Abstract: A method and system detects a halftone frequency. A digitized image is received. An autocorrelation function is performed upon the digitized image to generate an autocorrelation function value for each halftone frequency of a predetermined set of possible halftone frequencies. A demerit term for each possible halftone frequency, based upon the autocorrelation function value, is calculated. A halftone frequency from a predetermined set of possible halftone frequencies, based upon the calculated demerit terms, is selected.

Abstract: A device and method for converting a multi-bit full color input image into a highlight color format for output on a highlight color image output terminal. The method and device analyze each pixel block on a block-by-block basis and assign each block to one of highlight color and non-highlight color. Each color is processed as a separate image file and can be combined after processing into a mixed raster file for output. At least the highlight color image portion can be converted to a single-bit file to reduce processing constraints.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for calibrating or characterizing a color printer or determining the color response of a color printer to combat spatial non-uniformity, in which color patches are printed on a test page according to an input matrix of input color in a printer-dependent-color space and the test page is measured to provide a corresponding output matrix of output color in a printer-independent-color space. Initial forward and inverse color transforms between the input and the output colors are generated based on the input and the output matrices. The output values are mapped to the input color space based on the initial inverse transform to form a feedback matrix, and spatial non-uniformities present in the printed test page are estimated according to noise values derived from the input matrix and the feedback matrix.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein provide for an efficient method for print job compression. In some embodiments, threshold halftone lookup tables directed to specific object types are used to compare pixel data for specific detected objects. Pixel data for such specified objects may be encoded using the appropriate object-specific threshold halftone lookup table into one of two multi-bit values, which serve to increase the frequency of repetitive or redundant encoded data and permit efficient compression by algorithms that exploit data repetition and/or redundancy. The methods described herein are applicable to a variety of printers, including raster and PDL printers.

Abstract: A copy machine control apparatus that can realize copy management of a print, editing a duplicate, management of distribution destinations of a duplicate, and control of outward transmission of a duplicate, by the use of a conventional digital copy machine. The copy machine control apparatus acquires a scan image of a print from a digital copy machine, processes the acquired scan image, and thereafter returns the processed scan image to the digital copy machine to print the processed scan image on a substrate.

Abstract: A background color of a document is detected based on image data of a colormetric system in which brightness and color components are separated. A color plane is divided into a plurality of color areas, and the number of elements of image data belonging to each color area is counted. The number of elements of image data belonging to each area of a multiple area constituted of mutually adjacent color areas is then counted. A color area in which the number of elements of image data exceeds a first threshold is extracted and given a positive evaluation. A multiple area in which the number of elements of image data exceeds a second threshold is extracted and a positive evaluation is given to each color area in the multiple area. A color area receiving a positive evaluation both individually and as part of a multiple area is specified as a color area of background color.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide methods and apparatuses for creating color conversion definition to make the same output result appear without any uncomfortable feeling when a same output result is observed under different illumination lights. To achieve this, the method comprising the successive steps of: (a) assuming an observational environment under an illumination light in which a difference in color appearance of an output result of the image output device in a plurality of observational environments with different illumination lights to observe the output result is made less; (b) determining measured color values of a device color of the image output device in the observational environment under the illumination light in which a difference in each color appearance is made less; and (c) creating a color conversion definition on the basis of the measured color values of the device color of the image output device determined at step (b).

Abstract: A tone evaluation method acquires color information on the second color space of a patch image corresponding to a grid point in the first color space, and calculates as the feature amount of a color conversion table the variation of the color information between two grid points in the first color space. Then, on the basis of the feature amount, a tone evaluation value for the color conversion table is calculated. In addition, on the basis of the variation of the feature amount, a tone jump position in the color conversion table is extracted and displayed.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus for determining whether input image data is identical with image data of a reference image or not and performing a process according to the result of the determination, input image data whose similarity to a reference image is not less than a predetermined first threshold value or encoded image data obtained by encoding the input image data is stored in an access limitation storage section to which only a specific user is accessible. This allows an administrator to easily check whether the result of the determination is appropriate or not, without requiring a larger and more complex structure.

Abstract: A circuit structure has multiple comparator circuits connected in series. Each comparator circuit compares an input tone value with a medium value of table data input from a preceding comparator circuit. When the tone value is greater than the medium value, the comparator circuit selects table data of greater than the medium value and outputs the selected table data to a subsequent comparator circuit. In this state, the comparator circuit outputs a value ‘1’ as a resulting bit representing a result of the comparison. When the tone value is not greater than the medium value, on the other hand, the comparator circuit selects table data of not greater than the medium value and outputs the selected table data to the subsequent comparator circuit. In this state, the comparator circuit outputs a value ‘0’ as the resulting bit. The circuit structure arrays the resulting bits output from the respective comparator circuits in an output order from its upper bit position and outputs the array of the resulting bits.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof expresses a color difference of a printed document when a color document is printed through the monochrome printing even if the printed document has the same brightness value. The image forming apparatus includes a brightness and chromatic value calculation unit to calculate a brightness value and first and second chromatic values of a pixel, an edge determination unit to determine whether the calculated brightness value and first and second chromatic values represent edgeness of the pixel, a degeneracy determination unit to determine degeneracy of the pixel, a halftone screen pattern unit to store first and second halftone screen patterns having first and second threshold values, and a binarization processing unit to perform binarization processing by comparing the first and second threshold values with the brightness value according to the degeneracy of the pixel.

Abstract: A color gamut of image data is appropriately subjected to a smoothing processing to print an image of favorable color reproduction and gradation reproduction. Specifically, when an average lightness is equal to or lower than a blacking lightness, the object pixel is not subjected to the smoothing processing. This can conserve the signal value of the object pixel to prevent a pixel originally having a signal value higher than the blacking lightness from being converted by the gamut compression to a black point. In this manner, a pixel for which the object pixel has the average lightness equal to or lower than the blacking lightness is blacked and a pixel having a signal value higher than the blacking lightness is not compressed to the black point. The resultant image has no deteriorated gradation characteristic when being macroscopically observed.

Abstract: An available image area is recognized from information, including a read start position and a read end position of a document, a scaling for performing image processing, a processing object position, or the like. Subsequently, the number of chromatic pixels of one line is counted to output it to a memory, and when it is summed up to an end line of the available image area, a difference between a count number N1 in one previous line of the available image area and a count number N2 in the end line of the available image area is calculated to thereby compare the difference with a predetermined threshold value. When the difference is larger than the threshold, it is determined to be a chromatic image, whereas when the difference is smaller than the threshold, it is determined to be an achromatic image.

Abstract: Image data can be subjected to a smoothing processing to improve a color reproduction characteristic and an image free from a deteriorated gradation characteristic can be printed. Specifically, the smoothing processing improves the color reproduction characteristic. This smoothing processing may cause a color originally not having the lightness equal to or lower than blacking lightness to be converted to a color having lightness equal to or lower than the blacking lightness. To solve this, such a color is subjected to a gradation adjustment processing to convert the color to the color having the lightness higher than blacking lightness. A gamut mapping does not map such a color on a black point, thus preventing such a color from being broken by the blacking.

Abstract: The invention provides a printing apparatus that includes: a printing section that performs printing on a print target medium; a display unit that displays various kinds of information; a touch-sensitive panel that is overlaid on a surface of the display unit and detects a position touched by a user; a display controlling section that controls the display unit so as to display a red cell block, a green cell block, and a blue cell block, the red cell block being made up of an array of a plurality of red display cells in which the value of a red color component only changes stepwise with a certain set of values of red, green, and blue shown on the display unit being taken as a base set of values, the base set of values being preset so as to be recognized by the user as an apparent red base color when observed not directly but indirectly through the touch-sensitive panel, the green cell block being made up of an array of a plurality of green display cells in which the value of a green color component only change

Abstract: A user-interface unit receives a request from a user. A control unit performs an execution control in response to the request received by the user-interface unit, and during an execution process, performs an interruption process and an authentication process. An application-logic unit provides a plurality of functions related to an image forming process. A device-service unit provides a shared service for the application-logic unit.

Abstract: A multifunction device has a plurality of functions and capable of being connected to a computer via a universal serial bus (USB) interface, the computer having an operating system (OS) installed thereon that recognizes the multifunction device as a device having at least one logic unit capable of transferring data according to a USB-compliant system, at least one of the at least one logic unit being a compound logic unit corresponding to two or more specific functions among the plurality of functions.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided with a print data retrieving unit configured to retrieve print data from the external storage, and an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording sheet based on the print data. If the modifying information representing modification of at least one of a command and data, which constitute the print data, is stored in the external storage, the print data is read out. A modifying unit modifies the at least one of the command and the data of the print data based on the modifying information. The image forming unit forms the image based on the modified print data.

Abstract: Printer (1) is provided with a mode to edit and print forms without reference to or interruption of a host computer and with immediate printing of one or more of the forms. Page data for the forms is preferably stored in flash memory (21) in a high level printer language. Preferably, at initiation of the forms mode at least the first listed document is immediately prepared by the control data processor (17) of the printer in bit mapped form for printing. Documents can be listed on the control panel by name for ready selection for printing.

Abstract: A printer includes a receiving unit configured to receive a print job; a printing unit which executes a printing process to print an image on a recording medium based on the print job received by the receiving unit; a suspending unit which suspends the printing process based on suspension information added to the print job; an indicating unit which indicates that the printing is in process during suspension of the printing process; and a re-starting unit which re-starts the printing process suspended by the suspending unit.

Abstract: A print image generating program is capable of printing information that discourages fraudulent distribution of printed documents, irrespective of the type of printer. A print image generating apparatus has an application, a printer driver, a print management unit, and a virtual driver, and is designed to add tracking information that discourages distribution of printed documents when print data is printed. The print management unit monitors print requests from the application. When detecting a print request which was output from the application to the printer driver, the print management unit acquires and interrupts the print request destined for the printer driver. When the virtual driver receives a command from the print management unit, it acquires print data and tracking information, and generates tracking print image data by adding the tracking information to the print data, and gives the generated data to the printer driver.

Abstract: A method is described for electronically storing images of previously copied documents and recalling them for reprinting later. When a user uses a copier to make a physical copy of a physical document, the document image is stored by the copier, and certain document management information is captured and stored in a document management database to facilitate later recall and reprint of the document images. A document management section, which resides either on the copier or on a server connected to the copier by a network, performs document management functions that allow a user to select a previously copied and stored document for reprinting.

Abstract: A method comprises collecting printing information relating to an electronic document stored on a computer. The printing information comprises printing attributes according to which the electronic document should be printed. In response to input from a user of the computer, the method causes the electronic document and the printing information to be stored on a portable memory device temporarily connected to the computer. The method causes the electronic document and the printing attributes to be automatically supplied to a printing device after the portable memory device is disconnected from the computer and subsequently connected to the printing device. The method causes the printing device to print the electronic document with the printing attributes based solely on the electronic document and the printing information maintained within the portable memory device.

Abstract: An apparatus for masking text in a rendered copy of an original document includes a text modification system which is configured to receive a print job from an application and modify the print job in accordance with a print job description, whereby when rendered on an output device, a selected text element is masked. A user interface is configured to receive instructions from a user to build the print job description including instructions for selecting text elements to be masked.

Abstract: A system for managing a job in accordance with a job specification and job content includes a database that stores device information and a configuration engine. The configuration engine is responsive to the job specification and the database and identifies one or more device configurations that are capable of producing the job. The system also includes a controller that is responsive to a selection from the one or more device configurations to produce a command stream in a format compatible with the selection.

Abstract: A method of controlling a multi-function peripheral (MFP) device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes i) storing data associated with the operation of the MFP device, wherein the MFP device includes at least one hardware element, ii) analyzing the stored data so as to optimize performance factors (e.g., power savings, job speed, use of consumable material, and MFP wear and tear, etc.) of the MFP device and iii) controlling the at least one hardware element based on the analysis. In one embodiment, the data includes at least one of the following: i) a first data associated with a user's MFP device settings, ii) a second data associated with a user's MFP device usage statistics, iii) a third data which is real time data associated with the MFP device operation and iv) a fourth data associated with MFP hardware characteristics.

Abstract: In some embodiments of systems and methods for print scheduling, at least one of a plurality of entries in a request table associated with a printing device is updated with print job related information when a spool associated with a printing device is full. A priority is associated with the entries in the request table and an incoming print job is spooled at the time of a print job request, if the spool associated with the printing device is not full and the entry corresponding to the print job in the request table has the highest priority. Embodiments of the methods disclosed provide for the ordered processing of print jobs in a timely fashion with minimal alterations to existing protocols.

Abstract: A production workflow integration system for a print shop includes multiple workstations, a printing device and a computer in communication with at least one of the workstations and the printing device. Each workstation includes a data collection module having at least one an electronic data storage device reader. The printing device prepares a job ticket for each print job to be produced by the print shop. The computer stores print job instructions for the print job on an electronic data storage device attached to the job ticket and stores the identification information of the electronic data storage device in a field of a print job record in a database stored in the computer.

Abstract: In a method and system for processing print data, the print data is displayed on a display device before printing, and the print data is displayed together with a check device or reticule that is displaceable at the display device. Both the print data as well as the check device are processed as transparent layers in a browser, where the check device is a dynamic element. The method and the system make it possible to check the registration precision or, in-register quality both by pages as well as within a page for print data of a print job that is divided into a plurality of pages.

Abstract: In a data communication apparatus having a printing function of printing, for example, received emails, and a function of transmitting print completion notifications, if received data is a print completion notification, it may be printed out, but a print completion notification indicating that the printing of the received data has been completed is not transmitted. Then, wasteful transmission of print completion notifications is prevented. Alternatively, the printing itself of the received data is inhibited, which prevents wasteful consumption of printing resources.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a server apparatus controlling the image forming apparatus are interconnected via a network. The image forming apparatus comprises: an executor that executes at least one from the image reading function, the copy function and the print function; an operation portion; and a communicator that exchanges information with the server apparatus. The server apparatus comprises: a communicator that exchanges information with the image forming apparatus; and a virtual image forming apparatus that is set up by software, as a controller portion dominantly controlling the entire image forming apparatus including the executor. In the virtual image forming apparatus on the server apparatus controls the image forming apparatus by commands, and thereby the image forming apparatus performs operations as if acting on a voluntary basis, in response to an instruction given by a user via an operation portion of the image forming apparatus itself.

Abstract: A disclosed information processing apparatus, which is connected to an output device, detects, from output setting information, an uninterpretable setting that is uninterpretable by the information processing apparatus, according to the output setting information used when performing output and function information relevant to a function executable by the output device; displays a page for selecting an option of an interpretable setting that is interpretable by the information processing apparatus, which interpretable setting corresponds to the detected uninterpretable setting; and makes a correction for changing the uninterpretable setting to be the interpretable setting that is interpretable by the information processing apparatus according to the option selected in the displayed page.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (2) capable of providing a box for each user is provided. The image processing apparatus (2) includes a user grouping process portion (205) that determines a total of an amount of a box of a first user that has been used by a second user and an amount of a box of the second user that has been used by the first user, determines whether or not the total is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, and groups both the users when the total is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, and a box reset process portion (207) that performs a reset process for providing again the boxes of the grouped first user and the grouped second user in an identical image processing apparatus if the boxes are provided in different image processing apparatuses.

Abstract: A printing system includes an image file standard determining unit, an additional information determining unit, an printing data creating unit, and a printing unit. The image file standard determining unit is configured to determine whether image data subject to printing is created in conformity with a prescribed image file standard. The additional information determining unit is configured to refer to additional information attached to the image data and determine whether the image data is created in a prescribed image data format based on the additional information. The printing data creating unit creates printing data based on the image data that is in conformity with the prescribed image file standard and the prescribed image data format. The printing unit prints an image based on the printing data created by the printing data creating unit.

Abstract: A print management apparatus includes: a communication section connected to image forming apparatuses via a network for transmitting a print job to one of the apparatuses, and receiving management information from each apparatus including information about a print function of the apparatus and alternate printing instructions to allow another image forming apparatus perform an alternate printing. A management section creates and stores management data indicating respective states of the apparatuses based on management information received by the communication section.

Abstract: An image processing method controls a computer and an image processing device connected to the computer to perform an image processing. The computer includes a plurality of drivers that controls the image processing device. The image processing method includes (a) controlling the image processing device by using one of the plurality of drivers, (b) storing, in a storing unit, error information indicating which one of the plurality of drivers is used when an error is occurred in the controlling step (a), (c) accessing to the error information stored in the storing step (b), (d) selecting a subject driver from the plurality of drivers based on the error information accessed in the accessing step (c), and (e) controlling the image processing device via the subject driver selected in the selecting step (d).

Abstract: A multifunction device has a plurality of functions selected from among a printer function, scanner function, facsimile function, and data storage function and capable of being connected to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. The multifunction device includes: a device data outputting unit that outputs information forcing an OS in the computer to recognize the multifunction device as a USB storage class device having a plurality of USB-compliant logic unit numbers (LUNs) when establishing a connection with the computer; and a controlling unit that determines, when output data is transmitted from the computer, which one of the plurality of functions the output data is for controlling, based on the LUN included in the output data, and that controls the determined function based on the output data.

Abstract: A communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus includes an image read unit which reads image data from a transmission document; a transmission unit which transmits data; a tag read unit which wirelessly reads tag data stored in a wireless tag corresponding to the transmission document, the tag data comprising destination data indicating a first destination of the transmission document; an operation unit configured to input a second destination of the transmission document; a comparison unit which compares the first destination and the second destination; and a transmission controller which controls the transmission unit based on a comparison result of the comparison unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof configured to input PDL data and render the PDL data into image data to form an image, wherein a rendering speed in rendering the PDL data into the image data and an image forming speed are changeable, and by changing the rendering speed and the image forming speed within a predetermined power consumption, suppresses degradation in image forming speed. When an amount of rendered and stored image data yet to be used for image forming equals or exceeds a first threshold, the speed of an image data rendering process is reduced while image forming speed is increased. Conversely, when the amount of rendered and stored image data yet to be used for image forming equals or falls below a second threshold, the speed of an image data rendering process is increased while image forming speed is reduced.

Abstract: This invention improves the operability in a process of compositing print jobs in a business-oriented printer. A client PC (1) acquires the print job attribute of an existing print job compositable with a print job of interest that the client PC (1) is going to submit to a server PC (2). The client PC (1) displays the preview of the print job on the basis of the acquired print job attribute. The user decides, on the preview image, the layout of the print job of interest after composition and submits the identifier of the composition target print job and the print job of interest to the server PC (2). The server PC (2) composites the two print jobs and updates print settings for cutting.

Abstract: In order to solve one or more problems encountered in the grouping of print jobs spanning a plurality of servers, a control apparatus within a print processing system includes: a designation unit for designating a plurality of print jobs; a generation unit for acquiring the plurality of print jobs from an applicable server, and generating a combined print job that includes the plurality of print jobs; and a setting unit which, when an error has occurred in the acquisition of the plurality of print jobs, is for setting whether to exercise control so as to execute processing of all of the plurality of print jobs after recovery from the error is achieved, or so as to execute processing of print jobs with the exception of the print job in which the error occurred.

Abstract: A data processor and a host device are bi-directionally communicably connected to each other. The data processor includes a process-executing unit and a progress-status-saving unit. The process-executing unit executes a prescribed process when a process-requested file is written in a prescribed folder. The progress-status-saving unit saves progress status data indicating a progress status of the prescribed process so that the progress status data is retrievable by the host device.

Abstract: In an image formation system comprising a data processing device and an image formation device, the data processing device includes: a print data storing unit which stores print data in a portable storage medium; an image data generating unit which generates image data to be displayed by the image formation device in regard to the print data; and an image data storing unit which stores the image data in the portable storage medium while associating the image data with the print data. The image formation device includes an image formation unit which forms an image on a print medium based on print data stored in the portable storage medium while being associated with image data corresponding to the image displayed by a display unit and selected by a selection unit when printing is requested regarding the image.

Abstract: An image forming device, which is configured to receive print data from a client via a network and process the print data, includes a print request receiving unit configured to receive a print request transmitted by the client with a protocol through a port of the image forming device, a protocol specifying unit configured to specify a kind of the protocol used in the transmission of the print request, a destination information creating unit configured to create destination information representing a destination to which the print data are to be sent, based on the protocol of the kind specified by the protocol specifying unit, and a destination information sending unit configured to send the destination information to the client with the protocol of the specified kind.

Abstract: A network apparatus comprises an address storing device, a keyword storing device, an error sensing device, an access device, a search device, and an output device. The address storing device stores an address of a web page on the network. The keyword storing device stores a keyword related to the network apparatus. The error sensing device senses error occurrence in the network apparatus. The access device tries to access the address when the error sensing device senses error occurrence. The search device sends the keyword to a search engine on the network and receives a result of the search when the access device fails to access the address. The output device outputs the result of the search.

Abstract: A printer may be provided with a print setting folder storage area, a data sending device, a data receiving device, and a print device. The print setting folder storage area may be capable of storing a plurality of print setting folders. Each print setting folder may be an association of print setting data and a print setting folder address. The data sending device may be capable of sending the print setting folder address of each print setting folder stored in the print setting folder storage area to an information processing device. The data receiving device may be capable of receiving combination data sent from the information processing device. The combination data may include a data file storage command and a data file, and the data file storage command may include a print setting folder address.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus having a request receiving unit to receive a request issued from a client device for event information, a destination device determining unit to determine the client device which issued the request as a destination device of the event information, a destination device information storing unit to store first destination device information which specifies the destination device, an event information providing unit to provide the event information to the destination device according to the first destination device information, a first cancellation unit to invalidate the first destination device information when delivery of the event information failed, and a second cancellation unit to invalidate second destination device information, which specifies the identical destination device according to the removal of the first destination device information when the second destination device specifying the identical destination device is detected in the destination device information

Abstract: A printer may be connected with an information processing device in a communicable manner. The printer includes a first command receiving device, a job directory creating device, a storage device, and an address sending device. The first command receiving device receives a job creating command including first print data. The first print data includes a plurality of second print data. The job directory creating device creates a job directory address in the case where the job creating command is received by the first command receiving device, and creates a file address for each of the plurality of second print data included in the first print data. Each of the created file addresses includes the created job directory address as its superior address. The storage device stores the job directory address and the file addresses created by the job directory creating device.

Abstract: A system for enabling user interaction with computer software. The system includes a sensing device and a computer system. The computer system generates print data and transfers it to a printer. The printer prints a form by printing information related to an interactive element and coded data indicative of the interactive element in response to the print data. The sensing device has an image sensor for capturing images of the coded data, which is coincident with the information, and a processor for identifying the coded data from the captured images, determine an orientation and position of the coded data, decode the coded data, and generate indicating data using the determined information. The indicating data, which is indicative of the interactive element is used by the computer system to identify the interactive element and perform a corresponding action.

Abstract: A system for enabling user interaction with computer software including a printer and sensing device. The printer receives print data, and prints a form, using the print data, with information related to an interactive element coincident with coded data indicative of the interactive element. The sensing device has an image sensor for capturing images of the coded data and a processor for identifying the coded data from the captured images, determine an orientation and position of the coded data, decode the coded data, generate indicating data using the determined information, and transfers the indicating data to the printer. The printer is responsive to the indicating data to relay the indicating data to a computer system for interpretation.