Abstract: A printing system is provided suitable for reducing a printing time. A client apparatus acquires document data being edited during an editing operation by an application, creates print data for evaluation based on the acquired document data, selects a compression algorithm suitable for the created print data for evaluation from a compression algorithm registration database, compresses print data in accordance with the selected compression algorithm, and sends the compressed print data to a printer along with a print request. The creation of print data for evaluation and the selection of a compression algorithm start during an editing operation by the application. When the printer receives compressed print data along with a print request, the printer decompresses the received compressed print data and prints based on the decompressed print data.

Abstract: An information providing system can include a registration terminal having a guidance information registration database which stores information groups, which are correlated with reference position information. When portable terminal position information for specifying the position of a portable terminal is received together with a transmission request for the guidance information, the guidance information is automatically selected from an information group in accordance with the received transmission request on the basis of the position relationship between the reference position which is specified by the reference position information corresponding to the information group in accordance with the received transmission request, and the position which is specified by the received portable terminal position information, and the selected guidance information is transmitted to the portable terminal.

Abstract: A method is provided to notify a printer user of a predicted result of a failure without employing dedicated display means. According to the method, information regarding the service situation of a printer P is acquired, the relation between the acquired service situation and a failure is analyzed, the occurrence time, etc. of the failure of the printer P are predicted from the relation, and the result of the prediction is notified to the printer P so as to print the predicted result by employing the print function of the, printer P itself. Thus, the occurrence time, contents, etc. of the failure can be reliably notified to a printer user without employing dedicated display means.

Abstract: There is provided a device associative management system which is preferable for reducing cost and time and improving reliability. A network printer 200 can be set to a server printer 200 or a client printer 200. When the network printer 200 itself is the client printer 200, the network printer 200 sends status information in a status information registration table 560 to the server printer 200. In the case in which the network printer 200 itself is the server printer 200, when the status information is received, the network printer stores or registers the received status information in a status information registration table.

Abstract: A printing system is provided suitable for reducing a printing time. A client apparatus acquires document data being edited during an editing operation by an application, creates print data for evaluation based on the acquired document data, selects a compression algorithm suitable for the created print data for evaluation from a compression algorithm registration database, compresses print data in accordance with the selected compression algorithm, and sends the compressed print data to a printer along with a print request. The creation of print data for evaluation and the selection of a compression algorithm start during an editing operation by the application. When the printer receives compressed print data along with a print request, the printer decompresses the received compressed print data and prints based on the decompressed print data.

Abstract: An information providing system can include a registration terminal having a guidance information registration database which stores information groups, which are correlated with reference position information. When portable terminal position information for specifying the position of a portable terminal is received together with a transmission request for the guidance information, the guidance information is automatically selected from an information group in accordance with the received transmission request on the basis of the position relationship between the reference position which is specified by the reference position information corresponding to the information group in accordance with the received transmission request, and the position which is specified by the received portable terminal position information, and the selected guidance information is transmitted to the portable terminal.

Abstract: A printing system is provided which includes a first printer; a second printer; and a print instruction unit. The first and second printers execute printing on the basis of print data. The first printer and the print instruction unit are connected so that data can be transmitted. The first printer and the second printer are connected so that data can be transmitted.

Abstract: An authentication output system including a network device for performing an output operation based on output data and an output data storing device for storing the output data, wherein the network device and the output data storing device are communicably connected, and the network device performs the output operation via authentication.

Abstract: An authentication output system including: a network device that performs an output based on output data; and a device utilization apparatus that utilizes the network device, the network device and the device utilization apparatus being communicably connected to each other, and the network device performing the output through authentication.

Abstract: The invention provides an operation control system which is capable of allowing users to easily operate a controlled device over different control ranges, respectively. More particularly, when cards are brought close to a projector, a virtual object management device detects an area-in state of each virtual object of the cards with respect to a virtual object of the projector, and notifies the projector of the area-in state of the card service. The projector, upon receiving the card service area-in notification, transmits a service linkage initiation request to a card management device. Upon receiving an operation command transmitted in response to the initiation request transmission, the projector controls a projection process in response to the received operation command. The card management device transmits the operation command to the projector upon receiving the service linkage initiation request.

Abstract: This invention provides an output service provision system which is capable of allowing a user to easily receive a provided output service, providing an output service responsive to the user and flexibly coping with situational variations. Upon determining that a virtual object B is in an area-in state with respect to a virtual object A, a virtual object management device can transmits an area-in notification to a projector. Upon receiving the area-in notification, the projector can transmits a projector display data transmission request to a portable terminal and receives projector display data transmitted in response to the transmission request. The projector can then executes a projection process by a projection device on the basis of the received projector display data. The portable terminal can transmits the projector display data to the projector in response to the projector display data transmission request.

Abstract: The invention provides a display-service providing system in which an image display apparatus, such as a projector, simultaneously displays a plurality of image data on a display section and the display sizes of the image data can be controlled. The invention provides such an image display apparatus. A display-service providing system is formed of instructing apparatuses to provide operation instructions to a projector serving as a service providing apparatus; a virtual-object management apparatus to control operations related to virtual objects, such as setting the virtual objects and giving the instructing apparatuses a right of instructing the projector; the projector to display images corresponding to the contents of instructions sent from the instructing apparatuses, on a display section; and a network to allow data communications to be performed between the above-mentioned apparatuses.

Abstract: A display-service providing system is provided in which an image display apparatus, such as a projector, simultaneously displays a plurality of image data on a display section and the display sizes of the image data can be controlled. A display-service providing system is formed of instructing apparatuses to provide operation instructions to a projector serving as a service providing apparatus; a virtual-object management apparatus to control operations related to virtual objects, such as setting the virtual objects and giving the instructing apparatuses a right of instructing the projector; the projector to display images corresponding to the contents of instructions sent from the instructing apparatuses, on a display section; and a network to allow data communications to be performed between the above-mentioned apparatuses.

Abstract: This invention provides an output service provision system which is capable of allowing a user to easily receive a provided output service, providing an output service responsive to the user and flexibly coping with situational variations. Upon determining that a virtual object B is in an area-in state with respect to a virtual object A, a virtual object management device can transmit an area-in notification to a projector. Upon receiving the area-in notification, the projector can transmit a projector display data transmission request to a portable terminal and receive projector display data transmitted in response to the transmission request. The projector can then execute a projection process by a projection device on the basis of the received projector display data. The portable terminal can transmit the projector display data to the projector in response to the projector display data transmission request.

Abstract: A device identification information managing system is provided. A network printer generates an extension device identifier depending upon dynamic information and a subject-of-registration-device identifier including a basic device identifier of the storage device and a generated extension device identifier, to send the generated subject-of-registration-device identifier to a printer managing server and notify the user. The printer managing server, when receiving a subject-of-registration-device identifier, tentatively registers the received subject-of-registration device identifier to the storage device. When a collating device identifier is received, the received collating device identifier is collated with the subject-of-registration-device identifier of the storage device. Depending upon the collation result, the subject-of-registration-device identifier is registered to the storage device.

Abstract: A printer control program is provided which is capable of utilizing an existing printing system or general document operation application software without modification and reduces a print start time. Operation situations of a document operation application software are monitored by a printer driver which works simultaneously with the document operation application software. Certain operation information is acquired during the document operation of the document operation application software. Printing data of document data is created in advance of a printing command based on the acquired operation information. Therefore, before a printing instruction is made by the user, an overall rendering of data is completed, such that it is possible to drastically reduce a printing start time.

Abstract: An output device selection system suitable for reducing the time and effort spent on installing drivers as well as for saving the user the trouble of making settings is provided. If a network printer 100 receives specialized print data which contains printing conditions indicating that printing should be done on another network printer 100, it converts the received specialized print data into intermediate print data and transfers the resulting intermediate print data to the other network printer 100. On the other hand, if the network printer 100 receives specialized print data which contains printing conditions indicating that printing should be done on the network printer 100 itself, it does printing based on the received specialized print data. However, if it receives intermediate print data, it converts the received intermediate print data into specialized print data and does printing based on the resulting specialized print data.

Abstract: A printing system is provided suitable for reducing a printing time. A client apparatus acquires document data being edited during an editing operation by an application, creates print data for evaluation based on the acquired document data, selects a compression algorithm suitable for the created print data for evaluation from a compression algorithm registration database, compresses print data in accordance with the selected compression algorithm, and sends the compressed print data to a printer along with a print request. The creation of print data for evaluation and the selection of a compression algorithm start during an editing operation by the application. When the printer receives compressed print data along with a print request, the printer decompresses the received compressed print data and prints based on the decompressed print data.

Abstract: A method is provided to notify a printer user of a predicted result of a failure without employing dedicated display means. According to the method, information regarding the service situation of a printer P is acquired, the relation between the acquired service situation and a failure is analyzed, the occurrence time, etc. of the failure of the printer P are predicted from the relation, and the result of the prediction is notified to the printer P so as to print the predicted result by employing the print function of the, printer P itself. Thus, the occurrence time, contents, etc. of the failure can be reliably notified to a printer user without employing dedicated display means.

Abstract: A novel distributed printing system, method, program, printer and server are provided that provide optimum distributed printing without problems such as a backlog of print jobs in a print queue. A distributed print request is broadcasted to all printers and the most appropriate printer is selected from among responding printers on the basis of their printing capabilities and status information to assign the print job. Thus, the optimum printer can be selected without having to constantly monitor the capabilities and status of all printers. Furthermore, because status information such as the number of remaining paper sheets, in addition to printing capabilities, is used as criteria to select a printer, distributed printing can properly be scheduled without a backlog of pint jobs in a print queue.