Abstract: Upon reception of a data transmission request, an image input device 1 searches for transmission means available for transmission to a destination, such as transfer to FTP server or transmission by e-mail, and lists all the extracted available transmission means. Image input device 1 then creates a selection menu executed as an applet for receiving a selection of transmission methods from the destination. The destination can use the selection menu acquired from image input device 1 to designate the priority order of desired transmission means and a file name in reception of transmitted data. The selection menu thus created is transmitted to the image input device 1.

Abstract: When a user logs in to an MFP and inserts a medium, a serial number of the medium is stored in a device information database in correspondence with user information of the user, and a descramble key, e.g., a hash code of the serial number is registered in the user information. When the medium is removed from the MFP which is still logged in, the registration is deleted. When the MFP into which the medium is still inserted is logged out, no registration is deleted. When the user logs in to the MFP into which the medium is already inserted, the MFP determines whether a descramble key is registered in user information of the user. When a second user logs in to an MFP from which a first user had logged out while forgetting to remove a medium, the MFP prohibits the second user from accessing the medium because no descramble key is registered in user information of the second user.

Abstract: An e-mail processing apparatus, comprising: a communication part that receives e-mails; an accumulator that accumulates the e-mails received via the communication part; a display; and a controller that makes the display display in tree structure, cross relationships between the accumulated e-mails, based on past data of the accumulated e-mails.

Abstract: A job execution apparatus, comprising: an accumulator unit to accumulate jobs with their destination information; an authentication unit to perform an authentication to permit a user to execute jobs transmitted to the user and accumulated in said accumulator unit, and said authentication unit is provided inside or outside of the apparatus; a job execution unit, and a controller unit to make said job execution unit whether or not execute a job transmitted to the user who is permitted by said authentication unit to execute jobs automatically after the authentication, depending on an attribute of the job.

Abstract: An image forming device including a document tag reader that detects a contactless IC tag (document tag) attached to the document. If the document tag reader detects a document tag attached to a document, the tagged document is recognized as having a high management level, and a tagged recording sheet is fed (selected) from a sheet tray storing tagged recording sheets to which a contactless IC tag (sheet tag) is attached. On the other hand, if the document tag reader does not detect a document tag, the document is recognized as having a low management level, and a not-tagged recording sheet is fed (selected) from a sheet tray storing not-tagged recording sheets to which a contactless IC tag (sheet tag) is not attached.

Abstract: It is determined in S202 whether or not a mismatch between the paper information for the job A and the paper information existing in the printer (the printer 1A, for example) has occurred, and if there is a mismatch between the two types of paper information, it is determined in S205 whether or not another job B exists in the queue. Where another job B exists in the queue, it is determined in S206 whether or not the job B is a job that uses the multi-purpose cassette 19. If the job B is a job that uses the multi-purpose cassette 19, it is determined in S208 whether or not paper that matches the paper information for the job B exists in the fixed-size paper supply cassette 18.

Abstract: Network image processing apparatuses constituting a network image processing system display, in list form, a document in units of action. When a user selection is received, a script that defines document handling is remanded to an apparatus that executed an action corresponding to the user selection.

Abstract: A work flow management system, a work flow management apparatus and a management method capable of managing the work flow through a plurality of devices are provided. The work flow management system includes a work flow management apparatus, and the desired job history information included in the job history information having the performance information of the job executed by the device in accordance with the work flow information is acquired from the device based on the job ID specifying the job. Even with the work flow through a plurality of devices, therefore, the job history information can be acquired thereby to manage the work flow.

Abstract: In a management apparatus for managing a flow of linked jobs to be executed by a plurality of devices connected to a network, a storage device stores one or more flows. When a change of function in the devices is detected, one of the one or more flows stored in the storage device and affected by the change of function detected by the detector is corrected. Then the corrected flow is stored in the storage device. Alternatively, the corrected flow is presented to a user who owns the one of the one or more flows.

Abstract: A network image processing system that includes a plurality of apparatuses connected to a network and performs jobs in a linkage process in which an upstream apparatus passes a workflow specifying a job to be completed, together with image data to be processed, to a downstream apparatus according to a procedure specified in the workflow. The downstream apparatus has a completion notification transmitting unit that when a predetermined job assigned to the downstream apparatus has been processed completely, transmits to the upstream apparatus a completion notification indicating that the predetermined job has been processed normally. The upstream apparatus has a linkage unit that if the completion notification is not received from the downstream apparatus, updates the workflow to specify, as a new downstream apparatus, another apparatus that can process the predetermined job, and continues to process the predetermined job in the linkage process.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided with a job history memory portion for storing job history information that indicates process contents of image processing every time when the image processing is performed, a next process predicting portion for performing prediction of process contents of image processing that is probably designated by a user next after the image processing of process contents designated by the user was performed in accordance with job history information stored in the job history memory portion, and a screen setting portion for performing a display process for displaying a screen on which process contents of the predicted image processing is set.

Abstract: An image forming system and image forming apparatus capable of suppressing reduced productivity and avoiding the troublesome task of sorting output materials even when image formation becomes impossible. The system and apparatus include a transfer controller that permits job data transfer to another image forming apparatus if image formation of the job data has not started when an impaired image forming state is detected in an image forming apparatus, and that prohibits job data transfer to another image forming apparatus if image formation of job data has already started. In this way, the image formation process can be executed without processing congestion by having another image forming apparatus perform the job data image formation. Moreover, the task of sorting the output material is unnecessary because the job data is not dispersed between the transfer origin and the transfer destination.

Abstract: An image processing device, which performs an image-related process about an image in cooperation with another image forming device via a network, is provided with a device configuration detection portion for detecting a function that is added to the image processing device itself, and a new function information notifying portion for notifying another image processing device that a function is added to the image forming device.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a box for each user for storing a file, a table management portion for storing a file change in the box together with a time when the change happened as change history information, an inbox change detection portion for detecting a file change in the box of the user when the user logs in that happened before the user logs in this time in accordance with the change history information of the box and a screen display process portion for displaying a result of the detection.

Abstract: An image processor for executing an image-related process includes a portion for storing first usage situation information that indicates a usage situation of the image processor, a portion for obtaining second usage situation information that indicates a usage situation of a second image processor for executing the image-related process, a portion for determining a second image processor that can execute the image-related process more suitably than the image processor in accordance with the first usage situation information and the second usage situation information when an execution instruction of the image-related process is given by a user, a portion for controlling so that the execution of the image-related process is suspended in the image processor if it is determined that there is a second image processor that can execute the image-related process of the execution instruction more suitably than the image processor and that the image-related process is executed in the image processor if it is not deter

Abstract: An image forming device includes a table for storing link service function information that indicates a function necessary for providing the link service among functions installed in a computer for each link service, a computer status check portion for checking a function of the computer that is available at present, a provision appropriateness determination portion for determining whether or not each link service can be provided at present in accordance with the link service function information and the check result, and a screen display process portion for displaying identification information of the link service that is determined to be able to be provided.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a user job history database for storing execution condition information that indicates an execution condition of the job in relationship with user identification information for distinguishing a user who made the instruction for each executed job, a device structure detection portion for detecting a change in a state of the image processor, a notification target determination portion for determining a notification target user who is a user to be notified of the change in accordance with the execution condition information and the user identification information stored in the user job history database, and a new function notification portion for notifying the change to the determined notification target user.

Abstract: An image forming device executes a job of a process about an image in accordance with an instruction given by a user. The image forming device includes a job execution history table for storing cause information that indicates a cause for which a job could not be executed normally and user ID information of the user who instructed the job, a notification object determination portion for determining the job that could not be executed normally due to the cause in accordance with the cause information stored in the job execution history table, and an error cause removal notification portion for notifying the user indicated in the user ID information corresponding to the determined job that the cause for which the job could not be executed normally has been removed.

Abstract: A digital image forming apparatus arranges an image of a specified image document among a plurality of documents on a spread page located on the innermost side of saddle stitch type prints in gathering in easy operation with high reliability. A digital image forming apparatus is equipped with: an image reader for reading images of a plurality of pages of documents and outputting an image data of each image; a printer for forming images on both sides of a paper sheet based on inputted image data; array setting means for setting allotment of each of paper sheets for the documents read by the image reader so that prints for saddle stitching are obtained by using the printer and that an image of a specified document among the documents is arranged on a spread page of the saddle stitch type prints; and control means for inputting the image data outputted by the image reader to the printer in an order changed based on the array setting set by the array setting means.

Abstract: A processing device is provided in which unauthorized processing is prevented from being preformed at the time of executing a program or others. The processing device includes a processing portion for executing processing, a program memory portion for memorizing a program that makes the processing portion execute processing, a judge portion for judging whether or not the program is permitted to start, and a control portion for controlling the processing portion so that processing is executed in accordance with the program when the judge portion determines that the program is permitted to start, and for controlling the processing portion so that processing based on the program is not executed when the judge portion determines that the program is not permitted to start.