Abstract: An encrypted data processing method for a printing system provided with a host which transmits print data or encrypted data formed by encrypting the print data, and an image forming apparatus connected with the host via a communication network to execute printing based on the print data, the method including: a first step of determining, in the image forming apparatus, whether transmitted data from the host is the encrypted data; a second step of executing printing process in cases where the transmitted data is not the encrypted data, and decrypting the encrypted data in cases where the transmitted data is the encrypted data; and a third step of executing the printing process in cases where the decryption of the encrypted data has been successfully executed, and storing the encrypted data into a storage section in cases where the decryption has failed.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to implement a high-speed printing operation based on print data attached with a digital signature. The apparatus comprises: a storage section to store print data; a, digital signature analyzing section to analyze a digital signature; a language analyzing section to analyze the print data; an image processing section to create bitmap data; a printing section to implement a printing operation; and a control section that selectively conducts either a first controlling operation or a second controlling operation.

Abstract: There is described a document data creating apparatus, a document data creating method and a program thereof, which make it possible to improve convenience of both the user and the creator of the document data by effectively utilizing the digital signature. The apparatus for creating document data that include a digital signature, includes: a character recognizing section to recognize a character based on image data inputted; a reliability determining section to determine a reliability degree of the character; a characteristic value calculating section to calculate a characteristic value of the document data; and a digital signature section to attach the characteristic value to the document data. When the reliability determining section determines that the reliability degree of the character is low, the digital signature section attaches a value, which is different from the characteristic value calculated by the characteristic value calculating section, to the document data as the digital signature.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a memory unit having a common storage area which temporarily stores intermediate data between page description language data and bitmap data, and the bitmap data generated based on the intermediate data, and which includes a rasterization area used when the bitmap data are generated based on the intermediate data and temporarily stored therein; a control unit which generates the bitmap data form based on the intermediate data and temporarily stores in the rasterization area; an image processing unit which executes image processing on the bitmap data stored in the rasterization area by the control unit, and which stores the image-processing completed bitmap data in the storage area; and a memory area control section which expands the rasterization area according to a used state of the rasterization area.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, which make it possible to appropriately print each of a valid print object and an invalid print object. The apparatus includes: a printing section to conduct a printing operation based on the print data, so as to create the print product; and a control section to determine whether the digital signature is valid or invalid so as to control the printing operation, based on the determined result. When the plurality of print objects includes both a valid print object for which the digital signature is determined as valid and an invalid print object for which the digital signature is determined as invalid, the control section controls the printing operation, so as to enable the valid print object to be printed, based on the print data, while disable the invalid print object to be printed, based on the print data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus, including: a language analysis unit for analyzing print data and generating data having an intermediate format between the print data and bitmap data generated based on the print data; an image processing unit for rasterizing the generated data having the intermediate format for each band by using the predetermined number of lines and generating the bitmap data; a memory for holding the data for which rasterizing processing is being performed by the image processing unit; a printing unit for performing printing based on the generated bitmap data; and a number-of-line switching unit for switching the number of lines of the band in the rasterizing processing of the image processing unit according to whether the print data is data that can include transparency processing data or not.

Abstract: Disclosed an image forming apparatus including: a data receiving section; a memory section comprising a shared storage area; an analysis section to generate an intermediate data from the page-description language; a rasterizing section to generate the bitmap data from the intermediate data and to release an storage area; and a print control section to allow a printing section to perform printing, and to release an storage area; wherein a rasterizing section comprises a judgment section to judge whether or not the following condition expression is satisfied when the shared storage area is run out, (number of rasterized pages)?(number of pages whose memory area saved for storing the bitmap data has been released))>0 when the condition expression is satisfied, the rasterizing section holds a processing until the shared storage area opens, and when the condition expression is not satisfied, a process for a memory-full error is performed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a storing section that has a common storage area, the common storage area having a plurality of areas that are coexisting in the common storage area in accordance with a threshold value and are used to generate and store a plurality of pieces of data that have different formats based on electronic data; a language format discriminating section to discriminate a description language format of the electronic data; and a control section to change the threshold value based on the description language format discriminated by the language format discriminating section.

Abstract: Disclosed is a print controlling device including a control unit to control printing according to an instruction which relates to the printing, wherein the control unit analyzes a page description language which relates to the printing, determines whether the printing is practically monochrome printing or color printing, and changes a first command of the page description language to a second command for monochrome printing when it is determined that the printing is monochrome printing.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming device including an inputting unit to input print data from an external device; a printing unit to execute printing according to the print data; and a control unit to control the image forming device, wherein the control unit determines whether a printing size included in the print data is within a printable size area of the image forming device; determines whether the printing size is within a size area larger than the printable size area in case it is determined that the printing size is not within the printable size area; and executes printing according to the print data to the printing unit in case it is determined that the printing size is within the size area larger than the printable size area.