Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which the consumption article can be attached to and detached from a main body has a controller, which reads first new/old information that is stored in a repetitively rewritable area of a memory provided on the consumption article and represents whether or not the consumption article is unused after manufacturing or after recycling and second new/old information that is stored in a once rewritable area of the memory and represents the number of times of recycling of the consumption article and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the first new/old information and the second new/old information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a memory storing firmware, a reception unit for receiving an image processing job, an image processing job execution controller for executing the image processing job using the firmware, a firmware reception unit for receiving firmware for rewrite purpose distributed from an external device, a firmware rewrite controller for executing a firmware rewrite job of rewriting the firmware stored in the memory to the received firmware, a judgment unit for judging a type of the received firmware, and a job management controller for adjusting an execution order of the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job according to the type of the received firmware, and instructing to execute the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job in the adjusted execution order when the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job are both placed in a wait state for execution.

Abstract: When electronic mail indicating termination of firmware rewriting has arrived from an image formation apparatus that has received divided firmware, the transmitter side of the firmware determines whether rewriting has ended properly or not from the mail. When rewriting has ended properly, electronic mail with the next divided firmware attached is transmitted based on the division number, divisor value, machine type and module indicated in a Subject field. When rewriting has not ended properly, the same firmware indicated in the Subject field is transmitted again. Accordingly, divided firmware can be transmitted appropriately. Thus, firmware of a large size can be transmitted appropriately even in the case where the size set at the mail server is restricted.

Abstract: When electronic mail with firmware attached is received at a data communication apparatus, determination is made whether it corresponds to firmware data of a write process allowable state. In the case of write process allowable data, the message is downloaded from a mail server to a printer controller. Then, derived firmware is transmitted to an image formation apparatus. A firmware rewrite permission is obtained. When the firmware attached to the message does not attain a write process allowable state, waiting is conducted for reception of write process allowable firmware with the data left in the mail server. As a result, a data communication apparatus is provided that can rewrite firmware appropriately independent of a transmitted and received order of divided firmware.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus connected to a network transfers an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when new firmware for a rewrite purpose is obtained to when rewrite to the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a consumption article can be attached to and detached from a main body, has a device that makes an access to a memory provided on the consumption article, a device that determines whether or not an access failure has occurred during the access to the memory, and a device that switches over between warning levels according to the address of the memory where the access failure has occurred or an attribute concerning write and read where the access failure has occurred.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which the consumption article can be attached to and detached from a main body has a controller, which reads first new/old information that is stored in a repetitively rewritable area of a memory provided on the consumption article and represents whether or not the consumption article is unused after manufacturing or after recycling and second new/old information that is stored in a once rewritable area of the memory and represents the number of times of recycling of the consumption article and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the first new/old information and the second new/old information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that is connected to a network generates information about a processing time expected to be required for rewriting firmware in the image processing apparatus to new firmware, and transmits the information via the network to an external apparatus.

Abstract: A printer controller receives firmware attached to e-mail from a mail server, downloads the firmware to an internal hard disk drive, and registers the job at the bottom of a job registration table. On subsequently receiving a print job or a scan job, the printer controller registers the job in the job management table, judges whether a firmware rewriting job is registered in the job management table, and if so, moves the print job or the scan job to be before the firmware rewriting job in the job management table. In this way, firmware rewriting jobs are always executed after print jobs, meaning that processing of print jobs is not delayed.

Abstract: An image forming system having an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus having a sorting function, a stapling function, etc. The post-processing apparatus is movable between a first position to receive long papers and a second position to receive non-long papers. When the post-processing apparatus is set in the second position, a paper inlet port of the post-processing apparatus faces a paper ejection port of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: New firmware is attached to electronic mail from a computer of the service center to be transmitted towards a monitor device at the user side. The monitor device of the user side reads out the electronic mail from a mail server and downloads the electronic mail into its own apparatus. Then, the firmware is derived from the electronic mail and transmitted to an image formation apparatus that is the subject of transmission. The image formation apparatus receiving the firmware writes the new firmware into the flash ROM that is the subject of rewriting. Accordingly, increase of the communication traffic can be prevented and the load on the mail server can be alleviated in the case where the same firmware for a plurality of devices connected on a network is to be altered using an electronic mail system.

Abstract: A data broadcasting receiving terminal receives a data broadcasting signal from a broadcasting station to detect print-out data and a control signal associated with print-out from the data broadcasting signal. The data broadcasting receiving terminal, at a time point of the start of broadcasting, notifies an image forming apparatus of the detected print-out data and printing prohibition data included in the control signal associated with print-out. The data broadcasting receiving terminal acquires a preparation time required for print-out from the image forming apparatus and a time of restoration from a power saving mode and issues a command of printing start, in consideration of the time requirements, to the image forming apparatus so that print-out data is printed out at predetermined timing.

Abstract: When electronic mail with firmware attached is received at a data communication apparatus, determination is made whether it corresponds to firmware data of a write process allowable state. In the case of write process allowable data, the message is downloaded from a mail server to a printer controller. Then, derived firmware is transmitted to an image formation apparatus. A firmware rewrite permission is obtained. When the firmware attached to the message does not attain a write process allowable state, waiting is conducted for reception of write process allowable firmware with the data left in the mail server. As a result, a data communication apparatus is provided that can rewrite firmware appropriately independent of a transmitted and received order of divided firmware.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that is connected to a network generates information about a processing time expected to be required for rewriting firmware in the image processing apparatus to new firmware, and transmits the information via the network to an external apparatus.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus checks a next job to be executed, and if the job is a firmware rewriting job, accesses a mail server, downloads e-mail, and obtains a job type of a job attached to the e-mail. If the job is a print job, the image processing apparatus extracts image information pertaining to the job from the e-mail, stores the image information, registers the job in a job management table, and ends processing. If there are no print jobs, the image processing apparatus executes the firmware rewriting job, deletes the job from the job management table, and ends the processing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus connected to a network transfers an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when new firmware for a rewrite purpose is obtained to when rewrite to the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.

Abstract: When a management request transmission interval at which a request for management information is transmitted from a management terminal is shorter than a predictive time period that is predicted to be required for rewrite to firmware, i.e., when a request for management information is scheduled to be transmitted from the management terminal during the rewrite to firmware, a print controller transmits, to the management terminal, a request to change the management information request interval, and then, instructs an image processing apparatus to execute the rewrite to firmware by transmitting the firmware to the image processing apparatus.

Abstract: A printer controller receives firmware attached to e-mail from a mail server, downloads the firmware to an internal hard disk drive, and registers the job at the bottom of a job registration table. On subsequently receiving a print job or a scan job, the printer controller registers the job in the job management table, judges whether a firmware rewriting job is registered in the job management table, and if so, moves the print job or the scan job to be before the firmware rewriting job in the job management table. In this way, firmware rewriting jobs are always executed after print jobs, meaning that processing of print jobs is not delayed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a memory storing firmware, a reception unit for receiving an image processing job, an image processing job execution controller for executing the image processing job using the firmware, a firmware reception unit for receiving firmware for rewrite purpose distributed from an external device, a firmware rewrite controller for executing a firmware rewrite job of rewriting the firmware stored in the memory to the received firmware, a judgment unit for judging a type of the received firmware, and a job management controller for adjusting an execution order of the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job according to the type of the received firmware, and instructing to execute the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job in the adjusted execution order when the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job are both placed in a wait state for execution.

Abstract: When electronic mail with firmware attached is received at a data communication apparatus, determination is made whether it corresponds to firmware data of a write process allowable state. In the case of write process allowable data, the message is downloaded from a mail server to a printer controller. Then, derived firmware is transmitted to an image formation apparatus. A firmware rewrite permission is obtained. When the firmware attached to the message does not attain a write process allowable state, waiting is conducted for reception of write process allowable firmware with the data left in the mail server. As a result, a data communication apparatus is provided that can rewrite firmware appropriately independent of a transmitted and received order of divided firmware.