IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD

• US 20170048403A1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: BABA, Motofumi
• Granted Patent: US 10,104,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/36 Other airport installations ground installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00251 with an apparatus for taking photographic images, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00559 Mounting or support of components or elements H04N1/00538 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/006 Using near field communication, e.g. an inductive loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material, a landing pad unit that an unmanned flying device lands on after a flight thereof, and an information exchanging unit that exchanges information with the unmanned flying device landed on the landing pad unit.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material;

a landing pad unit that an unmanned flying device lands on after a flight thereof; and

an information exchanging unit that exchanges information with the unmanned flying device landed on the landing pad unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information exchanging unit exchanges information via near-field radio communication.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the information exchanging unit acquires indoor information collected by the unmanned flying device from the unmanned flying device having landed on the landing pad unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires indoor information collected by the unmanned flying device from the unmanned flying device having landed on the landing pad unit.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires the indoor information that the unmanned flying device has collected via near-field radio communication during the flight.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires the indoor information that the unmanned flying device has collected via near-field radio communication during the flight.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires information related to at least one of an image, sound, odor, temperature, and humidity.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires information related to at least one of an image, sound, odor, temperature, and humidity.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires information related to at least one of an image, sound, odor, temperature, and humidity.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires information related to at least one of an image, sound, odor, temperature, and humidity.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires information related to at least one of an image, sound, odor, temperature, and humidity.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires information related to at least one of an image, sound, odor, temperature, and humidity.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires, from the unmanned flying device, information as to whether or not a person is present indoors.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information exchanging unit acquires, from the unmanned flying device, information as to whether or not a person is present indoors.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information exchanging unit transmits, to the unmanned flying device, configuration information that is determined in accordance with information received from the unmanned flying device.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit that performs communication via a network; and

a communication controller that exchanges information with the unmanned flying device through the Internet via the communication unit.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the communication unit acquires image information that the image forming unit uses to form the image.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector that detects an irregularity in a predetermined monitoring area.

19. An image forming system, comprising:

an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material; and

an unmanned flying device configured to exchange information with the image forming apparatus, the unmanned flying device exchanging the information when the unmanned flying device lands on the image forming apparatus,

wherein the image forming apparatus includes

an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material,

a landing pad unit that the unmanned flying device lands on after a flight thereof, and

an information exchanging unit that exchanges information with the unmanned flying device landed on the landing pad unit.

20. An image forming method, comprising:

forming an image on a recording material;

landing an unmanned flying device on a landing pad unit after a flight thereof; and

exchanging information with the unmanned flying device landed on the landing pad unit.