Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided to easily form a cover sheet for covering a sheaf of plural sheets without burdening a user. In the apparatus which can input plural images to be formed on an identical face of the cover sheet for covering the sheaf of the plural sheets by using the input unit, information concerning a thickness of the sheaf of the plural sheets is obtained, and it is controlled that the plural images input by the input unit are disposed at an interval based on the obtained information.

Abstract: A host computer is connected to a plurality of printers via an IEEE1394 bus. To make these printers print an identical image, the host computer assures a communication channel. The host computer then broadcasts print data to the printers to make them print images. In this case, the host computer starts transmission after it confirms that all the printers are ready to print and to receive print data. Upon receiving a busy response from any printer, the host computer pauses data transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for interacting with computers by means of printed matter and sensing devices. The method includes providing a document with printed information relating to an Internet resource, such as a Web page, and at least one user interactive element representing an associated object for user response in relation to the resource; and effecting said response upon receipt of response data received from a sensing device with which a user interacts with the element, the sensing device being adapted to transmit the response data to a computer system linked to the Internet, in order to effect said response.

Abstract: A system adapts a host raster image processor to support a selected output device from a plurality of output devices by buffering, in a memory shared by a print driver and a host raster image processor and controlled by a status indicator, a print stream having one or more commands to customize the raster image processor and customizing the raster image processor using the commands to render a document on the selected output device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for marking pages printed for a print job in correspondence with an identification of a user that initiates a print job. The method may include indicating, to a printer, the identification of the user, selecting, by the user, a mark to associate with the user's identification, sending, by the user, the print job to the printer, and printing, by the printer, the mark automatically on each page printed for the print job.

Abstract: Systems and method for activating a confidential print job from a remote device. A printer receives a print job containing personal and/or confidential information together with an indication for the printer to hold, or defer, the print job until an activation command is received. The print job is not printed until the owner of the information transmits an activation command from a remote, portable electronic device. This insures that the owner of the information is present at the printer when the print job is printer. The owner of the information is thus assured that no person other than the owner will receive the information.

Abstract: Rather than implementing a printer as a single set of rendering parameters, a printer can be implemented as a “meta-printer” that comprises one or more virtual printers. The virtual printers define different sets of rendering parameters. Each virtual printer is accessed through a page description language or through a user interface presiding in a print driver or server. In particular, each virtual printer of the meta-printer has an associated set of rendering parameters. One virtual printer of this meta-printer may be set up to print a first type of content using a first set of selected rendering parameters. This same virtual printer may be set up to print a different type of content using a different set of selected rendering parameters. This may be repeated for any number of additional content types. A user can access these virtual printers to print a document containing a variety of different content types. A user may select one virtual printer of the meta-printer to render an entire document.

Abstract: In a character information processor adapted to print an input character string in accordance with a designated printing attribute on a print medium which is limited in at least one of the transversal or longitudinal directions, the type of currently loaded print medium is detected; a fixed phrase is selected by a user from a plurality of stored fixed phrases; and the selected fixed phrase is printed in accordance with a printing attribute determined by the detected type of the print medium and stored fixed phrase information.

Abstract: A system for printing data includes a printer to print the data and a terminal to process the data with a first application. The terminal includes an intermediate module operated under control of an operating system of the terminal; a communication processor communicating with the printer via an interface of the printer; and a printer driver activated by the application via the intermediate module to generate printing data of the data processed by the terminal and to cause the printer to print the data according to the printing data received by the printer. The printing driver is configured to generate an intermediate printing data before the data is tuned for an outputting size, and to allow a second application to access and change the intermediate printing data to an ultimate printing data and to cause the printer to print the data according to the ultimate printing data.

Abstract: A print request managing task (61) for managing a print request is placed between a language interpreting task (60) and a print execution task (63). Upon receipt of a print request (PREQ) from the language interpreting task (60), if it requests collate printing, for the printing process of the first copy, the print request managing task 61 generates a print data (PDAT) changed in the number of copies into 1 and transmits it to a print execution task (63) for the first copy. Then, after receiving a print end report from the print execution task 63, the print request managing task 61 stores data necessary for printing the second copy, et seq. as a storage data (SDAT)in a hard disc (39). For the printing process of the second copy, et seq., the print request managing task (61) read out the storage data (SDAT) stored in the hard disk (39), and transmits a print data (PDAT) generated from the storage data (SDAT) to the print execution task (63).

Abstract: A computer system includes workstations and a peripheral having a processor. The workstations and the peripheral communicate via email over a network. Email messages include commands and requests that control access to status and reconfiguration of the peripheral, establish subscriptions to status of the peripheral, and invoke reconfiguration of the peripheral. Email messages also include publications of the status of the peripheral according to reporting criteria. Reporting criteria identify a report of process or state variables, define publication criteria for directing the monitoring of state variables, and define delivery criteria to avoid network undesirable network traffic and irritating addressees of subscriptions.

Abstract: A gradient-based trapping apparatus includes a processing device for receiving a current portion of a digital image. If the current portion includes an edge, a trapping device produces a trapped portion. The trapped portion represents the current portion with varying colors. The trapping device produces the trapped portion based on a plurality of patterns. Each of the patterns is chosen as a function of at least one of a) a distance of a current pixel within the current portion from the edge, b) at least one of a plurality of colors within the current portion, and c) a width of the trapped portion.

Abstract: When a user wishes to print a document available in a server (E103), the user transmits a document information transmission request (X200) from a computer (E102) to a specified printer (E101) The printer (E101) transfers this request (X200) to the server (E103), and the server (E103) sends document information (X201) including a list of URLs of documents available in itself to the computer (E102) via the printer (E101) When the user specifies the desired document shown in the document information (X201) on the computer (E102), the computer (E102) sends a print URL request (X202) to the printer (E101) requesting a printout of the document specified by its URL. The printer (E101) acquires document data of the specified URL from the server (E103) and prints the pertinent document.

Abstract: A relay device for providing communication between a sensing device and a computer system includes first and second communications modules and a processor. The first communications module receives first indicating data transmitted from the sensing device in a first format. The indicating data is sensed by the sensing device when it is placed into an operative position in relation to first coded data forming part of a first interface disposed on a first surface. In particular, the indicating data includes a first region identity indicative of an identity of a region associated with the first interface. The processor is configured to generate second indicating data based on the first indicating data. The second communications module then transmits the second indicating data in a second format to the computer system.

Abstract: A method for reprinting a plurality of documents includes obtaining exceptions associated with multiple processed enclosing jobs. The method further includes creating a reprint job that includes documents corresponding to a portion of the exceptions, wherein the portion of the exceptions is associated with at least two of the processed enclosing jobs. A system for reprinting a plurality of documents is also disclosed.

Abstract: A printer module for giving notification of the status of the printer receives a request from a host to the effect that the host be registered as the destination of printer-status notification. The printer module responds by registering the host as a printer-status notification destination in a notification-destination registration table. The registered information includes registration retention time. A time-out module in the printer deletes registration, for which the retention time has expired, from the notification-destination registration table.

Abstract: A printing process for use in a computer system includes process steps to compare a first polygon object to subsequent polygon objects and/or compare a first bitmap to subsequent bitmaps, and to store only the attribute data of the first polygon object and/or attribute data of the first bitmap if the attribute data of the first polygon object is the same as the attribute data of subsequent polygon objects, and attribute data of first bitmap and subsequent bitmaps is the same.

Abstract: For preventing the occurrence of disjunction among a plurality of images in the magnification index in the main scanning direction, image data delivered from an external device through an input image data connector are converted by a P/S converter into serial data from parallel data, and then stored into a memory by a write controller. When the image data are cached, a read controller starts reading the image data. At the same time, a computation means starts counting time based on information set at a setting means by an external central processing unit. As soon as it reaches the initial insert interval, the read controller suspends reading of image data out of the memory to insert virtual data pixel. In the same procedure, the read controller inserts virtual data pixel at each of the insert intervals counted by the computation means.

Abstract: A system and related methods for automatically identifying media type in a printing device media tray is presented. The system comprises a controller, and an optical sensor, communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the sensor is positioned to locate and identify a code containing media type information from a next available piece of print media, and to generate a signal to the controller based, at least in part, on the identified code.

Abstract: A binding position of recording sheets recorded with data on the front and back sides thereof and a rotation angle of data to be recorded are controlled to provide copies which are recorded with data on both sides in proper directions and are easy to be discriminated after the binding. If the binding position is set to the longer side of recording sheets, the data to be recorded on the back side is not rotated, whereas if the binding position is set to the shorter side of the recording sheet, the data to be recorded on the back side is rotated by 180°. If the binding position is not designated or if a dual-side original designation is given from a facsimile transmitter, the data to be recorded on the back side is not rotated.