Abstract: This invention relates to printing, and discloses a method and apparatus for variable data printing. The method comprises: obtaining a current page of a file to be printed; performing a rasterization process on the current page to obtain a current page dot matrix; determining a reference page for the current page and obtaining a reference page dot matrix corresponding to the reference page; dividing the reference page dot matrix and the current page dot matrix into dot matrix blocks having a predetermined granularity; identifying variable data blocks in the current page dot matrix based on the dot matrix blocks; dynamically adjusting the size of the variable data blocks; extracting a variable data dot matrix in the current page dot matrix splitting the current page dot matrix up into the reference page dot matrix and the variable data dot matrix and then storing and outputting them.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of communicating with a terminal includes: a first communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with the terminal; and a second communication unit configured to perform near field communication with the terminal over a shorter communication distance than that of the first communication unit, wherein the second communication unit is configured to be movable together with an operation panel of the image processing apparatus and establish communication with the terminal in a specific area on the operation panel, and the first communication unit is placed with respect to the operation panel such that the specific area includes a communication establishment distance within which the first communication unit establishes communication with the terminal irrespective of the movement of the operation panel.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose methods and systems for halftone frequency detection in a halftone image. The method includes receiving a first window, a second window, and the halftone image having a predetermined resolution; assigning an active value to a max variable and a min variable associated with each pixel within a first pixel neighborhood defined by the first window based on a pixel intensity value being compared with a three-way threshold set determined based on values a plurality of predetermined statistical parameters; estimating a first frequency estimate and the second frequency estimate based on a number of pixels having active values in the max variable and the min variable respectively within a second pixel neighborhood defined by the second window; and determining the halftone frequency based on the first frequency estimate value, the second frequency estimate value, and the predetermined resolution.

Abstract: A processing device includes: a control-signal generating unit that generates a control signal by switching a predetermined potential and a second potential that is different from the predetermined potential; multiple processing units that, if a potential of the control signal is the predetermined potential, flow a predetermined current, process and outputs an input signal, and if a potential of the control signal is the second potential, do not flow the predetermined current and do not process a signal; and a control unit that controls the control-signal generating unit such that, in a case of an operating mode in which the processing units process a signal, the control signal is a voltage signal of the predetermined potential, and in a case of a standby mode in which the processing units do not process a signal, the control signal is a voltage signal of the second potential.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in a case where in a remote control instruction received from an information processing apparatus that controls a maintenance, a screen to be displayed next is a restricted screen, if a predetermined input is not accepted from a user of the image forming apparatus, does not display the restricted screen to the operation unit, and if the predetermined input is accepted, does display the restricted screen to the operation unit.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image processing apparatus comprises a scanner; a designation section configured to designate a color presented in an original document as the object to be removed; extraction section configured to extract color information of the color to be removed based on image data which is obtained by reading, using the scanner, a color information extraction sheet on which an image is formed with a material of the color to be removed; and a conversion section configured to form, based on the designation of the designation section and the color information extracted by the extraction section, an image by removing the image data in the color designated to be removed from the image data of the original document.

Abstract: A print job is submitted from a client terminal 100 to two print servers 200-1, 200-2, a print server taking main charge 200-1 instructs a printer 300 to print one page at a time in sequence, and status information indicating the printing state is shared by the two print servers 200-1, 200-2. If a failure occurs in the print server taking main charge 200-1, then, on the basis of the status information shared by the two print servers 200-1, 200-2, a print server taking sub charge 200-2 instructs the printer 300 to print in accordance with the submitted print job from the unprinted page. This makes it possible to immediately continue the print from the page indicated to be completely printed when the failure occurred.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of devices driven by power and configured to be operated in: 1) a standby mode in which the image forming apparatus stands by a start of an image formation; or 2) a power saving mode in which power supply to a part of the plurality of devices is stopped so that the power consumption of the image forming apparatus in the power saving mode is reduced compared with that of the image forming apparatus in the standby mode. The image forming apparatus further including a door which is opened when consumable material is supplied, and a door opened/closed sensor configured to detect the door opening or door closing.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided with a plurality of analyzing units, and a control unit. Each of the plurality of analyzing units analyzes each of different pages of print data, and notifies an error in a case that an analysis error occurs. The control unit receives the error notification from the analyzing unit, at which the analysis error occurs, among the plurality of analyzing units. And, the control unit notifies a cancel to another analyzing unit at which the analysis error does not occur. The control unit is further configured to notify, on a condition that a printing of all pages before a page at which the analysis error occurs is completed, the cancel to the another analyzing unit.

Abstract: A job processing system includes first and second job processing apparatuses. The first job processing apparatus includes the followings. A first calculation unit calculates first estimated completion time expected if the job is processed by the first job processing apparatus. A first transmission unit transmits the job and the first estimated completion time. The second job processing apparatus includes the followings. A reception unit receives the job and the first estimated completion time. The second calculation unit calculates second estimated completion time expected if the job is processed by the second job processing apparatus. The discarding unit discards the job if the first estimated completion time is earlier than the second estimated completion time. The notification unit notifies the first job processing apparatus of start of processing if the first estimated completion time is later than the second estimated completion time. The processed job transmission unit transmits the processed job.

Abstract: A communication apparatus that communicates with an information processing apparatus includes a switching unit for switching between an invalid state and a valid state of an access point in the communication apparatus and a setting unit for setting, for the communication apparatus based on information acquired from the information processing apparatus to which the communication apparatus is connected via the access point in the valid state, a communication mode in which the communication apparatus can communicate with the information processing apparatus using a first connection method. The switching unit does not bring the access point into the valid state when the communication apparatus is connected to the information processing apparatus using a second connection method and is able to bring the access point into the valid state when the communication apparatus is not connected to the information processing apparatus using the second connection method.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an operating panel, a user determination part, an attribute setting part, a selection button forming part and a processing operation executing part. The setting part sets, to each process, a first-attribute permitting execution without a password, a second-attribute permitting execution with the password or a third-attribute not permitting execution. The forming part forms each button of each process, if a first-authorized user, and forms each button of each process with the first- or second-attribute and no button of the process with the third-attribute, if a second-authorized user. The executing part executes, when the first-authorized user selects the button or the second-authorized user selects the button of the process with the first-attribute, the process about the selected button, and executes, when the second-authorized user selects the button of the process with the second-attribute, the process about the selected button when a valid password is inputted.

Abstract: A composite document comprises a publicly posted composite document including a plurality of parts, a map-file for each participant in a workflow associated with the composite document, and a set of encryption keys. The encryption keys are associated with at least one of the plurality of parts and distributed via the map file to the participants. At least one of the parts of the composite document, associated with the encryption keys, includes workflow processing instructions. The workflow processing instructions are enactable by the multifunction printer independent of a server and automate at east some steps of the workflow for participant at the multifunction printer via resident functions of the multifunction printer.

Abstract: A tincture adjustment value used to adjust a monochrome signal to a tincture desired by a user is set, and a tincture conversion table and chromaticity line table are generated based on that tincture adjustment value and the profile of an image output apparatus. Using the generated tables, a lightness signal L* corresponding to an input monochrome signal is converted into a distance signal l on a chromaticity line, and the distance signal l is converted into a chromaticity signal (a*, b*). The lightness signal L* and chromaticity signal (a*, b*) are converted into a color signal of the image output apparatus.

Abstract: Text data is acquired from print request data, print content is expressed as raster data and print data is generated using a printer command based on the print request data, the acquired text data is added to the print data using the command, and the print data is sent with the text data to the printer.

Abstract: A communication system has a printer that connects for a first to a wireless network; and a terminal device that has a second wireless communication unit for communication, and registers connection settings related to connecting to the wireless network in the printer. The terminal communicates with the printer by the second wireless communication unit and configures connection settings in the printer, connects by the second wireless communication unit to the wireless network, and can request the printer to execute a specific operation through the wireless network.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of selecting power states that suit user's intention for a low-power state and a job executable state. A first power-saving state or a second power-saving state in which a smaller amount of power is consumed than in the first power-saving state is set as a power-saving state to which the printing apparatus is shifted when a shifting factor is detected. A first returning method for returning the printing apparatus from the power-saving state when a returning factor that causes the printing apparatus to return from the power-saving state is detected, or a second returning method for returning the printing apparatus from the power-saving state when a function to be used is selected on a function selecting screen displayed in response to detecting the returning factor is set. When the first power-saving state has been set, the first returning method is set.

Abstract: Degrees of wear of each of common components in respective printing apparatuses is acquired, the common components being used in a plurality of printing apparatuses. Print processing that the respective printing apparatuses are caused to execute is determined, based on the acquired degree of wear of a component for which a maintenance time is long among the common components, in the respective printing apparatuses. A printing apparatus is caused to execute print processing, based on this determination.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a print server system which suitably performs control of registration of a printer in accordance with a result of a determination as to whether an environment in which the printer is used corresponds to an enterprise environment. When the printer has been registered in a print service and a proxy is an enterprise supporting proxy, the printer is not registered whereas when the printer has been registered in the print service and the proxy is not the enterprise supporting proxy, multiple registration of the printer is performed by redundantly storing information on the printer.

Abstract: Provided are: an identifying process unit that calculates a product set of rendering instructions for objects included in a processing-target page and rendering instructions for objects included in a page different from the processing-target page; a blank sheet determining unit that identifies a body object and that determines whether the body object has been identified, the body object being obtained by excluding the objects corresponding to the rendering instructions included in the product set from objects included in the processing-target page; and a RIP processing unit that generates raster data after excluding a page for which a determination has been made that the body object has not been identified.