Abstract: An operation instructing device includes a display unit that displays an image and a detecting unit that detects a touched position and thereby specifies a corresponding position of an image displayed on the display unit. While an image is displayed on the display unit, if the detecting unit detects that at least two points A and B are touched in a portion of the detecting unit corresponding to the image, assuming that the image is formed on a sheet of recording paper, a distance between two points of the image formed on the sheet of recording paper corresponding to the two touched points is calculated and displayed on a display panel. Thus, an error in operation instruction such as enlargement and reduction can be reduced, and hence, wasteful consumption of ink and recording paper can be reduced.

Abstract: When an automatic clearing function for resetting is executed in the case of no operation for a certain period of time, without occurrence of automatic clearing complicatedly and by executing automatic clearing appropriately, it is enabled to satisfy both improvement of usability by a user and convenience by automatic clearing. A control portion, when setting for a plurality of setting items is performed in accordance with operation input to the operation portion, measures time during which operation input to performing setting is not performed for each of the plurality of setting items, and executes automatic clearing to reset setting based on the measured time. When performing resetting for a setting item for which automatic clearing is executed during setting by a user, the time until executing automatic clearing is then extended.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a document reading unit; a storage storing a user ID and viewing limiting information indicating whether or not viewing of image data is permitted or not, in association with each other for each user; a control unit activating the document reading unit when authentication based on the user ID is successful; and a limiting information adding unit for adding, to the image data, authentication requesting data indicating that authentication is necessary for viewing the image data, in accordance with the viewing limiting information associated with the authenticated user ID.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a server computer and a plurality of image processing apparatuses communicable with the server computer. The server computer has a function of causing the plurality of image processing apparatuses to execute one job in a shared manner, and if power supply/demand situation is good, it causes the plurality of image processing apparatuses to execute one job in a shared manner, and if the power supply/demand situation is tight, it excludes at least one of the image processing apparatuses and causes the remaining image processing apparatuses to execute one job in a shared manner. This reduces power consumption of the image processing system while it is possible to cause a plurality of image processing apparatuses to execute one job such as a cluster printing job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus executes the steps of: calculating an end time of the job of which execution is instructed, and determining if the end time of the job is before the start time of power outage; specifying, if it is determined that the end time of the job is not before the start time of power outage, a part of processing of the job that can be completed before the start time of power outage; starting the job, if it is determined that the end time of the job is before the start time of power outage; and starting the part of processing of the job if it is determined that the end time of the job is not before the start time of power outage. Thus, abnormal termination of an active job due to power outage can be prevented.

Abstract: When a user uses one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses from one of a plurality of terminals, an authentication server determines, on a user by user basis, whether he/she is permitted to use each image forming apparatus, and detects if any of the image forming apparatuses is in a troubled state and incapable of executing a prescribed function. If one image forming apparatus is in a troubled state and the user requests another, trouble-free image forming apparatus to execute a job utilizing a function of the trouble-free image forming apparatus, the authentication server permits execution of the job if the user is permitted to use the image forming apparatus in the troubled state. Thus, the user can get a print even if a usually used image forming apparatus is unavailable.

Abstract: When an automatic clearing function for resetting is executed in the case of no operation for a certain period of time, without occurrence of automatic clearing complicatedly and by executing automatic clearing appropriately, it is enabled to satisfy both improvement of usability by a user and convenience by automatic clearing. A control portion, when setting for a plurality of setting items is performed in accordance with operation input to the operation portion, measures time during which operation input to performing setting is not performed for each of the plurality of setting items, and executes automatic clearing to reset setting based on the measured time. When performing resetting for a setting item for which automatic clearing is executed during setting by a user, the time until executing automatic clearing is then extended.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a server computer and a plurality of image processing apparatuses communicable with the server computer. The server computer has a function of causing the plurality of image processing apparatuses to execute one job in a shared manner, and if power supply/demand situation is good, it causes the plurality of image processing apparatuses to execute one job in a shared manner, and if the power supply/demand situation is tight, it excludes at least one of the image processing apparatuses and causes the remaining image processing apparatuses to execute one job in a shared manner. This reduces power consumption of the image processing system while it is possible to cause a plurality of image processing apparatuses to execute one job such as a cluster printing job.

Abstract: A print system allowing a user to obtain a transaction statement in a safe and easy manner is provided. For this purpose, a print system includes: a banking terminal; and a digital multi-function peripheral performing data communication with a Web server having transaction statement data and PIN code stored in association with each other, through an external network and an in-store network. The banking terminal is adapted to include an operation panel receiving a request from a user for an output of a transaction statement, and a PIN code generating unit and a receipt issuing unit for generating and outputting a PIN code in response to the received request. The digital multi-function peripheral is adapted to include an operation panel receiving the PIN code input by a user operation, a control unit obtaining transaction statement data corresponding to the received PIN code from the Web server, and a printer unit outputting a transaction statement based on the obtained transaction statement data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus executes the steps of: calculating an end time of the job of which execution is instructed, and determining if the end time of the job is before the start time of power outage; specifying, if it is determined that the end time of the job is not before the start time of power outage, a part of processing of the job that can be completed before the start time of power outage; starting the job, if it is determined that the end time of the job is before the start time of power outage; and starting the part of processing of the job if it is determined that the end time of the job is not before the start time of power outage. Thus, abnormal termination of an active job due to power outage can be prevented.

Abstract: When a user uses one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses from one of a plurality of terminals, an authentication server determines, on a user by user basis, whether he/she is permitted to use each image forming apparatus, and detects if any of the image forming apparatuses is in a troubled state and incapable of executing a prescribed function. If one image forming apparatus is in a troubled state and the user requests another, trouble-free image forming apparatus to execute a job utilizing a function of the trouble-free image forming apparatus, the authentication server permits execution of the job if the user is permitted to use the image forming apparatus in the troubled state. Thus, the user can get a print even if a usually used image forming apparatus is unavailable.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus on a DHCP network, printing data accumulated in the printing apparatus is deleted without troubling a user and shortage of storage capacity is prevented. The printing apparatus is connected through a network to a DHCP server apparatus that stores IP address assignment information including an IP address of each DHCP client. The printing apparatus includes a printing data storage portion that accumulates printing data transmitted from each DHCP client along with the IP address of each DHCP client, and a CPU that determines whether or not each DHCP client is invalid based on IP address lease information stored in the DHCP server and deletes the printing data of the DHCP client which is determined to be invalid from the printing data storage portion.

Abstract: In a multi-functional peripheral as an embodiment of the present invention, reading operation of an original is performed and form recognition processing is performed. Here, original image data is compared with form data held in advance and it is determined whether there is some that correspond to each other. In a case of not success in the form recognition, normal processing, that is, OCR processing is performed for entire region of original image data, and OCR result is embedded in the original image data as transparent character data. In a case of success in the form recognition, and further when there is a field in which protected attribute is set in the form data, embedding transparent character data for the protected attribute field is prohibited, and for only other region, embedding transparent character data is performed.

Abstract: An operation instructing device includes a display unit that displays an image and a detecting unit that detects a touched position and thereby specifies a corresponding position of an image displayed on the display unit. While an image is displayed on the display unit, if the detecting unit detects that at least two points A and B are touched in a portion of the detecting unit corresponding to the image, assuming that the image is formed on a sheet of recording paper, a distance between two points of the image formed on the sheet of recording paper corresponding to the two touched points is calculated and displayed on a display panel. Thus, an error in operation instruction such as enlargement and reduction can be reduced, and hence, wasteful consumption of ink and recording paper can be reduced.

Abstract: An input/output integrated display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a capture device for capturing an image of a user, an information register device for relating users' image information to pen settings information for each scheduled user and registers it, a user identification device for comparing image information of a user captured by the capture device with the users' image information and identifying a user in real time, and a display device for displaying text and lines entered by the user in a display format based on the pen settings information of the user identified by the user identification device on a display screen in real time. With this configuration, a user can be automatically identified, and text and lines are displayed based on the pen settings information of the user.

Abstract: A distribution server receives authentication information acquired from an IC card reader of a client PC and authenticated by an authentication server. The distribution server adds setting information on the basis of the received authentication information in an installer of a device driver for an image formation section of an MFP to thereby generate a custom installer of the device driver. The distribution server distributes the generated custom installer to an address of a user to be authenticated based on the authentication information.

Abstract: A print system allowing a user to obtain a transaction statement in a safe and easy manner is provided. For this purpose, a print system includes: a banking terminal; and a digital multi-function peripheral performing data communication with a Web server having transaction statement data and PIN code stored in association with each other, through an external network and an in-store network. The banking terminal is adapted to include an operation panel receiving a request from a user for an output of a transaction statement, and a PIN code generating unit and a receipt issuing unit for generating and outputting a PIN code in response to the received request. The digital multi-function peripheral is adapted to include an operation panel receiving the PIN code input by a user operation, a control unit obtaining transaction statement data corresponding to the received PIN code from the Web server, and a printer unit outputting a transaction statement based on the obtained transaction statement data.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus on a DHCP network, printing data accumulated in the printing apparatus is deleted without troubling a user and shortage of storage capacity is prevented. The printing apparatus is connected through a network to a DHCP server apparatus that stores IP address assignment information including an IP address of each DHCP client. The printing apparatus includes a printing data storage portion that accumulates printing data transmitted from each DHCP client along with the IP address of each DHCP client, and a CPU that determines whether or not each DHCP client is invalid based on IP address lease information stored in the DHCP server and deletes the printing data of the DHCP client which is determined to be invalid from the printing data storage portion.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a printing system capable of improving processing capacity or power use efficiency are provided. At least one of a plurality of data processing apparatuses that are connected to a network stores correlation between data processing capacity and power consumption of each data processing apparatus, and selects a data processing apparatus with which power consumption required for processing a processing request produced by the at least one data processing apparatus is minimized based on the correlation between the data processing capacity and the power consumption. According to this selection, the at least one data processing apparatus transmits the processing request to the selected data processing apparatus, and receives data processed by the selected data processing apparatus.

Abstract: In a multi-functional peripheral as an embodiment of the present invention, reading operation of an original is performed and form recognition processing is performed. Here, original image data is compared with form data held in advance and it is determined whether there is some that correspond to each other. In a case of not success in the form recognition, normal processing, that is, OCR processing is performed for entire region of original image data, and OCR result is embedded in the original image data as transparent character data. In a case of success in the form recognition, and further when there is a field in which protected attribute is set in the form data, embedding transparent character data for the protected attribute field is prohibited, and for only other region, embedding transparent character data is performed.