Plural Marking Means Patents (Class 358/1.4)
  • Patent number: 11956403
    Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes at least one physical memory device to store edge enhancement logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the edge enhancement logic to receive a plurality of pels in a continuous tone image (CTI), receive compensation data for pel forming elements associated with each of the plurality of pels, receive edge enhancement transfer functions, determine whether each of the plurality of pels is an edge pel, perform edge enhancement processing for each of the determined edge pels, including generating a final pel value for the pel based on the pel value for the pel, the edge enhancement transfer function associated with the pel, and the compensation data associated with the pel and perform compensation processing for each of the determined not edge pels, including generating a final pel value for the pel based on the pel value for the pel, and the compensation data associated with the pel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Walter F. Kailey, Claudiu Attila Balogh, Mikel Stanich
  • Patent number: 11831841
    Abstract: A method of printing an image using a printing system having first and second printheads supplied with a same ink. The method includes the steps of: allocating first lines of the image to the first printhead; allocating second lines of the image to the second printhead; dithering the first lines of the image using a selected first dither mask; dithering the second lines of the image using a selected second dither mask; printing the dithered first lines of the image using the first printhead; and printing the dithered second lines of the image using the second printhead. The first and second dither masks are selected based on a relative alignment of the first and second printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Rodney Hardy, James Lawrence
  • Patent number: 11775790
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms a color image on a recording medium by superimposing images of colors formed by image forming units. The apparatus includes a processor that: acquires a read image by reading the recording medium on which the color image has been formed; forms a register patch outside a job image forming region of the recording medium; and corrects image forming positions of the image forming units based on the read image that includes the register patch. The register patch includes: a leading end patch and a rear end patch formed with a reference color material; and one or more measurement target color patches formed with measurement target color materials between the leading end patch and the rear end patch. The hardware processor corrects the image forming positions based on relative positions of the leading end patch, the rear end patch, and the measurement target color patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 11734537
    Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes at least one physical memory device to store compensation logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the compensation logic to generate inverse transfer functions for each of a plurality of color planes to compensate for overlapping pel forming elements of adjacent printheads based on ink deposition functions for groups of pel forming elements including non-overlapping pel forming elements and the overlapping pel forming elements, wherein the inverse transfer functions transform output digital counts and the ink deposition functions represent output ink amount versus input digital count and generate compensated halftones for each of a plurality of color planes based on the inverse transfer functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikel Stanich, Walter F. Kailey, Nikita Gurudath, Ziling Zhang, Brandon Skogen
  • Patent number: 11630975
    Abstract: A printing system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Soraya Terrab, Mikel Stanich, Ziling Zhang, Nikita Gurudath, Walter F. Kailey, James Chauvin
  • Patent number: 11220118
    Abstract: A printing apparatus uses a time of flight sensor to determine distance between the sensor and a surface facing the sensor, and uses a reflectivity value to determine presence of print media in a media bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Arthur H Barnes, Jody L Clayburn, Francisco Javier Gomez Maurer
  • Patent number: 11155105
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record an image on a recording medium, a discharge unit, a tray, and a side portion. The discharge unit discharges the recording medium in a discharge direction. The recording medium discharged by the discharge unit is stacked on the tray. The side portion regulates the recording medium stacked on the tray in a direction intersecting the discharge direction. The side portion is provided with an exhaust vent hole including an inclined portion for upwardly exhausting air from an inside of the recording apparatus to an outside of the recording apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagahara, Hiroyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 11034160
    Abstract: A method for printing on the surface of an object uses a print head generating ink drops to print at least a first swath and subsequently a second swath of ink onto the surface in such a way that the swaths are mutually adjacent and overlap in a strip. The first and second swaths are printed as solid areas and the swaths are XY stitched in the strip. In the strip, at least one of the two swaths is additionally stitched by using a function of an ink amount profile in a Y direction. High-quality or even highest-quality printed products can therefore be produced, in particular avoiding defects that are visible to the human eye in a region of overlap or a strip between swaths that are printed next to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Uwe Ernst
  • Patent number: 10824382
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method of an image forming apparatus having high convenience are provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image transfer system and a processor. The image transfer system is configured to be switchable between a first position, where printing is performed in a first mode, and a second position, where printing is performed in a second mode. The processor, when executing a print job by switching a position of the image transfer system to a position set in advance as a home position at a waiting time for printing, switches the position of the image transfer system to a position corresponding to the print job and sets the home position based on a result of comparison between a print history in a first mode and a print history in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuaki Takahashi, Yoji Sato
  • Patent number: 10625518
    Abstract: A method of printing an image using a printing system having first and second overlapping printhead segments. The method includes the steps of: (i) identifying a strip of the image to be printed in an overlap region of the first and second printhead segments; (ii) determining a stitching technique for the first and second printhead segments; and (iii) printing the image using the first and second printhead segments, the printing including stitching the first and second printhead segments in the overlap region using the determined stitching technique. The stitching technique may be a butt stitch or a feathered stitch, dependent on image content in the strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventor: Daniel Lau
  • Patent number: 10599027
    Abstract: Described examples include a projector including a first prism having a dichroic layer. A second prism has a first spatial light modulator on a first surface, and a first light source directed through a second surface of the second prism to the first spatial light modulator. The first spatial light modulator is operable to modulate the first light to provide modulated first light that is reflected off the second surface of the second prism and the dichroic layer to projection optics. A third prism has a second spatial light modulator on a first surface and a second light source directed through a second surface to the second spatial light modulator. The second spatial light modulator is operable to modulate the second light to provide modulated second light that is reflected off the second surface of the third prism and passes through the dichroic layer to the projection optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Zhongyan Sheng
  • Patent number: 10073664
    Abstract: A system for providing print device dynamic status indicator feedback includes a print device, and a status indicator feedback unit. The print device includes a print engine and one or more status monitors. The status indicator feedback unit includes a display device, a light emitting module, a processor in communication with the light emitting module, and a computer-readable medium containing programming instructions. The system may receive information corresponding to one or more current machine states of the print device from the one or more status monitors of the print device, determine a priority level associated with each of the one or more current machine states, identify a machine state associated with a highest priority level, identify a dynamic feedback pattern associated with the identified machine state. The dynamic feedback pattern includes a visual pattern. The system may and instruct the light emitting module to emit the visual pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen F. Skrainar, Andrew T. Martin, Donald A. Brown, Keith L. Willis, Ken Hayward, Brandon S. McComber, Shinichi Maekawa, Mitsuharu Ito, Shinya Kogoh, Masaaki Takenouchi
  • Patent number: 10025540
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to print a print job, and determine target color data for each sheet of the print job while printing the job. The instructions further cause the processor to continually save the target color data to a server for each sheet of the print job as each sheet is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Gal Amit, Ran Waidman, Tsafrir Yedid Am
  • Patent number: 9707583
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting alignment of a substrate during a printing process are described. In an embodiment, a printing apparatus may comprise an apparatus polarization area. A substrate may be configured with a substrate polarization area. The substrate may be arranged on the printing apparatus during printing such that the substrate polarization area overlaps the apparatus polarization area to form an alignment area. During printing, light may be radiated onto the alignment area to generate polarized light. The polarized light may be received by a polarized light receiving device. Characteristics of the light received by the polarized light receiving device may be monitored for variations. The variations may indicate that the substrate is not properly aligned for printing on the printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventors: Feng Wan, Yiyang Wang
  • Patent number: 9623685
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspecting chart including a reference pattern containing a first line segment group and a second line segment group, a first-side deviation pattern, and a second-side deviation pattern. The first line segment group is formed by a plurality of first line segments printed by a reference printing head at a first given interval. The second line segment is formed by second line segments printed by a printing head on a center between two adjacent first line segments or a center of each of the first line segments, the printing head being spaced away from the reference printing head in the transportation direction of a print medium. The first-side deviation pattern and the second-side deviation pattern are printed with various deviations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd., RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kurokawa, Takaharu Yamamoto, Kazuyuki Tanoue, Hiroaki Kishida, Kunio Muraji
  • Patent number: 9442288
    Abstract: Provided is a method of assembling and adjusting multi-beam scanning optical apparatus including a light source unit having multiple light emitting points, a deflecting unit configured to deflect multiple light beams emitted from the light source unit, and an imaging optical system configured to image the multiple light beams deflected by the deflecting unit on a surface to be scanned, the method including: adjusting incident positions of the multiple light beams in a sub-scanning direction, which are entered into an imaging optical element constituting the imaging optical system to adjust irradiated positions of the multiple light beams on the surface to be scanned; and adjusting the irradiated positions of the multiple light beams on the surface to be scanned in the sub-scanning direction without changing the incident positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Tanimura
  • Patent number: 9370937
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inspecting chart including a reference pattern containing a first line segment group and a second line segment group, a first-side deviation pattern, and a second-side deviation pattern. The first line segment group is formed by a plurality of first line segments printed by a reference printing head at a first given interval. The second line segment is formed by second line segments printed by a printing head on a center between two adjacent first line segments or a center of each of the first line segments, the printing head being spaced away from the reference printing head in a the transportation direction of a print medium. The first-side deviation pattern and the second-side deviation pattern are printed with various deviations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignees: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd., RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kurokawa, Takaharu Yamamoto, Kazuyuki Tanoue, Hiroaki Kishida, Kunio Muraji
  • Patent number: 9294021
    Abstract: A control device includes a motor driving unit that supplies electric power to a motor according to a magnetic-pole-phase signal output from the motor; and a rotational-position detecting unit that converts the magnetic-pole-phase signal into a rotational-position detection signal and outputs the rotational-position detection signal. The rotational-position detection signal indicates a rotation amount and a rotation direction of an output shaft of the motor and has a higher resolution than the magnetic-pole-phase signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Takuya Murata
  • Patent number: 9218149
    Abstract: An output system includes a selection receipt unit that displays a function selection screen enabling a user to select a function based on an output request of data to be output received from the user and causes the user to select the function; a determination unit that determines, in response to the function selected by the user, an accumulation method and an accumulation destination of output data converted from the data to be output; an accumulation control unit that sends the output data converted from the data to be output based on the determined accumulation method of the output data and the output request to the determined accumulation destination and causes the determined accumulation destination to store the output data and the output request; and an output control unit that acquires the output data and the output request from the accumulation destination and outputs the output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shinya Mori
  • Patent number: 9063678
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus stores setting information received from an external device in a temporary region, and compares device identification information acquired from the setting information with device identification information of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus determines a reflection level used to reflect each setting included in the setting information stored in the temporary region, and stores the setting information in a database. Further, the image forming apparatus extracts a setting compliant with the reflection level and a reflection policy, using a plurality of import modules, and stores the extracted setting in a database that is actually used for control performed by the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9041971
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for superposedly outputting a color toner image and a transparent toner image on a recording material; an image data obtaining portion for obtaining a color image data used for forming the color toner image and first and second transparent image data used for forming the transparent toner image; and an executing portion for executing an operation in a test mode in which a test image which collects and coordinates a predetermined number of images including a first image and a second image is outputted on the recording material smaller in number than the predetermined number. The first image is prepared by synthesizing and reducing the color image data and the first transparent image data. The second image is prepared by synthesizing and reducing the color image data and the second transparent image data different from the first transparent image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Asuna Fukamachi
  • Publication number: 20150116736
    Abstract: A printer includes first and second marking units for printing respective first and second image planes on a receiver medium. A digital image capture system is positioned downstream of the second marking unit, and is used to capture an image of printed first and second image plane. Image data for the first and second image planes is compared to the captured image of the respective image planes to determine respective first and second displacements between the nominal locations and the actual locations of the printed image data. Corresponding spatial adjustments are applied to image data for at least one image plane of a subsequent image to provide reduced alignment errors between the printed image data for the first and second image planes in the subsequent image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Joshua Hart Howard, Matthias Hermann Regelsberger, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Publication number: 20150116735
    Abstract: A printer includes a marking unit for printing an image plane on a receiver medium. A digital image capture system is positioned downstream of the marking unit, and is used to capture an image of a printed image plane. Image data for the image plane is compared to the captured image to determine a displacement between a nominal location and an actual location of the printed image data. Corresponding spatial adjustments are applied to image data for a subsequent image to reduce alignment errors between the nominal and actual locations of the printed image data in the subsequent image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Joshua Hart Howard, Matthias Hermann Regelsberger, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Publication number: 20150116734
    Abstract: A printer includes first and second marking units for printing respective first and second image planes on a receiver medium. A digital image capture system is positioned between the first and second marking units, and is used to capture an image of a printed first image plane. Image data for the first image plane is compared to the captured image to determine a displacement between a nominal location and an actual location of the printed image data. Corresponding spatial adjustments are applied to image data for the second image plane to reduce alignment errors between the printed image data for the first and second image planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Joshua Hart Howard, Matthias Hermann Regelsberger, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Patent number: 9007639
    Abstract: An information providing device, which is capable of communicating with an information processing terminal and one or more information processing apparatuses executing processing responding to a request from the information processing terminal, including a position data obtaining unit configured to obtain position data of the information processing terminal and the information processing apparatuses; a specifying unit configured to specify, based on the obtained position data of the information processing terminal, a region where the information processing terminal is, and specify, based on the obtained position data of the information processing apparatuses, one or more of the information processing apparatuses which are in the region; and an instruction unit configured to, responding to the request from the information processing terminal, instruct an information processing apparatus of the specified information processing apparatuses specified by the specifying unit and specified by the request to execute
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michitaka Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8995015
    Abstract: A method for printing on a substrate, wherein the substrate is printed upon with a plate-based printing process, particularly with an offset printing process, and with a plateless printing process, particularly with an inkjet printing process, inline with the plate-based printing process. According to the invention, a printing resolution of the plateless printing process is determined depending on a printing speed of the plate-based printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: manroland AG
    Inventor: Peter Schulmeister
  • Patent number: 8964241
    Abstract: A print control device includes a mark information memory, a first print controller, and a second print controller. The mark information memory stores mark information for each type of printer. Upon receiving a printing instruction that specifies a first printer, the first print controller assigns identification information to the print data, combines interpretation result data of the print data and an additional mark for the type of the first printer to create imposition data, supplies the imposition data to the first printer, and saves the interpretation result data in a storage device in association with the identification information. Upon receiving a printing instruction that specifies a second printer, the second print controller acquires the interpretation result data from the storage device, combines the interpretation result data and an additional mark for the type of the second printer to create imposition data, and supplies the imposition data to the second printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuya Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 8964240
    Abstract: The method for producing an image forming apparatus includes emitting light beams from a printhead; optionally irradiating a photoreceptor with the light beams to form a latent image; optionally forming a visible image on a recording medium corresponding the latent image; obtaining plural pieces of information concerning a property of the light beams or lightness of the visible image at different positions in a direction; calculating variation width of N pieces of information corresponding to an attention area having a predetermined length in the direction; determining the number of pieces of information used for subjecting each of the N pieces of information to moving averaging, based on the variation width; when the number is two or more, subjecting each of the N pieces of information to moving averaging; and correcting quantities of light beams corresponding to the N pieces of information based on the average values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeaki Imai
  • Patent number: 8965234
    Abstract: In a serial tandem image forming system having a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a double-side printing job can be performed in a way according to the needs of users by taking into consideration an adjustment operation. The serial tandem image forming system includes an upstream apparatus 200 and a downstream apparatus 300, as the image forming apparatuses, each of which is capable of forming images on both sides of a sheet. When receiving a double-side printing job while one of the image forming apparatuses is performing the adjustment operation, a control unit 260 displays information on a manipulation display 500 which prompts a user to select whether to immediately start the job by performing a single machine double-side printing process with the other image forming apparatus, or start the job by shifting to a tandem mode and performing a serial double-side printing process after the adjustment operation has finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Ikuta, Akira Okamoto, Kenji Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Futami, Akifumi Isobe
  • Patent number: 8958114
    Abstract: A page-wide array inkjet printer allocates the processing tasks for individual printheads within the array to separate halftoning processors. Each halftoning processor processes the information relating to a strip of the image, with the boundaries between strips running parallel to the print medium advance direction. In a preferred embodiment, the pixels within each strip are processed using a forward error diffusion algorithm operating along columns of pixels parallel to the strip boundaries. The resulting halftone data is supplied from each halftoning processor to one or more uniquely associated printing component controllers, and these controllers generate print instructions for printing components (e.g. inkjet printheads) connected to the printing component controllers via a dedicated communications channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Lluis Abello
  • Patent number: 8941879
    Abstract: An input display apparatus can communicate with a printing apparatus, and includes a display unit, a touch detection unit, and an orientation detection unit. The input display apparatus determines which screen components is touched by the operator touches, determines a type of an operation from the touch by the operator, and determines based on the orientation of the input display apparatus whether or not the input display apparatus has been rotated on a plane including a display screen. When the operation is a long press operation, and the input display apparatus has been rotated, the touched screen component determined to be touched is rotated and displayed in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the input display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8937739
    Abstract: A server included in an image processing system executes processing including: upon accepting a job issued, before the job is processed by an MFP, specifying a usage amount of the MFP in a case where the job is processed by the MFP, as a usage amount for the job, and reserving the usage amount for the job from the usage amount of the MFP permitted to an issuer of the job; and upon reservation of the usage amount for the job, storing the job in association with the usage amount for the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hidetaka Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140368841
    Abstract: An image forming system (100) is provided with plural image forming apparatuses (200) that form images on can bodies (10), a can-body supply mechanism (300) that supplies can bodies (10) to the plural image forming apparatuses (200) successively, and a can-body discharge mechanism (400) that discharges the can bodies (10) on which images have been formed by the image forming apparatuses (200). Each of the image forming apparatuses (200) receives, at a can-body receiving position (1C), can bodies (10) supplied by the can-body supply mechanism (300). Each of the image forming apparatuses (200) also discharges, at a can-body discharging position (1D), can bodies (10) on which images have been formed. The can-body receiving positions (1C) and the can-body discharging positions (1D) are arranged more to the inner side than a circular virtual line (1B) that passes through the centers of the image forming apparatuses (200).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Ojima, Kazunori Ikeda, Kenyu Muraoka, Tetsuo Kashiwazaki, Asumi Suwa
  • Patent number: 8913283
    Abstract: A method for displaying events in printing material processing machines, includes capturing the events with at least one camera and storing the captured events on a computer. Sensors for detecting machine states are provided in the printing material processing machine. Records of the events recorded by the camera as a video sequence are electronically marked in dependence on the detected machine states. A printing machine for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Winfried Berg, Gernot Keller, Martin Klüpfel, Mario Rottloff, Ingo Schilz
  • Patent number: 8873101
    Abstract: A correction in less than one pixel raises an issue of generation of image defect such as density unevenness caused by a destruction of a screen pattern that generates a cycle of image data. To solve this issue, an image processing apparatus includes a correction unit configured to perform a correction less than one pixel on image data, and a changing processing unit configured to perform a correction by one pixel on image data, wherein the correction unit performs processing for correction in less than one pixel by shifting a pixel according to a moving locus synchronized with a cycle of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8860988
    Abstract: A print relay system capable of executing a communication between a print service system configured to provide a print setting screen to an information terminal operated by a user, to receive a print setting set by the user via the provided print setting screen, and to generate a print job based on the received print setting and stored settings for an image forming apparatus configured to output image data based on the print job includes a receiving unit configured to receive a print job, which is transmitted in a case that a print instruction is input by the information terminal to the print service system, a job updating unit configured to update the print job received by the receiving unit, and a job transmission unit configured to transmit the print job updated by the job updating unit to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihito Nanaumi
  • Patent number: 8854641
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 10a includes (i) an image input apparatus 1, (ii) a control section 5a, (iii) a document detecting section 24 including a blank page detecting section and a separator sheet detecting section, and (iv) a file creating section 31 for creating a file of image data. The image input apparatus 1 has a double-side reading function. The file creating section 31 has a blank page skipping function and a separating function. The control section 5a includes a function setting section 51 for enabling the double-side reading function and the blank page skipping function when enabling the separating function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hirohata, Naoto Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8848223
    Abstract: A printing method for a print job having at least two pages. After determining a position of rolled media in the printer, print data for either a first page or a second page of the print job can be staged for printing first. This can be performed at a host computer connected to the printer or it can be performed in the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kodak Alaris Inc.
    Inventors: John Emmanuel Wright, Alex David Horvath, Robert Fredric Mindler
  • Patent number: 8842331
    Abstract: A multi-printhead printing system, including first and second printheads adapted to print on a receiver medium. An alignment process includes printing a test pattern including features separated by predefined test pattern feature separations, where some features are printed with a first printhead and some features printed with a second printhead. An image of the printed test pattern is analyzed to determine a first camera pixel separation between two features printed with the first printhead, which is used to determine a camera scale factor. The camera scale factor is used to scale a second camera pixel separation between a feature printed with first printhead and a feature printed with the second printhead. The scaled second camera pixel separation is compared to a corresponding test pattern feature separation to determine an alignment error, which is used to adjust the alignment of the image data printed with at least one of the printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: James Michael Enge
  • Patent number: 8842330
    Abstract: A method for aligning image data printed on a receiver medium in a multi-printhead printer that includes printing a test pattern including features separated by predefined test pattern feature separations, where some features are printed with a first printhead and some features printed with a second printhead. An image of the printed test pattern is analyzed to determine a first camera pixel separation between two features printed with the first printhead, which is used to determine a camera scale factor. The camera scale factor is used to scale a second camera pixel separation between a feature printed with first printhead and a feature printed with the second printhead. The scaled second camera pixel separation is compared to a corresponding test pattern feature separation to determine an alignment error, which is used to adjust the alignment of the image data printed with at least one of the printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: James Michael Enge
  • Publication number: 20140268187
    Abstract: Technology is described for generating a scope turret label. One method can include selecting scope information. A label image with a scale based on the scope information can be provided. A shooting condition can be selected. Scale numbering relative to the scale based on the shooting condition can be generated using a processor. The scale numbering can be provided on the label image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Custom Turret Systems L.L.C.
    Inventor: Custom Turret Systems L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 8830518
    Abstract: An image data management apparatus which provides a pull-print mark for a file which is expected to be printed at an externally connected image forming apparatus, that is, to be subjected to pull-printing. It is possible to provide the pull-print mark for a plural number of files. When a user commands pull-printing of such a file at an externally connected image forming apparatus, a search is made within the files provided with the pull-print mark. Thereby, the load on the image data management apparatus for searching the file is light. In order to permit a user to command pull-printing at a printer with a simple user interface, simple authentication codes may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yamada, Yoshikazu Ikenoue
  • Patent number: 8810847
    Abstract: If it is determined that a quality of a print product produced by printing a second variable drawing object, which is generated by combining a fixed drawing object and a first variable drawing object, by using a digital printing machine is within an allowable range, an information processing apparatus generates the second variable drawing object by combining the fixed drawing object and the first variable drawing object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yousuke Ito
  • Patent number: 8797591
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus shifts dots of a recording dot pattern by half of a dot pitch in a main scanning direction to generate a shift dot pattern, corrects a jagged outline of the shift dot pattern caused by shifted dots using correction dots to generate a corrected shift dot pattern, and determines an increased number of ink droplets to be additionally ejected from one or more of a plurality of nozzles to form the shifted dot or the correction dot of the corrected shift dot pattern with an increased dot size, based on an estimated shift value indicating the displacement in landing position of ink droplets forming the dot of the recording dot pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigetoshi Hosaka
  • Patent number: 8797597
    Abstract: A method for printing on a substrate, wherein the substrate is printed upon with a plate-based printing process, particularly with an offset printing process, and with a plateless printing process, particularly with an inkjet printing process, inline with the plate-based printing process. According to the invention, a printing resolution of the plateless printing process is determined depending on a printing speed of the plate-based printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: manroland web systems GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Schulmeister
  • Patent number: 8786880
    Abstract: Systems and algorithmic processes directed to first and second image processing devices connected to a network for distributed processing/printing. The first device receives a print job from a user device, and divides the print job into a plurality of portions of the print job which require image processing prior to printing. These portions are then transmitted to a number of the second devices which are compatible with distributed processing/printing and which are in an idle status mode. The second devices process the portions by, for example, rasterizing the portions, and then transmit the rasterized portions back to the first device. The first device assembles the rasterized portions into an assembled print job which is ready for printing. The first device prints the assembled print job or transmits the assembled print job to another networked device for printing, facsimile transmission, email transmission or storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Ricoh Americas Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutaka Oba, Tomoki Hattori
  • Patent number: 8767246
    Abstract: A method for printing on a continuous print medium having a plurality of pages includes identifying a location of a feature in image data that are generated from a portion of a first page in the print medium. The method includes modifying a time of operation of a marking unit to form an image on each page in the plurality of pages at a predetermined distance from the edge of each page with reference to the location of the identified feature in the image data. In one configuration, the method enables precise placement of printed images over preprinted forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Howard A. Mizes, Michael C. Mongeon, Michael J. Severn, Joseph C. Sheflin, Michael J. Levy
  • Patent number: 8760710
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming device including an engine unit that performs image processing; an engine control unit that controls the engine unit; and a controller that generates items of starting information. The controller transmits a first item of the starting information indicating a cause of the starting process, and transmits a second item of the starting information when a content of the second item of the starting information is fixed. A time period required for fixing the second item of the starting information depends on the cause of the starting process. The engine control unit obtains the second item of the starting information, based on the first item of the starting information and timing information obtained in advance that indicates a timing at which the second item of the starting information is expected to be fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Norio Muraishi
  • Patent number: 8755086
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof which execute auto color registration in consideration of mechanical change factors of both photoconductors and drive rollers. The control method of an image forming apparatus includes photoconductors, an intermediate transfer belt to which developers attached to the photoconductors are transferred, and drive rollers to drive the intermediate transfer belt, test patterns are printed on the intermediate transfer belt by adjusting a printing time interval of the test patterns according to a spatial period of the photoconductors and a spatial period of the drive rollers, if conditions to execute auto color registration (ACR) are satisfied, and ACR is executed according to a signal reflected by the test patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Bum Woo, Hyun Ki Cho, Jong Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 8717639
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus for making a position deviation correction, a position deviation amount can be accurately calculated by stabilizing the detection result at position deviation detecting and considering an ideal correction amount and an actual correction amount to make the position deviation correction accurately. A forming unit forms a pattern for position deviation detection without making the position correction for less than one pixel by an image position correcting unit, to a pattern formed in the vicinity of a detection region of a detecting unit, and the position deviation amount is calculated by using a value of a position correction which is not made to the pattern for position deviation detection to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junya Arakawa