Abstract: A plurality of image forming apparatuses connected with one another via a network each have a power management table A and a power management table B. Each image forming apparatus uses the power management table A to cumulate power amounts consumed therein by each user group, transmits cumulating results (the contents of the management table A) to other image forming apparatuses. The image forming apparatus receives the contents of the power management table A from the other image forming apparatuses, obtains a sum of consumption power amounts of each user group, using the received contents and the contents of its own power management table A, and updates relevant fields in the power management table B. The image forming apparatus prohibits execution of a new job submitted by a group whose consumption power amount is equal to or greater than a maximum power amount.

Abstract: A print control method performs print processing in an optical operation mode that is automatically determined in response to a print request from an application program. The print control method queries a user about evaluation of print speed or the result of printing obtained in the print processing, and obtains a response to the query. When performing print processing in response to a later print request, the operation mode is determined based on the response. The print control method generates print data in intermediate condition which is not dependent on a particular page description language, and performs print processing based on the result of analyzing the print data.

Abstract: A plurality of image production processing parts each of which generates drawing data for image drawing processing from image drawing instructions obtained through data compression. A dividing part which divides the given image drawing instructions into a plurality of sets of image drawing instructions without decompressing them in such a manner that each set of image drawing instructions can be processed by any of the plurality of image producing processing part without referring to any other set of image drawing instructions. A distributing part which distributes the plurality of sets of image drawing instructions to the plurality of image production processing parts.

Abstract: A method and system for outputting data from a computer to an output device, such as a computer, defines a master document in which variable and static data areas are defined. A variable data area is marked and variable data is inserted thereinto to provide a data stream with variable and static data. The marking is used to remove the variable data from the static data. The separated variable and static data is transmitted to the output device such as the printer. The static data is stored at the printer and is not sent to the printer for subsequent documents. The variable data is joined with the static data document by document in the printer.

Abstract: An illumination lens applies a laser beam emitted from a laser light source onto a light valve. The laser beam divided into a number of beams and modulated in the light valve is reflected by a total internal reflection prism so that the optical path thereof is bent, and thereafter passes through a zoom lens to be focused on a recording medium mounted on the surface of a drum. At this time, an image of a single pixel is recorded with a plurality of adjacent laser beams in a subscanning direction (direction of arrangement of the laser beams). The image can be recorded on the recording medium with sufficient power density.

Abstract: A printer controller generates pattern data to be printed by a printer engine for use in carrying out a tone adjusting process. The printer controller includes a memory which stores reference tone patterns and tone adjusting patterns, a selecting section for selecting a dot size of one of the reference tone patterns to be printed, the dot size being determined by a number of pixels forming each dot, and a generating section for generating and outputting to the printer engine the one of the reference tone patterns by the dot size selected by the selecting section and tone adjusting patterns having tones falling within a predetermined range with respect to a reference tone of the one of the reference tone patterns, based on the reference tone patterns and the tone adjusting patterns stored in the memory.

Abstract: In color conversion definition creating method and color conversion definition creating apparatus for creating a color conversion definition defining a relation of data conversion between RGB data for a printer and CMYK data for printing to perform printing in which a color of an image outputted by a printer receiving the RGB data and outputting the image is reproduced, a data conversion algorithm 60, in which color conversion parameters customized by a skilled person in color customizing are set up, is used to determine a curve of K on a gray axis (a first K-function creating section 54), and the data conversion algorithm 60 is altered into a color conversion algorithm faithful in colorimetry as to K to determine values of K of the whole color spaces (a second K-function creating section 54). With respect to C, M and Y besides K, values are determined so that calorimetric values are matched.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for printing an electronic document by automatically printing more than two pages from the electronic document on each side of a sheet of output. The pages that are printed on each sheet of output are automatically arranged in such a manner that when the sheets of output are folded, the pages appear in the correct numerical order. The sheets of output are automatically folded. The edges of the folded sheets of output are automatically trimmed, and the sheets of output are automatically bound together along one edge to form a book.

Abstract: A process for formatting printable information orders selected data objects, document pages or images, to create a new document, where pages may be of uniform dimension and page orientation or varying in one or both of dimension and page orientation. Groups of pages are imposed on sheets so that the sequence of the printed pages matches the page sequence of the created document after post-printing processing. A method of imposing the differently shaped and sized printable pages on sheets divides an image of a sheet into separate slots and places a page into each slot by placing an image of the page in each slot. Alignment, offset and scaling settings are applied to individual slots, rows, columns or all slots. A variety of other layout and job options are set before printing. In a distributed system, the software, accessible from any workstation, is housed on a server.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus of this invention has a vector conversion unit that converts raster data obtained by scanning graphics into vector data, an enclosed area extraction unit that extracts enclosed areas when the enclosed areas consist of line graphics, an enclosed area extracting unit that extracts the enclosed areas, a vector color detecting unit that detects colors of line graphics, and an enclosed area color detection unit that detects the colors inside the enclosed areas, wherein the vector data and the color information inside an enclosed area are handled together as a package. The line widths of line graphics are detected by a line width detection unit. Therefore, the information concerning the vector data and the line width of a line graphic are also handled together as a package.

Abstract: A rotated representation of an image is printed by using a coordinate system to assign tile divisions to the image. The size of the tile divisions are selected to maintain their area equal to, or less, than a predetermined maximum. Each segment of the image, as defined by the tile delineations, is sent separately to a data processing unit for processing. The received tile is assigned new coordinate dictating its new target position on a printed page, and its relation to the other tiles. The tile is itself further rotated prior to being send to the printer.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to enable the user to judge whether the print is executed or not by informing the user of a print time which is required for a printing process before starting the printing. The print time which is required for the printing process is estimated before starting the printing process on the basis of draw information based on a print document that is formed by an application and print set information at the time of executing the printing process of the print data.

Abstract: Comprising a data reader 31 for reading digital camera image data, a means 32 for setting, for example, the number of prints, a plurality of printers 33, a printer selector 34 for selecting which of the plurality of printers to use, and a controller 35 for sending a specific control signal to the printer selector 34 and image data to a specific printer 33 based on the information set by the setting means 32, each printer 33 is provided with an image processing circuit 36 for processing the read image data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printer which performs efficient power save control by keeping track of the condition of each client of the printer without having to send wasteful packets, that is, without affecting the network environment. The printer includes: a unit for monitoring packets flowing on a network, and for updating and storing a client-associated last receive time each time a packet is received from any client of the printer; a unit for determining, by referring to the stored client-associated last receive time, that any client from whose associated last receive time has elapsed a prescribed time is in an idle condition, and for computing a printer usage rate by summing the past average usage rates of the clients that have been determined not to be in an idle condition; and a unit for setting, based on the computed printer usage rate, the length of time allowed before a transition is made to the power save mode.

Abstract: A storage medium, an information processing apparatus and an information processing method enabling a user to perform parameter setting with high degree of freedom. To accomplish this purpose, one “preferences” is selected from a list 71 of plural “preferences” registered for plural setting items, and it is selected by using a check box 78 whether parameter of all the plural setting items are to be reflected or parameters of items other than predetermined items are to be reflected.

Abstract: A printing system and method for printing selected images on a web page. The web page is automatically analyzed to identify image files associated with the web page, and the image files are automatically filtering according to predetermined criteria so as to identify qualified image files. At least one of the qualified image files is selected for printing, and then printed. A proof sheet having an image identifier and a corresponding selection area or image specifier for each image file may be printed. Selection areas of the proof sheet can be marked to indicate the image files to be printed and then optically scanned to detect the images selected for printing, or the image specifiers can be entered into the printing system to specify the images selected for printing.

Abstract: A communication apparatus is connected to a terminal apparatus via a network. The communication apparatus includes a detector that detects at least a part of the communication apparatus to obtain status information regarding the detected pair of the communication apparatus. A memory configured to store a homepage generated by a HTML file, the homepage including function information which indicates at least one function provided in the communication apparatus, and status information which indicates the detected status of a part of the communication apparatus. The detector generates a latest status information to be stored in the memory when a change in the status of the part of the communication apparatus occurs. A communicator is configured to transmit the homepage to the terminal apparatus when a request for the homepage is received from the terminal apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming device comprising a job storage means 11 connected to a network for storing jobs input through the network composed of a group of image data to be output, a job select means 12 for selecting various arbitrary jobs out of the jobs stored to the job storage means, a job output means 13 for combining the jobs selected by the job select means and outputting the same as one job, an output form comparison means 14 for comparing each of the image output forms of each job selected by said job select means, and a display means 16 for notifying that a job having different output form compared to the other forms of jobs is included in the selected jobs.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing out contents carried on broadcast signals onto paper, which comprises a receiving unit for receiving the broadcast signals; a detecting unit for detecting designated contents, which are designated for printing, from contents carried on the broadcast signals received by the receiving unit; and a printing unit for printing out the designated contents detected by the detecting unit onto paper.

Abstract: Documents are processed collectively by multiple printing devices. A printing device receives a request to print a document, and partitions the document into one or more blocks. The printing device communicates, to each of one or more additional printing devices, at least one of the one or more blocks. The additional printing devices convert the portions they receive to a print-ready format, and return the portions in the print-ready format to the printing device. The printing device uses the portions in print-ready format received from the additional printing devices to print the document.