Abstract: A computer allowing a user to use, even when the printing device is changed, a new printing device in a state close to a familiar environment of use is provided. The computer includes a determining unit determining whether an existing environment for using another electronic device used for the same usage as the new electronic device has been set in the computer. The computer further includes a setting unit selectively executing a process for setting an environment for using the new electronic device in the computer using the existing environment as a reference, and a process for setting a default setting for using the new electronic device in the computer, depending on a result of determination.

Abstract: A sheet on which a pattern is formed in a plurality of rows is conveyed toward downstream at least until an area having the formed pattern reaches an area to be dried by a drying unit. Subsequently, with respect to the pattern, reading by the reading unit for each row included in the plurality of rows and step-feeding of the sheet toward upstream are repeated. A sheet area to be conveyed to a reading area by step-feeding is forcibly dried by the drying unit before reading the sheet area.

Abstract: A sensor substrate unit is formed by connecting edges of a plurality of sensor substrates in a longitudinal direction. Sensor chips at the edges are mounted beyond the edges. The edges include convex portions and convex portions for connecting the sensor substrates. Farthest tips of the sensor chips are positioned inside of farthest edges of the convex portions and inside of farthest edges of the convex portions in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An event notification system includes a terminal and devices coupled thereto via a network that process jobs provided from the terminal The device includes a database in which a subscription including an event type and a notification address is registered on the basis of a notification registration request from the terminal In the device, an event generator generates an event with event data indicating a status change within the device. Given the status change of a job, a value indicating a requestor of the job process is included in the event data. When the event data includes the requester, an event notification manager sends a notification to the notification address in the subscription including the values of the status change and the requester, and sends the notification to the notification address in the subscription including the value of the status change.

Abstract: With a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium that stores a program, the program causes an information processing apparatus to function as an error-code-accepting unit, a data-management unit, an extracting unit, and a creating unit. The error-code-accepting unit accepts an error code. The data-management unit has (i) image data, each of which is associated with a setting, the value of which can be adjusted, (ii) control programs that supplies an output to an image forming apparatus, and (iii) combination information about a combination of the image data and the control program. When the error code is accepted, the extracting unit extracts the image data and the control program. The creating unit creates a maintenance program by using the image data and control program.

Abstract: A printing system has the first operation mode in which printing starts during processing of a target job, and the second operation mode in which printing starts upon completion of processing of the job. It is determined on the basis of the processing status of the job in the printing system whether to switch the operation mode to the first or second operation mode. The operation mode is controlled to switch between the first and second operation modes in accordance with the determination result.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects, a user selects one or more capabilities of a repository service and one or more capabilities of a scanner. A scan object including both acquisition parameters based on the selected one or more capabilities of the scanner and post-scan instructions based on the selected one or more capabilities of the repository service is generated and stored for subsequent access by the scanner. At the scanner, multiple scan objects available to a user of the scanner are identified. One or more electronic documents are created by scanning one or more documents using the acquisition parameters in the selected scan object. Both the post-scan instructions in the selected scan object and the one or more electronic documents are sent to a service identified in the scan object, where the post-scan instructions are processed.

Abstract: An improved automated planning method and system includes the use of an automated planner for validating a workflow plan with respect to device capabilities. As such, the present invention provides for an improved method and system for implementing and managing workflow plans utilized in printing environments such as, for example, print shops. A plurality of device capability descriptions can be converted into a data indicative of facts and operators for utilizing in a knowledge-based reasoning system. Next, a workflow plan can be converted into properties indicative of a goal state. The goal state and the data indicative of facts and operators can then be utilized in association with a domain-independent or domain-dependent planner to determine if said workflow plan is valid and executable in order to thereby validate said workflow plan.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a system for facilitating document printing from a portable device. During operation, the system receives a document at a server. Next, the system generates a document optical code corresponding to the document. Subsequently, the system communicates the document optical code to the portable device, thereby allowing the portable device to display the document optical code to a scanning mechanism associated with a printer, Next, the system receives a request, indicating the optical code, from the printer. Subsequently, the system retrieves the document in response to the request, and sends the document to the printer.

Abstract: A modem transmission level and modem sensitivity which are communication control information corresponding to the connection form of each destination device are registered in advance in a destination information storage unit so as to be correlated with an abbreviated dialing number of the destination. When a communication instruction using an abbreviated dialing number is received, if a modem transmission level and modem sensitivity are registered in the destination information storage unit as corresponding to the received abbreviated dialing number, the modem is controlled based on those registered modem transmission level and modem sensitivity. If neither a modem transmission level or modem sensitivity is registered as corresponding to the received abbreviated dialing number, the modem is controlled according to a modem transmission level and modem sensitivity that are registered in advance in the apparatus.

Abstract: A set of files making up a plug-in that is to be added to a base printer driver is stored all together in a single plug-in storage file. While no plug-in is added, the plug-in storage file is kept empty. A file making up the printer driver and the plug-in storage file are included as printer driver configuration files, and are described in a file list in a driver information file. When the printer driver is copied to a client computer, the files making up the printer driver and the plug-in storage file are transferred, following the descriptions in the file list.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit configured to acquire different types of job tickets depending on a type of application used for creation; a storage unit configured to store control information which defines an execution condition of a job ticket, wherein the execution condition defined in the control information includes at least one of first information indicating an application which has created a job ticket, and second information indicating an instruction content of the job ticket; a determination unit configured to determine, based on the execution condition represented by the control information, whether the job ticket can be executed; a display control unit configured to display job tickets which are determined by the determination unit to be executable; and an execution control unit configured to execute a job defined in a job ticket selected by a user from job tickets displayed by the display control unit.

Abstract: A printing control apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store information about a plurality of print jobs and a plurality of printing devices in a storage device, a detection unit configured to detect the shift of operating status of the plurality of printing devices, a determination unit configured to determine a print job which a printing device prints from the plurality of print jobs based on the information about the plurality of print jobs and the plurality of printing devices stored in the storage device when the shift of the printing device to a standby state is detected by the detection unit, and a print control unit configured to cause the first printing device to print the print job determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: Devices and methods for using an electronic device for a print job ticket. Such an electronic device may include a network interface, a display, and an input device. The network interface may receive an assignment of the electronic device to a print job from a print service provider controller, receive workflow instructions associated with the print job from the print service provider controller, and send job status information associated with the print job to the print service provider controller. The display may display a representation of the workflow instructions and a user-selectable representation of the job status information. The input device may register a user selection of the representation of the job status information.

Abstract: A method and system for managing print job through a process carried out by an online web-store server. The process includes the steps of receiving a print job order by a web-store server, and checking a remote cache via a network to determine whether a PDF file is stored therein. If the matching PDF file does not exist, then the server generates a new PDF file containing the sequence of articles and transmits the new PDF file to the print server, and saves the new PDF file in the remote cache. If the matching PDF exists, then the stored PDF is retrieved from the remote cache, and the print server uses the retrieved PDF file to print the print job without the web-store server creating the new PDF file or transmitting the new PDF file to the print server.

Abstract: A computer generated method disclosed. The method includes receiving a print job data stream, determining if the print job data stream comprises a secure print job, and inserting a control operator to designate a secure print job data stream if the print job data stream comprises a secure print job.

Abstract: A printing method for a print job having at least two pages. After determining a position of rolled media in the printer, print data for either a first page or a second page of the print job can be staged for printing first. This can be performed at a host computer connected to the printer or it can be performed in the printer.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a spooler, a request reception unit configured to receive a request related to print data from the spooler via a function interface, and at least one process execution unit configured to perform a process corresponding to the received request. The request reception unit is configured to cause the process execution unit to perform the process corresponding to the received request.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for outputting a plurality of sets of output units, the output unit composed of a plurality of pages with a determined order being one set, includes an image forming unit for successively forming images corresponding to the respective pages on sheets, a control unit for performing an arithmetic processing of an image eigenvalue for each output unit, a first storage storing the result of the arithmetic processing performed for one specific set of output unit, and a second storage storing the result of the arithmetic processing performed for the nth set of output unit, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the images are normally formed on the sheets for the nth set of output unit based on a comparison result between the result of the arithmetic processing stored in the first storage and that of the arithmetic processing stored in the second storage.

Abstract: The printing apparatus is provided for processing a print job received from an information terminal to accumulate the print job sent from the information terminal in an image storage portion, and includes a timer for measuring elapse of a predetermined time from reception of a print job for each user indentified according to user identification information included in the print job; and a control portion for controlling a print order, during the time measurement, so as to skip printing of a print job received from a corresponding user to print a print job not including the user identification information first, and print print jobs received from the corresponding user in a lump after the elapse of the predetermined time.

Abstract: A job division apparatus for dividing a print job including a plurality of print sets which are units to be processed by respective image forming apparatuses and transmitting the print sets to the image forming apparatuses. The job division apparatus includes a judgment unit configured to judge whether the print job is dividable at a planned division position indicating a position at which the print job is planned to be divided, on a basis of the planned division position and a set separation position for the print sets included in the print job, a calculator configured to calculate a division position by moving the planned division position so as to agree with the set separation position upon judgment that the print job is not dividable, and a divider configured to divide the print job on a basis of the division position as calculated.

Abstract: A method of performing an image forming operation in an image forming apparatus supporting peer to peer (P2P) connection includes P2P connecting the image forming apparatus to an external wireless device while the image forming apparatus is wirelessly connected to an access point (AP) of an infrastructured network, receiving a discovery packet from the wireless device via a P2P interface, transmitting to the wireless device a response packet including an Internet protocol (IP) address of the P2P interface, receiving from the wireless device an image forming operation performing request having the IP address of the P2P interface as a destination, and performing the requested image forming operation.

Abstract: A cooperation server executes printing processing of a document from an MFP through a printing server based on matter information including a printing instruction for the document received from a matter management server. The cooperation server notifies the client PC of the printing order that includes the printing ID and access information used for registering the costs related to the printing after completion of printing, provides a registering screen for costs related to printing by reason of the access from the client PC, and registers the costs registering information received from the client PC on the matter management server.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an operation unit; an image forming unit; a control unit making the image forming unit perform an image formation; a data acquisition unit obtaining an image formation object data; a data conversion unit converting the image formation object data to an image formation format data; and a plurality of memory regions storing the image formation format data, wherein when the data acquisition unit obtains the image formation object data, the control unit makes the data conversion unit convert the image formation object data to the image formation format data, makes each of the plurality of memory regions store each of the image formation format data, and, when the operation unit receives an image formation instruction, makes the image forming unit perform an image formation, in a predetermined order, of the image formation format data stored in the plurality of memory regions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of attaching a storage medium, the image forming apparatus including an input unit configured to input information indicating data write speed into a storage medium attached to the image forming apparatus, a determination unit configured to determine whether the storage medium can be used in each function which the image forming apparatus has, based on information indicating the data write speed input by the input unit, and a presentation unit configured to present a determination result of the determination unit to a user.

Abstract: A method of performing prepress operations with respect to a print job may include receiving, by a prepress workflow system, a document to be processed by a workflow, and automatically generating a shell document corresponding to the received document. The shell document may include a plurality of shell pages, and each one of the plurality of shell pages may include an external reference that corresponds to one of the plurality of received pages. The method may include performing, by a processor, one or more first prepress operations on one or more of the shell pages to produce a modified shell document, performing, by the processor, one or more second prepress operations on one or more of the received pages to produce a modified received document and merging the modified received document and the modified shell document to form a merged document.

Abstract: A relief print master, such as a flexographic print master or sleeve is created by printing a sequence of intermediate layers on top of each other with an inkjet printing system. The top layer corresponds with the halftoned image that is to be printed by the print master and the lower intermediate layers are supporting layers. The pixels of the intermediate layers that are stacked on top of each other are printed with different nozzles to reduce image quality artifacts. Both a method and a system are described.

Abstract: A printer includes: a receiving unit for receiving image identification information, image position information, and print data from outside as printing command data; an image printing position determining unit for reading image size information from a storage unit based on the image identification information in the printing command data received by the receiving unit and determining a position on a printing surface at which the image is to be printed, based on the image position information received by the receiving unit and the read image size information; a superimposing unit for superimposing image data read from the storage unit on the print data received by the receiving unit at the position determined by the image printing position determining unit; and a printing unit for printing a result of the superimposition by the superimposing unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read a document to generate a document image, a determination unit configured to determine whether rotation processing for rotating the document image is to be performed when printing is performed based on the document image, and a display unit configured to display a print preview representing a printed result, wherein the display unit displays the print preview if the determination unit determines that the rotation processing is to be performed.

Abstract: A variable resolution print system is provided. The system includes a variable resolution printer coupled to a positional encoder and a configuration module. The position encoder provides a pulse train to a controller in the variable resolution printer, the pulse train representing the movement of a target relative to the printer. A user of the print system enters or sets a desired resolution for printing via the configuration module. The controller calculates the difference between pulses in the pulse train. The controller then determines an adjustment to the calculate difference based on the desired resolution. The adjustment is used to generate a pulse train that actuates one or more print head of the printer.

Abstract: A wireless scanning device includes a scanning module adapted to scan a subject, a processor coupled to the scanning module, and a wireless communication module coupled to the processor for wireless communication with a user device. The processor is operable to control the scanning module to start scanning the subject according to a scan command from the user device. The scanning module is operable to generate scan data segments during scanning. The processor is further operable, for each scan data segment, to generate and transmit a real-time display data segment for real-time display and a compressed data segment for storage to the user device.

Abstract: An optical writing control device includes: a light emission control unit which controls light emission of multiple light sources for respective different colors and exposes multiple image carriers; and a correction amount calculating unit which calculates a correction amount for each of the different colors on the basis of a difference between a central value of a distribution range of positional deviation amounts in a sub-scanning direction for the respective different colors and the positional deviation amount for a corresponding color. The light emission control unit delays light emitting timing of a light source, which is to be delayed, by delaying reading timing of pixel information stored in a storage medium, and delays timing at which the pixel information about colors other than a color, light emitting timing of a light source for which is to be advanced, starts to be obtained from an image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: There is provided a decoloring device including a decoloring unit, a first sheet conveying unit, a second sheet conveying unit, a reversing and conveying unit, a manual feed tray, and a manual discharge tray. The reversing and conveying unit is disposed adjacent to an outer wall of the decoloring device in relation to the first sheet conveying unit, and conveys once again the sheet, which is temporarily brought into the second sheet conveying unit after being decolored by the decoloring unit and is switch-back conveyed, to the first sheet conveying unit. The manual feed tray is provided at an outer wall side of the decoloring device adjacent to the reversing and conveying unit. The manual discharge tray is provided at a position of the outer wall side of the decoloring device adjacent to the reversing and conveying unit.

Abstract: An object area containing a text or a graphic is extracted from a document image containing the text or the graphic. Then, on the basis of the extracted object area and stored size information, a cropping area is determined that surrounds the object area with given margins. Further, setting of margins is received. Then, on the basis of the object area and the received setting of the margins, the cropping area is determined. Then, the cropping area determined on the basis of the object area and the size information or alternatively the cropping area determined on the basis of the object area and the setting of the margins is cropped from the document image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a designation unit configured, in printing each of input first and second data by using a spot color printing material, to designate a spot color effect achieved by using the spot color printing material, a first determination unit configured to determine a paper attribute for implementing the designated spot color effect for the first data, a second determination unit configured, to determine a paper attribute for implementing the designated spot color effect for the second data, a setting unit configured to execute a setting of a print appearance for printing the first and the second data on one sheet, and sheet determination unit configured to determine a sheet having the attribute determined by the first and the second determination unit as a sheet onto which the first and the second data is to be printed according to the set print appearance.

Abstract: The application discloses systems and methods for physically sharing a hard copy of a document. The systems and methods include presenting to a user a graphical user interface having printing options for printing the document, where the graphical user interface has an input for receiving an indication by the user that the user is willing to share the hard copy of the document; presenting to the user options for defining characteristics of the hard copy of the document in response to receiving the indication; and publishing at least one of the defined characteristics within a profile page of the user.

Abstract: A plurality of preview images in case of color printing performed to an area selected by a user and monochrome printing performed to an area not selected by the user are generated based on a plurality of parameters, and then the generated preview images are displayed. Further, preview images in case of color printing performed to a specific area and monochrome printing performed to another area are generated respectively to a plurality of patterns, and then the generated preview images are displayed.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus obtains a threshold value indicating an allowable range of offset differences between an output target inspection image and a pre-provided inspection image, and determines whether to inspect a read image obtained by reading an output target image formed on a recording sheet having a pre-provided image, using the threshold value.

Abstract: There is provided a print data generating device which generates print data for printing using plural kinds of color material. The device includes a processor, and a memory storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the device to perform acquiring pixel data including grayscale values of plural color components corresponding to the plural kinds of color material, acquiring plural limitation values which are determined for the plural color components in the pixel data, respectively, and according to fixing characteristics of color material of the respective color components, to a print medium, determining a total allowable amount in printing a color represented by the pixel data based on the limitation values, correcting the pixel data such that a total amount of color material for the pixel data does not exceed the total allowable amount if needed, and generating the print data based on the corrected pixel data.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus generates black, cyan, magenta, and yellow halftone image data from a multi-tone color image. When the cyan halftone image data is generated, the size of a cyan dot to be formed at a target pixel position is provisionally determined and added to the size of a black dot to obtain a total dot size. When the total dot size is less than or equal to a first threshold dot size, the cyan dot size is determined to be the provisionally determined size, and when the total dot size is greater than the first threshold dot size, the cyan dot size is determined to be the largest dot size within the range of a difference between the first threshold dot size and the black dot size. It is possible to prevent excessive overlapping of black and cyan dots.

Abstract: Provided is photo retouching software which is easy for photo studio personnel to use. Upon opening photo image(s), special photo retoucher converts photo image data thereof to working color space image data. At such time(s), if working ICC profile(s) is/are set which is/are different from ICC profile(s) previously embedded in such photo image file(s), color perceptual matching is carried out on the photo image data thereof based on such embedded ICC profile(s) and working ICC profile(s) when such photo image file(s) is/are opened. Furthermore, when such photo image(s) is/are displayed at monitor(s), such image data is converted to monitor color space image data through color matching using working ICC profile(s) and monitor ICC profile(s).

Abstract: Disclosed is a gradation correction device in which the control strip has white or light-colored end patches and has at least one reference point at each of both ends of the control strip, which is defined by two straight lines including a fine line drawn on at least a part of a peripheral edge of each end patch except a border between the end patch and an adjacent patch which is adjacent to the end patch, and in which the gradation correction device detects the reference point at each of the both end portions of the control strip in the read image data, and obtains the density data of each patch by specifying a position of each patch in the control strip in the read image data in accordance with the detected reference point.

Abstract: A method for creating an image to be printed is provided. A first halftone pattern and a second halftone pattern for respective first and second periodic clustered dot halftone regions of the image are selected. The regions have respective frequencies and one of the frequencies is higher than the other frequency. A transition region is determined. The transition region includes a boundary between the two regions and includes additional portions of the two regions beyond the boundary. The two halftone patterns are blended with each other in the transition region based on a blending ratio of the two halftones where the blending ratio changes as a function of distance between the edges of the transition region.

Abstract: Based on an m×n halftone matrix and an m×n pixel block of an image, an m×n halftone version of the m×n pixel block may be determined. An n-way interleave may be performed on rows of the m×n halftone version to create an mn×1 halftone segment. The mn×1 halftone segment may be compared to one or more halftone segments in a buffer. Based on the comparison, a literal code word and a representation of the mn×1 halftone segment may be output, and the representation of the mn×1 halftone segment may be written to the buffer. Alternatively, a repeat code word and a repeat value may be output, and at least one representation of the mn×1 halftone segment may be written to the buffer.

Abstract: A page-wide-array printer has a print unit including an array of print-heads, wherein a printing direction is defined by a relative movement between the print unit and a print medium during a printing process. The page-wide-array printer receives a continuous tone image and divides the continuous tone image into a series of slices along a printing direction. Halftone image data is generated from each of the slices using error diffusion halftoning. The error diffusion halftoning comprises processing, with regard to error diffusion, each slice pixel-by-pixel following a processing pattern mainly oriented along a main processing direction which is parallel to the printing direction. The page-wide-array printer prints the halftone image data along the printing direction.

Abstract: A control device includes a first dither matrix having threshold values assigned to a plurality of cells. The control device converts image data into binary data by using the first dither matrix. The control device converts an input value into ON-pixel or OFF-pixel based on the threshold value. The threshold values in the first dither matrix are arranged such that the ON-pixels grow from a first group of ON-pixels to a second group of ON-pixels as the input value increases. The first group corresponds to cells arranged in M rows and N columns. The second group corresponds to cells arranged in (M+1) rows and (N+1) columns. The second group consists of the first group and a third group corresponding to (M+N+1) number of cells. At least two of the (M+N+1) number of cells are adjacent to each other and have same threshold values.

Abstract: A threshold matrix generation part determines a turn-on order in a matrix area where a threshold matrix is generated and determines a threshold value of each matrix element. In determining the turn-on order, a temporary evaluation value element is obtained based on a distance between each undetermined matrix element whose position in the turn-on order has not been determined and each determined matrix element. If these matrix elements are located in the same position with respect to a row or column direction, the temporary evaluation value element is corrected such that the undetermined matrix element is less evaluated based on the evaluation value. Then, the position of an undetermined matrix element that is most highly evaluated in the turn-on order is determined. Accordingly, a threshold matrix that suppresses the occurrence of a grid-like dot pattern can be provided.

Abstract: A halftone screen producing apparatus is provided. The halftone screen producing apparatus includes: an input unit to receive screen information, a dot center arrangement unit to arrange dot centers within a screen based on the screen information, a Voronoi calculation unit to calculate a Voronoi value for each dot within the screen in which the dot centers are arranged, a filter calculation unit to calculate a filter value for each dot within the screen in which the dot centers are arranged, and a dot value setting unit to set a dot value within the screen based on the calculated Voronoi value and the calculated filter value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a color conversion unit; a storage unit which stores a mixed-color pattern including a gradation of tones of a mixed color and a reference value of each of the tones; and a control unit which forms an image of the mixed-color pattern on the sheet with the image forming unit, compares color values representing color shades for each of the tones between an observed value of the image of the mixed-color pattern formed on the sheet and the reference value of the mixed-color pattern stored in the storage unit, and determines that the multi-dimensional LUT needs to be updated and updates the multi-dimensional LUT if a difference of the color values is determined to be large on the basis of a threshold value.

Abstract: A printing apparatus receives information indicating a type of printing medium from an information processing apparatus, and determines whether data for performing color correction corresponding to the type of printing medium indicated by the information is stored. If it is determined that the data is stored, the printing apparatus transmits the data from a sub-board to the information processing apparatus, receives image data to undergo color correction from the information processing apparatus, and prints an image based on the image data on a main board. The printing apparatus shifts to the power saving mode by restricting power supply to the main board, and returns from the power saving mode upon receiving image data to undergo color correction from the information processing apparatus.