Seiko Epson Corporation

Seiko Epsoh Corporation

Kenichi Murahashi

Toshiaki Koike

Noriyuki Koyanagi

Hiroyuki Motoyama

Yukiharu Horiuchi

Kazuya Yoshikaie

Junichi Arai

Ryoichi Shuto

Masatomo Kanamitsu

Wataru Beppu

Keigo Ejiri

Kazuhito Noda

Yuko Hirayama

Akifumi Sugano

Yuji Yoshida

An image reading apparatus is configured to read image data generated by reading a window within a junction of a carrier sheet and then to determine whether the target object is a carrier sheet, based on a total height of a first area and a plurality of second areas arranged with the first area therebetween in a transport direction as well as a first color width. In the first area, pixels in a second color are sequentially arrayed in the transport direction; in the second areas, pixels in a first color are sequentially arrayed in the transport direction; and the first color width indicates a length of an area in which a plurality of pixels in the first color are sequentially arrayed in a width direction.

Image reading apparatus and method of controlling image reading apparatus

A carrier sheet detecting unit is located upstream a reading unit in a transport direction in which transport is performed, and can detect a carrier sheet transported. Then, a control unit can determine that the carrier sheet is transported based on a detection result of the carrier sheet detecting unit. Additionally, the reading unit can read an original document sandwiched by the carrier sheet transported, the control unit can determine that the carrier sheet is transported based on a reading result of the reading unit. Then, the control unit switches between adopting the detection result of the carrier sheet detecting unit and adopting the reading result of the reading unit, and determines that the carrier sheet is transported.

Image reading apparatus and image reading method

When a medium detector detects that a state where a medium is absent is switched to a state where the medium is present with a light quantity of the medium detector set to a first light quantity, a controller in an image reading apparatus switches the light quantity from the first light quantity to a second light quantity, which is larger than the first light quantity. When a quantity of the light received by the medium detector exceeds a threshold, the controller determines whether the media overlaps each other, based on the detection result of the multi-feed detector. When the quantity of the light received does not exceed the threshold, the controller skips the determination of whether the media overlaps each other.

Image reading apparatus and control method to perform a determination of whether a medium overlaps another medium based on the light quantity being above or below a threshold after changing the light quantity from a first light quantity to a second light quantity

A control unit of an image reading apparatus determines, based on results of detection of an original document by a plurality of second detecting units, whether the original document will pass a position at which the original document is to be detected by a first detecting unit that is located downstream of the second detecting units and upstream of a reading unit. When it is determined that the original document will not pass a position at which the original document is to be detected by the first detecting unit, the control unit determines a timing for reading the original document by using the reading unit, relative to a time point at which the original document is detected by the second detecting units. The control unit causes the reading unit to read the original document at the determined reading timing.

Image reading apparatus and reading control method

In a case in which a carrier sheet including transparent sheet portions of two pieces which can interpose a document therebetween, and a bonding portion which bonds sheet portions to each other is transported in a state in which the bonding portion is located on the downstream side in the transport direction, a reading unit is caused to start reading, after an upstream end of the bonding portion passed through the reading unit.

A feed detection unit which detects a document which is fed is provided at a position between a pinching position at which a feed roller and a frictional force application portion pinch the document and an intersecting position at which a tangential line of the feed roller which is closer to a downstream side in a transport direction than the pinching position is perpendicular to a transport path in the transport direction, which is a different position from the feed roller in a width direction which intersects the transport direction.

Image reading apparatus

An image reading apparatus is configured to read an image of each of documents transported in a transport path from an upstream side to a downstream side in a transport direction, acquires a correction factor for correcting a read image on the basis of a fed document number, and corrects the length of the read image in the transport direction on the basis of the correction factor which has been acquired.

Image reading apparatus, image correcting method

A printing system enables easily recognizing the status of a printing process. The host computerhas a print job transmission unit that sends print jobs to a printer, a notification pattern setting unit that sets a notification pattern, and a notification control command transmission unit that sends a notification control command asynchronously to the print job transmission unit. The printerhas a print job reception unit that receives the print jobs, a printing unit, a print job detection unit that detects print job commands, for example, a notification control command reception unit that receives the notification control commands, a storage unitthat stores the received notification control commands, a first notification evaluation unit that, when triggered by a detection by the print job detection unit, determines if there is a notification control command containing the same print job ID as the print job, and a notification unit that outputs a user notification based on the notification pattern contained in the notification control command when there is a notification control command.

Printing system, printer, host computer, printing system control method, and program

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a medium by discharging liquid from a discharge head, wherein a carriage on which the discharge head is mounted is made to be able to reciprocate, and in a case where agitation of liquid is required, control is performed such that operation areas of a plurality of places set within a movable range of the carriage are changed over and the carriage then reciprocates within the operation area.

Image forming apparatus

A printer and printer control method can report information about ink consumption to the host computer. The printeris in communication with a host computer, and prints according to print jobs sent from the host computer. The printerhas a job data memoryfor storing information about each print job. A receiverreceives the print jobs from the host computer. A print controllercontrols printing on paper using a predetermined ink according to the print job. A printing evaluatorevaluates the result of printing a print job. A ink shot count convertercalculates the number of ink shots used to print the print job. A job data managerstores the job ID for the print job and the ink shot count used to print the print job linked to the print result determined for printing the print job in the job data memory

Inkjet printer, ink billing system, and inkjet printer control method

A cleaning apparatus, which cleans a print head of a printing apparatus in response to a start trigger for regular cleaning, includes a sound sensor that detects a sound of the operational environment of the printing apparatus, a determination unit that determines whether the operational environment is quiet or not based on a comparison result between detected sound of the sound sensor and a threshold value, and a controller that delays the start of the regular cleaning by holding the start trigger until the operational environment becomes quiet based on a determination result of the determination unit when the start trigger for the regular cleaning has occurred.

Cleaning apparatus and printing apparatus

A printer comprising a reception unit for receiving a command or data sent from a host computer, a timer for counting elapsed time after the command or data is received, and an error detection unit for reporting that the host computer is in an error state when the command or data from the host computer is not received within a predetermined time after the timer starts counting the elapsed time.

Methods and devices for host error detection by a printer

A printer which prints to a roll paper medium under the control of the printer and to a printer control method for maintaining consistently in high quality printing even at the end of a roll paper print medium. The printer conveys roll paperthrough a paper transportation path and prints to the roll paperusing a print headcarried on a carriagethat moves transverse to the transportation path. When the trailing endof the roll paper is detected, the printer advances and then stops the print medium so that the trailing endof the roll paper is positioned on the transportation path outside of the carriage path

Printer and printer control method

The roll paper printer of the subject invention has a control to detect failure of a paper detector in accordance with a method for detecting such failure. The printeris constructed so that the paper transportation path is open when the coverto the roll paper compartmentis open and includes a paper detectorand a control unitto determine if the paper detectoris faulty. A failure warning is provided by a warning indicator(S) to indicate failure of the paper detectorwhen the coverhas been open continuously for at least a first set time (S) and the output state of the paper detectorhas not changed even once to a no-paper state within the first set time. Preferably, the printing operation of the printeris disabled upon determining that the paper detectoris faulty to permit replacement of the paper detector. Problems attributable to paper detector failure, such as soiling the platen with ink can thus be prevented.

Method for detecting failure of a paper detector in a roll paper printer, and roll paper printer having control for detecting failure of a paper detector

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Fukuoka, Japan

Kenichi Murahashi