Abstract: Permission determination of image formation is done using different criteria in accordance with the checked quality and attributes of an image to be formed. For example, whether to permit image formation is determined using different criteria between the case of forming an image to be charged or image which must be formed with high quality, and the case of forming another image. In addition, display corresponding to the attributes of an image to be formed and the state of an image forming apparatus is performed.

Abstract: A printing control device of the present invention is provided for a digital complex system having an automatic color sensing function and an interleaving print function. In the printing control device, a receiving unit receives a print request. A detection unit detects that a preceding printing task is active when the print request is received. An interleave printing control unit controls the interleaving print function such that, when a print mode of the received print request is different from a print mode of the active preceding printing task, execution of the interleaving print function is inhibited, and only when the print mode of the received print request is the same as the print mode of the active preceding printing task, the execution of the interleaving print operation is allowed.

Abstract: A digital printing apparatus is capable of a plurality of selectable output speeds, by varying motor speed or pitch configuration. A user using the apparatus at a basic speed can request a temporary increase in speed of his printing apparatus from a vendor who controls aspects of the printing apparatus over a network. The temporary speed increase can be pre-scheduled, such as to occur one day per week. The user can be charged at different per-print rates depending on the selected speed.

Abstract: A printer that contains printer devices that use different versions of a protocol is configured with a translation layer in printer firmware that receives one version of a protocol command from a sending device, translates the protocol command to another version of the protocol command, and sends the translated command to a receiving device or devices. The translation layer includes a table of modified commands that identifies each command used in the versions of the protocol used by the printer devices. The table of modified commands is used to generate a translation table for each device. The translation table is used to find a command that is compatible with a receiving device when the receiving device uses a different version of the command than the sending device. If the command has not changed in the protocol versions used by the sending and receiving devices, then the translation facility is not invoked and print processing proceeds normally.

Abstract: When an original image is to be printed as a poster composed of an-array of 4×4 output images, an image is generated by enlarging the original image fourfold in the vertical and horizontal directions and dividing the enlarged image into 16 parts. These 16 partial images are output successively starting from the upper left or lower right of the 4×4 array, depending upon the designation. If there is a blank page, the blank page is output as is even if the printer possesses a blank-paper economizing function. Thus, when a poster printing function is used, the user designates the manner in which the enlarged image is divided up and the order in which the divided images are printed. Even if the printer is equipped with the blank-paper economizing function, normal printed results can be obtained merely by joining the output sheets together in the order that conforms to the manner in which the enlarged image was divided.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to provide a disk driver which makes it easy for users to set the settings. In a device driver which operates in the computer and has a function where each item of the device is set, when the arrangement information stored in the memory corresponding to a user is read in, the screen shows a display in accordance with it. In the arrangement settings, the user can freely arrange each of the setting items on the screen. Then the arrangement information is maintained in the computer together with the user information.

Abstract: A client PC has a virtual print server service (client) for searching a server on a network and issuing a print request to the searched server. The server has a virtual print server service (server) for searching a printer on the network on the basis of the print request from the client and registering a print job into the searched printer. Thus, when the client PC temporarily participates in the network and allows the printer connected to the network to print, the troublesome setting in the client PC is unnecessary.

Abstract: The present invention disclosed and claimed herein comprises a system and method for parallel conversion processing of a print job in a print system having a plurality of RIP engines, comprising the steps of: defining the print job for RIP of select portions of the print job in parallel; partitioning the print job into select portions according to defined boundaries; generating a substitute RIP instruction for each select portion of the print job; and processing the RIP requirements of each select portion in an assigned one of the plurality of RIP engines according to the substitute RIP instruction.

Abstract: A method of delivering a brochure, including: formatting information of the brochure in a computer system; the information including at least one user interactive element which enables a user to indicate a request for further information relating to contents of a brochure by interacting with the element using a sensing device which is adapted to transmit data indicating the request to the computer system; and printing the information at a printer networked with the computer system so as to produce the brochure.

Abstract: A digital camera having a printing function which is driven by a battery comprises a printer unit operable when the voltage of the battery is equal to or higher than a first voltage, a camera unit operable when the voltage of the battery is equal to or higher than a second voltage, and a voltage detecting unit for detecting the voltage of the battery. The digital camera further comprises controller which compares the voltage of the battery detected by the voltage detecting unit with the first and second voltages and performs, based on the result of comparison, a control operation whereby the respective operations of the printer unit and the camera unit are enabled or disabled.

Abstract: A color conversion method and apparatus for a compact printer system. An image processor converts a stored image from a first tri-color space to a second tri-color space. Resultant transformation values are read from lookup tables for each color component of the stored image pixels and a single cycle interpolator unit performs linear interpolation to generate a single color component in the second tri-color space in 14 cycles. In one example, the L*a*b* color space is converted to CMY color space. In another example, the RGB form is converted to the L*a*b* form and two extra L* components for use in sharpening a converted image.

Abstract: An adjustment door (22) is provided on a housing (2) at an initial position of a carriage (3) on a side opposite to an original table (1). Accordingly, when printing medium powdery dust, dispersed ink or the like adheres to surfaces adjacent to a white reference (9) or a starting point (1a) for a scanner (20), it can be easily removed through the adjustment door (22). Since the gap between the original table (1) and the adjustment door (22) corresponds to the initial position of the carriage (3), a space for accommodating the carriage (3) at the initial position is not required at the end portion of the housing (2), and thus the size of an image input/output apparatus (100) can be reduced and the space required for it's installation can be easily obtained. Further, since a transparent detachable partition member (32) is detachably attached to a frame member (33), a printing medium jam in a printer (50) can be easily eliminated by removing the detachable partition wall (32) from the frame member (33).

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a print job in a printer, such as canceling the print job held in the printer. The system includes a printer having a processor that receives print jobs, including one or more print data swaths, from one or more host computers, and each print data swath includes at least a predefined group of characters. The system also has at least one host computer in communication with the printer and which selectively sends print jobs including print data and/or command data. The host computer further selectively sends a command which is a predetermined group of characters within the print data swath, and the command alters a function in the printer. The command is preferably a series of identical characters, such as NULL characters, and the command preferably causes the printer to enter a command mode to execute the commanded function.

Abstract: In a job issuer of a print or the like, to enable an output result of the print or the like to be promptly, easily, visually confirmed, to enable error information contents of the print or the like to be easily referred, and to enable a management and a maintenance of an output device such as a printer or the like to be also promptly and accurately performed, when a network printer executes a print job, a communication server on the network printer opens image data to display a print result and notifies a host computer on the print job issuer side of a result of the print job including a network resource ID showing the image data.

Abstract: A method for managing a print queue over a computer network. The network generally includes at least one user interface, a network server, and at least one print server. The user interface uses a web browser or other mechanism to allow a user to communicate with the network server and the print server. Initially, the user directs the web browser to the network server and chooses a print server. The network server, using device management software, identifies the operating system of the print server and selects a print manager compatible with that operating system. The network server then installs and executes the selected print manager on the print server. Finally, the network server redirects the web browser on the user interface to the print manager on the print server allowing the user to manage a print queue for the print server.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a print data controlling method for correctly performing, even when a print request regarding the same or similar print data is repeatedly issued, a print procedure desired by a user without decrease in printer operating efficiency and waste of resources such as paper. As a decision result produced by a print server on the basis of a comparison of data specifying information contained in print requesting data with data specifying information attached to each print data spooled in a print queue, a terminal device receives decision data which informs that there has already been spooled print data identical with or similar to print data regarding a current print request. Then, the terminal device will accept designation input for designating a print data processing procedure, thereafter sending to the print server processing data representative of contents of the designated print data processing procedure.

Abstract: A portable printer for printing a second interface onto a second surface, in response to first indicating data received from a sensing device in the form of a stylus. The first indicating data is sensed by the stylus from first coded data. A first interface is disposed on a first surface, and includes the first coded data. The printer includes an input module and a printing module. The input module is configured to receive the first indicating data from the stylus, the first indicating data being at least partially indicative of response data. The input module generates second indicating data based on the first indicating data, the second indicating data being at least partially indicative of the response data. The second indicating data is sent to a computer system. The printing module includes a printing mechanism configured to receive the response data from the computer system. The second interface is based at least partially on the response data.

Abstract: A color printer receives N-bit values indicating a computer generated color to be printed. Each N-bit value has a most significant bit (MSB). Upon receiving the N-bit color values, the color printer creates an address from combined multiple-bit segments of each of the received N-bit values, each multiple bit segment includes at least a MSB of each N-bit value. The color printer includes a cache memory, each cache address including first and second entries. The first entry being values indicative of a computer generated color and the second entry being values usable by the color printer to reproduce a color indicated by the first entry. A processor determines if there is a match at an address created from a received computer color value between the first entry and the received computer color value. The processor is responsive to a determined match to access the second entry at the address and to employ the second entry to control the color printer.

Abstract: A technology for creating a three-dimensional effect in viewing photographs and moving images. The image display produced has a three-dimensional effect, prepared from a color analog or digital photograph, or from a digital display screen showing moving image. Each display superimposes color raster-pixel representations of the same field of view to create the 3D effect. In one embodiment, a color print is photocopied onto paper and again onto a transparency, and the photocopies are spaced apart by plastic films. For viewing, the assembled photocopies are back lit and front lit.

Abstract: The invention provides a image duplicating apparatus capable of forming images for duplication using standard four ink colors in a standard color style, or using more ink colors than the standard ink colors when duplicating images read from an original on a recording paper. A CPU determines which of the single-copying mode, where images read from the original are duplicated on a sheet of the recording paper, or the multi-copying mode, where images read from the original are duplicated on the sheets of the recording paper, is set. When it is determined that the multi-copying mode is set, the CPU starts duplicating in the standard color style. When it is determined that the single-copying mode is set, the CPU starts duplicating in the fine color style.