Abstract: An image processing apparatus transfers scan image data acquired by a document reader to an editing apparatus and receives print data based on the scan image data from the editing apparatus. The apparatus includes a first generator generating first attribute data from the scan image data and a second generator generating second attribute data based on the print data received from the editing apparatus. The first and second attribute data indicate an image attribute constituting the scan image data and an image attribute constituting print image data generated based on the print data, respectively. The image processing apparatus further includes a third generator generating third attribute data for each of the pixels constituting the print image data based on attribute information of the corresponding pixel in the first and second attribute data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the invention prevents communication with computers connected via a network from being uniformly restricted, and restricts the communication with the computers in accordance with a kind of received data or a kind of data process.

Abstract: An instruction of image processing for an image and an object included in the image is received from a client. The operation environment of the client is stored as the metadata of the object included in the image. When an instruction is input to re-evaluate the attribute of the object included in the image, a record is made as metadata indicating that the attribute has been re-evaluated. Upon receiving another image different from the image, when the operation environment of a client which has given an instruction to perform image processing of the other image is identical to the operation environment of the client which is stored by the storage unit, and the record is in the recording unit indicating that the attribute has been re-evaluated, the attribute of the received other image is re-evaluated.

Abstract: A client PC that can cause an image processing apparatus to print a job including multiple printed materials in one job, and has a describing unit to describe information relating to post-processing performed as to a portion of printed material of the multiple printed materials printed by the image processing apparatus, as a statement of instruction, and outputs the statement of instruction described with the describing unit with an outputting unit.

Abstract: An image input/output system obtains a print-job that includes printing-mode information and print-data, and analyzes the printing-mode information to determine whether the output mode of the print-data is a high-contrast output mode or a low-contrast output mode. According to the determined output mode, the image-processing device generates image data by calculating the color-space conversion of the print-data at a high bit-depth if the output mode is high-contrast, or at a low bit-depth if the output mode is low-contrast, thereby achieving output with high reproducibility in a high-contrast output mode, and high-speed output in a low-contrast output mode.

Abstract: There is provided an arrangement that contributes to practical use of a product adapted to generate an instruction adapted to handle information relating to post- processing to be performed on printed material. Specifically, there is provided a printing system including a generation unit adapted to generate an instruction, and a controller adapted to control a printer to generate printed material without generating the instruction by the generation unit in a case wherein the instruction does not need to be generated. The controller is adapted to control the generation unit so as to generate the instruction along with the printed material being generated at the printer in a case in which there is a need to generate the instruction.

Abstract: When the distributed load system of grid computing is applied to printers, multi-functional peripheral equipments, and the like connected to a computer network, if a device which inputs a job received from the client is executing processing, the distributed processing requires much time, and the user of the client cannot obtain the print result soon. Hence, when a print job is input, the processing time upon executing distributed processing of data processes in the print job by computer devices connected to the computer network is estimated. Based on the estimation result, the print job or jobs divided from the print job are transmitted to the computer devices connected to the computer network.

Abstract: In a system in which a print controller and an image forming apparatus are communicably connected, a first paper information to be used by the print controller and a second paper information to be used by the image forming apparatus are both held in the print controller and the image forming apparatus. The first paper information and the second paper information include a common ID for paper data that corresponds between the first and second paper information. In response to a restore instruction, both sets of the first paper information or both sets of the second paper information are merged. ID duplication is eliminated by changing the IDs in regard to paper data in which IDs are duplicated as a result of merging. The first and second paper information to be used by the print controller and the image forming apparatus are updated based on the result of merging.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus having ability information of an available finisher, including a detection unit which detects the stop state of post-processing by the first finisher, a search unit which, when the detection unit detects the stop of the first finisher, searches a finisher that can alternatively perform processing to be executed by the first finisher based on the ability information, and a generation unit which generates post-processing setting information for the second finisher found by the search unit.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises: a loading unit which loads function information representing a function of the post-printing processing device; an identification unit which identifies a printing function processible by the printing device and a post-processing function processible after printing by the post-printing processing device; a display control unit which displays a setting window for setting the printing function and post-processing function; a data generation unit which generates printing data to be printed by the printing device; and a setting information generation unit which generates post-processing setting information subjected to post-printing processing by the post-printing processing device, wherein the printing data is transmitted to the printing device, and the post-processing setting information is transmitted to the post-printing processing device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus displays a screen for enabling an operator to select settings for controlling a print output from an image forming apparatus and post-processing applied to a printed product by an independent post-processing apparatus. The post-processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain post-processing information from the post-processing apparatus and a display control unit configured to change contents of the setting screen based on obtained function information and display a changed setting screen. The image forming apparatus includes a determining unit configured to determine based on obtained function information whether the image forming apparatus can execute a print output accompanied by post-processing using the post-processing apparatus, and control a display unit to display a setting screen for controlling the post-processing function when the image forming apparatus can execute the print output accompanied by post-processing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus transfers scan image data acquired by a document reader to an editing apparatus and receives print data based on the scan image data from the editing apparatus. The apparatus includes a first generator generating first attribute data from the scan image data and a second generator generating second attribute data based on the print data received from the editing apparatus. The first and second attribute data indicate an image attribute constituting the scan image data and an image attribute constituting print image data generated based on the print data, respectively. The image processing apparatus further includes a third generator generating third attribute data for each of the pixels constituting the print image data based on attribute information of the corresponding pixel in the first and second attribute data.

Abstract: Even when a CPU gains higher performance and a distributed computing environment is being put in place, it is not easy to follow the speed of hardware image processing implemented by dedicated hardware. Hence, jobs of filter processing having a heavy operation load and low distributability are selectively and intensively input to a small number of resources having performance as high as possible. On the other hand, since the color conversion processing and gamma processing have high distributability, even when jobs are input to many resources having low performance, an improvement of the processing speed can be expected. Therefor, color conversion processing and gamma processing distribute jobs to many resources.

Abstract: When a target device of distributed processing has shifted to a power save mode, if the target device is resumed to the normal operation to attain the distributed processing, resources of the target device which are not required for the distributed processing waste electric power. Therefore, when a print job to be processed by grid processing is received, resources required for the grid processing from resources in a waiting state, and the grid processing is executed to process the received print job.

Abstract: When the distributed load system of grid computing is applied to printers, multi-functional peripheral equipments, and the like connected to a computer network, if a device which inputs a job received from the client is executing processing, the distributed processing requires much time, and the user of the client cannot obtain the print result soon. Hence, when a print job is input, the processing time upon executing distributed processing of data processes in the print job by computer devices connected to the computer network is estimated. Based on the estimation result, the print job or jobs divided from the print job are transmitted to the computer devices connected to the computer network.

Abstract: A mechanism that attains high-speed processing by distributing a great deal of processing to a plurality of devices upon processing does not perform processing distribution which considers hardware resources of devices used in distributed processing. When rendering processing of a print job is executed by distributed processing using devices connected to a computer network, it is determined whether hardware or software rendering processing is executed (S1102, S1103). Image processing devices which can implement hardware or software rendering processing are sought from devices connected to the computer network (S1104, S1106). Based on the determination and seek results, devices to which jobs divided from the print job are transmitted are notified (S1108).

Abstract: In a network print system in which a printer and at least one client are connected to each other through a network, and at least a part of a job for the printer can be subjected to load distributed processing by grid computing, wherein when a printer driver of the printer is installed on any one of the at least one client, the system is adapted to build a grid computing network. In this arrangement, it is easily to build the grid computing network in which the printer job is subjected to load distributed processing.

Abstract: In a computer system including a job scheduler which divides an input job and determines a client apparatus to assign the divided job, and a task manager which transmits the divided job to the client apparatus determined by the job scheduler, the job scheduler assigns the same job to a plurality of client apparatuses when the number of client apparatuses is larger than the number of divided jobs, and when the job is finished in one of the plurality of client apparatuses assigned the same job, execution of the job in the remaining client apparatuses is canceled so that the time until all jobs are finished is shortened.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first determining unit for determining which medium an image is to be formed on; a second determining unit for determining an amount of a coloring material of a recording material according to the medium determined by the first determining unit; a color processing unit for executing color processing in a raster image processing unit according to the amount of the coloring material determined by the second determining unit; a comparing unit for comparing a predetermined medium with a medium that is to be used for output to determine whether these media match, after the color processing by the color processing unit; and a controlling unit for controlling whether to adjust the amount of the coloring material again according to a result of the comparison by the comparing unit.

Abstract: An image input/output system obtains a print-job that includes printing-mode information and print-data, and analyzes the printing-mode information to determine whether the output mode of the print-data is a high-contrast output mode or a low-contrast output mode. According to the determined output mode, the image-processing device generates image data by calculating the color-space conversion of the print-data at a high bit-depth if the output mode is high-contrast, or at a low bit-depth if the output mode is low-contrast, thereby achieving output with high reproducibility in a high-contrast output mode, and high-speed output in a low-contrast output mode.