Abstract: A job ticket issuing device includes: a document encryption processing unit for encrypting document data with a document data encryption key; and a job ticket encryption processing unit for encrypting a job ticket, including information about a content of job processing with respect to the document data, with a job ticket encryption key which is different from the document data encryption key.

Abstract: A device driver customizing method that is performed when a second driver is installed in an information processing device in which one or more first drivers each for controlling an image processing device have been already installed, the driver customizing method comprising: a searching step of comparing items included in first configuration data of any of the first drivers, which have been already configured by a user, with items included in second configuration data of the second driver, which are to be newly configured by the user, and thereby searching the first configuration data for an item corresponding to one of the items included in the second configuration data; and a configuration step of configuring the one of the items included in the second configuration data to have a same value as a value given to the corresponding item, if the corresponding item has been found by the searching step.

Abstract: A printing system includes multiple image forming apparatuses connected over a network. The multiple image forming apparatuses are printers, copying machines or the like, and carry out printing based on print data. The printing system has a substitute printing function or a printing task distributing function. When print data is printed out using a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus via the printing substitution function or the printing task distributing function, the number of pages printed by the second image forming apparatus is counted and kept track of by the first image forming apparatus. Consequently, regardless of whether group management is in place at the second image forming apparatus, the number of pages printed may be centrally maintained by the first image forming apparatus.

Abstract: In order to prevent invalid distribution of data, a data managing method includes the steps of inputting a document, extracting, from the input document, a document No. for identifying the document, receiving the input of a user ID for identifying a user, determining whether or not a process for the input document is permitted for the user identified by the acquired user ID by referring to permission data, and forbidding the execution of output processes for the input data in the case where it has been determined in the determining step that the process is not permitted. The permission data is data which associates, for each document No., user IDs with the process names for identifying processes permitted for the document.

Abstract: The printing data processing system searches for reference indication (i.e., link sources) in the received ML source data, and adds the page information for the linked objects to the ML source data. The page number on which the linked object is printed is printed after the printing of each link source term included when a ML source file, such as a home page. Consequently, when a home page is printed, for example, the user can easily arrive at the linked object from the link source in the printed document while the home page layout on the personal computer is kept intact.

Abstract: An image forming system with a finisher connected to a copying machine via an inverting unit. The finisher has a stapling section which staples sheets stacked on a tray with a stapler and a folding section which folds a sheet with folding rollers. In a confidential mode, a sheet on which an image with confidential or private contents has been copied is transported to the finisher with its image-formed side facing down and is folded in two with the image inside. Then, in the stapling section, the folded sheet is stapled along a side opposite the fold.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is capable of storing a plurality of jobs in memory, and the stored plurality of jobs are printed and output in the storage sequence. A permitted time for exclusive use of the image forming apparatus to print a first job (print time upper limit) can be set and changed by a user using an operation panel. When the permitted time has elapsed after starting printing of the first job, the first job is interrupted and printing of another job is started. This arrangement prevents delaying the printing of other jobs due to the continuous printing of the first job over a long time period.

Abstract: In an image processing system in which a server, a plurality of image processing apparatuses that execute image quality stabilization processing, and a terminal apparatus are connected to each other via a network, the server calculates, with respect to each image processing apparatus, the time period elapsed since the image quality stabilization processing was last executed, and selects the apparatus having the shortest elapsed time period as the apparatus to execute a job requested by the terminal apparatus.

Abstract: In an image processing system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses and a management apparatus are connected to each other via a network, the management apparatus forms the image processing apparatuses into one or more groups based on apparatus attribute information, acquires control variable value information from an image processing apparatus in a group, and sends the acquired information to the other image processing apparatuses in the group. The other image processing apparatuses receive the control variable value information sent from the management apparatus, and execute image processing based on the received information.

Abstract: A printing system is provided in which a printer and a server are connected to a network. The server performs service to a terminal on behalf of the printer after the start of the printer activation and before the completion thereof, the service being such as instructing printing and receiving print data. The server, after receiving a completion notification of activation from the printer, instructs the terminal to suspend a print sequence, transfers, to the printer, the print data received on behalf of the printer, and instructs the terminal to cancel suspending the print sequence.

Abstract: A printing system comprises multiple image forming apparatuses connected over a network. The multiple image forming apparatuses are printers, copying machines or the like, and carry out printing based on print data. The printing system has a substitute printing function or a printing task distributing function. When print data is printed out using a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus via the printing substitution function or the printing task distributing function, the number of pages printed by the second image forming apparatus is counted and kept track of by the first image forming apparatus. Consequently, regardless of whether group management is in place at the second image forming apparatus, the number of pages printed may be centrally maintained by the first image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming system with a finisher connected to a copying machine via an inverting unit. The finisher has a stapling section which staples sheets stacked on a tray with a stapler and a folding section which folds a sheet with folding rollers. In a confidential mode, a sheet on which an image with confidential or private contents has been copied is transported to the finisher with its image-formed side facing down and is folded in two with the image inside. Then, in the stapling section, the folded sheet is stapled along a side opposite the fold.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is capable of storing a plurality of jobs in memory, and the stored plurality of jobs are printed and output in the storage sequence. A permitted time for exclusive use of the image forming apparatus to print a first job (print time upper limit) can be set and changed by a user using an operation panel. When the permitted time has elapsed after starting printing of the first job, the first job is interrupted and printing of another job is started. This arrangement prevents delaying the printing of other jobs due to the continuous printing of the first job over a long time period.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing paper ejected from an image forming device includes the use of a plurality of bins for sorting the paper ejected from the image forming device into packets and for housing the packets. A tray for stacking the packets is provided, along with a packet conveying device for conveying the packets from the plurality of bins to the tray. A detection device is included for detecting the maximum amount of paper that can be stacked onto the tray. A control device is also included which performs a number of controlling functions such as halting the packet conveying device, counting the number of empty bins from which the packets have already been removed and transmitting the number to an image forming device controller, in addition to controlling the guidance of the paper subsequently ejected from the image forming device in the empty bins.

Abstract: If an input number exceeds a section remaining number, an image forming apparatus executes a processing of displaying a warning notifying that the input number exceeds the section remaining number. If a rounding off processing is possible, the input number is changed to be within the section remaining number and the set number is automatically reduced. As a result, an image forming apparatus capable of giving an alarm or automatically changing a set number into a possible number of prints if the set number exceeds the possible number of prints upon setting is provided.

Abstract: An automated document feeder for use with an image forming apparatus such as copy machine comprises a document feeder for feeding the document and a document support for supporting the document. The document support can occupy any one of three positions; a first position where the document on the document support is kept away from the document feeder, a second position where the document on the document support is in contact with the document feeder, and a third position where the document is out of contact with the document feeder but closer to the document feeder than the document at the first position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forming has a resume device to resume a situation when the power supply was turned off. Further, a timer is provided to count a period after the power supply was turned off. A controller inhibits operation of the resume device when the timer counts up a predetermined period. Further, an interrupting device is provided, and when the image forming apparatus is in a predetermined state such as paper empty, the image forming apparatus is operated according to the image forming information entered by the interrupting device. In a different way, an image forming apparatus has a switching device to turn off manually the power supply. After the power supply was turned off with the auto-power-off function, if the power supply is turned on manually, data on image forming saved in a memory are cleared. Thus, a new user can start a copy job readily, while the secrecy of image data of a previous user can be maintained.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a backup memory for storing data on image forming in a memory. When the power supply of the apparatus is turned off due to a trouble, a controller reproduces a status just before the power supply is turned off according to the data stored in the backup device if a predetermined time passes after the power supply is turned on again. However, new image forming is started if a preparation operation for new image forming is detected within the predetermined time. Further, if the power supply is turned off while a document is read, the controller reproduces the status just before the power supply is turned off when the power supply is turned on again.

Abstract: A multijob image forming apparatus performing the following operation, which allows operation similar to single job operation without increasing number of keys on an operation panel, is provided. When two jobs, that is, reading and printing are stopped by one stop key and a clear key is pressed, the display is switched to a data clear display, when document is being read and printing is in progress. By using the data clear display, data corresponding to the reading operation or the data corresponding to the printing operation, which is to be discarded, is selected.

Abstract: A program replacement device is incorporated in a computer system having a CPU and a program memory in which first programs to be executed by the CPU are stored. The program replacement device includes a RAM employed as the program memory and having a write enable terminal, and a protection circuit interposed between the write enable terminal of the program memory and a write signal outputted from the CPU. The protection circuit includes a push switch for instructing program replacement with respect to the program memory, a pulse generating circuit for generating a pulse signal having a given time interval in response to an instruction from the push switch, and a gate circuit for making, only when the pulse signal is generated, the write signal outputted from the CPU valid with respect to the write enable terminal of the program memory.