Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes plural print buffers for storing recording data, a null flag table capable of setting null flags corresponding to the print buffers instead of storing null data on the print buffers, data converting means provided with plural writable blocks for writing the recording data and with a counter for retaining values to designate the writable blocks, clear means for zero clearing the writable blocks in accordance with the values of the counter, DMA means for reading out the recording data from the print buffers for writing the recording data on the writable blocks, and control means for enabling the clear means to zero clear the writable blocks when the null flags are set on the null flag table corresponding to the print buffers, instead of performing a process by the DMA means to read out data from the print buffers.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, which is provided with plural print buffers for storing recording data, and a null flag table capable of setting null flags corresponding to the print buffers instead of storing null data on the print buffers, comprises data converting means for converting specific data, being provided with plural writable blocks for writing the recording data, and a counter for retaining values to designate the writable blocks; clear means for zero clearing the writable blocks in accordance with the values of the counter; DMA means for reading out the recording data from the print buffers for writing the recording data on the writable blocks; and control means for enabling the clear means to zero clear the writable blocks when the null flags are set on the null flag table corresponding to the print buffers, instead of the performance of process by the DMA means to read out data from the print buffers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a discharge recovery processing of an ink jet recording apparatus which forms an image on the recording medium by discharging the ink. The invention aims to prevent the increase in the running costs and the shortened life of a waste ink tank by preventing the wasteful ink consumption which may be caused by the dual use of an automatic recovery processing and a manual recovery processing after the replacement of an ink tank.Also, the invention further aims to provide an ink jet recording apparatus with high safety and reliability as well as effecting an appropriate recovery by controlling the movement of head in involving the recovery.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus using a plurality of kinds of head cartridges each comprising an ink jet recording head and an ink tank formed as a unit, the present invention prevents, when a wrong head cartridge has been mounted during cartridge exchange, data regarding the remain of ink in a thitherto used cartridge of other kind from being lost, and enables the remain of ink in that cartridge to be confirmed. A user is pressed for the exchange of the head cartridge now mounted to thereby effect the exchange actually, and is called on to confirm whether the newly mounted head cartridge is a right one, and the initialization of the data regarding the remain of ink is effected when the user has done the inputting of the confirmation.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is provided with at least one first electrode at least in either a recording head or ink retaining member, dielectric adjacent to the first electrode or laying between the first electrodes, a second electrode electrically connected to the first electrode through the dielectric and ink, power supply to apply and release voltage to and from the first electrode, potential difference detector for detecting the potential of the second electrode, and equivalent circuit to determine the ink remains at least in either one of the recording head and ink retaining member in accordance with the potential of the second electrode detected by potential difference detector. In this way, it is possible to provide an ink jet recording apparatus having equivalent circuit for detecting ink shortage, and expect a highly precise detection thereof, and also, to provide information processing systems having such recording apparatus for its output device.

Abstract: A display unit is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to a main body of an electronic apparatus. An inlet for manually inserting a sheet is provided in the vicinity of the center of rotation of the display unit, and a sheet feeding device capable of continuously feeding sheets is provided so as to be detachable with respect to the inlet. It is thereby possible to supply a sheet from the front side of the electronic apparatus.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording by discharging plural kinds of ink from the recording head to a recording medium comprises detection device for detecting the decrease of ink remains of each ink of the plural kinds of ink, ink amount indication device arranged in a number smaller than the number of the plural kinds of ink, and signal outputting device for outputting signals which enables the decrease of ink remains having the least amount of ink remains to be displayed on the ink amount indication device in accordance with the results of plural detections by the detection device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method which can perform a thinning process without deteriorating an output quality are provided. The apparatus is constructed by a keyboard to instruct so as to work dot data to be outputted and a CPU to work and form the dot data to be outputted on the basis of a detection result of states of the dot data as a target of the dot data to be outputted and peripheral dot data.