Abstract: A raster-imaging processing (RIP) time is predicted for each of a number of pages to be printed in printed-page number order. The pages are sorted based at least on when RIP should be finished for each page. The pages are dispatched to RIP components for RIP at least substantially in an order in which the pages have been sorted. Each page is dispatched to a next RIP component that is available. A RIP component is available for a given page to be dispatched thereto where a total size of the RIP component's output buffer minus space within this output buffer taken up by any pages ordered after the given page in the printed-page number order is greater than the needed space to store the given page. The pages as have been raster-image processed are retrieved from the output buffers in the printed-page number order and transmitted to a printing device.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, each capable of controlling display based on user instruction.

Abstract: Layout candidates to lay out and print a plurality of input jobs on one print sheet are created. Cutting lines on the print sheet and the number of times of rotation of the print sheet necessary in the cutting process are decided for a layout defined by each created layout candidate. Cutting difficulty corresponding to each layout candidate is calculated for each created layout candidate on the basis of the decided number of cutting lines and the decided number of times of rotation. A layout candidate having the lowest cutting difficulty among calculated cutting difficulties is selected as a layout for the jobs. Print data to print the jobs is generated on the basis of the selected layout.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for partial job interrupt of an on-going first print job to cause a contemporaneous parallel printing of a second print job. A plurality of marking engines associated with the storage device for receiving and storing a plurality of print jobs in queue, executes a first print job and outputs the sheets to an assigned first sheet output. A user determines that a second print job sent to the system and stored in the queue behind the first print job will be undesirably delayed and so interrupts the first print job by limiting the executing of the first print job to less than all of the plurality of print engines within the printing system. An output of the first print job is maintained at the first job sheet output. The second print job can then be contemporaneously executed with the execution of the first print job with available print engines interrupted from the first print job.

Abstract: A method is described for managing a print shop system in which a plurality of printers are connected to and managed by a server. When a document to be printed contains both color and black and white pages, the server splits the print job into a color and a black and white sub-job. Each print job includes a job ticket containing a plurality of parameters and the document to be printed. The server splits the original print job by generating a color sub-document and a black and white sub-document based the color characteristics of the pages of the original document, and generating a color sub-job ticket and a black and white sub-job ticket based on the original job-ticket parameters, by suitably retaining some original parameters, overriding some, deleting some, retaining some with page shifting, and adding some parameters. The two sub-jobs are printed by two different printers and then merged.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment system with hand-out terminals is described. An embodiment of the invention comprises a server having digital content, which is communicatively linked to a communications network, a connector located proximate to each passenger seat of an aircraft, each connector being communicatively linked to the network, and hand-out terminals. Each hand-out terminal is configured to be coupled to one of the connectors to permit a passenger at the seat to which the connector is proximate to access the digital content.

Abstract: To improve work efficiency and reduce work costs, automatic transmission/reception and conversion of a print job can be performed (without requiring manual work) among plural printing systems having different functions. An information processing apparatus, connected to plural printing systems, can create a job ticket for a second system based on a job ticket and content data for a first system and device function information for the second system.

Abstract: An apparatus receives printing structured document data relating to data broadcasting, that has been described in a markup language. The received printing structured document data is parsed, and layout information for printing is extracted. The descriptions relating to printing that are included in the printing structured document data are changed into descriptions which can be parsed by a browser application capable of displaying contents described in a markup language, using the layout information. Thus, when printing data broadcast data in digital broadcasting, a suitable preview display can be made of printing data which has been generated from printing structured document data described in a markup language, using browser functions of a digital TV, before performing printing output of printing data.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printing system, printing method, printing apparatus, and driver capable of printing at high-speed even when a transfer data amount increases. According to the system, in a host apparatus, a compression pattern of image data is generated. Image data corresponding to one print scan of a printhead is compressed by using the generated compression pattern. The generated compression pattern and the compressed image data corresponding to one print scan of the printhead are transferred to a printing apparatus. In a printing apparatus that executes multi-pass printing, the transferred compression pattern and the compressed image data are received. The received compression pattern is stored into a memory as a decompression pattern. The received compressed image data is decompressed by using the stored decompression pattern and stored in a print buffer. Multi-pass printing is executed by scanning the printhead by using the image data stored in the print buffer.

Abstract: A developer consumption determining method for determining a developer consumption of an image forming apparatus includes the steps of dividing one of writing pixels into a plurality of sub-pixels in a main scanning direction, determining a weighting coefficient for each of surrounding sub-pixels of one of the sub-pixels located within a predetermined distance from the one of the sub-pixels on the basis of positional relationships, determining respective emission coefficients for the surrounding sub-pixels on the basis of one of durations and exposures of the light beams applied to the surrounding sub-pixels, summing products of the weighting coefficients of the surrounding sub-pixels and the respective emission coefficients to obtain total exposure for the one of the sub-pixels, repeating for all of the sub-pixels the steps of determining the weighting coefficient, determining respective emission coefficients, and summing products, and summing the total exposures for all the sub-pixels to determine the devel

Abstract: A recording apparatus configured to record on a recording medium by using a recording head, includes a first storage unit that stores input data including a command and a first image data, a reading unit that reads out the command and the first image data stored in the first storage unit by using a first pointer, a generating unit that converts the first image data read out from the first storage unit and generate a second image data, a second storage unit that stores the second image data generated in the generating unit, a determining unit that determines whether an amount of data stored in the first storage unit reaches a predetermined value by using a second pointer, and a recording unit that starts a scan for recording after the determining unit determines that the amount of data stored in the first storage unit reaches the predetermined value.

Abstract: A network printer for users printing documents in the Internet contains a keypad, when a user on the keypad enters a number, the printer sends the number to a first server; the first Internet server translates the number into the URL of a document in a second server in the Internet, and sends the URL to the printer; according to the URL, the printer retrieves the document from the second server via Internet, and prints the document.

Abstract: A method is provided for printing and regenerating mailpiece content material in a mailpiece creation system having a controller for modulating the flow of data a printing device. The method comprising the steps of producing an electronic version of the mailpiece content material and generating print stream data indicative of the mailpiece content material. The print stream is then segmented into data sets/packets indicative of a self-contained pages of mailpiece content material. The data packets each include page-based data and an object-data dictionary associated with the page-based data. The data packets are then stored as electronic files in an electronic buffer and, from the electronic buffer, transmitted during a first data transmission to the integrated printer. After the pages are printed, the electronic files of self-contained pages are moved from the electronic buffer to a storage device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for rendering graphics objects in a frame memory, which includes a line memory for storing dot image data for each scan line of the graphics objects, a deciding unit that decides a position of a difference pixel having different values of corresponding pixels between the scan line stored in the line memory and a target scan line immediately thereafter, and a difference updating unit that, of the dot image data stored in the line memory, updates a value of the difference pixel decided by the deciding unit to the value of the pixel in the target scan line.

Abstract: In an image transfer system that an information terminal device and a plurality of printers are connected to a network to be able to output image data in the information terminal device to any of the printers through the network, the information terminal device broadcasts a searching inquiry request to each of the printers, each of the printers sends a searching inquiry response having an IP address of each of the printers relative to the searching inquiry request, and when a printer to output the image data in the information terminal device is selected from each of the printers, the printer sends a communication start request command to the information terminal device.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus relating to a media interaction device drive system having at least one reduced dimension are disclosed.

Abstract: The dark part of the gamut includes switching regions from light color materials to dark color materials, thus preferable results of colors of these regions cannot be obtained by color prediction based on interpolation. Hence, patches of grid points for dividing an input color space are printed on a medium, and the colorimetry results of the patches are obtained. Patches of some of the grid points and an additional point between these grid points are printed on a medium of the same type as the medium, and the colorimetry results of the patches are obtained. The colorimetric value of the additional point is interpolated based on those of grid points around the additional point in the first colorimetry using, as weights, the distances on the color space between the colorimetric value of the additional point and those of the grid points around the additional point in the second colorimetry.

Abstract: An image supply device and control method for supplying image data to a printing device by directly communicating with the printing device. The device and method include obtaining functional information of the printing device, obtaining printable range information indicating a printable range by the printing device, converting image data of a file to be printed in accordance with the printable range information and received printing specification information, and transmitting the converted image data to the printing device upon a data request from the printing device.

Abstract: There are provided a method and a device for creating print data, a program for creating print data, and a recording medium capable of accurately adjusting the position of the print image of pre-printing with the print image of post-printing when performing CTP printing, regardless of generation of fan-out, without performing control of the position correction of the imaging device in the printing plate creation device or without correcting the image position when creating a printing plate of the data for creating digitized printing plate. Deformation information on the direction of expansion/contraction to be performed on an object to be printed is set and expansion/contraction correction of the direction corresponding to the expansion/contraction is performed for the image type data on the print data according to the corresponding position data the deformation information.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an image processing unit that produces a plurality of sample images of a certain image in correspondence to values for at least one parameter for processing the certain image; a sheet forming unit that forms a setting sheet used for setting the at least one parameter, the setting sheet including the sample images arranged in a predetermined order, the number of the sample images being smaller than the number of the values for the at least one parameter; and a printing unit that prints the setting sheet formed by the sheet forming unit. Accordingly, even if there are many image-processing parameters or if the allowable range of the value for each parameter is wide, the image-processing parameter values can be readily set.