Abstract: A printing system includes a network, a first computer connected to the network, a second computer connected to the network, and a printer connected to the network. The first computer instructs the printer to print. The printer includes a printer controller and a printer engine. The printer controller includes an individual printer management part for managing the printer, and an individual printer information DB part. The second computer includes a total printer management service processing part for managing a plurality of printers including the printer connected to the network, and a total printer management information DB part. The second computer communicates with the printer controller and/or the first computer over the network to manage the printer to cope with trouble in the printer, order consumable items and replacement parts for the printer, and update programs and data for using the printer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing mailing-ready printed products, that consist of at least one sheet printed on at least one side and mailed in a closed state, printing data, originating from a client, are transmitted through a network to a printing facility. The transmitted printing data are printed onto the at least one sheet. A mailing-ready printed product is produced from the at least one printed sheet. The envelope for the mailing-ready printed product is produced from at least one printed sheet folded so as to form an envelope without producing waste portions.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for decorating an article, printing ink or electrostatic charges is or are applied in dependence on a digital program in dot form to the article carried by a holder, with individual dots going together to at least form a partial pattern or image. In the case of the latent pattern formed by electrostatic charges, it is then brought into contact with ink particles to form the decoration. In both cases the article is transported along a transportation path through at least one print station provided with an inkjet print head or an ionographic print head, the print head being controllable in dependence on the digital program. The individual nozzles or the electrodes of the respective print head are actuated in accordance with the digital program which is called up for example in dependence on the transportation movement of the article.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus,-in which an ink sheet is superimposed onto an image receiving sheet and subjected to imagewise exposure to light to allow an image in the ink sheet to transfer to the image receiving sheet to form an image is disclosed, comprising a drum, an exposure device, a detecting device for detecting quality information of the ink sheet and/or image receiving sheet, a memory device for memorizing an exposure condition corresponding the quality information, and a control device for controlling the exposure device and/or the drum.

Abstract: The invention provides a tape printing apparatus and control method therefor. One of a blank image without any image to be printed, and a ground image providing at least one of a ground color of the tape and a background pattern is selectively set. A leading end-cutting operation for cutting the tape at a leading edge of the print image ting is carried out. The print image is printed by a main printing operation. A trailing end-cutting operation for cutting the tape at a trailing edge of the print image is carried out.

Abstract: There are provided a card printing method and a card printing apparatus which are capable of preventing or minimizing the possibility of adhesion of ink to end faces of a card. The card printing apparatus prints on a card having a predetermined thickness by an ink jet printing method. A card feed mechanism feeds the card C. A print head carries out printing on the card being advanced, while performing reciprocating motions. A controller controls the card feed mechanism and the print head. The controller causes the print head to carry out beyond-edge printing in which ink droplets are ejected beyond opposite edges of the card, immediately before termination of ejection of the droplets when the print head is moved in one direction, and immediately before termination of ejection of the droplets when the print head is moved in another direction opposite to the one direction, if the beyond-edge printing is required.

Abstract: The printing apparatus comprises: an image display part for displaying an image to be printed on a display screen; a screen switching part being capable of switching the display screen of the image display part to any one of a plurality of editing screens for editing the image to be printed; a storage part for storing a printed information of the image to be printed, the printed information being based on an edited content set by each of the editing screens; and a printed information display part for displaying the printed information, which is stored in the storage part, on the display screen by hierarchical printed information screens.

Abstract: A compact ink jet printer having a small amplitude width in the horizontal direction of an ink carriage includes: a shaft provided rotatably about a predetermined axis; a strut fixed to the shaft so as to move along an arc about the axis with rotation of the shaft; an ink carriage having a plurality of ink heads provided at a predetermined direction from the shaft of the strut; and a control device controlling forwarding of a recording sheet, rotational motion of the shaft, and ink jetting from the plurality of ink heads.

Abstract: In a printing system connecting a print requester host and a single or a plurality of print requestee printer by way of a network, the host abstractly defines an output port to an actual printer as the print requestee printer, for printing. The host makes a print request to the abstractly defined output port so that between the host and the printer on the network there are made in sequence for printing a retrieval request from the host, a retrieval response from the printer, a print request from the host, and a response to the print request from the printer.

Abstract: A printing system for printing application data instructed to be printed from an application at a printer, which comprises first intermediate data preparation means for preparing first intermediate data from the application data, second intermediate data preparation means for preparing second intermediate data having the same data format as the first intermediate data from the first intermediate data, and print data preparation means for preparing print data that can be processed at the printer from the second intermediate data.

Abstract: An impact printer comprising pins for providing an impact and an impact force controller for changing the force with which the pins impact in accordance with the settings for characters that are to be printed. A form printer further including a drive unit and control means for controlling the drive unit is also provided. A method for controlling such a printer, is further included, which comprises the steps of identifying a character set to be printed and generating pin impact power according to the set.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a printer having a device for printing a data carrier. It is proposed providing the data carrier with at least one transponder chip and equipping the printer with a device for driving the transponder chip. This makes it possible to print the data carrier simultaneously or sequentially and to write data into, or read data out of, the transponder chip.

Abstract: A method for organizing and producing a display of images and labels on a receiver including storing information corresponding to images to be displayed which includes the desired size of the images to be displayed and selecting labels having information which annotates the images to be displayed. The method further includes organizing the labels and the images to a desired layout pattern having location and organization information and storing such layout; printing the information on the labels with each label having an adhesive backing; and providing the labels and the images on the receiver in accordance with the layout pattern.

Abstract: A system for the sale of printed information from an automatic vending machine, information being transmitted from a central source via a network interface to one or more vending machines, each provided with an information processing unit which separates the information data into a display portion and a print portion, a display device, a high-speed printer for local printing of the desired publication, a replaceable paper magazine, a folding/cutting unit having built-in stapling, a covered drawer into which the publication is dispensed, a unit for registering and receiving payment in the form of a coin slot or card reader, and a set of push buttons by means of which the customer can make a choice.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the RGB or other color scheme of a Web page or other network media first tests a user for color compromise in their vision, for instance to determine if a user has a green or red color deficiency or other compromise. The system generates a translation between a Web page's existing color scheme and an adjusted scheme which is tailored to that individual's vision characteristics. The color translation profile may be stored as a cookie, digital certificate or other data object for retrieval and use on an existing or newly visited Web page, or may be dynamically adjusted with each new use.

Abstract: A printing system comprising a data processor, a printer, and an ID code transmitter for allotting an ID code to a data file for distinguishing the data file from others. An input device is mounted on the printer for providing the ID code to the printer before a printing process is executed. The printer executes the printing process in response to the ID code provided thereto and on the basis of the data file to which the ID code has been allotted. The invention is particularly adapted for preventing the user of the data processor from obtaining a printout on the basis of another user's data file by mistake.

Abstract: There is provided a label-making apparatus and method that is capable of making a label with an accurate length depending on a situation before and after printing. The label-making apparatus is capable of printing an entered character string on a tape as a printing medium while advancing the tape. After printing the character string on the tape, the label-making apparatus cuts the tape to a length set beforehand at a predetermined cutting position, thereby making a label. In response to a non-printing feed instruction which instructs non-printing feed of the tape, feed of the tape is carried out without printing thereon to advance the tape by a predetermined length.

Abstract: In a tape printing apparatus, a tape width of a tape is detected, and a reduced tape width is calculated by reducing the detected tape width at a predetermined reduction ratio. At the same time, a character string is also reduced at the predetermined reduction ratio, whereby a reduced character string is produced. Then, a pair of parallel lines indicative of the reduced tape width and the reduced character string are printed on the tape in a manner such that a positional relationship between the pair of parallel lines and the reduced character string agrees with a positional relationship between the tape and the character string in normal print.

Abstract: Print data is stored into a spool device and a predetermined number of copies are printed. A size (ADsize) of print data is compared with a memory capacity (SDsize) of the spool device. When the size of print data exceeds a capacity of the spool device, the print data is divided into a plurality of print jobs on a page unit basis so that the print data lies within the memory capacity. The number of copies is designated for each of the divided print jobs, the print jobs are sequentially stored into the spool device, and the designated number of copies of each print job are printed, respectively.

Abstract: When a communications terminal has stopped operating because it is off-line, data received from a host is efficiently stored to a receive buffer so that receive buffer full states cannot easily occur. A data interpreter interprets the receive buffer content in the input order. An action buffer stores interpreted commands. A command execution controller executes commands in the action buffer in first-in first-out order. The data interpreter continues interpreting the received data even when operation of the command execution controller is stopped, and kills without storing to the action buffer any real-time commands detected by the data interpreter.

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 for controlling a printer having a plurality of print engines and a print engine controller includes the steps of: (a) coupling each of the print engines to a corresponding print engine communication device; (b) coupling together the print engine communication devices and the print engine controller in a daisy chain configuration with a serial data link, the data-output port of the printer controller being directly coupled by the serial data link to a first one of the print engine communication devices and the data-input port of the printer controller being directly coupled by the serial data link to a last one of the print engine communication devices; (c) embedding commands and data in a data stream by the printer controller and transmitting the data stream on the serial data link to the first print engine communication device by the printer controller; (d) relaying the data stream from the first print engine communication device back to the serial data link by the first print engine controller; (e

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus for printing on a continuous tape. When a portion of a continuous tape having passed a thermal head is cut at a predetermined cutting position, a stepping motor is caused to stop driving the platen roller for rotation to stop feeding of the tape, and then the tape is cut off. During tape-cutting operation, the stepping motor is held in an energized state. When the printing operation is resumed after stopping the feeding and printing of the tape, the thermal head is caused to print on a portion of the tape printed by an immediately preceding printing operation by the thermal head, in an overlapping manner, by the use of identical printing data or printing data for a next line of dots.

Abstract: There is provided an image printing method and device which is capable of easily printing a bar code image having colors conforming to a bar code print quality standard. A bar code pattern defining the arrangement of bars of two kinds in a bar code is set. The bars of two kinds include at least one bar of a first kind and at least one bar of a second kind. The at least one bar of the first kind are different in optical reflectance from the at least one bar of the second kind. A first bar color is set which defines a printing color of the at least one bar of the first kind. A second bar color is set which defines a printing color of the at least one bar of the second kind, based on a predetermined bar code print quality standard which defines conditions concerning the optical reflectance of the bars of two kinds, such that a combination of the first bar color and the second bar color conforms to the predetermined bar code print quality standard.

Abstract: An image-forming method and device and an electronic apparatus incorporating the device are provided. At least one line of a character string is input by using letter/symbol characters respectively representative of characters including letters symbols and a space, and a ruled line character which designates, by its position in the character string, a position where a ruled line should be drawn in a manner connectable to other ruled lines. An image is formed which includes images of the characters represented respectively by the letter/symbol characters, and an image of the ruled line drawn at the position.

Abstract: A printer controller analyzes the job language section of the print job supplied from the host computer to see if the calibration stop command set by the host computer is included in this job language section. When it judges that the calibration stop command is included in the job language section, the controller sets a flag, which indicates whether or not to allow the execution of calibration, to a content specifying the prohibition of the calibration. In the subsequent processing of print data, the flag set in this way can prevent the calibration from being executed even when a calibration request is made. As a result, in a print system comprising a host computer and a printer, it is possible to prevent unnecessary calibration from being executed and thereby deal properly with the user requirements in terms of the execution of calibration.

Abstract: There are provided a tape printing apparatus and a tape length-setting method which permits the user to set a desired tape length quickly and reliably, without requiring troublesome operations before printing. The tape printing apparatus is capable of printing a character string on a tape as a medium to be printed upon over a desired tape length. A character string including at least one character is input via a keyboard. A minimum tape length is calculated over which the input character string can be printed, before a print command is generated. A plurality of candidate tape lengths are displayed over which the input character string can be printed, dependent on the minimum tape length. A tape length is selected from the plurality of candidate tape lengths displayed. The input character string is printed over the selected tape length in response to the print command.

Abstract: In the present invention, by embedding job administration information into print job data when a printer driver produces print job data, a printer which receives the print job data extracts the job administration information from the print job data at the stage that the printer spools the print job data to a hard disc or the like and the administration of the print job data is executed based on the job administration information. Accordingly, even before the print job data is interpreted for printing processing, a host apparatus which has obtained the job administration information can individually administrate the print job data supplied to the printer based on the print job data.

Abstract: A method apparatus for printing a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater. A digital record of a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater is obtained. The image captured underwater is determined and the digital record of the underwater captured image is modified in a predetermined manner. The determination of the existence of an image captured underwater may be provided by analyzing the image record or obtained by reading information received from the customer image order. Thereafter modified image may be printed and/or displayed.

Abstract: A banner page outputting method, at a printer which is connected to a network and is used by plural users in common, in which in case that plural print jobs of a user are outputted in succession and after the plural print jobs a print job of another user is outputted, the banner pages of users are printed out every user, is provided.

Abstract: A method and system for printing a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater. A digital record of a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater is obtained. The image captured underwater is determined and a level of correction is also determined. The digital record of the underwater captured image is modified in the determined manner. The determination of the existence of an image captured underwater may be provided by analyzing the image record or obtained by reading information received from the customer image order. Thereafter modified image may be printed and/or displayed.

Abstract: A method apparatus for printing a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater. A digital record of a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater is obtained. The image captured underwater is determined and the digital record of the underwater captured image is modified in a predetermined manner. The determination of the existence of an image captured underwater may be provided by analyzing the image record or obtained by reading information received from the customer image order. Thereafter modified image may be printed and/or displayed.

Abstract: A thermal label printer includes an actuation mechanism and follower for facilitating loading of stock (e.g., label stock). A pivotable printer head pressure plate includes the actuation mechanism which cooperates with the follower coupled to a peeler roller. As the pressure plate is moved from a closed position proximate a platen to an open position for loading of stock or for cleaning the printer head, the peeler roller is automatically translated from the platen. The resulting roller gap and displaced printer head provide unrestricted access for threading of the printer. The printer also includes a programmable device in the printer electronics for reconfiguring the printer to accommodate a variety of thermal print mechanisms.

Abstract: A portable printer is provided which provides active cooperation between a computer and the portable printer unit. A number of different features are introduced into the printing unit which allow greater responsiveness from the computer responsive to actions taken at the printer unit.

Abstract: Printing apparatus and print control method for efficiently utilizing buffer memories. In a case of performing printing operation by controlling scanning of a printhead and four buffer memories where K, C, M and Y color image data are temporarily stored respectively, the color component data is inputted to the buffer memories while monitoring the data storage, and based on the monitoring result, discrimination is made as to whether or not at least one of the buffer memories has become full. Also, a print width, a conveyance amount of a print medium, and color component data to be cleared upon printing are dynamically determined based on a printable width of the printhead and the contents of the inputted color component data (monochrome image, color image, mixture of monochrome and color image).

Abstract: A plurality of patterns respectively having different area factor of dot formation area are formed by forward and reverse scanning printing of a print head, and then optical characteristics of the plurality of formed patterns are measured. A function representing the relationship between the printing position offset between the forward and reverse printings is determined from the optical characteristics. Then, respective pattern having a predetermined area factor of dot formation area is formed by means of forward and reverse scanning where the speed is differentiated according to the mode of a printing apparatus, and then the optical characteristics of this pattern is measured. By applying this measured optical characteristics to the function, an adjustment value of the dot formation position conditions between the forward and reverse scans is obtained for each mode.

Abstract: A printing system for printing application data instructed to be printed from an application at a printer, which comprises first intermediate data preparation means for preparing first intermediate data from the application data, second intermediate data preparation means for preparing second intermediate data having the same data format as the first intermediate data from the first intermediate data, and print data preparation means for preparing print data that can be processed at the printer from the second intermediate data.

Abstract: A portable printer is provided which provides active cooperation between a computer and the portable printer unit. A number of different features are introduced into the printing unit which allow greater responsiveness from the computer responsive to actions taken at the printer unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing system comprising a primary system and a printer connected thereto. To enhance the usability of a sorting operation for printed matters, the primary system includes a sorting instructing means for transmitting, to the printer, an instruction regarding contents of printing job separation marks for indicating a separation between jobs before printing job data; and the printer includes a means for analyzing a sorting instruction supplied from the primary system, and a means for executing a sorting operation in accordance with the analyzed result.

Abstract: There are provided an image-printing method and device for enabling a more attractive print image to be obtained, even when a basic image is printed which is formed by changing the size of a whole image including image elements formed based on outline fonts or dot matrices. The image-printing method and device print an image on a printing object, while causing a print head and the printing object to move in a predetermined direction to effect relative motion between the print head and the printing object, to thereby form a printed image t. A high-density printing basic image is formed by increasing a dot size in the predetermined direction of a basic image created by arranging at least one image element therein, by a factor of m (m is a natural number equal to or larger than 2).

Abstract: According to the present invention, a printer apparatus connected to a host computer, in such a manner that permits bidirectional communication, has a nonvolatile memory that allows its contents to be rewritten and read from the host computer. Allocated to the nonvolatile memory is an area for retaining a plurality of types of information for identifying the printer apparatus. Each piece of information comprises a key for identifying the type of information and a terminator indicating the end of the information. Thus, efficiently storing a plurality of pieces of information regarding the printer apparatus in the nonvolatile memory permits flexible change or addition of information.

Abstract: A sheet having at least one self-adhesive special purpose label arrangement set having a postage indicia label, an addressee label, and a sender label, wherein the maximum printable area of the sheet is made available for the labels, and a process for printing these special purpose label arrangement sets. In the process, a computer system with a printer is provided. A postage computer program for preparing and printing the labels is provided, and information concerning the addressee, the sender, and a mail piece to be mailed and how it is to be mailed is inputted into the postage computer program. The postage computer software will interface with and direct the printer to print the label set with the postage indicia, the addressee information, and sender information, preferably in a single pass through the printer. The postage value can be obtained via the Internet or in other manners.

Abstract: Print data is stored into a spool device and a predetermined number of copies are printed. A size (ADsize) of print data is compared with a memory capacity (SDsize) of the spool device. When the size of print data exceeds a capacity of the spool device, the print data is divided into a plurality of print jobs on a page unit basis so that the print data lies within the memory capacity. The number of copies is designated for each of the divided print jobs, the print jobs are sequentially stored into the spool device, and the designated number of copies of each print job are printed, respectively.

Abstract: A method for controlling the flow of paper objects in a paper processing system (PPS), having a main copier and/or printer unit with an output accessory manager (OAM) and at least one paper object processing device (POPD1, POPD2, . . . POPDn). The method is carried out by the following steps: generating a paper object header (POH) for each paper object (PO) in the output accessory manager (OAM); sending the paper object header (POH) to downstream paper object processing devices (POPDs) prior to the arrival of a paper object (PO) at the specific paper object processing device (POPD), wherein the paper object header (POH) is updated and modified by each paper object processing device (POPD); absorbing the paper object header (POH) in the last paper object processing device (POPD) in the route and generating in the last paper object processing device (POPD) a paper object header response (POHR) and sending the paper object header response (POHR) to the output accessory manager (OAM).

Abstract: A skipping (draft) printer driving method is proposed for a line dot printer whose head bank (which executes shuttle action in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction) is provided with printing pins which are arranged in the shape of saw blade. In the saw blade printing pin arrangement, a printing pin group having L (L: 2, 3, 4, . . .) printing pins for executing dot printing for 1st through L-th dot printing rows respectively is repeated in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction. According to the skipping printer driving method, on each stroke (a to-action or a fro-action) of the head bank, one or more printing pins selected from the L printing pins of the printing pin group are assigned to execute dot printing during the stroke, and the printing pins that have been assigned to execute dot printing during the stroke are driven by a driving circuit of the line dot printer during the stroke so as to execute dot printing of part of a desired dot pattern to be printed on paper.

Abstract: A printer receives image information from a host computer and performs printing based on the image information. When an optional unit is newly attached to the printer, the printer changes the device ID which is selected from an ID ROM in accordance with the optional unit. Then output from an interface circuit is changed so that the host computer detects the change of the output from the interface circuit. The host computer makes a device-ID request to the printer to obtain the device ID corresponding to the optional device. Then the host computer determines whether or not a printer driver which is currently operative corresponds to the printer with the newly-attached optional device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printer system responsive to the request of an operator for performing specified control on a specified portion of a medium during a print operation. Such control minimizes the labor required by an operator to change the set-up condition of the printer when different print media is used. Print operations having modified print attributes for specified areas are set-up for each type of media in advance and stored in a storage device of a printer or a host processor for controlling the printer, such as a personal computer or a server. When a medium is inserted into the printer, medium identifying information, such as a bar coded form number or the size of the medium is used to determine which record stored in the storage device corresponds to the selected medium.

Abstract: An interface system transmits printing data from a computer to a stencil printer and transmits status information on the stencil printer to the computer. A previously-transmitted status information memory stores status information on the stencil printer which has been previously transmitted to the computer. Status difference information which represents difference of the updated status information, as transmitted from the stencil printer, from the previously status information stored in the memory is generated and transmitted to the computer on request from the computer.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a printer in communication with a host computer through a bidirectional data transfer connection. A first processing time predicting section is capable of predicting first data processing time taken for the host computer to generate bit image data from print data. A second processing time predicting section is capable of predicting second data processing time taken for the printer to generate bit image data from print data. A transfer time predicting section is capable of predicting data transfer time taken for the data transfer connector to transfer data. A distribution controlling section determines distribution of data processing needed to generate bit image data from print data based on combination of the first and second data processing times predicted and the transfer time predicted to provide shortest time data processing distribution plan.

Abstract: This invention relates to provide a label printer which prints by using data recorded in a recordable/reproducible disc and forms a label for the disc. The printer is capable of creating labels to affixed to various portions of the disc and a disc cartridge of the disc by easy operations, and at a time. Further, irrespective of the size of contents of the disc, the printer can create a label from which contents of the disc are grasped at a glance.