Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide techniques whereby a printer driver may be modified and supplemented over time. For example, a framework may be provided which enables a printer driver's functionality to be supplemented over time to include new and/or enhanced features, such as features relating to the manner in which the capabilities of a printer are configured, print settings are manipulated, information is presented to users, print-related system events are handled, etc. In some embodiments, one or more components (which may be included in a print subsystem provided by an operating system of a computing device, in a printer driver, and/or some other system element) may be configured to automatically seek and acquire configuration data from any of various sources, including the printer device, one or more online sources, and/or other sources.

Abstract: An image reader device reads images from pages of a document based on a read parameter for a current page, and outputs first image data. The first image data is processed based on an image processing parameter for the current page, to output second image data. A storage unit stores the second image data, the read parameter for a subsequent page, and the image processing parameter for the subsequent page. The stored read parameter for the subsequent page is provided directly to an image reading unit upon completion of the image read processing of the current page. The stored image processing parameter for the subsequent page is provided directly to an image processing unit upon completion of the image processing of the current page.

Abstract: A control portion of an image forming apparatus includes an internal control portion to execute a process predetermined for an internal command, a first application executing portion, and an application control portion to convert an application command output from one of second application executing portions into an internal command for output to the internal control portion. The application control portion includes a current task setting portion to set a second application executing portion to a currently selected state, and an arbitration portion to output operation identification information of a common operation accepted, to the second application executing portion currently selected.

Abstract: An original reading apparatus including: a light source configured to illuminate an original; a line image sensor configured to convert light reflected from the original into an analog output signal; an AD converter configured to convert the analog output signal output from the line image sensor into a digital output signal; a control device configured to control the line image sensor and the AD converter; and a variable gain amplifier provided inside the line image sensor, for adjusting a signal range of the analog output signal.

Abstract: A confirmation time at which confirmation processing for confirming whether firmware applicable to an image forming apparatus is managed by a delivery server and an application time at which the firmware is applied to the image forming apparatus are set in advance by an operation unit of the image forming apparatus, and an update control unit performs the confirmation processing at an actual confirmation time which is acquired by shifting the confirmation time, and if firmware applicable to the image forming apparatus is managed by the delivery server, the firmware is downloaded from the delivery server, and the firmware is stored in a storage device, and the update control unit applies the stored firmware to the image forming apparatus at the application time.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus recommends a template having a sense of unity through an entirety to each image when a user creates an album. The information processing apparatus includes a selection unit configured to select a template for arranging any one of the plurality of images based on imaging locations of a plurality of images to be used in the album, and an arranging unit configured to arrange the plurality of images to the plurality of templates selected by the selection unit, respectively.

Abstract: A print data processing apparatus performs detection as to whether or not an identical resource is duplicated and described within print data. In a case where there is duplicated description, the duplicated resource is deleted from its second occurrence onward and the print objects are consolidated, the duplicated resources are deconstructed into individual resources and registered in a format that can be referenced in common from multiple print objects.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus, which is connected to an external device and which forms an image based on a print data sent from the external device, includes a request receiving section for receiving a check request for a print setting associated with the print data; a response section for responding to the external device with an answer to the check request having received by the request receiving section; a data receiving section for receiving the print data from the external device after the response section responds to the external device; a printing section for carrying out printing for the print data received by the data receiving section; and a preparation operation section for executing a preparation operation for printing based on the print data after the request receiving section receives the check request and before the data receiving section receives the print data.

Abstract: A scan movement indicator in which light directed toward an indicating unit or external light entering through the indicating unit does not penetrate a scanning area so that improved quality of a scanning and printing operation is provided, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The scan movement indicator includes a light source unit disposed in a scan unit which is movable in a main body of an image forming apparatus, an indicating unit disposed in the main body of the image forming apparatus along a moving direction of the scan unit, and having a portion of the indicating unit that is brightened by light from the light source, and a light blocking unit to block light directed toward the indicating unit or external light entering through the indicating unit from penetrating into a scanning area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a setting screen displaying portion to display a setting screen having a setting value setting area, an input screen displaying portion, responsive to designation of a position within a prescribed area determined by the setting area in the setting screen while the setting screen is being displayed, to display an input screen including input key images to be overlaid on the setting screen, a first setting value accepting portion to accept a value corresponding to the input key image designated by the user in the input screen, an operation accepting portion including hard keys, a second setting value accepting portion to accept a value corresponding to the hard key designated by the user, and a display terminating portion, responsive to acceptance of an operation of enabling the operation accepting portion while the input screen is being displayed, to terminate the display of the input screen.

Abstract: A search screen information processing system includes a display device, an input device, and a computer, and displays imposition templates acquired in search screen information based on a processing sequence of the computer. The search screen information processing system displays, as search screen information, a search condition menu display area in which search contents information corresponding to a plurality of search conditions can be entered, and imposition templates that agree with a plurality of entered pieces of search contents information. Further, the search screen information processing system creates folders based on the search contents information, constructs layers according to an order in which the search conditions are entered, and displays a plurality of folders based on layers in the search condition menu display area.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for dynamic print server generation in a distributed printing environment. A data store may store multiple operating systems. A central server computer system is in communication with the data store. The central server computer system may receive notification of a print job, select a printer for the print job, map a stored driver to the selected printer, select an operating system associated with the driver from the data store, and dynamically load the operating system associated with the driver to generate a print server for the print job.

Abstract: A sensing device including: a sensing section having an illuminating section that illuminates light and a light-receiving section that receives reflected light of light illuminated from the illuminating section, the sensing section sensing an image on a recording medium; a housing that accommodates the illuminating section; a covering member covering the housing, that is freely installed at and removed from the housing, having a transmitting member through which the light from the illuminating section is transmitted; and a setting section disposed at an opposite side to a housing side with respect to the covering member, the setting section being freely installed at and removed from the housing, and having a setting surface that sets a position at which the recording medium reflects light, wherein, at a positioning portion of the setting section, the covering member is positioned at least in a direction perpendicular to the setting surface, is provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a chart creation section, an input section, and a color shift correction section. The image forming section includes a plurality of image forming units that individually form images of different colors. The chart creation section inputs, to the image forming section, the image data of a chart including first lines containing a reference color and a stepped image located between the first lines and that has second lines containing an adjustment color. The input section receives the input of an adjustment value selected based on a chart formed by the image forming section. In response to the adjustment value, the color shift correction section moves the image forming position of the image forming unit forming the image of the adjustment color with respect to the image forming position of the image forming unit forming the image of the reference color.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to a method and system for increasing the throughput of mail processing machines by limiting the number of document processing system stops while effectively allowing errors to be reconciled during the continued operation of the system. More particularly, the present approach involves logging detected errors during an ongoing document processing run. The detected errors are analyzed for priority, and the operator is alerted to take corrective action during run time for specified errors. The reported errors may be reconciled prior to the completion of the document processing run.

Abstract: A method for enhancing appearance of a halftone image (204) for imaging on a flexographic plate (108) includes retrieving the halftone image from a data storage device (132); setting a minimal dot size value for printing; analyzing the halftone image with a computer (130); detecting areas (404) in the halftone image populated with a plurality of dots smaller than the minimal dot size value; replacing the plurality of dots with a reduced set of dots wherein each of the reduced set of dots are larger in size (504) than the plurality of dots and wherein each of the reduced set of dots maintains an original geometric characteristics of the plurality of dots; and saving the reduced set of dots.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a display unit; an icon storing unit which stores a plurality of icons and a plurality of dates while being associated with each other; an extracting unit which extracts an icon, which is associated with dates within a time period among a plurality of first time periods, from the icon storing unit; a display controller which controls the display unit to display a plurality of period names corresponding to the plurality of first time periods and the extracted icon; and a selecting unit which selects a period name from among the period names displayed on the display unit; and a printing unit which prints a data file which relates to dates within the time period corresponding to the period name selected by the selecting unit.

Abstract: When print data transmitted by a PC is accumulated in a printing server, the printing server creates display data for displaying on the PC an image based on the print data and an image corresponding to an advertisement image to be added to the image, and transmits the display data to the PC. When print data is created so that an image is printed on only the front side of a recording paper, image data is created so that an advertisement image is printed on the reverse side of the recording paper. The PC previews an image on the surface and an image on the reverse side based on the received display data on an LCD of a display section.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using conversion arrays to transform image in print jobs to different color depths. In one embodiment, the system stores a plurality of conversion arrays for converting images of print jobs encoded according to a page description language. The system receives a print job encoded according to the page description language, locates an image in the encoded print job, and identifies an existing color depth of the image, a pel color range, and a desired output color depth for the image. The system further selects a conversion array from the memory based on at least one of the existing color depth of the image, the pel color range, and the desired output color depth, and converts the image from the existing color depth of the image to the desired output color depth using the conversion array. The system further transmits the converted image for printing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is connected to an image reading apparatus which reads a read area set on a scanner platen in accordance with a size of a document placed on the scanner platen so as to create image data in which an image of the document is shown. The image processing apparatus includes a document detection section and an instruction section. The document detection section creates, based on the image data supplied from the image reading apparatus, document area information indicative of an area where the document is placed on the scanner platen. In a case where the area indicated by the document area information is not completely encompassed by the read area, the instruction section sets a reread area which completely encompasses the area indicated by the document area information and causes the image reading apparatus to read the reread area.