Abstract: When trial printing is executed in a repeat printing mode, trial printing is performed in size of an image of one piece in a layout in which a plurality of images are supposed to be printed in the repeat printing mode normally. A user who has checked a finished state of the trial printing sets, when the finished state is in a desired state, the recording paper on which the trial printing is performed to the paper feed portion again and executes the repeat printing. Thereby, in a blank space excluding a print image which is printed with a first time trial printing, a scheduled quantity of a plurality of images are repeatedly printed.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet post-processing apparatus capable of reliably protecting an edge-binding stapling unit and a sheet material, and of performing a sheet-binding process without increasing the size of the apparatus. The sheet post-processing apparatus includes: a binding unit movable to a binding position in which the binding unit performs a binding process using a binding member on a sheet, and an access position in which a user is accessable to the binding unit; and a control unit configured to cause, when the binding unit performs a setting operation for the binding member, the binding unit to perform the setting operation after causing the binding unit to move to a position different from the access position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that prints an image on a transfer medium based on image data; a conveyance unit that conveys the transfer medium; a duplex printing mechanism that inverts and conveys the transfer medium on one surface of which an image is formed, and conveys the transfer medium to a conveyance direction upstream side of the image forming unit; and a control unit that controls the image forming unit and the conveyance unit, the control unit has a function of printing a first additional image outside an image forming area of the transfer medium by the image forming unit, and when printing the first additional image, the control unit is capable of control of inhibiting printing of the first additional image on one or both of a leading transfer medium and a final transfer medium in a bundle of piled up transfer media.

Abstract: An information processing system including a device connected to an information processing apparatus is provided. The device includes an accepting unit that accepts a request for executing a set of process units defined by definition information with respect to data generated by the device, a first process control unit that controls execution of a part of the process units based on the definition information, and a transmitting unit that transmits to the information processing apparatus an execution result of the process unit controlled by the first process control unit and information indicating the process unit executed at the device. The information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives the execution result and the information indicating the process unit executed at the device, and a second process control unit that controls execution of a process unit that has not been executed at the device based on the definition information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit which receives jobs, an image forming unit which forms an image on a sheet, a storage unit, and a controller. Each of the jobs is a first type job or a second type job. The first type job includes recipient-specific information that specifies a recipient of a sheet on which an image related to the first type job is formed, and the second type job does not include the recipient-specific information. In a case that a job is received by the receiving unit while not executing any job, the controller controls the image forming unit to form an image related to the job on a sheet. In a case that another job is received by the receiving unit while executing the job, the controller stores the another job in the storage unit.

Abstract: A mechanism that makes it possible to output a saddle-stitched brochure in a correct page order when a post-processing apparatus that executes a saddle-stitching process by switching back a sheet is caused to execute the saddle-stitching process. Sheets discharged from a printing apparatus are switched back by reverse rotation of a conveying roller pair, and are conveyed into a conveying path for a saddle-stitch bookbinding process. The sheets are accumulated in an accumulation tray for the saddle-stitch bookbinding process. When the saddle-stitch bookbinding process is caused to be executed on the accumulated sheets by the post-processing apparatus, the order of image formation is decided such that the order of pages of images printed on the saddle-stitched sheets becomes correct. The images are printed on the sheets in the decided order of image formation.

Abstract: A controller in a one-side printing mode moves movable rollers to form a one-side printing route and moves a second head unit so that the second head unit faces a front side of a web. The controller then controls a first head unit and a second head unit to print images of respective pages on the front side of the web while transferring the web at a transfer speed twice as fast as that in a both-side printing mode.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises: an obtainment unit that obtains an application-related job from a management apparatus; a control unit that controls an application for the information processing apparatus in accordance with the obtained job; and a setting unit that changes, along with the control by the control unit, at least one of settings of the information processing apparatus and settings of the application in accordance with setting information included in the obtained job, wherein in a case where the obtained job represents an instruction to install the application, the control unit obtains, from the distribution apparatus, an application file and a license file that correspond to the application designated by the job, and installs the application using the application file and the license file.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a document reader, a storage for storing image data, an image output unit and a control unit. The control unit includes: a function setup controller for setting up the image output conditions of output images; and a control-unit side controller having a function of displaying a function setup screen corresponding to the function setup controller, on a display panel. The function setup controller has an additional input mode having a function of reading documents a multiple number of times to form multiple sheaves of documents. The additional input mode includes: an individual setup function of setting up individual image output conditions for each sheaf of documents and an all-in setup function of setting up identical image output conditions for all sheaves of documents.

Abstract: A printing control device includes a toner-scattering prevention plane generating unit that generates toner-scattering prevention plane data indicating that clear toner is applied to an outline drawing that is identified from target data for print; and an image-data generating unit that generates image data that includes the outline drawing by using the toner-scattering prevention plane data.

Abstract: The sheet discharge control unit notifies an engine control unit of plural conveyance interval times for different conveyance speeds beforehand, where each of the conveyance interval times corresponds to a period from completion of a post processing operation with respect to a preceding piece of recording material post-processed earlier until a start of a post processing operation with respect to a given piece of recording material post-processed subsequently to the preceding piece of recording material. When performing image formation on the given piece of recording material, the engine control unit selects a conveyance interval time which matches a conveyance speed for performing image formation on the given piece of recording material from the plural conveyance interval times, of which the engine control unit has been notified by the sheet discharge control unit, and determines a timing to start the image forming operation, based on the selected conveyance interval time.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet. A heat source heats the sheet at a control temperature according to a job type. A storage unit includes a job queue that registers jobs in a received order. When a plurality of jobs that differ in the control temperature are registered in the job queue, a controller groups the jobs registered in the job queue into job groups according to the control temperature. The controller also changes an execution order of the job groups in the job queue into the ascending order of the control temperature of the heat source, and executes the jobs registered in the job queue according to the changed order.

Abstract: A print controlling apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives input data including: gloss control plane data indicating a surface effect type to be achieved on the recording medium with certain density information; and table identifying information for identifying a surface effect selection table indicating a corresponding relation between the surface effect type and the density information used to generate the gloss control plane data; an acquiring unit that acquires an independent data portion indicating a portion corresponding to the surface effect type capable of being achieved independent from competence of the printing apparatus, out of the surface effect selection table identified by the table identifying information included in the input data from an external device; and a generating unit that generates the clear toner plane data using the independent data portion acquired by the acquiring unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an operator, a receiver, and a controller. The operator accepts print instruction is input. The receiver receives a print instruction from an external terminal. The controller switches one of a standard mode and a quiet mode in which operating noise is lower than that in the standard mode. The controller also executes a print operation based on the print instruction from the operator in the standard mode.

Abstract: E-money recharge service system, e-money recharge server, and recharge method are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique that simplifies operations for making appropriate print settings. Accordingly, a terminal apparatus serving as an information processing apparatus according to the present invention acquires, from a printing apparatus, information indicating the sheet type and size of the sheets set in each paper feed tray. Then, the terminal apparatus determines whether the acquired information includes a sheet type that matches a sheet type suitable for an attribute of information selected by a user as a print target. If it is determined that the information includes a sheet type that matches the suitable sheet type, the terminal apparatus generates print data including information designating a paper feed tray containing sheets of the matching sheet type, and transmits the generated print data to the printing apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a document reader, a storage for storing image data, an image output unit and a control unit. The control unit includes: a function setup controller for setting up the image output conditions of output images; and a control-unit side controller having a function of displaying a function setup screen corresponding to the function setup controller, on a display panel. The function setup controller has an additional input mode having a function of reading documents a multiple number of times to form multiple sheaves of documents. The additional input mode includes: an individual setup function of setting up individual image output conditions for each sheaf of documents and an all-in setup function of setting up identical image output conditions for all sheaves of documents.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine, based on a print side designated for a transparent sheet and a print side on which the printing apparatus is able to execute printing, a print side of an image to be printed on the transparent sheet and sheet feeding timing of the transparent sheet, and a printing unit configured to print the image on the transparent sheet based on a content determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus selects, based on a number of successive double-sided printing pages following the single-sided printing page, a first print control in which printing of a page which is included in double-sided printing pages and to be printed on a first surface of a sheet and printing of a page which is included in the double-sided printing pages and to be printed on a second surface of the sheet are performed after printing of a single-sided printing page, or a second print control in which printing of the page which is to be printed on the first surface of the sheet is performed before printing of the single-sided printing page and printing of the page which is to be printed on the second surface of the sheet is performed after printing of the single-sided printing page.

Abstract: Provided is a design assistance system that enables a user having no expert knowledge to easily design a network system, taking into consideration the order in which slave devices are connected and the connection-destination ports. The design assistance system has a storage section that stores slave information data in which unique information of the slave device is described; an acquisition section that acquires information of a port of the slave device from the slave information data; and a generation section that generates a port component serving as a GUI component representing the port of the slave device based on the information of the port, generate a device component serving as a GUI component representing the slave device based on the slave information data, and generate a design assisting GUI containing a topology display screen that displays the topology of the network system which includes the device component and port component.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a judgment portion, a job control portion, and an operation portion. When print data is received by a reception portion, the judgment portion checks whether or not a detection portion is outputting a detection signal. When the detection portion is found to be outputting the detection signal, the job control portion inhibits a printing portion from executing the print job for the print data received by the reception portion and instead stores the print data in a storage portion. The operation portion accepts an instruction to print for an image represented by the print data stored in the storage portion. When the instruction is entered on the operation portion, the job control portion makes the printing portion execute a print job for the print data stored in the storage portion.

Abstract: Provided is a design assistance system that enables even a user having no expert knowledge to easily design a network system taking into consideration the types of port connection interfaces. The design assistance system has a storage section for storing slave information data in which unique information of the slave device is described; an acquisition section for acquiring information of a connection interface of a port of the slave device from the slave information data; and a generation section for generating a device component serving as a GUI component representing the slave device based on the slave information data, generates a line component serving as a GUI component representing connection of the ports of the slave devices in different aspects in accordance with different types of the connection interface, and generates a design assisting GUI having a topology display screen configured to display the topology of the network system.

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: A printing system includes first and second communicatively linked printers, each including a print engine and a processor which controls the operation of the respective print engine. A scanner, associated with the first printer, scans a hardcopy document and generates image data therefrom. The scanner is for communicating the image data to the first printer. A graphical user interface is provided through which user selections are communicated to at least one of the scanner and the first printer. The first processor has a first mode of operation in which a print job derived from the image data is printed on the first print engine and a second mode of operation in which a print job is exported to the second printer for printing. At least one of the first and second modes of operation is invoked at least in part by user interaction with the graphical user interface.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a print processing portion, a first determination portion, a first determination target excluding portion, and a print color mode switching portion. The first determination portion determines, for each page of the document sheets, whether or not each of a plurality of divided areas is of a color type that is different from the print color mode. The first determination target excluding portion excludes divided areas that are determined as being of a color type that is different from the print color mode in a first set number or more of pages of the document sheets, from determination targets of the first determination portion from then. The print color mode switching portion is able to switch the print color mode during the print process when the number of divided areas that are the determination targets of the first determination portion becomes a predetermined number or smaller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of suppressing the productivity of image formation from being lowered due to discharge of surplus tabbed sheets in a double-sided printing job in which output sheet bundles are produced by inserting tabbed sheets into each bundle of double-sided printed recording sheets. In a case that output sheet bundles are each produced by setting tabbed sheet bundles each comprised of five tabbed sheets to the image forming apparatus, by inserting one tabbed sheet subsequently to double-sided image formation on five recording sheets, and by performing double-sided image formation on other five recording sheets, four surplus tabbed sheets are discharged subsequently to feeding of the tabbed sheet, instead of discharging the four surplus tabbed sheets after completion of image formation on a second surface of a tenth recording sheet.

Abstract: A printer with a cutting function includes a cutting mechanism configured to cut a medium, a sensor configured to detect a cut portion of the medium, a printing mechanism configured to perform printing on the medium, and a control device configured and programmed to control the cutting mechanism and the printing mechanism.

Abstract: In one example, a print job is received. The print job includes a first plot to be printed on a first side of a media, and a second plot to be printed on a second side of the media in registration with the first plot. The first plot and a fiducial mark are caused to print on the first side, the fiducial mark being a known distance from the first plot and including an identifier for the second plot. In response to detecting the identifier via a sensor and measuring a distance to the fiducial mark to discern a reference for printing the second plot, the second plot is caused to print on the second side in registration with the first plot.

Abstract: A belt unit includes a belt wound around a plurality of rollers to rotate endlessly, a contact member disposed along a surface of the belt, an opposing member disposed facing the contact member via the belt, a moving member including an action receiving portion, to swing and movably support the opposing member to contact and separate from the belt, and a moving assembly. The moving assembly includes an actuator to bias the action receiving portion in a first direction in which the opposing member contacts the belt and in a second direction opposite the first direction in which the opposing member separates from the belt, a drive mechanism to move the actuator in the first and the second directions, and an elastic member to transmit a moving force of the actuator to the action receiving portion when the actuator moves.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an operation-suspended-period storage unit configured to store a start time and an ending time of an operation suspended period; a job-data storage unit configured to store a job including a start time of execution the job of which is reserved; a job-execution-period calculation unit configured to acquire the start time of execution of the reserved job from the job-data storage unit so as to calculate an execution period from the start time until the completion time of the execution based on a type of the job; and a job-execution-period changing unit configured to change the execution period of the reserved job to be prior to the operation suspended period when the calculated execution period of the reserved job overlaps the operation suspended period at a predetermined period of time before the operation suspended period stored in the operation-suspended-period storage unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus converts image data into a video signal, updates a value of a counter without loading the image data onto a video memory, if a print request is a single-sided print request and the image data corresponding to a page information included in the print request is stored on the video memory, and loads the image data corresponding to the page information in the print request onto the video memory, if the print request is a double-sided print request, or if the print request is the single-sided print request and the image data corresponding to the page information included in the print request is not stored on the video memory.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a document feeding unit, a document reading unit, a first set-document direction accepting key, an automatic determination mode setting accepting key, a set-document direction determining unit, and an image processor. The set-document direction determining unit is configured to determine, on a per-page basis, a set-document direction of documents set on the document feeding unit, based on original image data read by the document reading unit. The image processor is configured to perform a rotation process on original image data read by the document reading unit, based on the determination result by the set-document direction determining unit, and to perform a rotation process based on the first set-document direction accepted by the first set-document direction accepting key for a page for which the determination by the set document direction determining unit fails.

Abstract: If the processing result of the job which has not been notified is stored in the memory when a state of the apparatus has transited from a state incapable of communication with the job management apparatus to a state capable of communication in accordance with a user instruction, the processing result is read out from the memory and is notified to the job management apparatus.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an input unit that receives specifications of a color, a type of a surface effect that is a visual or a tactile effect, and a region to which the surface effect is applied, with respect to input image data; a generating unit that generates color data and gloss control data based on the specifications, the gloss control data being data which is used for generating clear toner data and in which a gloss control value is specified for identifying the type of the surface effect applied to the recording medium and for identifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium; and a sending unit that sends the color data and the gloss control data to a print control apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material.

Abstract: Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming section configured to form an image on a recording sheet, a controller to execute a job, and an adjustment section configured to adjust a density of the image formed on the recording sheet by the image forming section during execution of the job. The controller discharges an inserting sheet onto the recording sheet having the image formed during the execution of the job when a value of the adjustment is larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section configured to form an image on the surface of a medium with a recording material the color of which cannot be erased by heating; a heating section configured to heat the medium to fix the image; and a control section configured to determine whether or not an executed job is a quota subtraction target job or a quota addition target job, calculate a corresponding subtraction quota when the job is a quota subtraction target job or a corresponding addition quota when the job is a quota addition target job, and update the current quota based on the subtraction quota and the addition quota.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a frequency-of-use measuring unit, a power cutoff period identifying unit, a document data processing unit, and a power management unit. The frequency-of-use measuring unit measures a frequency of use of a predetermined function. The power cutoff period identifying unit identifies a power cutoff period for turning off the power on the basis of the frequency of use. The document data processing unit prints document data accumulated in a document box prior to the power cutoff period. The power management unit turns off the power when the power cutoff period is reached.

Abstract: A feeder feeds a first recording medium in a first direction. A curved guide guides the first recording medium fed by the feeder upward along a first path. An upper guide receives a leading edge of the first recording medium, guided by the curved guide, and guides the first recording medium in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction. An insertion guide guides, along a second path, a second recording medium inserted from an opening. A conveying unit disposed downstream of the upper guide in the second direction conveys the first recording medium and the second recording medium to a recording unit which records an image on each recording medium supported by a supporting unit. A deflecting member has a surface inclined with respect to the second direction and deflects a leading edge of the second recording medium, guided by the insertion guide, upward toward the upper guide.

Abstract: There is provided an error recovering method that can be applied to a photobook production flow handling plural types of parts and reduces operator's manual workload while keeping consistency in the job order between the plurality of parts at the time of occurrence of an error. An information processor receives information on an error that is caused in a printer or a post-apparatus and determines whether or not reprinting of a target part is necessary. When determining that reprinting is necessary, the information processor updates job tickets of an error-caused part and other types of parts and transmits the updated job tickets to the printer and the post-apparatus. The printer and the post-apparatus execute post-processing in accordance with the job tickets updated by the information processor.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printing media recycling apparatus includes a printing-medium feeding section, a scanner section configured to read an image of printing medium and generate image data, the decoloring section configured to decolor an image formed of a decolorable recording material on the printing medium, a decoloring-processing-execution determining section configured to determine whether the execution of decoloring processing is appropriate for the printing medium or the execution of the decoloring processing is unnecessary based on the image data generated in the scanner section, a decoloring determining section configured to determine a decolored state of the printing medium after the execution of the decoloring processing by the decoloring section, and a diverting-section-switching control section configured to switch a diverting section to lead the printing medium to a predetermined discharge tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including; a non-inversion conveyance unit that conveys a sheet to a downstream without inverting through the image forming unit; an inversion conveyance unit that inverts the sheet with printing on one side and that conveys the sheet to an upstream; a first sheet inversion unit that is arranged on the inversion conveyance unit and inverts the front and back of the sheet conveyed by the inversion conveyance unit; a control unit that controls the image forming unit and the conveyance unit, wherein the control unit includes a single-sided print mode and a double-sided print mode, and at a breakpoint of jobs, the control unit discharges the sheet so as to provide charge polarity that does not electrostatically attract a sheet discharged just before the breakpoint and a sheet discharged just after the breakpoint at least in the double-sided print mode.

Abstract: An operation device receives information indicating an image processing job to be executed according to specific image processing settings and sends an execution check request to each one of a plurality of image processing apparatuses. The operation device displays, at a display, one or more image processing apparatuses capable of executing and currently available to perform the image processing job according to the specific image processing settings, based on responses respectively received from the plurality of image processing apparatuses.

Abstract: A multifunction print device and a method of using the multifunction device is disclosed. The multifunction print device includes a user interface comprising at least one input mechanism configured to transmit a user request to enter at least one of a print mode and a non-print mode; a plurality of elements configured to be in either an active or inactive state, wherein the elements comprise one or more first elements configured to perform printing functions and one or more second elements configured to perform non-printing functions; and a control system configured to, in response to a user request to enter non-print mode, switch the one or more second elements from an inactive state to an active state while keeping the one or more second elements in an inactive state.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus controls a fixing temperature of a fixing device which fixes an image to be formed. The apparatus obtains an attribute of each page included in a print job including a plurality of pages. Then, the apparatus controls a fixing temperature for each page, based on a change of the obtained attribute by the obtaining unit between continuous pages. In a case where there is a change of a printing mode between the continuous pages, the apparatus sets a fixing temperature of a preceding page according to the change close to a fixing temperature of a following page.

Abstract: A printing apparatus according to the present invention can change according to a type of a job whether to switch storage units within a group in accordance with an amount of sheets reaches a certain amount.

Abstract: A print control apparatus which is capable of performing continued processing of a job upon power restoration of the print control apparatus, according to the status of the job before power-off of the apparatus. A job management section cancels jobs in progress according to a power-off instruction. A job analysis section determines the status of each cancelled job. The job management section sets discrimination information for a job to be processed after power restoration of the print control apparatus, according to the determined status of the job. The job analysis section 206 determines discrimination information of each job stored in a storage section upon power restoration of the print control apparatus. The print control apparatus executes continued processing of the job according to a result of determination by the job analysis section.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section configured to form an image on the surface of a medium with a recording material the color of which cannot be erased by heating; a heating section configured to heat the medium to fix the image; and a control section configured to determine whether or not an executed job is a quota subtraction target job or a quota addition target job, calculate a corresponding subtraction quota when the job is a quota subtraction target job or a corresponding addition quota when the job is a quota addition target job, and update the current quota based on the subtraction quota and the addition quota.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming unit, a post-processing unit, an acquiring unit, a first transmitting unit, and a post-processing control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The post-processing unit is provided at a side for discharging the recording medium of the image forming unit and performs predetermined post-processing on the recording medium. The acquiring unit acquires a discharge timing at which the recording medium is discharged from the image forming unit. The first transmitting unit transmits a post-processing start signal corresponding to the discharge timing. The post-processing control unit causes the post-processing unit to start the post-processing when receiving the post-processing start signal from the first transmitting unit.