Abstract: The remote printing system allows one user to ultimately send a hard copy to another via a portable digital device such as a cellular phone. Upon receiving an e-mail print notice, the portable digital device wirelessly searches an appropriate print station in the vicinity by broadcasting a signal. In response to the broadcasted search signal, the print stations each send information on their printer characteristics such as availability status and print resolution to the portable digital device, a print server or a client that originated the print request. The recipient of the printer characteristic information selects an appropriate print station based upon a predetermined selection rule.

Abstract: The on-line help or support system responds to a user help request in a responsive manner. In advance of the user help request, the on-line help system determines if the user is possibly in need of help information based upon the sequence of operational key inputs. The on-line help system monitors and analyzes the user key inputs according to a predetermined set of rules. In case of a possible confusion state for a certain operation for an image-forming device, the on-line help system obtains the corresponding relevant help information from a predetermined help server on the network even though the user has not yet requested for the help. The down loaded help information is stored in a cache memory.

Abstract: An image forming device for reading a document as first image data and forming an image of the first image data on a recording medium is disclosed. The image forming device includes a reading unit optically reading the document so as to obtain the first image data; an imaging unit taking an image of a user so as to form second image data together with a reading operation of the reading unit; and a storage unit associating and storing the first image data read by the reading unit with the second image data of the user formed by the imaging unit.

Abstract: The remote printing system allows one user to ultimately send a hard copy to another via a portable digital device such as a cellular phone. Upon receiving an e-mail print notice, the portable digital device wirelessly searches an appropriate print station in the vicinity by broadcasting a signal. In response to the broadcasted search signal, the print stations each send information on their printer characteristics such as availability status and print resolution to the portable digital device, a print server or a client that originated the print request. The recipient of the printer characteristic information selects an appropriate print station based upon a predetermined selection rule.

Abstract: The remote printing system allows one user to ultimately send a hard copy to another via a portable digital device such as a cellular phone. Upon receiving an e-mail print notice, the portable digital device wirelessly searches an appropriate print station in the vicinity by broadcasting a signal. In response to the broadcasted search signal, the print stations each send information on their printer characteristics such as availability status and print resolution to the portable digital device, a print server or a client that originated the print request. The recipient of the printer characteristic information selects an appropriate print station based upon a predetermined selection rule.

Abstract: The on-line help or support system responds to a user help request in a responsive manner. In advance of the user help request, the on-line help system determines if the user is possibly in need of help information based upon the sequence of operational key inputs. The on-line help system monitors and analyzes the user key inputs according to a predetermined set of rules. In case of a possible confusion state for a certain operation for an image-forming device, the on-line help system obtains the corresponding relevant help information from a predetermined help server on the network even though the user has not yet requested for the help. The down loaded help information is stored in a cache memory.

Abstract: An image forming system applicable for usage for predicting the failure of an apparatus and making a diagnosis on an apparatus. The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium and a computer configured to manage the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is configured to send internal information to the computer, and the computer is configured to send an inspection program depending on the determination based on the received internal information.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus help system includes an imaging apparatus having a display/input apparatus unit and an information storage unit, and a help server that are connected to a network. When a predetermined type of help is requested at the display/input apparatus unit, help data corresponding to the predetermined type of help are read from a cache memory of the information storage unit and displayed on a touch panel LCD. If the corresponding help data are not stored in the cache memory, a request for the corresponding help data is made to the help server so that the corresponding help data may be sent from the help server to be stored in the cache memory and displayed on the touch panel LCD. When the remaining storage capacity of the cache memory is reduced to no more than a predetermined capacity, the imaging apparatus deletes the help data stored in the cache memory according to a predetermined deletion rule.

Abstract: An image outputting apparatus includes a first information processing unit that performs a first information processing and a second information processing unit that performs a second information processing, where the second information processing unit is attachable to and detachable from the first information processing unit, and a detection unit that detects an operational status of the second information processing unit such that an image is output in predetermined resolution, based on the operational status of the second information processing unit, thereby an upgrading to a high speed processing system is attained with a higher overall throughput, a better performance-to-cost ratio and a lower initial cost.

Abstract: The remote printing system allows one user to ultimately send a hard copy to another via a portable digital device such as a cellular phone. Upon receiving an e-mail print notice, the portable digital device wirelessly searches an appropriate print station in the vicinity by broadcasting a signal. In response to the broadcasted search signal, the print stations each send information on their printer characteristics such as availability status and print resolution to the portable digital device, a print server or a client that originated the print request. The recipient of the printer characteristic information selects an appropriate print station based upon a predetermined selection rule.