Abstract: A client computer of the invention utilizes a printer driver for a distribution source printer to send a print job to the distribution source printer. The distribution source printer distributes each print job sent with setting of a preset second port number to multiple distribution destination printers.

Abstract: This invention provides a print control method of controlling a print job process. The method includes a control step of transmitting print job data for an execution of a print job to a printing apparatus connected to a network via the network, for controlling the print job process in the printing apparatus. The control step includes the step of suspending the print job process at a time of an initiation of the print job process such that the print job process can be resumed via user input to the printing apparatus.

Abstract: In a distributed printing system of the invention, a distributed printing control device receives a distribution print job or a print job for distributed printing from a print source device, specifies one or multiple distribution destination printing devices selected as distribution destinations of the distribution print job, and distributes the distribution print job to the one or multiple specified distribution destination printing devices. The distributed printing control device then creates distribution management information. The distribution management information correlates distribution destination identification information of each specified distribution destination printing device and a distribution destination job index allocated to each division of the distribution print job by the specified distribution destination printing device, to a distribution source job index allocated to the distribution print job in a receiving order of the distribution print job.

Abstract: In a print status monitor system of the invention, a specified printer receives a polling interval reduction request from a server in response to polling made at a normal polling interval set to a polling interval, and changes the polling interval to a shorter polling interval, which is shorter than the normal polling interval. The server sends a print status transmission request to the specified printer, in response to polling made by the specified printer at the shorter polling interval. The specified printer receives the print status transmission request sent from the server in response to the polling made to the server at the shorter polling interval, obtains print status information representing the status of a print job, and sends the obtained print status information to the server. The server receives and obtains the print status information sent from the specified printer in response to the print status transmission request.

Abstract: In a message display control apparatus of the invention, when an administrator of a server computer presses a ‘Details’ button on a setting window displayed on the screen of a display unit, a message display setting module of a CPU in the server computer opens a detailed setting window on the screen of the display unit. The administrator operates an input unit to tick any desired checkboxes among an ‘On end of printing at all printers’ checkbox, an ‘On error’ checkbox, an ‘On end of printing at each printer’ checkbox, and a ‘Show copy number at the begging of copy mode printing’ checkbox, in a ‘Report Clustering status’ field on the detailed setting window. Such selective ticking specifies permission for display of messages corresponding to the ticked checkboxes among preset four messages on the monitor screen of a client computer.

Abstract: In an abnormality diagnosis system of the invention where multiple devices and a server S are interconnected via a network, a communication failure may occur between the server S and one device (diagnosis object printer P1) among the multiple devices. On the occurrence of the communication failure, the server S instructs another device (diagnosis execution printer P2) among the multiple devices other than the diagnosis object printer P1 to make a diagnosis of abnormality in the diagnosis object printer P1. In response to the instruction, the diagnosis execution printer P2 obtains communication setting information from the diagnosis object printer P1, and compares the obtained communication setting information with own communication setting information stored in the self printer or the diagnosis execution printer P2.

Abstract: A computer for a user employs an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to communicate with a printer. When print data are transmitted by the computer to the printer, a configuration file generator generates a configuration file based on print setup information received from the computer. A setup reference unit then employs the configuration file to generate a menu having a tree structure, and this menu is displayed on a user interface of the computer. The user confirms, by using a browser, the processing state of a print job and the print setup.

Abstract: The invention makes use of that fact that the layout of a web page providing a variety of contents is rarely modified but only the contents in the layout is modified. A network printer stores in advance a network address (for example URL) where contents are retained, location information of the necessary contents in the contents retained at an address site and described in a predetermined language (for example HTML) and the print layout information of the contents. The network printer accesses the site on the network with a preset timing, receives the retained contents, extracts the necessary contents from the received contents according to the contents location information, and prints the necessary contents according to the print layout information.

Abstract: The invention makes use of that fact that the layout of a web page providing a variety of contents is rarely modified but only the contents in the layout is modified. A network printer stores in advance a network address (for example URL) where contents are retained, location information of the necessary contents in the contents retained at an address site and described in a predetermined language (for example HTML) and the print layout information of the contents. The network printer accesses the site on the network with a preset timing, receives the retained contents, extracts the necessary contents from the received contents according to the contents location information, and prints the necessary contents according to the print layout information.

Abstract: For a data transfer mode inside a printer, three types of modes of a mode via an auxiliary storage, a first bypass mode and a second bypass mode are provided. In the mode via an auxiliary storage, a communication task reaches an image generation task via a first buffer memory, a task for writing to a hard disk, HDD, a task for reading from HD and a second buffer memory. In the first bypass mode, data is transferred via the second buffer memory from the communication task without passing HDD. In the second bypass mode, data is transferred via the second buffer memory from the task for writing to HD without passing HDD. Data transfer modes are switched based upon whether there is data remaining on a transfer path or not and others.

Abstract: Provided is a network device for generating print data in accordance with the information resources received from outside, and sending the print data to a printer, which can easily install or update a color conversion table or a printer driver, etc. necessary for generating the print data. Whereby, the network device for generating print data in accordance with the information resources received from outside, and sending the print data to a printer is configured to be able to, by itself, access a prescribed site on the network at the prescribed time, such as when the printer is tuned on, and appropriately download a color conversion table or a printer driver, etc. in order to utilize it.

Abstract: A network connection apparatus of the invention has a list that includes at least device identification information used to identify a device as a monitor object device to be monitored by a monitor server. When the network connection apparatus is attached to the device, the network connection apparatus acquires the device's identification information from the device and determines whether the device is the monitor object device to be monitored by the monitor server, based on the acquired identification information and the list. In response to a negative result of the determination showing that the device is not the monitor object device, the network connection apparatus prevents transmission of the monitor information stored in the device to the monitor server via the network.

Abstract: A management server has printer monitoring information that associates the time at which a network board begins printer monitoring and the printer being monitored. The management server receives from the network board the printer's serial number, the network board's MAC address and the time at which the network board was replaced, and registers these items of information in the printer monitoring information. The network board monitors the printer and collects log information. For each log file uploaded from the network board, the management server specifies and associates which printer the log file belongs to based on the time at which the log file was collected and printer monitoring information and stores the log file in the log database while maintaining such association.

Abstract: The serial number of a first printer in which a network board is installed before power supply of the first printer is turned is stored in the network board. The network board determines whether or not the current serial number of the first printer in which the network board is currently installed and the serial number of a second printer in which the network board is installed before the power supply of the first printer is turned ON are identical. If the two serial numbers are determined to be not identical, the network board transmits the model name of the first printer to a management server. When the management server receives the model name of the first printer, the management server transmits the configuration file associates with the model name of the first printer to the network board.

Abstract: A network device is provided with a storage and adapted to be connected to a network. A document acquirer is operable to acquire a structured document in which a rule of processing executed by the network device is described by at least one first element defining at least one condition and at least one second element defining at least one content of the processing. A document analyzer is operable to analyze the structured document to obtain an analysis result and to store the analysis result in the storage. An operation controller is operable to control an operation of the network device in accordance with the analysis result stored in the storage.

Abstract: A web browser section provided in a scanner comprises a management table for relating URLs and setup values to each other and managing them and a URL interpretation section. A URL entered from a web browser installed in an information terminal is converted into a setup value by the URL interpretation section. The setup value is set in a drive control section through a setting section, whereby an image is read under a desired read condition.

Abstract: A distributed printing control apparatus of the invention includes a storage module that stores identification information for identifying at least a previous distribution destination printing device, and a control module. On reception of a print job sent under a preset condition, the control module specifies a current distribution destination printing device based on the identification information, among residual printing devices other than the previous distribution destination printing device, sends the received print job to the specified current distribution destination printing device, and stores information for identifying the specified current distribution destination printing device as the identification information into the storage module. The technique of the invention distributes multiple print jobs to multiple printing devices under the policy of restricting specification of an identical printing device for consecutive distribution of sequential print jobs.

Abstract: In n page unit printing, a completion time of print preparation for page m+1 is estimated from the time spent for print preparation for pages up to page m among n pages. If the estimated time can make m+1 unit printing effective, print preparation for page m+1 is waited for. If the estimated time can not make m+1 unit printing effective, m page unit printing is immediately performed up to page m, without waiting for the completion of print preparation of page m+1.

Abstract: This invention provides a distributed printing method. This method distributes a print job sent via a network to at least one distribution destination printing device specified as a distribution destination among printing devices connected to the network.

Abstract: The present invention is a printer controller comprising a processor that exclusively executes a communication task for receiving packet data from host computers and extracting print job data on the basis of the received packet data, a language task for generating image data on the basis of the above-mentioned print job data, and a print task for controlling a print engine, according to priorities assigned to each of these tasks. The priorities assigned to the communication task and language task are altered according to specific conditions. For example, if the amount of packet data to be processed by the communication task is below a specific value, the priority of the language task is altered to be higher than the priority of the communication task, whereas if the amount of packet data to be processed by the communication task is over a specific value, the priority of the communication task is altered to be higher than the priority of the language task.