Abstract: A printing apparatus according to one aspect of this invention includes an assigning unit configured to assign the original images of a plurality of pages to the obverse surfaces and reverse surfaces of a plurality of sheets in the page order. The printing apparatus further includes a printing control unit configured to, when reverse order output of the original images of the plurality of pages is instructed, control to print the original images of the plurality of pages from a sheet to which the assigning unit assigns the original image of the final page out of the plurality of pages.

Abstract: A printing apparatus according to one aspect of this invention includes an assigning unit configured to assign the original images of a plurality of pages to the obverse surfaces and reverse surfaces of a plurality of sheets in the page order. The printing apparatus further includes a printing control unit configured to, when reverse order output of the original images of the plurality of pages is instructed, control to print the original images of the plurality of pages from a sheet to which the assigning unit assigns the original image of the final page out of the plurality of pages.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a lowering control unit, a determination unit, a notification unit, and a control unit. The lowering control unit lowers a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the tray. The determination unit can determine that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position. The notification unit notifies removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled. The control unit executes control so as to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled.

Abstract: A printing apparatus has first and second sheet storage units, where a second sheet conveyance path is longer than a first sheet conveyance path, and includes a determining unit and a permitting unit. When a sheet stored in the first sheet storage unit is for printing of a Nth page included in a first job and a sheet stored in the second sheet storage unit is for printing of a N+1th page included in the same first job, the determining unit determines a feeding schedule in which the N+1th page sheet feeding is initiated before the Nth page sheet feeding is initiated. When an issued instruction is issued to perform a second job by interrupting the first job after determining the feeding schedule, the permitting unit permits printing of a page included in the second job before the printing of the N+1th page included in the first job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet, executes post-processing for the sheet, changes a mode of the image forming apparatus from a first mode of permitting formation of an image to a second mode of restricting formation of an image and permitting the post-processing unit to execute post-processing, sets, as a condition for changing the mode from the second mode to the first mode, a first condition for changing the mode without a user instruction for changing the mode from the second mode to the first mode or a second condition for changing the mode in accordance with the user instruction, and controls to change the mode from the second mode to the first mode in accordance with the set condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet, execute post-processing for the sheet, changes a mode of the image forming apparatus from a first mode of permitting formation of an image to a second mode of restricting formation of an image and permitting the post-processing unit to execute post-processing, setting, as a condition for changing the mode from the second mode to the first mode, a first condition for changing the mode without a user instruction for changing the mode from the second mode to the first mode or a second condition for changing the mode in accordance with the user instruction, and controls to change the mode from the second mode to the first mode in accordance with the set condition.

Abstract: The number of circulatable sheets and the conveying speed of a sheet are decided by referring to a storage unit which stores the number of circulatable sheets and the conveying speed of a sheet in correspondence with the type and size of a sheet, and the resolution of an image to be printed. It is determined whether the conveying speed of the feed surface of a sheet to be fed next to the printing unit and that of a feed surface to be refed next to the printing unit coincide with each other. It is determined whether the conveying speed of the feed surface of the sheet to be fed next to the printing unit and that of the feed surface or the refeed surface of a sheet immediately previously fed to the printing unit differ from each other.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an apparatus main unit control software storage unit configured to store new apparatus main unit control software used to control a main unit of the image processing apparatus on a non-volatile storage device, a combination appropriateness determination unit configured to determine whether a combination of the new apparatus main unit control software and post-processing apparatus control software that currently operates on a post-processing apparatus is appropriate based on version information about the post-processing apparatus control software used to control the post-processing apparatus, which is operable in combination with the new apparatus main unit control software, and version information about the post-processing apparatus control software that currently operates on the post-processing apparatus, a determination result storage unit configured to store a result of the determination by the combination appropriateness determination unit, and an activation unit con

Abstract: A license issue system includes a user terminal and a license information issue server that are connected to a network. In the case in which there is a transfer source device in which license information issued by the license information issue server has been installed, and there is a transfer destination device that is to take over the license information installed in the transfer source device, the license issue system has the feature that the user terminal transmits, to the license information issue server, information regarding the transfer source device and the transfer destination device, and a license period during which the license can be used simultaneously in the transfer source device and the transfer destination device, and the license information issue server issues time-restricted license information to the transfer source device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a composite service that can cause a plurality of devices to collaborate can be set, and in which a currently used control program and an upgraded control program can be stored, includes a determination unit configured to determine whether the composite service is available with a combination of a control program for the image forming apparatus and a control program for another device, and an activation unit configured to activate the control program for the image forming apparatus if the determination unit determines that the other device is usable for the composite service.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a reception unit configured to receive print data, a first identification unit configured to identify user information contained in the received print data, a first determination unit configured to determine whether there is any user currently logged onto the printing apparatus, a second identification unit configured to identify user information corresponding to a currently logged on user, a second determination unit configured to determine whether the user information is identical, a suspending unit configured to suspend print processing when the user information are not identical to each other, a printing unit configured to print the print data when the user information are identical to each other, and print the print data in response to a log-out action of the currently logged on user when the print data is suspended by the suspending unit, and an inhibition unit configured to inhibit a log-in action based on different user information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include an executing unit, a cancelling unit, and a control unit to form an image on a sheet by executing a job. The executing unit interrupts a first job and executes a second job in a state that a first job is interrupted. If the executing unit executes an interrupt job, then the cancelling unit cancels sheet feed reservation of a sheet for the first job. The control unit controls to execute the second job after the cancelling unit cancels the sheet feed reservation of the sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that allow a user to copy a copy-protected document where copy-protection information is embedded in the document and copy-protection-cancellation information is embedded in a form different from the document, where the copy-protection-cancellation information is used to cancel the copy protection.

Abstract: A license issue system includes a user terminal and a license information issue server that are connected to a network. In the case in which there is a transfer source device in which license information issued by the license information issue server has been installed, and there is a transfer destination device that is to take over the license information installed in the transfer source device, the license issue system has the feature that the user terminal transmits, to the license information issue server, information regarding the transfer source device and the transfer destination device, and a license period during which the license can be used simultaneously in the transfer source device and the transfer destination device, and the license information issue server issues time-restricted license information to the transfer source device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a composite service that can cause a plurality of devices to collaborate can be set, and in which a currently used control program and an upgraded control program can be stored, includes a determination unit configured to determine whether the composite service is available with a combination of a control program for the image forming apparatus and a control program for another device, and an activation unit configured to activate the control program for the image forming apparatus if the determination unit determines that the other device is usable for the composite service.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an apparatus main unit control software storage unit configured to store new apparatus main unit control software used to control a main unit of the image processing apparatus on a non-volatile storage device, a combination appropriateness determination unit configured to determine whether a combination of the new apparatus main unit control software and post-processing apparatus control software that currently operates on a post-processing apparatus is appropriate based on version information about the post-processing apparatus control software used to control the post-processing apparatus, which is operable in combination with the new apparatus main unit control software, and version information about the post-processing apparatus control software that currently operates on the post-processing apparatus, a determination result storage unit configured to store a result of the determination by the combination appropriateness determination unit, and an activation unit con

Abstract: This invention has as its object to reduce network traffic when a remote copy process is done using network devices. To achieve this object, a computer (13) acquires stub drivers (610, 612) from image input/output devices (12-1, 12-2) (S1601, S1602), and sends the stub driver (610) to the image input/output device (12-1) (S1605). The image input/output device (12-1) drives the image input/output device (12-2) by executing the received printer stub driver (610), sends scanned data, and makes the image input/output device (12-2) print the data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that allow a user to copy a copy-protected document where copy-protection information is embedded in the document and copy-protection-cancellation information is embedded in a form different from the document, where the copy-protection-cancellation information is used to cancel the copy protection.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a plurality of paper feed units setting index sheets. A storage section stores size information and index number information indicating the number of index sheets per set of paper sheet set in each paper feed unit, and a control section automatically changes the paper feed unit to be used from a first paper feed unit to a second paper feed unit and does not automatically change the paper feed unit to a third paper feed unit when the index sheets in the first paper feed unit are exhausted, the size information and the index number information of the first paper feed unit coinciding with those of the second paper feed unit and at least one of the size information and the index number information of the first paper feed unit not coinciding with those of the third paper feed unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device authentication unit for authenticating a computer, a measuring device or another device having a serial number or another inherent device number. A software encrypting section receives a serial number and encrypts the received serial number in the public key method with the serial number being a public key. An encrypted data transmission section transmits the encrypted serial number. A received serial number decoding section receives an encrypted serial number and decodes the encrypted serial number using a secret key corresponding to the serial number. Public key decoding by the received serial number decoding section succeeds only if a correct serial number is given. Accurate serial number inherent to the device can be acquired and device authentication can be made.