Abstract: An image-forming system includes an image-forming apparatus arranged in a user environment and configured to execute a job to form an image on a sheet; a database arranged in a remote environment and configured to store history data of one or more jobs executed by the image-forming apparatus; a control unit configured to control execution of a job at the image-forming apparatus or control charging to a user based on an actual number of consumed sheets calculated based on the history data; a communication unit configured to, when a first job has caused a trouble of image-formation, transmit, in response to an instruction by a user, a modification request for modifying the database so that at least a sheet affected by the trouble is not taken into account in the actual number, the modification request including job-related information.

Abstract: An image-forming system includes: an image-forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium using a consumable material in a container device; an inhibiting mechanism capable of inhibiting supply of the consumable material from the container device to the image-forming apparatus or insertion of the container device into the image-forming apparatus; an obtainment unit configured to obtain a code unique to the container device in a state where the inhibiting mechanism inhibits the supply of the consumable material or the insertion of the container device; a server apparatus configured to perform authentication for the container device based on the code; and a control unit configured to set, when the authentication is successful, setting data related to the container device received from the server apparatus in the image-forming apparatus.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus manages a remaining number of sheets on which image forming is permitted, in an image-forming apparatus that forms images on sheets by using a consumable material, obtains first determination information for determining whether a holding device holding the consumable material is a first holding device or a second holding device, and determines, in a case where refilling the image-forming apparatus with the consumable material from the holding device is performed, whether the holding device used for the refilling is the first holding device, based on the first determination information of the holding device, and determines a refill amount of the consumable material with which the image-forming apparatus has been refilled.

Abstract: In a management system, an apparatus that is present in a user environment obtains a code that is specific to a device containing a consumable agent to be consumed for image formation or specific to a cartridge-type device insertable into an image-forming apparatus. A server apparatus that is present in a remote environment performs authentication for the device based on the code obtained by the apparatus. When the authentication performed by the server apparatus is successful, a replenishment path of the consumable agent from the device to the image-forming apparatus is opened or the replenishment path is allowed to be opened, or an inhibiting mechanism capable of inhibiting the device from being inserted into the image-forming apparatus is put in a state in which the device can be inserted.

Abstract: A transmission unit transmits driving force to be supplied from a motor to a roller pair. A switching unit acts on the transmission unit to switch a rotation direction of the roller pair by the driving force between a normal rotation and a reverse rotation. A control unit controls a rotation speed of the motor to convey the sheet at a second conveyance speed in a part of a first time period. The second conveyance speed is lower than a first conveyance speed. The first conveyance speed is a conveyance speed when the sheet is conveyed in the image forming unit. In the first time period the sheet having the image formed on the first surface is conveyed in a first direction. In a second time period the sheet is conveyed in a second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus obtains an evaluation value correlating to an internal temperature, decreases the internal temperature by temporarily stopping an image forming unit based on the evaluation value, continuously runs the image forming unit based on the evaluation value, and controls the image forming unit such that the image forming unit intermittently forms an image on a sheet by repeatedly starting and stopping the image forming unit in a temperature rising suppression period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus obtains an evaluation value correlating to an internal temperature, decreases the internal temperature by temporarily stopping an image forming unit based on the evaluation value, continuously runs the image forming unit based on the evaluation value, and controls the image forming unit such that the image forming unit intermittently forms an image on a sheet by repeatedly starting and stopping the image forming unit in a temperature rising suppression period.

Abstract: A transmission unit transmits driving force to be supplied from a motor to a roller pair. A switching unit acts on the transmission unit to switch a rotation direction of the roller pair by the driving force between a normal rotation and a reverse rotation. A control unit controls a rotation speed of the motor to convey the sheet at a second conveyance speed in a part of a first time period. The second conveyance speed is lower than a first conveyance speed. The first conveyance speed is a conveyance speed when the sheet is conveyed in the image forming unit. In the first time period the sheet having the image formed on the first surface is conveyed in a first direction. In a second time period the sheet is conveyed in a second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, a power source, a detection unit, and a fixing unit. The transfer member transfers a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member. The detection unit detects electric current flowing in the transfer member when the power source applies voltage to the transfer member. The fixing unit fixes a toner image to a transfer material by heat. The heat to the fixing unit is controlled where a subsequent transfer material conveyance stops after the transfer material is discharged from the fixing unit, in a case where a second current value, detected when voltage is applied to the transfer member contacting the fixing unit and the transfer member, is greater than a first current value detected when voltage is applied to the transfer member before the transfer material reaches the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, a power source, a detection unit, and a fixing unit. The transfer member transfers a toner image to a transfer material from the image bearing member. The detection unit detects electric current flowing in the transfer member when the power source applies voltage to the transfer member. The fixing unit fixes a toner image to a transfer material by heat. The heat to the fixing unit is controlled where a subsequent. transfer material conveyance stops after the transfer material is discharged from the fixing unit, in a case where a second current value, detected when voltage is applied to the transfer member contacting the fixing unit and the transfer member, is greater than a first current value detected. when voltage is applied to the transfer member before the transfer material reaches the fixing unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a raising and lowering portion, a first detecting portion, a feeding portion, a second detecting portion, and a controller. When a change in a state of the feeding roller from a state of being in an uppermost sheet feedable position to a state of being not in the uppermost sheet feedable position is detected by the second detecting portion and then a change in a state of the uppermost sheet from a state of being in a feeding position to a state of being not in the feeding position is detected by the first detecting portion, the controller controls the raising and lowering portion to raise the stacking member on the basis of a correction amount determined based on a time from change timing of the second detecting portion to change timing of the first detecting portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a raising and lowering portion, a first detecting portion, a feeding portion, a second detecting portion, and a controller. When a change in a state of the feeding roller from a state of being in an uppermost sheet feedable position to a state of being not in the uppermost sheet feedable position is detected by the second detecting portion and then a change in a state of the uppermost sheet from a state of being in a feeding position to a state of being not in the feeding position is detected by the first detecting portion, the controller controls the raising and lowering portion to raise the stacking member on the basis of a correction amount determined based on a time from change timing of the second detecting portion to change timing of the first detecting portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first through third control units, with the first for processing input image information and each of the second and third for controlling an operation of an image forming unit by communication with the first. In a first mode, in which power is supplied to the first through third control units, the first and third control units communicate via the second control unit. In a second mode, in which the first control unit does not communicate with the second control unit, the first and third control units communicate via a communication line without communicating via the second control unit. The power consumption of the second mode is lower than that of the first mode. In the second mode, the first and third control units can transmit information for transition from the second mode to the first mode to each other via the communication line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first through third control units, with the first for processing input image information and each of the second and third for controlling an operation of an image forming unit by communication with the first. In a first mode, in which power is supplied to the first through third control units, the first and third control units communicate via the second control unit. In a second mode, in which the first control unit does not communicate with the second control unit, the first and third control units communicate via a communication line without communicating via the second control unit. The power consumption of the second mode is lower than that of the first mode. In the second mode, the first and third control units can transmit information for transition from the second mode to the first mode to each other via the communication line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first through third control units, with the first for processing input image information and each of the second and third for controlling an operation of an image forming unit by communication with the first. In a first mode, in which power is supplied to the first through third control units, the first and third control units communicate via the second control unit. In a second mode, in which the first control unit does not communicate with the second control unit, the first and third control units communicate via a communication line without communicating via the second control unit. The power consumption of the second mode is lower than that of the first mode. In the second mode, the first and third control units can transmit information for transition from the second mode to the first mode to each other via the communication line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image controller that performs processing of input image information, an engine controller into which a first processing part and a second processing part are combined, and a power supply that supplies power to the engine controller. A mode of the image forming apparatus is switchable from a first mode that is a state of image formation or a stand-by state, to a second mode whose power consumption is smaller than a power consumption of the first mode. In addition, a switch unit switches between the first mode in which power is supplied to the second processing part from the power supply. The image controller and the first processing part communicate with each other through the second processing part in the first mode, or the image controller and the first processing part communicate with each other through a communication line but not through the second processing part in the second mode.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette which lifts up and lifts down a bottom plate each time when a paper is fed, a recording material sensor detects that no recording materials exist when the bottom plate rises over a predetermined position. Accordingly, by measuring a period of time when it is detected that no recording materials exist during a sheet feeding operation, a stacking amount of the recording materials in a sheet feeding cassette can be detected.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette which lifts up and lifts down a bottom plate each time when a paper is fed, a recording material sensor detects that no recording materials exist when the bottom plate rises over a predetermined position. Accordingly, by measuring a period of time when it is detected that no recording materials exist during a sheet feeding operation, a stacking amount of the recording materials in a sheet feeding cassette can be detected.

Abstract: The image controller includes a FET which stops supply power from a low-voltage power supply to an ASIC (second processing unit) in a power-saving mode and starts the supply power in a normal mode, and a communication line for issuing a notification pertaining to transition from the power-saving mode to the normal mode between the image controller and a CPU(first processing part). The CPU controls the FET so as to start supply power to the ASIC when instructed by the image controller to transition from the power-saving mode to the normal mode through the communication line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store a recording medium, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the recording medium, a paper feed unit configured to supply the recording medium from the storage unit, a conveying unit configured to convey the recording medium supplied by the paper feed unit to the image forming unit, and a control unit configured to control the paper feed unit and the conveying unit in conveying the recording medium. In accordance with a conveyance state in which the recording medium supplied from the storage unit by the paper feed unit is conveyed to the conveying unit, the control unit controls the conveying speed of the next recording medium supplied by the paper feed unit.