Abstract: A processing system according to the present invention includes a printer that receives unprocessed marker tubing stock (i.e., multiple rows of uncut and unprinted tubing mounted on a carrier) for simultaneous printing of the marker tubing and the carrier with a single print head. A cutting device is configured to sever the marker tubing rows into sections, regardless of the width of the tubing and regardless of whether there are two rows or four rows of tubing. Since the tubing has its longitudinal axes aligned with a longitudinal axis of the carrier, activation of the cutting device can be controlled to sever sections of marker tubing in varying customized widths. In the same cutting stroke, the carrier can be scored or perforated (“perfed”). A rewinder or the like then takes up the severed and perfed stock.

Abstract: An embodiment of a manual printer is particularly well suited for forming images on the surface of uneven objects. The embodiment of the manual printer includes a microprocessor for controlling its operation. Image data is stored in RAM and the firmware for controlling the operation of the microprocessor is stored in ROM. A print head interface generates drive signals for a print head using data received from the microprocessor. A signal is generated by an emitter. A receiver in the manual printer receives the signal. The signal includes an x-component, a y-component, and a z-component. The microprocessor determines the position of the manual printer with respect to a reference location using the components of the signal. A distance sensor in the manual printer measures the distance of the print head from the surface of the object. A tilt sensor in the manual printer measures an angle between a longitudinal axis in the manual printer and the surface of the object.

Abstract: When a single print job is divided into a plurality of distributed jobs and the distributed jobs are printed using a plurality of printers, whether any of the plurality of printers is abnormal is detected. If at least one of the printers is abnormal, at least part of the distributed job that was to be printed by the abnormal printer is assigned to another printer by control that facilitates the collection and sorting of the printouts produced by the printers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method and system for printing indicia, logos and graphics and more particularly to systems and methods for printing postal indicia on custom sized envelopes. A user navigates through a series of prompt screens to create a new custom envelope size for envelopes with irregular sizes. Postal indicia is then printed on a custom sized envelope.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having a plurality of print modes and a plurality of paper feeding means is constructed by means for designating the print mode, means for selecting the paper feeding means, and means for discriminating whether a print medium corresponding to the designated print mode coincides with a print medium corresponding to the selected paper feeding means or not.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming system which is capable of performing image formation operations in an order identical or close to the order of reception of inputted print jobs even when some printers cannot output print jobs due to maintenance to thereby raise the operational efficiency. Scheduling is carried out to assign an inputted plurality of jobs to a plurality of image forming apparatuses. Respective maintenance times of the plurality of image forming apparatuses are monitored. When the result of monitoring is that the maintenance time of an image forming apparatus has been reached, scheduling is carried out to reassign unprocessed jobs out of the assigned jobs to image forming apparatuses other than the image forming apparatus for which the maintenance time has been reached. A CPU causes the other image forming apparatuses to perform image formation based on the reassigned unprocessed jobs.

Abstract: An RFID label with embedded tag is passed through an RFID antenna in a printer system, where the RFID antenna allows a roll of such labels to pass in close proximity to the antenna and still allow each individual RFID tag to be read and/or programmed. The RFID antenna is formed with two parallel microstrip transmission lines coupled to an RF phase splitter there between.

Abstract: Digital printing technologies often rely on raster image processors (RIPs or RIP engines) to convert vector image data to raster, or bit-map, data, which allows a printer to render the image as a pattern of dots or pixels. One problem that the present inventors recognized with conventional RIPs is that they have limited communications capabilities that can in some circumstances reduce their effective processing speed. Accordingly, at least some embodiments of the present invention allow controlling a RIP engine using two or more different RIP control entities.

Abstract: A printer is provided with a buffer to receive print data. Print data is read from the buffer by a control system and information is printed by one or more printhead assemblies in accordance with print data read by the control system from the buffer.

Abstract: The process is based on printing, in an electronic printing machine, the various bodies of text of the pages with symmetrical distribution with respect to the center of symmetry of the sheet being printed and likewise symmetrically with respect to one or both axes of symmetry of the initial sheet which pass through the center of symmetry thereof and which are parallel with its outer edges, the extent of the body of text varying for each page in accordance with the dimensions provided therefor and the sheet receiving the print subsequently being reversed in order to print the bodies of text corresponding to the reverse faces of the printed sheets.

Abstract: A plurality of current patterns with regard to driving current which flows in a driving motor for a ribbon winding shaft are set in advance. The driving motor is driven based on the current pattern selected from a plurality of current patterns on an operation panel. The plurality of current patterns are set in advance so that the tension applied to the ink ribbon, which is between a printing head and a ribbon winding shaft, is an approximate predetermined value from the start to the end of ribbon winding according to the kind of the ink ribbon installed on a ribbon supply shaft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for transferring printer data. A printer data stream is received. A format is identified for the printer data stream in response to receiving the printer data stream. Data is extracted from the printer data stream to form extracted data. The extracted data is formatted into a format for a destination to form formatted data. The formatted data is transmitted to the destination.

Abstract: The object is to print continuously in the specified order by one operation a series of print jobs printed in any timing by a plurality of host computers for the same printer even if a usual print job is spooled together in a print server. In a method for solving the problem, a print server identifies ordered print jobs for which print order is to be specified and non-ordered print jobs out of a plurality of print jobs transmitted in any timing from a client, the print order for each print job identified as such is rearranged and aligned in specified order, and the output order for each print job aligned for a printer based on the state of alignment.

Abstract: Data in the host device that was processed before a data interrupt process could run, and data that was already being sent to the printer, can be reliably deleted when an error occurs.

Abstract: In a print order receiving system, a first output receiving server receives an order to print all captured image data obtained by imaging apparatus, an image storing server stores the captured image data, a first print-out apparatus prints out the initial printed matter, and the first print-out apparatus supplies the initial printed matter to a shipping terminal. An order receiving server receives a reorder of the printed matter from a user terminal, a charging and settlement server performs the charging and settlement of the printed matter, the first print-out apparatus prints the image data to generate later printed matter when a reorder is received, and the first print-out apparatus supplies the later printed matter to the shipping terminal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for printing a secure image on media using an inkjet printing device. The method includes printing an underlayer using an inkjet printing device that penetrates into a front surface of media. The underlayer is configured to define identification indicia. Included in the method is printing a secure image on top of the underlayer using an inkjet printing device. Examination of a back surface opposite the front surface allows viewing of the identification indicia for authenticating the secure image.

Abstract: A printer generates a public key with a passphrase containing at least printer position information, and holds the public key in a public key storage. When transmission of a public key is requested by a print client, the printer reads the public key from the public key storage and transmits the public key. The print clients transmits print transmitting data generated by encrypting print data with the previously acquired public key. The printer which has received the print transmitting data generates a private key with a passphrase containing at least printer position information. The printer decrypts the received print transmitting data with the private key.

Abstract: An RFID label with embedded tag is passed through an RFID antenna in a printer system, where the RFID antenna allows a roll of such labels to pass in close proximity to the antenna and still allow each individual RFID tag to be read and/or programmed. The RFID antenna module is formed with a transmission line coupled to an RF phase splitter, where in one embodiment, the transmission line is formed from two parallel conductive strips.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for watermarking a file which is in a PDL such as PostScript. The present invention can be used to either watermark a PDL file and then generate a watermarked PDL file or the present invention can be part of the Interpreter in a printer which takes a file in a PDL and which then generates watermarked raster images which are printed. The present invention includes an “interpreter” which generates raster images from the PDL file. The raster images are then watermarked using conventional watermarking techniques. Next the raster images are either printed (if the interpreter is part of a printer) or the raster images are combined into a new PDL file.

Abstract: When a user sets, from a user interface window using a bookbinding application, instructions of dividing a document into a plurality of parts and stapling each part of the document, a printer driver generates one job in which the staple attribute of a binder corresponding to each part is set to “ON” or “OFF”, and issues the job for a printer. With this operation, the user can perform staple designation to an arbitrary part of the document, and can realize a plurality of staple processes in one print job.

Abstract: This invention relates to an inkjet printing device of a franking machine intended to print postal indicia on a mail piece to be franked, displaced with respect to this device in a direction of displacement, the postal indicia comprising at least an amount of franking, a date of deposit and an authentication code and the printing device comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets, disposed in two rows extending transversely to the direction of displacement, these two rows of nozzles being spaced apart from each other by a distance in this direction and, on the other hand, a control means for selectively controlling the ejection of these ink droplets as a function of the postal indicia to be printed, said control means being arranged so that, during printing, each of the critical postal data such as the amount of franking, the date of deposit or the authentication code, is printed from one row of nozzles.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus, it is checked if a tab paper print setup is made. If it is determined that the tab paper print setup is made, it is checked if the face to be printed is the obverse or reverse face. If it is determined that the face to be printed is the obverse face, first drawing data is generated; if face to be printed is the reverse face, second drawing data is generated by adjusting the first drawing data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tape printing system for printing an image on an image receiving tape comprising means for receiving a supply of image receiving tape; means for generating a plurality of labels from a data source, said generating means comprising means for receiving said data, means for processing said data to identify individual label data to be printed on said plurality of labels and means for generating label date from the identified individual label data; and means for printing said plurality of labels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of correcting the position of a printed image on a printable medium, the image being generated by a computer and printed on the printable medium by a printer controlled by the computer, in which the computer executes a print operation to print an image onto a printable medium; obtains co-ordinates which define the actual position of the image printed as well as the co-ordinates of a desired position of the image; and responds to the difference between the required and the actual positions to correct the image which would be generated by the computer in the next execution of the print operation such that it will be printed at the correct position. The invention also provides a computer program for implementing this method, and a system, comprising a computer and a printer, which implements the program.

Abstract: First and second light receiving windows are formed on a head cover of a thermal head. The first light receiving windows are disposed to cross the lateral edges of the first king-sized recording paper. The second light receiving windows are disposed to cross the lateral edges of the second large-sized recording paper. First and second phototransistors are provided on the thermal head so as to measure quantity of light passed through the first and second light receiving windows. When printing the first recording paper, the first light receiving windows are partially shielded with lateral edges of the first recording paper and the second light receiving windows are completely shielded with the recording paper. Positions of the lateral edges are determined from the difference between output signals of the two phototransistors. When printing the second recording paper, the first light receiving windows are shielded by light-tight shielding stickers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printing control method and apparatus, a computer program product, and the like in which printing data is held in a hierarchical structure and a printing job is issued to a printer to cause the printer to print. In the printing control method according to the present invention, different setting values can be set in the lower and upper layers of the hierarchical structure as printing setting data containing double-sided printing or single-sided printing setting. When a setting value different from that of the upper layer is set in the lower layer of the hierarchical structure, the printer is instructed on a setting in the lower layer for each printing data to which the setting value is applied.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for saving power in a printing system, by prioritizing printer jobs. Using a graphical user interface an end-user assigns a print time to a first job. The print time designation is attached to the first job and the first job is transmitted from the end-user station to a printer. Based on whether the printer is in ready state or in power save mode the first job is printed immediately or stored in memory. When the first job is stored in memory, computations are made to determine a printing time to initiate printing of the first job. The first job is then printed at the printing time or at an earlier printing time if a second job with an earlier printing time is stored in the memory.

Abstract: Motifs and patterns are generated by computer and printed an fabric, paper or plastic materials in continuous non-repeating patterns. The data is produced automatically by a random math algorithm, so that each of the printed patterns is similar, but tot identical. The layout is arranged in a random manner, so that every pan of the print is unique and exclusive. The size, color, motifs as well as the level of similarity or variety of the motifs and any other parameter essential to the design are all managed by the software.

Abstract: A tape printer that prevents shifting of a printed dot due to a reverse rotation caused by the DC motor stop when power supply to a DC motor is resumed. When the power supply to the DC motor is suspended, the DC motor often rotates in a reverse direction immediately before rotation of the motor stops. The amount of reverse rotation is detected by an encoder. This amount is compensated immediately after the power supply to the DC motor is resumed. After the amount of forward rotation identical to the amount of reverse rotation amount is detected, printing is resumed by the printing head.

Abstract: A printer prints a black mark BM having a left mark edge BMa and a right mark edge BMb on a paper P. An encoder offset SH_L_EDG for the left mark edge BMa is set based on the difference between the carriage position (encoder value PR_ENC_L) that is detected when the print head 10 prints the left mark edge BMa and the carriage position (encoder value SEN_ENC_L) that is detected when the media sensor 68 detects the left mark edge BMa. Similarly, an encoder offset SH_R_EDG for the right mark edge BMb is set based on the difference between the carriage position (encoder value PR_ENC_R) that is detected when the print head 10 prints the right mark edge BMb and the carriage position (encoder value SEN_ENC_R) that is detected when the media sensor 68 detects the right mark edge BMb. In this way, the printer can suppress the effects of mounting error and can prevent a decline in accuracy when detecting edges of the paper P.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program for distributed printing of digital print files in a network system including a print service and a plurality of printers adapted for interactive printing are provided. An interactive printing involves printing a print file only upon selection thereof and entering a print command through the local user interface of the printer. In a first step of the method, the print service receives a print file, stores it and distributes information on the stored print file to a plurality of the printers. In a second step, a print process for the print file is started, locally or remotely, in one of the printers and, while this print process is active, a print process for the same print file is started locally in one or more of the other printers. During the printing, the print service controls the printers to print together the required number of copies.

Abstract: A character size is set according to the number of characters of a character string to be printed, and the number of printing operation times of a printer section and each operational condition of a rotation angle of a rotatable plate, which supports a recoding medium, which correspond to one printing operation, are set. According to the set operational condition, a part of the character string arranged in an arc shape is printed by one printing operation of the printer section in a state that the rotational plate is stopped, and the rotational plate is driven to rotate the recording medium by the set angle before a next printing operation is started. The printing operation and the rotating operation are repeated, thereby printing a series of character string on the circumference around a circular hole of the recording medium.

Abstract: In a method of monitoring a printing parameter of a printer, as well as a corresponding printing system, printing data are printed out, before being transmitted to a printer, by means of a further printer. The further printer is coupled to a sensor arrangement and monitored by means of a control unit, for determining desired values by using the printout produced by the further printer. By using this printout, a predetermined criterion is determined for a comparison of the printing parameter.

Abstract: A medium-edge setting device detects edges of a paper (S110) and acquires data for left and right edge candidate positions (S120). The medium-edge setting device determines whether the difference between left and right center-edge distances is less than or equal to a predetermined value (S150). If so (S150: YES), the right edge position is set to the right edge candidate position and the left edge position is set to the left edge candidate position (S160). If not (S150: NO), the paper is conveyed a predetermined amount (S190) and the paper edge detection is repeated. If the repetitions of the paper-edge detecting process exceed a predetermined number (S180: NO), then the larger of the left and right center-edge distances is set as the distance from the center of the paper to each edge position, and the left and right edge positions are set according to this distance (S200, S210, S220).

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal head which extends in a main scan direction. Feeder rollers move thermal recording paper relative to the thermal head in a sub scan direction, for image recording to the recording paper in a surface recording manner. In the thermal printer, at least one position detector includes a contact lever, rotatable about a rotational center. There is an edge contact surface for being pressed by a lateral edge of the recording paper. An encoding panel projects from the contact lever and away from the recording paper, and is shiftable in response to rotation of the contact lever. A detection pattern is formed on the encoding panel, and extends in a shifting direction thereof. An encoding sensor of two-phase outputting encoding is disposed in a shifting path of the detection pattern, for photoelectrically detecting a shifted position of the detection pattern.

Abstract: A method of managing a printing system in which print jobs are disposed with a print queue, wherein a so-called “acting object”, is provided within the print queue to behave as a separate job, and is operative for specifying one or more system commands, without further specifying a actual print job. When the acting object reaches the top of the print queue, its system command is executed. Examples of such system commands are an interruption of the print queue processing or a change of default printing and/or printer parameters.

Abstract: When a print process command is outputted from a port terminal, an MFP displays first print information related to the print process command of the port terminal on a display unit. On the other hand, when a print process command is outputted from a personal computer, the MFP receives authentication information, and displays second print information related to the print process command of the personal computer on the display unit only when the received authentication information matches pre-stored authentication information. Then, the MFP prints print data outputted from the personal computer on condition that the second print information is displayed on the display unit. For example, the staff in a shop can print the print data for business use by using an MFP for use by customers in the shop while ensuring security, and it is possible to prevent confusion between a plurality of customers and the shop staff in operating the MFP.

Abstract: A method (40) and apparatus (30) is described for performing image rendering of high resolution computer generated images using limited memory and constrained rendering architectures. An image is segmented into a plurality of tiles (110). A graphics renderer (17), which is usually used for rendering low resolution images onto a display device (19), is used to render one tile (110) at a time. The rendered tile images are combined to form a band of the image (101) and the image data of the band (101) is transferred to a printer engine (20) for printing. Each band (101) is rendered and transferred to the printer engine (20) until the whole image is printed.

Abstract: The invention provides high-speed and high-quality printing when the vertical and horizontal resolutions of print data to be printed differ from the vertical and horizontal resolutions which a printer can process. A table is provided, in which the relationship of position in each printing pass of each of a plurality of pins aligned in the vertical direction of a printing head to a plurality of raster lines in a predetermined range to be printed is examined, whereby the pins aligned in the vertical line to be actuated in each printing pass are determined based on the relationship of a position between each of the pins and each of the raster lines. The table serves as a raster-line/pin-relationship table. A printer driver receives print data from a print-data forming unit, consults the raster-line/pin-relationship table, and actuates the pins for each printing pass according to the raster-line/pin-relationship table.

Abstract: A printing system is provided with a controller and a printing device that houses sheets of printing paper of a plurality of kinds. The controller has a storing means for storing cover page data used for forming a front cover and a rear cover of a booklet and body page data used for forming a body of the booklet, and, after having set different print formats with respect to the cover page data and body page data, successively outputs the cover page data and the body page data to the printing device. The printing device, with respect to the cover page data and the body page data transmitted from the controller, prints the cover portion and the body portion on sheets of printing paper of different kinds based upon the print formats respectively set. Thus, it is possible to successively supply printed sheets corresponding to the cover portion and the body portion to an automatic bookbinding machine.

Abstract: A system for facilitating printing on certain media. The system includes a first mechanism for printing via a first media path in a first mode of operation and second mechanism for printing via a second media path in a second mode of operation. In a specific embodiment, the first media path is bi-directional and includes input aperture for receiving print media that is also an output aperture for outputting the print media. A controller selectively controls the mode of operation of the system. In the specific embodiment, the first media path is circular, and the first mechanism includes a mechanism for printing on a compact disc via rotational printing.

Abstract: A blister packaging production line preferably includes an unmarked supply of backing for blister packaging, a printer for selectively printing on the backing and a host system controlling the printer and providing a variety of desired designs to the printer. The design being printed on the backing can be changed on-demand by transmitting a new design from the host system to the printer. Additionally, a blister packaging production line may include an unmarked supply of material backing for blister packaging, a printer for selectively printing on the material and a shaping device for forming recesses in the material that will receive items being blister packaged. The printed design can be of any desired length.

Abstract: A printer which can refer to a print image before a print operation. This printer includes a storage unit that stores a print image and identification information for specifying the print image such that the print image corresponds to the identification information. It also includes an identification information acquiring unit acquiring the identification information that specifies the print image. It further includes a print image read unit reading the print image to which the identification information acquired by the identification information acquiring unit corresponds from the storage unit. Still further the printer includes a print image output unit outputting the print image ready by the print image read unit.

Abstract: A printing system, a printing method and a recording medium are capable of conducting printing efficiently. Regarding the first printing means for printing images per one print in the first size and discharging these images, and the second printing means for printing images per multiple copies in the first size and discharging these images, the number of prints to be allocated to the first and second printing means is determined so that printing is finished in a minimum amount of time corresponding to the total number of prints of the first size to be printed. And, based on the determination result, the first and the second printing means are controlled.

Abstract: A printing system, a printing method and a recording medium are capable of conducting printing efficiently. Regarding the first printing means for printing images per one print in the first size and discharging these images and the second printing means for printing images per multiple copies in the first size and discharging these images, the number of prints to be allocated to the first and second printing means is determined so that printing is finished in a minimum amount of time corresponding to the total number of prints of the first size to be printed. And, based on the determination result, the first and the second printing means are controlled.

Abstract: A designation information list 21 containing designation information is provided in a process designating apparatus 20, and a control mode table 31 which defines the actuation of the process designating apparatus, an information reader 33 which reads the designation information from the process designating apparatus 20, and a process controller 34 which acquires a prescribed control mode from the control mode table 31 to perform a prescribed process control are provided in a process control apparatus 30 so that the process designating apparatus 20 only represents the designation information and the process control apparatus 30 reads this designation information to perform the process control through the prescribed control mode.

Abstract: In a printer having a stapling function for binding together a plurality of sheets of printing paper that have been printed out, processing for performing stapling at a set position cannot be carried out if the set staple position and the orientation of printing paper actually set in the printer are not in conformity. Accordingly, the invention is such that a printer driver within a host computer acquires information such as the transport direction of printing paper that has been placed in a paper feed unit of the printer and limits, on the basis of this paper information, staple positions that can be set by a user. This makes it possible to execute stapling in reliable fashion.

Abstract: The present invention conducts printing by controlling the jobs previously input to the printer. The job for conducting printing by unifying a plurality of jobs reads the respective jobs previously input to the storage device and conducts printing on printing paper thereby. Further, the job for designating bookbinding processing such as binding printed matter with a staple performs bookbinding processing designated to printed matter to be output. Accordingly, after inputting individual jobs prepared with a variety of application software to the printer, the user may conduct printing by controlling such jobs.

Abstract: A print system receives an image file and a print order file from a customer, the image file having an image data area and an order data area. The print system copies information of the received print order file into the order data area of the received image file. The print system produces a print of the image data in the image file according to the information in the order data area of the image file. The print system has a printer capable of producing a print of a predetermined image data provided by a third party as well as that of the image data of the customer. The print system delivers to the customer the print ordered by the customer as well as the print of the predetermined image data. The print system selects a group of orders among all the orders in accordance with the destination of delivery for controlling the printer to give priority to the group of orders in producing the prints.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for splitting a print job lacking page independence into selected job portions wherein the job portions can be independently processed in a plurality of processing nodes into a printer dependent format for printing by a printer. The print job is searched for selected tokens/idioms known to normally generate a fault upon the independent processing if the print job were to be split into the selected job portions that were intended to be handled independently. The selected tokens found in the search are saved. The print job is then split into the selected portions and the tokens are then associated with the split job portions for guaranteeing processing independence during the processing by the processing nodes.