Abstract: An image forming apparatus, a system, and a method. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming engine to form an image on a recording medium, interrupts an image formation by the image forming engine in response to a malfunction, detects a recording medium on which the image formation is interrupted, and notifies an external device of a detection result of the recording medium.

Abstract: A printed material, an image forming apparatus, and a data acquisition device. The printed material includes a printed confidential information image visible under a special condition, and an information image having information on a position of the confidential information image. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form an image on a recording medium to form the printed material. The data acquisition device includes circuitry, and the circuitry is configured to acquire confidential information from the confidential information image on the printed, specify the position of the confidential information image from the information image, and display position information of the confidential information image.

Abstract: A printing system includes an image forming apparatus capable of performing visible printing and invisible printing and a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus includes first circuitry. The first circuitry adds a printing command instructing to invisibly print an image of a two-dimensional code obtained by two-dimensionally encoding a print target image to print data generated based on the print target image. The first circuitry transmits, to the image forming apparatus, the print data to which the printing command is added. The image forming apparatus including second circuitry. The second circuitry visibly prints the print target image based on the print data transmitted from the terminal apparatus, and invisibly prints the image of the two-dimensional code according to the printing command added.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and circuitry. The image forming device forms an image with colorants of different colors. The circuitry determines whether there is a possibility that a shortage of a colorant adhesion amount occurs in primary-color image formation using a colorant of a primary color and cause the image forming device to perform two-color image formation in which only secondary-color image formation using a colorant of a secondary color different from the colorant of the primary color is added to the primary-color image formation using the colorant of the primary color to form an image to be formed with the colorant of the primary color, when the circuitry determines that there is a possibility that the shortage of the colorant adhesion amount occurs in the primary-color image formation using the colorant of the primary color.

Abstract: A method of forming an image includes forming, on a recording medium (P), a special-light responsive image (201) that includes an image forming material including a special-light responsive image forming material that reacts to special light other than visible light and a special-light irresponsive image (202) that includes an image forming material including the special-light responsive image forming material. The special-light responsive image forming material of the special-light irresponsive image (202) is less than the special-light responsive image forming material of the special-light responsive image (201), and the special-light irresponsive image (202) is a prevention image that prevents visibility of the special-light responsive image (201). The forming includes forming an overlaid portion (203) in which at least a portion of one of the prevention image and the special-light responsive image (201) is overlaid on top of another one of the prevention image and the special-light responsive image (201).

Abstract: A printed material, an image forming apparatus, and a data acquisition device. The printed material includes a printed confidential information image visible under a special condition, and an information image having information on a position of the confidential information image. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form an image on a recording medium to form the printed material. The data acquisition device includes circuitry, and the circuitry is configured to acquire confidential information from the confidential information image on the printed, specify the position of the confidential information image from the information image, and display position information of the confidential information image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and circuitry. The image forming device forms an image with colorants of different colors. The circuitry determines whether there is a possibility that a shortage of a colorant adhesion amount occurs in primary-color image formation using a colorant of a primary color and cause the image forming device to perform two-color image formation in which only secondary-color image formation using a colorant of a secondary color different from the colorant of the primary color is added to the primary-color image formation using the colorant of the primary color to form an image to be formed with the colorant of the primary color, when the circuitry determines that there is a possibility that the shortage of the colorant adhesion amount occurs in the primary-color image formation using the colorant of the primary color.

Abstract: A method of forming an image includes forming, on a recording medium (P), a special-light responsive image (201) that includes an image forming material including a special-light responsive image forming material that reacts to special light other than visible light and a special-light irresponsive image (202) that includes an image forming material including the special-light responsive image forming material. The special-light responsive image forming material of the special-light irresponsive image (202) is less than the special-light responsive image forming material of the special-light responsive image (201), and the special-light irresponsive image (202) is a prevention image that prevents visibility of the special-light responsive image (201). The forming includes forming an overlaid portion (203) in which at least a portion of one of the prevention image and the special-light responsive image (201) is overlaid on top of another one of the prevention image and the special-light responsive image (201).

Abstract: A machine-readable, non-transitory recording medium, an image forming apparatus, and an information processing apparatus. The machine-readable, non-transitory recording medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the information processing apparatus to display a special color settings screen for setting an RGB value of drawing data to be printed in a special color included in print data to be transmitted to an image forming apparatus, generate the print data instructing printing of the RGB value set on the special color settings screen in the special color, and transmit the generated print data to the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus for performing printing in a plurality of colors. The image forming apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive first print data in which an object to be printed in a spot color is designated in a first area in a document to be printed and second print data of the document to be printed from an information processing apparatus; convert the second print data received by the communication unit into image data of a predetermined color; extract an image of the first area from the image data obtained by conversion of the drawing unit; convert the image of the first area extracted by the spot color image control unit into the spot color; and generate image data of the spot color in which the image of the first area converted by the conversion unit is placed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a fixing device, and circuitry is provided. The image forming unit is configured to perform a special image forming operation that forms a color toner image and a special toner image with a color toner and a special toner, respectively, on a recording medium and a normal image forming operation that forms the color toner image without forming the special toner image on the recording medium. The fixing device is configured to fix the color toner image and the special toner image on the recording medium. The circuitry is configured to perform, in the special image forming operation, a toner amount suppression control that makes an amount of the color toner on the recording medium per unit area smaller than that in the normal image forming operation.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes circuitry to control a display to display a setting screen for a background pattern that allows a user to designate a special consumable material as a color to be used for information specified as the background pattern; generate print data using the designated special consumable material; and transmit the print data to an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus for performing printing in a plurality of colors. The image forming apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive first print data in which an object to be printed in a spot color is designated in a first area in a document to be printed and second print data of the document to be printed from an information processing apparatus; convert the second print data received by the communication unit into image data of a predetermined color; extract an image of the first area from the image data obtained by conversion of the drawing unit; convert the image of the first area extracted by the spot color image control unit into the spot color; and generate image data of the spot color in which the image of the first area converted by the conversion unit is placed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a fixing device, and circuitry is provided. The image forming unit is configured to perform a special image forming operation that forms a color toner image and a special toner image with a color toner and a special toner, respectively, on a recording medium and a normal image forming operation that forms the color toner image without forming the special toner image on the recording medium. The fixing device is configured to fix the color toner image and the special toner image on the recording medium. The circuitry is configured to perform, in the special image forming operation, a toner amount suppression control that makes an amount of the color toner on the recording medium per unit area smaller than that in the normal image forming operation.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes circuitry to control a display to display a setting screen for a background pattern that allows a user to designate a special consumable material as a color to be used for information specified as the background pattern; generate print data using the designated special consumable material; and transmit the print data to an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit containing a special recording material and circuitry configured to control the image forming unit to form a hardly visible image on a recording medium with the special recording material. The hardly visible image is formed of a halftone dot image comprising isolated dots in a number smaller than that of isolated dots forming a visible image having the same image area ratio as the hardly visible image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a unit holder, and circuitry is provided. The image forming unit includes a color toner unit, a replaceable black toner unit, and a replaceable special toner unit that form a color toner image, a black toner image, and a special toner image, respectively. The unit holder selectively and detachably holds the replaceable black toner unit or the replaceable special toner unit. The circuitry controls the image forming unit to perform: a normal operation, when the unit holder holds the replaceable black toner unit, that forms a color-black image; a special operation, when the unit holder holds the replaceable special toner unit, that forms a color-special image; and a toner amount increase control that increases an amount of the color toner per unit area in the color toner image in the special operation than that in the normal operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a fixing device, and circuitry is provided. The image forming unit is configured to perform a special image forming operation that forms a color toner image and a special toner image with a color toner and a special toner, respectively, on a recording medium and a normal image forming operation that forms the color toner image without forming the special toner image on the recording medium. The fixing device is configured to fix the color toner image and the special toner image on the recording medium. The circuitry is configured to perform, in the special image forming operation, a toner amount suppression control that makes an amount of the color toner on the recording medium per unit area smaller than that in the normal image forming operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes circuitry to: receive an instruction for copying an image of a document from a user; acquire biometric information of the user; and embed user information in the image, the user information including one of the biometric information of the user and information for specifying the biometric information of the user; and an image forming device to print the image having the user information embedded, on a recording medium to output a copied image.

Abstract: A machine-readable, non-transitory recording medium, an image forming apparatus, and an information processing apparatus. The machine-readable, non-transitory recording medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the information processing apparatus to display a special color settings screen for setting an RGB value of drawing data to be printed in a special color included in print data to be transmitted to an image forming apparatus, generate the print data instructing printing of the RGB value set on the special color settings screen in the special color, and transmit the generated print data to the image forming apparatus.