Abstract: A terminal uses a web application to control a printer on a network. The web application includes an API that permits the terminal to send instruction and inquiries to the printer over the network. The terminal submits, to the API, the printer's IP address and instructions for defining a print document or printer commands. The API then sends the print document or printer commands to the printer in accordance with the IP address. In this manner, the terminal can request status updates without sending a print job to the printer. The terminal sets the printer's ID address, identifies a type of status event inquiry, and submits the inquiry to receive the printer's current status related to the identified status event. To submit a print job, the terminal creates a print document using the API, sets the printer's ID address, and sends the print document as a print job to be printed.

Abstract: Individual setting values are previously associated with an image forming apparatus to be removed and information regarding the association is stored on a medium. When the medium is connected to the image forming apparatus to be removed and an automatic installation program is executed, the association is removed. Subsequently, when the medium is connected to an image forming apparatus to be installed and the automatic installation program is executed, individual setting values that are not associated with an image forming apparatus to be removed are identified and imported.

Abstract: An image processing system which makes it possible to prevent an erroneous operation from being performed by an improper user. A console section of an MFP receives an operation from a user. A scanner reads an original to generate image data. A modem transmits the image data. A network interface receives an instruction for a reading and transmitting process for causing the scanner to read an original and then causing the modem to transmit image data generated by the scanner. When the instruction for the reading and transmitting process is received, a controller determines, based on a state of operation of the console section, whether or not the reading and transmitting process can be accepted. When acceptance of the reading and transmitting process is permitted as a result of the determination, the controller controls the scanner and the modem to perform the reading and transmitting process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a hard disk configured to store data; a hard disk malfunction detecting unit configured to detect malfunction of the hard disk; a partition confirmation unit configured to determine as to whether a malfunctioning portion of the hard disk is in a preliminary determined partition; and a partition formatting unit configured to format the partition, wherein, when the malfunctioning portion of the hard disk detected by the hard disk malfunction detecting unit is determined as being in the partition preliminary determined by the partition confirmation unit, the partition formatting unit formats the partition.

Abstract: An authentication system comprises a mobile terminal configured to output an ultrasonic wave including authentication information; and a first device configured to receive the ultrasonic wave output by the mobile terminal, carry out authentication on the basis of the obtained authentication information extracted from the ultrasonic wave and allow execution of a job at the time the authentication is established.

Abstract: There is provided an image scanner apparatus, including: a platen; a carriage including an image sensor that captures an image of a script on the platen; an antenna unit on the carriage; and a controller circuit that controls the carriage to move in a forward way and a backward way in a sub-scanning direction over the platen, detects a position of an NFC (Near Field Communication) tag on the script in the sub-scanning direction via the antenna unit, and then detects a position of the NFC tag in a main-scanning direction via the antenna unit.

Abstract: A method for creating and processing specifications for a combined print product includes determining a plurality of parts needed to produce the combined print product, selecting a corresponding digital representation of the determined part from a digital representation collection, displaying the digital representations, and creating a digital hierarchical structure of the digital representations. An order in the digital hierarchical structure defines usage of the parts, appliance of the parts and a combination of the parts in a production process of the combined print product. Each part of the plurality of parts belongs to a part category out of a set of part categories, and the plurality of parts includes at least two resources, at least one device action, at least one finishing action, at least one combination action, at least one device and at least two logical concepts. A combined print product processing system is configured to apply the method.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading section, a storage section, a communication section, an acceptance section, and an operation control section. The storage section has a plurality of storage regions at least one or more of which are signage-specific storage regions associated one-to-one with one or more digital signage devices. Each of the signage-specific storage region stores: a plurality of pieces of image data generated by the image reading section having read a number of documents; and setting data indicating a display setting of how the relevant digital signage device displays the pieces of image data. When the acceptance section accepts a delivery instruction, the operation control section allows the communication section to send the pieces of image data and the setting data both stored in the signage-specific storage region associated with the relevant digital signage device designated in the delivery instruction to the relevant digital signage device.

Abstract: A printing apparatus to which an option unit can be connected includes a storage unit configured to store an update program for updating an option unit program, and an update unit configured to, if an option unit has been connected to the printing apparatus, update the option unit program using an update program stored by the storage unit.

Abstract: A scheduler of an image processing apparatus allocates processing of control programs of the image processing apparatus to a plurality of cores when it is determined that a processor is mounted to a peripheral unit. The scheduler allocates a control program of the peripheral unit and a program related to a control program for the peripheral unit among the control programs of the image processing apparatus to at least one core among the plurality of cores and allocates remaining control programs among the control programs of the image processing apparatus to remaining cores among the plurality of cores when it is determined that a processor is not mounted to the peripheral unit.

Abstract: An information processing system includes a device, a first apparatus that is connected to the device via a first network, and a second apparatus that is connected to the device via a second network and is unable to receive a request from the first apparatus. The device includes an input part that inputs image data and a transmission part. In a case where the second apparatus corresponds to an output destination of the image data, the transmission part transmits the image data to the second apparatus via the second network. In a case where an apparatus that is capable of receiving data from the first apparatus corresponds to the output destination of the image data, the transmission part transmits to the first apparatus via the first network a transmission request to have the image data transmitted to the output destination.

Abstract: An image scanner includes a transparent plate, a scanning device, a driving device, a positioning member, a light absorbing portion and a white reference portion. The transparent plate has an original placing surface. The scanning device irradiates an original with light by means of a light source and scans reflected light from the original. The driving device reciprocates the scanning device along the transparent plate. The positioning member positions the original placed on the original placing surface of the transparent plate. The light absorbing portion, which is disposed on the original placing surface side of the positioning member and at substantially a central portion of the positioning member in moving directions of the scanning device, absorbs ambient light entering to the original placing surface side of the positioning member through the transparent plate. The white reference portion is provided to the original placing surface side of the positioning member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a color separation condition determination device, method and storage medium. A pixel of interest is extracted from multiple pixels, and the influence of visual effect applied to the pixel of interest is estimated on the basis of the positional relationship between the color of the pixel of interest and each color of at least one surrounding pixel. Also, the total usage of color materials in the pixel of interest is estimated. The color separation condition in the pixel of interest is determined on the basis of the respectively estimated influence of visual effect and total usage of color materials.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a clock supply circuit supplying a signal at a first clock frequency or a second clock frequency lower than the first frequency, a first CPU performing image data processing based on the signal, and a second CPU measuring time based on the signal to determine execution timing of each process performed in control processing. The image forming apparatus includes a load determination unit determining whether a load of the image data processing is higher than a reference level, and a control unit that switches the frequency to the first frequency when the load is higher than the reference level, and to the second frequency when the load is not higher. When the frequency switching occurs, the second CPU changes a method for measuring time. The second CPU completes one process before the switching and starts the next one after the switching.

Abstract: A terminal device as a control device is provided with a CPU including: an obtaining unit for obtaining screen information from an MFP; a first display unit for displaying an operation screen based on the screen information; a first transmission unit for transmitting, to the MFP, position information based on a user's instruction to the operation screen; a determination unit for determining whether a state change influencing communication with MFP occurs or not; a second display unit for displaying an alternative screen generated based on the screen information; a storage unit for storing a parameter based on a user's instruction to the alternative screen; and a second transmission unit for transmitting the stored parameter to the MFP.

Abstract: In general, according to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a display unit, an operation input unit, a storage unit, a control unit, and an image forming unit. The operation input unit receives an operation input. The storage unit stores function restriction instruction content that disables setting and use of a predetermined function related to printing, so as to correspond to a sheet handling method after image formation. The control unit displays a setting screen for setting each function related to printing and selecting the sheet handling method on the display unit, acquires the function restriction instruction content corresponding to the selected sheet handling method from the storage unit when the sheet handling method is selected, displays the setting screen in which setting and use of the predetermined function are disabled on the display unit on the basis of the acquired function restriction instruction content, and receives print setting on the setting screen.

Abstract: A document reading device includes a reading section, an orientation detecting section, an orientation determining section, and a notification section. The reading section reads images of respective pages of a spread document one at a time. The orientation detecting section sequentially detects orientations of respective images read by the reading section. The orientation determining section determines whether or not the orientation detecting section detects orientation alternation between a first orientation and a second orientation opposite to the first orientation for a read image read by the reading section. The notification section notifies an error upon the orientation determining section determining that the orientation detecting section does not detect orientation alternation between the first orientation and the second orientation.

Abstract: A state change of a status occurred during a communication interrupted state is stored as a state change status. Thus, a video controller 102 can recognize the change of the status during a period when communication between the video controller 102 and an engine control unit 103 is interrupted, based on the state change status.

Abstract: A printing system, when information about an image forming apparatus is registered in a printing service apparatus or when information about the image forming apparatus already registered in the printing service apparatus is updated, determines whether firmware installed in the image forming apparatus corresponds to the printing service apparatus. If the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus is determined not to correspond, the printing system determines whether firmware corresponding to the printing service apparatus exists in firmware of the image forming apparatus distributed by the distribution server. If the firmware corresponding to the printing service apparatus is determined to exist and when that firmware is distributed from the distribution server to the image forming apparatus, the printing system installs the distributed firmware.

Abstract: A method for correcting an image acquired by a hand-held scanning device. A binarized image of an acquired image is cropped by removing columns on the left end and on the right end of only first components. A work image is created from the cropped image by replacing in each row of components series of first components smaller than a predetermined distance with series of second components. In the work image, a central line is identified. The identified central line in the work image is used to identify the corresponding central line in the cropped image forming a central line image, and in the central line image, the central text line is straightened.