Abstract: A service providing system is for providing a service that is in cooperation with a printing service that is provided by an external printing system. The service providing system includes a job obtaining unit configured, when receiving from the printing system a notification representing that a print job is created by the printing service, to obtain the print job from the printing system; a job managing unit configured to store, in a job storage unit, the print job obtained by the job obtaining unit; and a job transmitting unit configured to transmit the print job stored in the job storage unit in response to a print job request from an image forming apparatus that is coupled to the service providing system via a network.

Abstract: A service providing system is for providing a service that is in cooperation with a printing service that is provided by an external printing system. The service providing system includes a job obtaining unit configured, when receiving from the printing system a notification representing that a print job is created by the printing service, to obtain the print job from the printing system; a job managing unit configured to store, in a job storage unit, the print job obtained by the job obtaining unit; and a job transmitting unit configured to transmit the print job stored in the job storage unit in response to a print job request from an image forming apparatus that is coupled to the service providing system via a network.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus for inspecting an image output on a recording medium. The image inspection apparatus includes processing circuitry that obtains data of an output-target image used by an image forming apparatus to conduct an image forming operation, generates read data from the data of the output-target image, and generates an inspection reference image from the data of the output-target image. The apparatus also performs position alignment between the read image and the inspection reference image, conducts an inspection which determines a defect in the read image based on the difference of the aligned read image and the inspection reference image, and determines whether a position alignment defect exists in the read image based on the defect detected during inspection.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus for inspecting an image output on a recording medium. The image inspection apparatus includes processing circuitry that obtains data of an output-target image used by an image forming apparatus to conduct an image forming operation, generates read data from the data of the output-target image, and generates an inspection reference image from the data of the output-target image. The apparatus also performs position alignment between the read image and the inspection reference image, conducts an inspection which determines a defect in the read image based on the difference of the aligned read image and the inspection reference image, and determines whether a position alignment defect exists in the read image based on the defect detected during inspection.

Abstract: In a printer controller, an obtaining unit automatically obtains the configuration of each station. Based on the obtaining result of the obtaining unit, a table creating unit creates a table of setting information for each data control unit as well as creates a table of setting information for an image output control unit; and sends the table of the setting information for the data control unit to the data control units and sends the table of the settings information for the image output control unit to the image output control unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a controller; and an engine including a first printing unit and a second printing unit. Each of the first and second printing units includes a data management unit configured to manage a piece of image data transferred from an upper level apparatus, one or more output units, and an output control unit configured to output an image based on the piece of image data to one of the one or more output units. The controller is configured to receive control information indicating a printing condition from the upper level apparatus, produce print management tables for the respective pieces of image data, on the basis of the control information, cause the upper level apparatus to transfer the pieces of image data to the data management units on the basis of the print management tables, respectively.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes one or more print execution units each including a plurality of storage units configured to receive and storage pieces of image data transferred from a higher level apparatus via a first transfer path, respectively, a plurality of image forming units configured to form an image on a print medium in accordance with the pieces of image data stored in the storage units, and a selection unit configured to select a path for transferring a piece of image data stored in the storage units for each of the image forming units; and a print control unit configured to control the print execution units to print the image data in accordance with control information transferred from the higher level apparatus via a second transfer path. The selection unit selects the path in accordance with configuration information indicating configuration of all of the one or more print execution units.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus for inspecting an image output on a recording medium. The image inspection apparatus includes processing circuitry that obtains data of an output-target image used by an image forming apparatus to conduct an image forming operation, generates read data from the data of the output-target image, and generates an inspection reference image from the data of the output-target image. The apparatus also performs position alignment between the read image and the inspection reference image, conducts an inspection which determines a defect in the read image based on the difference of the aligned read image and the inspection reference image, and determines whether a position alignment defect exists in the read image based on the defect detected during inspection.

Abstract: In a printer controller, an obtaining unit automatically obtains the configuration of each station. Based on the obtaining result of the obtaining unit, a table creating unit creates a table of setting information for each data control unit as well as creates a table of setting information for an image output control unit; and sends the table of the setting information for the data control unit to the data control units and sends the table of the settings information for the image output control unit to the image output control unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes one or more print execution units each including a plurality of storage units configured to receive and storage pieces of image data transferred from a higher level apparatus via a first transfer path, respectively, a plurality of image forming units configured to form an image on a print medium in accordance with the pieces of image data stored in the storage units, and a selection unit configured to select a path for transferring a piece of image data stored in the storage units for each of the image forming units; and a print control unit configured to control the print execution units to print the image data in accordance with control information transferred from the higher level apparatus via a second transfer path. The selection unit selects the path in accordance with configuration information indicating configuration of all of the one or more print execution units.

Abstract: A printing device includes a plurality of holding units connected to an upper level device for generating image data, via a plurality of first transfer paths, respectively; a control unit configured to divide the image data into a plurality of blocks and transfer division pieces of image data corresponding respectively to the blocks to the respective holding units via the first transfer paths to cause the holding units to hold the division pieces of image data, the number of blocks being equal to the number of holding units; and a printing unit configured to print the division pieces of image data read out from the holding units on a same page.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a controller; and an engine including a first printing unit and a second printing unit. Each of the first and second printing units includes a data management unit configured to manage a piece of image data transferred from an upper level apparatus, one or more output units, and an output control unit configured to output an image based on the piece of image data to one of the one or more output units. The controller is configured to receive control information indicating a printing condition from the upper level apparatus, produce print management tables for the respective pieces of image data, on the basis of the control information, cause the upper level apparatus to transfer the pieces of image data to the data management units on the basis of the print management tables, respectively.