording medium with respect to the roller pair in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction before the recording section starts recording; a determining section which determines a rotation amount of the driving roller before the recording section starts the recording depending on the position in the second direction of the recording medium detected by the position detecting section; and a control unit which controls the driving roller based on the rotation amount determined by the determining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 8705087
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image data conversion unit configured to convert print data into bitmap data, a sheet feeding unit configured to store and feed a sheet on which printing is to be performed, a detecting unit configured to detect an orientation of the sheet in the sheet feeding unit, a print unit configured to print the bitmap data onto the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit, a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a data orientation in which pieces of pixel data of the bitmap data are arranged matches the sheet orientation detected by the detecting unit, and an image rotating unit configured to rotate the bitmap data when the determination unit determines that the data orientation does not match the sheet orientation, whereby the data orientation matches with the sheet orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kozo Tao
  • Patent number: 8678688
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printing device may include first and second printers respectively having first and second controllers. The first and second printers may be configured to share a common paper path with each other. The first controller in the first printer may enable the first printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the second printer. In this case, the first controller may inform the second printer that the common paper path is in use by the first printer. On the other hand, the second controller in the second printer may enable the second printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the first printer. In this case, the second controller may inform the first printer that the common paper path is in use by the second printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihisa Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8643854
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, connected to an information processing device via a network, includes a receiving section, a memory, an interpretation section, and a transmission section. The receiving section receives a plurality of pieces of print data from the information processing device via the network. The plurality of pieces of print data include first print data for normal printing, second print data for interruption printing, and third print data. The memory has first to third buffers. The first and second buffers store the first and second print data, respectively. The third buffer stores the third print data during execution of the interruption printing of the second print data. The interpretation section interprets the plurality of pieces of print data. The transmission section transmits a reply message to the information processing device in accordance with a result of the third print data interpreted by the interpretation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuma Saito, Takeshi Fujita, Hideaki Matsui, Daisuke Okada
  • Patent number: 8628261
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a platen including a supporting surface that supports a sheet that is conveyed, a sensor unit including an image sensor that takes an image of the sheet so as to detect the movement of the sheet. The sensor unit is embedded in the supporting surface and takes an image of a back side of the sheet, the sheet being supported on the supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8625151
    Abstract: A conveyance mechanism includes a conveyance belt having a detection pattern containing a plurality of isolated patterns. The shape of the plurality of isolated patterns contained in the detection pattern, the size of a template area from which a template pattern is to be extracted, and the size of a seek area are associated with each other so that a part of the detection pattern contained in the template pattern extracted from first image data invariably serves as a unique pattern in the seek area of second image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hayashi, Hitoshi Nishikori
  • Patent number: 8622640
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is supplied capable of printing without the occurrence of the slack of copying paper. The printing apparatus comprises a paper cut mechanism for cutting successive paper printed in a print mechanism; a first conveying section which holds and sends out successive paper to the print mechanism; a second conveying section which holds and sends out the successive paper that is printed out in the print mechanism and is sent out from the first conveying section to the paper cut mechanism; and a controlling section which returns a tip of the successive paper after being cut by the paper cut mechanism to between the print mechanism and the first conveying section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Sato, Takashi Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20140003853
    Abstract: Reducing waste in a digital printing system (200) includes moving media (214) through a web transport system (205) at a first speed. A first job is printed on the print media and a downstream finishing device (203) in a first configuration acts on the media. The web slows to a second speed prior the end of the first job and the finishing device changes to a second configuration after the first job has passed. A time to complete changing from the first to the second configuration is estimated and a time for a first section of the media containing the end of the first job to arrive at the finishing device is estimated. A second job is printed on the media prior to completion of the change based on the estimated time to completion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Donald R. Allred, James A. Katerberg
  • Patent number: 8613253
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including: a web conveyance unit that conveys a web; a printing unit that prints an image on the web; a web discharging unit that discharges the web on which the image is formed with the printing unit, the web discharging unit being placed downstream of the printing unit; and a web withdrawal unit that withdraws the web into the printing apparatus, the web withdrawal unit including a web withdrawal roller and at least one pressing roller. When the printing apparatus is in a print waiting state, the printing apparatus drives the web withdrawal roller intermittently, while a pressing force from the at least one of the pressing roller is maintained, so as to convey the web intermittently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20130322946
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that enables printed products to be removed from a sheet processing apparatus at scheduled time. The printing apparatus is configured to discharge printed products to a stacking tray that is provided in the sheet processing apparatus so as to be movable upward and downward. The printing apparatus accepts a setting of scheduled time at which printed products are to be taken out of the stacking tray, and causes the stacking tray to move downward to a removal position when the setting time is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8587821
    Abstract: A tape printer having a large-size printing function of printing an enlarged printing image which is larger than the tape width of a long tape into a plurality of tape parts, includes: a tape width detecting section detecting the tape width; a layout determination section determining enlargement layout information for forming the enlarged printing image; a margin determining section determining the widths of an upper margin and a lower margin of the enlarged printing image and determining whether or not the sum of the determined margin widths is equal to or greater than the tape width; an image data generating section generating image data of the enlarged printing image; and a printing section sequentially printing, on two or more tape parts respectively, the image data of the enlarged printing image other than part of the upper margin and part of the lower margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Murayama
  • Publication number: 20130279962
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus arranged to produce groups of printed sheets. Each group includes a plurality of sequential sheets. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of storage units each configured to store the printed sheets produced by an image forming unit, a sorter unit configured to sort the printed sheets of a group into a plurality of portions, wherein the sheets in each portion are in sequential order, and to output each of the portions to a different storage unit, and a display unit configured to display an indication of the storage unit storing the portion including the first or the last sheet of the group such that a user is directed to collect the portion including the first or the last sheet of the group from the indicated storage unit first.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Seiya Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 8564795
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printer including a transverse tension sensor for detecting that a sheet being discharged has deviated in a paper width direction orthogonal to a discharging direction. The conveyance of the sheet is stopped based on a detection signal of the transverse tension sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation
    Inventors: Shou Yazawa, Yukio Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 8559073
    Abstract: A document reading device (1) comprises a mounting surface (5) on which a page to be read (9) of a passport (7) is placed, a camera (13) for taking an image of the page to be read (9), an illumination light source (15) for radiating illumination light that will be reflected on the page to be read (9), and an ultraviolet light source (41) for radiating ultraviolet light to activate a fluorescent material on the page to be read (9). The illumination light source (15) is located at a position corresponding to a first edge (73) perpendicular to a binding edge (71) on the page to be read (9) and radiates illumination light in the direction intersecting with the first edge (73). The ultraviolet light source (41) is located at a position corresponding to a second edge (75) parallel to the binding edge (71) and arranged to radiate ultraviolet light in the direction intersecting with the second edge (75). The illumination light source (15) includes an infrared light source (21) and a white light source (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Mukawa, Kazuki Saitou
  • Patent number: 8542399
    Abstract: With a printing device in which a printing medium is moved relatively, and which prints on the printing medium, the surface of the medium is illuminated, a plurality of illuminated regions of the medium moving in this illuminated state are imaged to acquire a plurality of images. A region to be matched having a characteristic region within a first image is set out of the images, a similar region having the highest similarity to the characteristic region is determined within a second image that is different from the first image. The estimated movement amount of the medium is calculated from the positional relation between the region to be matched and the similar region. Error information indicating error in the estimated movement amount of the medium attributable to the angle of light directed at the medium is acquired, and the estimated movement amount is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8517617
    Abstract: A printer is provided that includes a double-side feeding path on which a first sheet is conveyed in a double-side printing operation, a manual feeding path on which a manually-fed second sheet is conveyed to a junction where the manual feeding path joins the double-side feeding path, a detector detecting the second sheet fed via the manual feeding path, and a controller configured to continue the double-side printing operation when the detector detects the second sheet during a continued-execution period, during which feeding of the second sheet is unlikely to have an influence on feeding of the first sheet even though the second sheet is fed via the manual feeding path in execution of the double-side printing operation. When the detector detects the second sheet outside the continued-execution period, the controller stops the double-side printing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8514432
    Abstract: With reprinting of a print job, in the case that a job ticket strictly defining the output article form is not transmitted, the output article at the time of a first printing and the output article at the time of reprinting may differ, whereby the client may not be able to obtain the desired output article. The present invention provides control to execute reprinting processing employing a setting value used for the actual printing processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiji Kanamoto
  • Publication number: 20130209153
    Abstract: Whether a continuous sheet usable for printing on the basis of first print data and a continuous sheet usable for printing on the basis of second print data are the same or not is determined. If it is determined that they are the same, an image based on the first print data and an image based on the second print data are printed continuously on a continuous sheet. When an image based on the second print data is arranged at an end of a continuous sheet, the second print data is assigned to the beginning of print data to be printed on another continuous sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Publication number: 20130164069
    Abstract: A printer that images print media with an adhesive layer backing with an heat absorption substance. The printer contains control board with electronics and firmware to control the printer's various functions. It contains media storage to store the print media, and a platen mechanism to feed the print media. It contains a printhead to image the coloring layer of the media. The printer has a programmable array to activate the adhesive layer of the media once the imaging is complete and feed past the knife blades. If built with a cutter option, the printer contains a knife mechanism which cuts the media once the imaging and adhesive activation is complete.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: CTPG OPERATING, LLC
    Inventor: CTPG Operating, LLC
  • Patent number: 8454111
    Abstract: A printing apparatus and a conveyance control method are provided, both capable of detecting a print medium conveying state highly precisely in an entire process of conveying the print medium being printed. For this purpose, the surface of the print medium placed on the belt and the surface of the belt are detected to acquire the moving distance or moving speed of the print medium. Based on the moving distance or moving speed thus obtained, the driving of the belt is controlled. Even in a situation where the object being detected switches from the print medium to the belt in the middle of the conveying operation, the measurement of the moving distance can be performed without interruption by the same detection method using the same optical sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hayashi, Jiro Moriyama, Hiroyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 8432566
    Abstract: A printer driver conserves recording paper by removing blank space formed at the top and bottom of each page when printing. The printer driver acquires the coordinates of the top and bottom of the part of the print image, and calculates the page length required to print the middle area between the top and bottom blank space areas based on these coordinates. The print data for printing this middle area is then extracted and printed. When printing is completed, the recording paper is conveyed only the difference between the page length and the transportation distance of the recording paper to set the print head to a position separated only the page length from the printing start position of the area print data, that is, to a position touching the middle area. As a result, blank space between the middle areas of consecutively printed pages is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Adachi, Toshiyuki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8430586
    Abstract: A disabled state in which sheets cannot be discharged at a discharge unit while printing is detected. Upon detecting the disabled state, printing is continued at a printing unit, and a sheet printed upon is evacuated to a storage unit without cutting into a plurality of cut sheets at a cutter unit. After the disabled state is resolved, the sheet which has been evacuated to the storage unit is sent to the cutter unit so as to be cut into the cut sheets, and discharged at the discharge unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8419304
    Abstract: In speed control that is performed within a single operating cycle of a printer, three-level control of ON control, OFF control, and chopper control, is performed in place of the two-level control of ON control and OFF control, to effectively suppress speed variations due to load variations within a single operating cycle, even in small printers provided with DC motors having small output torques. In a printer comprising a DC motor 7, a paper feeding unit 5 that includes a paper feeding roller that uses the DC motor as the driving source, and a printing mechanism unit 2, for printing, in use of the printing mechanism unit 2, onto paper that is advanced by a specific amount by the paper feeding unit 5, an encoder 10 for outputting pulse signals according to the rotation of the DC motor 7 is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsugaru, Gen Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20130045038
    Abstract: When a size of a reversing unit is smaller than that of a printing medium, errors can be detected without adding any other mechanism, and if such errors are not caused by a paper jam, the printing can be continued. A printing apparatus is provided with: an reversing unit provided with an reversing roller; a sensor ; and a control unit configured to, if when the detecting unit detects a load equal to or more than a predetermined value, a conveyance amount of the printing medium after the sensor has detected the fore end is longer than a threshold value that is a distance from a position of the fore end at the time of being detected by the sensor to a position of the fore end at the time of exiting from the conveyance path of the reversing unit, perform control to continue conveyance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8376640
    Abstract: The present invention prevents density irregularity from appearing in a print result and to thereby improve image quality by controlling a motor so that the rotational speed of a drive shaft that feeds printing media is constant. The present invention provides a printing media feeding apparatus including a feeding section that includes a motor, a drive transmission mechanism which transmits a driving force of the motor, and a drive shaft to which the driving force is transmitted by the drive transmission mechanism. The drive shaft is rotated to feed the printing medium. A detection section is provided having at least a portion secured to the drive shaft and the detection section determines the rotational speed of the drive shaft and a controller controls the motor based on an input from the detection section so that the rotational speed the of the drive shaft is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kaoru Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8373374
    Abstract: An apparatus including a DC motor includes a driven member configured to be driven by the DC motor, and a drive control unit configured to define a plurality of predetermined phases of the DC motor as target stop phases and to cause the DC motor to make at least one rotation to perform preliminary driving that rotates the DC motor to each target stop phase by driving and stopping the DC motor, configured to acquire a difference value between the target stop phase and an actual stop phase for each target stop phase, and configured to drive the DC motor so that the driven member is repeatedly moved and stopped in the operation of the driven member and to perform control so that, based on the difference value acquired by the acquisition unit, electric power is supplied to the DC motor in a phase corresponding to a stop position of the driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoji Kanoyadani, Hideyuki Kido, Tomofumi Nishida, Nobutsune Kobayashi, Shinichi Yukiura
  • Patent number: 8358323
    Abstract: A dual mode imaging system includes an ink jet device for imaging non-erasable media and a write device for imaging erasable media. A media transport subsystem is provided for supplying non-erasable and erasable media to one of the ink jet device and the write device. A heat source is incorporated into the media transport subsystem, and particularly in connection with a guide baffle of the ink jet device, the heat source heating erasable media to a temperature suitable for imaging at the write device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Martin Bray, Anthony S. Condello, Grace T. Brewington
  • Publication number: 20120288314
    Abstract: A printing device includes a paper tray for supporting paper, a paper delivering module, a control module connected to the paper delivering module, a printing module configured to print on one or more sheets of the paper, and a detecting module connected to the control module and the paper delivering module. The paper delivering module includes a paper delivering channel connected to the paper tray. The control module sends instructions to control the paper delivering module. The detecting module detects whether the paper pass through the channel one by one and the printing process may be halted if necessary. A printing method based upon the printing device is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: PO-CHUN CHEN
  • Publication number: 20120282005
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling a control variable for a processing machine, which has driven rollers for transporting and/or for processing a material web, of which rollers at least one is not part of a clamping point. A first control element is pilot-operated based on a second control member according to a control value in order to adjust the at least one driven roller that is not part of a clamping point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Schultze, Holger Schnabel
  • Patent number: 8297862
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method to control the same. The image forming apparatus variably outputs the PWM signal until the printing medium reaches the target position, accelerates the printing medium-feeding motor, and decelerates the printing medium-feeding motor in multi-stages. If the printing medium reaches the target position, the image forming apparatus decreases the PWM signal value to a predetermined value, maintains a current level, and stops the printing medium-feeding motor without rotating the printing medium-feeding motor in the reverse direction, such that the printing medium-feeding motor may instantaneously rotate in a reverse direction. As a result, the image forming apparatus can prevent the printing medium from stopping the feeding operation without reaching the printing medium to the target position due to the instantaneous reverse rotation of the printing medium-feeding motor, such that the printing medium can be maximally/correctly transferred to the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyoung Mok Yi
  • Publication number: 20120269566
    Abstract: Factory adjustment and repairs are simplified while assuring the accuracy of a multifeed prevention function. A main unit has a conveyance path that conveys sheets, and a processing unit that applies a specific process to the sheets conveyed through the conveyance path, and a multifeed detection unit is removably disposed to the main unit. The multifeed detection unit has a sheet-passing unit disposed contiguously to the conveyance path, an ultrasonic transmitter disposed facing the sheet-passing unit, and an ultrasonic receiver disposed opposite the ultrasonic transmitter with the sheet-passing unit therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiro INOUE
  • Patent number: 8289554
    Abstract: Designation of paper and an operator as intended by an MIS while maintaining automation of job processing was not possible, since management of expendables in a POD device and management of performance information by the MIS were not coordinated. In view of this, the MIS acquires usable print sheet information including division management information from the POD device, and, based on a designation of paper designated by a job and a designation of paper associated with an operator relating to the job, selects appropriate paper that the operator is able to use, from the print sheet information provided by the POD device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keita Oshima
  • Patent number: 8277041
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus, including: a first recording head and a second recording head each having a plurality of ejection openings from which ink is ejected; a conveying mechanism which defines a conveyance path through which a recording medium is conveyed so as to pass a first position at which the recording medium is opposed to the ejection openings of the first recording head and a second position at which the recording medium is opposed to the ejection openings of the second recording head; and a bypass conveying mechanism which defines a bypass path that is connected to the conveyance path at a position thereof between the first position and the second position, for permitting the recording medium to be conveyed so as to bypass the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120243927
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus used in connection with a tape printing apparatus has a tape information acquisition section which acquires from the tape printing apparatus tape information about a tape mounted therein, a new standardized tape discrimination section which discriminates whether a new standardized tape having a standard different from an existing standard has been mounted or not based on the tape information, a printing parameter acquisition section which acquires a printing parameter corresponding to the new standardized tape in a case that it is discriminated that the new standardized tape has been mounted, and a data transmission section which transmits the printing parameter acquired by the printing parameter acquisition section to the tape printing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shoji Takayama
  • Publication number: 20120230747
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a media path within a body of the printing apparatus. The media path moves sheets of media through the body of the printing apparatus. A marking engine is also within the body of the printing apparatus. The media path supplies the printing media to the marking engine. A processor is within the body of the printing apparatus. The processor is operatively connected to the marking engine, and the processor controls actions of the marking engine. Sensors are within the body of the printing apparatus. The sensors are operatively connected to the processor, and the sensors are positioned along the media path. The sensors detect locations and conditions of the sheets of media as the sheets of media travel along the media path. The sensors have a first clip shape. Further, clip connectors are located within the body of the printing apparatus. The clip connectors are connected to the sensors. Additionally, light structures are connected to the clip connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: David R. Cole, Richard G. Hubbard, David K. Halden, Kenneth G. Dixon, Anthony J. Peters
  • Patent number: 8246262
    Abstract: A print media processing apparatus increases printer throughput by starting printing after setting the conveyed print medium to the printing start position, and a transportation control unit controls how far the print medium is advanced according to the length of text to be printed on the print medium. The transportation control unit advances the paper to the position where printing text of a specified length to the printing area of the paper begins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Takashi Saikawa, Atsushi Natsuno, Masanori Hayashi, Takashi Sunohara
  • Patent number: 8240928
    Abstract: A recording medium accommodating unit 301 that accommodates a recording medium 202 wound in a roll includes a first detecting unit that detects that a core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of consumption of the recording medium 202 when a printer 201 is in a first installation state, a second detecting unit that detects that the core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of the consumption of the recording medium 202 when the printer 201 is in a second installation state that is different from the first installation state, and a moving mechanism that moves the first and the second detecting units to positions activating detection by one among the first and the second detecting units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Citizen Systems Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsugaru, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Katsutoshi Mukaijima, Gen Matsushima
  • Patent number: 8243298
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable program code are provided for detecting a printer condition. A set of signals is received from a sensor in a printer. A current state of a paper roll within the printer is detected within the set of signals. Responsive to the current state indicating that the paper roll moved from a desired position between a set of devices, a response signal is sent to the user of the printer. Alternatively, in response to the current state indicating that the paper roll moved from the desired position, a number of paper line feed commands that are issued are counted. A determination is made as to whether the number of paper line feed commands that are issued exceeds a predetermined value. Responsive to the number of paper line feed commands exceeding the predetermined value, the response signal is sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stacy Leigh Bongrazio, Richard Hunter Harris, Robert Dean Yoder
  • Patent number: 8235610
    Abstract: This invention relates to a printing apparatus and a conveyance control method capable of allowing even an arrangement having a plurality of conveyance rollers in a printing medium conveyance path to accurately control conveyance of a printing medium. According to this invention, a first encoder detects a conveyance amount by a first conveyance roller, provided in a conveyance path, for conveying a printing medium. A second encoder detects a conveyance amount by a second conveyance roller provided in the conveyance path in the conveyance direction of the printing medium at the downstream side of the first conveyance roller for conveying the printing medium. On the other hand, a signal output from the first or second encoder is selected on the basis of the position of the printing medium on the conveyance path. Conveyance of the printing medium is controlled on the basis of the selected output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Haruyuki Yanagi, Kentaro Onuma, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Yuichiro Suzuki, Hiroyuki Kakishima, Michiharu Shoji
  • Patent number: 8231287
    Abstract: An image reproduction device for document processing has a nominal processing speed at which it can process sheets continuously at a nominal document quality. However, the image reproduction device is arranged to process sheets at a continuously variable processing speed including the nominal processing speed. The actual processing speed is selected in dependence on operational conditions. In particular, the device is arranged to gradually adjust the processing speed from one processing speed to another processing speed. A control structure is given to select the variable processing speed in dependence on operational conditions, and to operate the image reproduction device at the selected processing speed. In a particular application of the variable speed, a print job may be started at an increased processing speed and then gradually fall back to the nominal speed, giving a fast start and a shorter processing time for short print jobs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Johan H. Burger, Berend J. W. Waarsing, Ronald Fabel, Peter G. La Vos, Frederik G. Heeman
  • Publication number: 20120148324
    Abstract: In a method or device to sample a web movement, an incremental encoder translates the web movement into two phase-offset output signals. A quadrature decoder generates first and second digital output signals with two respective signal levels. The first output signal is designated as a forward signal and the second output signal is designated as a backward signal. An evaluation circuit outputs a control signal and has a first counter that counts a signal change of the forward signal and subtracts from the count a signal change of the backward signal. A second counter counts a signal change of the control signal. A comparator compares values of the first and the second counters. A disabling device enables the forward signal if values of both the first and second counters are the same so that the forward signal is output, and disables the forward signal if values of the two counters are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Peter Thiemann, Stephan Pilsl
  • Publication number: 20120134731
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided. The printing apparatus includes a printing unit, a sheet feeder, a discharge unit, a sheet path including a feeding path, a discharge path, and a reversing path, a manual sheet inlet, through which a recording sheet is manually inserted, a manual sheet path merging into the sheet path at a merging point and guiding the manually-inserted recording sheet to the merging point, a detecting unit to detect the manually-inserted sheet fed through the manual sheet inlet whilst a double-face printing operation is conducted with a preceding recording sheet, a judging unit to judge whether the detecting unit detected the manually-inserted sheet, and a conveyer controller unit to reduce a speed to convey the preceding recording sheet in the sheet path when the judging unit judges that the detecting unit detected the manually-inserted sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki FUKUSADA, Tetsuya OKANO
  • Publication number: 20120107031
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method move a web of “input continuous media” along at least one media path of a continuous printing device. The method prints markings on the input continuous media to create a web of “printed continuous media” using at least one printing engine of the continuous printing device. The method holds the printed continuous media on at least one output media roll of the continuous printing device after printing the markings on the input continuous media. The output media roll is supported by an output media roll support. The method also determines when the output media roll comprises a “completed printed roll” of printed continuous media and is ready to be cut by a cutter of the continuous printing device, and the output media roll is ready to be removed from the output media roll support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Barry K. Ayash, Adam A. Gierczak, Kevin St. Martin
  • Publication number: 20120099913
    Abstract: Systems and methods of monitoring a paper supply include a paper receptacle retains a supply of paper. The supply of paper includes at least one queue mark. A sensor detects the at least one queue mark. A processor receives a signal indicative of the at least one queue mark and calculates a value representative of a remaining amount of paper in the paper supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Jimmy Joseph
  • Publication number: 20120099914
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes an input unit receiving an input of print data, a print unit performing printing of the input print data, a feeder unit feeding a printing paper to the print unit, and a control unit controlling the feeder unit to feed the printing paper in a long-edge feed type or a short-edge feed type in accordance with a print mode set for the print data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-yeon Park, Byung-sun Ahn
  • Publication number: 20120093557
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a heating section which is located further on the downstream side of a transport pathway than an image recording area, but further on the upstream side of the transport pathway than a transport roller which is rotated by a motor; and a control section which lowers the suction power of a suction section to a medium from a first suction power to a second suction power lower than the first suction power during a recording operation and makes a first torque which is generated at the motor in a period which is during the recording operation and in which the suction power of the suction section is a suction power lower than the first suction power, be lower than a second torque which is generated at the motor during a transport operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahito Sanekata, Daiki Tokushima
  • Patent number: 8157459
    Abstract: A recording apparatus performs recording on a strip of a recording target medium that is fed from a roll object that is set in or on the recording apparatus. The roll object is formed as, or at least includes, a roll of the recording target medium. The recording apparatus includes: a rotating unit that rotates the roll object; a rotation controlling unit that controls the rotation of the rotating unit; and a roll object diameter measuring unit that measures the diameter of the roll object, wherein the rotation controlling unit sets the rotation speed of the rotating unit or the rotation amount of the rotating unit on the basis of the diameter of the roll object measured by the roll object diameter measuring unit so as to ensure that at least either one of the transportation speed of the recording target medium and the transportation distance of the recording target medium is set at a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hatada, Hitoshi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8157460
    Abstract: A printer that uses roll paper as the printing medium and has a manual feed button and an automatic paper cutter detects if the manual feed button was operated. If the manual feed button was operated, the paper is advanced a prescribed length, and the paper is cut by the automatic paper cutter after advancing the paper stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ichimi Masuda, Hiroyuki Motoyama
  • Publication number: 20120082499
    Abstract: A recording section is configured to record an image on a recording medium. An endless conveying belt has a surface disposed in confrontation with the recording section and is configured to move in a conveying direction with the recording medium supported by the surface, thereby conveying the recording medium in the conveying direction. A measuring section has a detecting region and configured to measure a position of the conveying belt with respect to a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The measuring section includes an optical sensor that is configured to detect the position of the conveying belt with respect to the perpendicular direction. A sensor moving section is configured to move the sensor based on a measurement result of the measuring section, such that the conveying belt is detected in the detecting region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji MURAKAMI