Abstract: A print command has a hierarchical structure including a vendor common code, and a vendor unique code, an index print mode or date print mode is designated using the common code, and a detailed print format of each image or the number of index images per sheet in the index print mode can be designated using the unique code.

Abstract: After applications installed in a DSC and PD printer establish a communication procedure, the DSC issues a request to the PD printer. A time required for data transfer involved in the request is predicted. An elapse time until a response is received from the PD printer in response to the request is estimated on the basis of the predicted time. If no response is returned from the PD printer within the estimated elapse time, the request is disabled.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, when a printer which is directly connected to a digital camera via a communication interface and records image data transmitted from the digital camera receives a recording request from the camera, the printer acquires an image data amount to be supplied from the digital camera, and determines whether to be able to receive the whole image data at once and process the image data. In a case where it is determined that the image data is not able to be processed, the printer requests segmented data of the image data stored in the digital camera. The printer receives the segmented data a plurality of number of times, and prints the whole image data.

Abstract: An image output system connects at least three devices as a server and client via a versatile interface, and outputs an image by transferring data among these devices. In this system, a DSC serves as a client of a storage device and printer. The DSC transmits a list request of image files stored in the storage device to the storage device, which transmits list data of the image files to the DSC together with an identification ID of the list request in response to the list request. When the DSC sends a print instruction to the printer, the printer transmits a request of image data of an image designated by the print instruction to the storage device together with the identification ID, acquires image data from the storage device as the client, and outputs an image.

Abstract: A photo-direct printer apparatus which prints an image on the basis of image data from a digital camera, memory card, or PC serving as an image data source receives a control command from the image data source, interprets the control command, and receives image data from the image data source on the basis of the command. The printer apparatus decodes and processes the received image data, and generates and prints print data and print an image based on the print data.

Abstract: A printing system in which it is determined whether the print heads of a printer are effectively aligned and, depending on whether or not the print heads are effectively aligned, one of multiple different printing schemes is selected for controlling printing of a print job, wherein the selected printing scheme for the case when the print heads are not effectively aligned includes controlling printing by directing the printer to use only one selected print head.

Abstract: A print-direct printer for receiving and printing JPEG data from a DSC divides the area of a memory into a plurality of blocks, stores the received JPEG data in the memory on a block-by-block basis and decompresses the compressed JPEG data that has been stored in the memory, thereby expanding the JPEG data into image data. If it is determined that JPEG data to be expanded next has not been stored in the memory, then the DSC is requested for JPEG data corresponding to at least one block, in an amount that is less than the maximum amount of data transferable from the DSC, in addition to the JPEG data to be expanded.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprising a power unit, a first control unit and a second control unit in which power supply is controlled based on a control signal from the first control unit, wherein when electric power supply from the power supply unit has been stopped and then the electric power supply from the power supply unit has been started, if update of a memory of the first control unit has been instructed, the first control unit transfers the content of a flash ROM in the first control unit into the memory thus updates the content of the memory. At this time, the second control unit is kept in a power-off status by a control signal line until the update of the memory is completed. After the completion of the update, power-on is notified by the control signal line, and the reset status of the second control unit is released.

Abstract: A printer in which the speed at which the recording medium is loaded into the printer prior to printing, at which the recording medium is moved through the printer during printing, and at which the recording medium is ejected from the printer after printing, are automatically selected based upon existing print modes and printing-related conditions, and which provides for concurrent pre-printing processes and tasks to occur during the loading of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image printing apparatus and its control method for printing an image based on image data from an image data source. In a case where a correction condition is set for the image data, if the image data is a new format file image data including predetermined information, correction processing is performed in accordance with the set correction condition. If the image data is not a new format file image data, the correction processing in accordance with the correction condition is not performed.

Abstract: A printer driver executable in a computer connectable to a driven printer. In response to initiation of a print job, the print driver obtains current status of the printer. Based on the status of the printer, the print driver modifies operational parameters of the printer prior to commencement of the print job, so that the operational parameters are different from default ones of such parameters. In addition, the print driver modifies its own operational sequence based on the printer status, so that the operational sequence of the printer is different from a default sequence without such status information.

Abstract: A print apparatus which receives image data from a digital camera, PC card, or PC to print an image on a storage medium outputs print data based on image data from the PC to a printer engine via a USB hub, and prints an image. The apparatus has a DSP which receives compressed image data from the digital camera or PC card, decodes the received data, and parallelly executes, for the decoded image data, at least color space conversion processing, size change processing, and color conversion processing. The apparatus generates print data on the basis of the image data processed by the DSP, outputs the generated print data to the printer engine, and prints an image.

Abstract: A printing system in which it is determined whether the print heads of a printer are effectively aligned and, depending on whether or not the print heads are effectively aligned, one of multiple different printing schemes is selected for controlling printing of a print job, wherein the selected printing scheme for the case when the print heads are not effectively aligned includes controlling printing by directing the printer to use only one selected print head.

Abstract: Printing on a recording medium by lateral scans of a print head in accordance with print data. Content of print data is determined. Then, the print data is printed either with a first lateral scan process using a critical zone at edges in a lateral scan of the print head for printing, or with a second lateral scan process that does not use the critical zone for printing. The first or second lateral scan process is selected based on the print data. Preferably, the critical zone is sized in correspondence with ramp up non-uniformities of a print carriage on which the print head is mounted, so as to accommodate a distance between a point where print degradation due to speed non-uniformities are noticeable to a point where print degradation due to speed non-uniformities are no longer noticeable. The second lateral scan process preferably is a process in which a predetermined margin is inserted into the first lateral scan process.

Abstract: A color printer driver binarizes continuous tone color print data stored in raster form and stores the binarized data directly into column form, without the intermediary of storage in horizontal raster form, for printout by a print engine having vertically-arranged print elements.

Abstract: A host system for controlling a print head of an image printing device having at least one print head. The system includes the steps of obtaining profile information of the at least one print head, storing the profile parameters in a non-volatile memory, and outputting, upon request, the profile information to a host computer connected to the image printing device, wherein the host computer utilizes the print head profile information to produce compensation parameters which compensate print information to be sent from the host computer to the print head for printing.

Abstract: In an information processing system, a printer driver in a host processor transfers print data to a print buffer in a serial printer having a configuration of one or more print heads. The print head configuration serially scans a predetermined number of print positions of a line and the print buffer for each print head has storage locations corresponding to the predetermined number of print positions. The printer driver determines empty storage locations of the current print head scan and sends print data for the next scan to the determined empty storage locations of the current scan in the print buffer.

Abstract: A printer controller in a printer having at least one detachable print device sends data to a host processor that is representative of the characteristics of a presently attached detachable print device and receives commands from the host processor. In response to the received commands, the printer controller controls a printer function according to the characteristics of the attached print device. The received commands include print head driving parameters corresponding to the characteristics of the attached print device. The print head driving parameters may include parameters that modify values of pre-stored print head driving parameters loaded into the printer at the time of manufacture, or the print head driving parameters may include actual parameter values that are registered for use by the printer during actual printout.

Abstract: A power source circuit having a charge circuit for charging a chargeable battery includes a charge function having a circuit for detecting a battery voltage of the battery after the passage of a predetermined period at a charge voltage rising stage since the start of charging, a device for judging the life of the battery by comparing a detected result of the detecting circuit with a reference value, and a device for stopping the charge of the battery in accordance with the judgment of a battery failure by the judging device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, or an image recording apparatus, utilizing a CPU and a memory and capable of improving the throughput of data processing is disclosed. When the CPU does not make access to the memory, the bus between the CPU and the memory is disconnected and the bus between the memory and a data reception buffer or a recording device is established, so that the data transfer between the memory and the data reception buffer or the recording device can be conducted in parallel to the function of the CPU.