Abstract: Provided are an image processing apparatus and image processing method capable of processing image data as packet data, and compressing the image data in real time to a data amount within the storage capacity of a memory. Image data in the form of packet data is divided into a plurality of blocks by a block forming circuit (102), and compressed at a first compression ratio by a DCT circuit (104), quantizing circuit (105), and Huffman encoding circuit (106) for each block. A counter (108) measures the data amount of the compressed image data. If the measured data amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the image data stored in a memory (112) is recompressed at a second compression ratio as a higher compression ratio by a Huffman decoding circuit (113), bit shifting circuit (114), and Huffman encoding circuit (115).

Abstract: When a printer starts a printing operation using a rolled sheet having IC chips, it is determined whether an error occurred while an IC chip writing device writes information to the IC chips. First page information specifying a page region in which an error occurred and second page information specifying a page region which has been subjected to the printing operation using the printer at a time of occurrence of the error are transmitted to a host computer. Then, recovery information generated using the host computer is obtained, and a print restarting position of a recording medium is controlled so that an information writing position at the time of occurrence of the error corresponds to a position in which the printing operation is restarted. Thereafter, the printing operation is restarted from the printing restarting position in accordance with the recovery information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, method, and computer program product, in which image data stored in a file can be printed in two printing modes when a sample printing mode is selected. A first page printing mode is a mode in which only a first page of a selected file is printed. A designated page range printing mode is a mode in which a designated page range of the selected file is printed in order of pages. A mismatch between the number of pages of the selected file and a designated page range is judged. When the mismatch arises, a warning is displayed on a display device of the image forming apparatus to give the warning to an operator.

Abstract: An image-processing unit includes: a common drawing data acquisition component that acquires drawing data for a unit page containing a common image in variable printing whereby a plurality of pages are printed, with each of the pages having an image that is common among the pages and an image that is variable from page to page, the images being compounded; a variable drawing data acquisition component that acquires drawing data for a unit page containing the variable image at each page in the variable printing; a specification component that specifies, for each of the pages, a region where the common image is positioned over the variable image, among regions where the variable image is positioned; and a generation component that overwrites the common drawing data with the variable drawing data so as not to overwrite the specified region, and generates drawing data for variable printing.

Abstract: A raster-imaging processing (RIP) time is predicted for each of a number of pages to be printed in printed-page number order. The pages are sorted based at least on when RIP should be finished for each page. The pages are dispatched to RIP components for RIP at least substantially in an order in which the pages have been sorted. Each page is dispatched to a next RIP component that is available. A RIP component is available for a given page to be dispatched thereto where a total size of the RIP component's output buffer minus space within this output buffer taken up by any pages ordered after the given page in the printed-page number order is greater than the needed space to store the given page. The pages as have been raster-image processed are retrieved from the output buffers in the printed-page number order and transmitted to a printing device.

Abstract: A method generally for output handling a new imaging job, and specifically for handling such a job by delivering it to one of several currently job-engaged imaging output devices (illustrated as printers) including the steps of (a) examining the current job-processing statuses of such devices, and (b) from the result of that examining, determining the respective remainders in the amounts of current-job work still to be performed by those devices. The method thus features the acquisition and use of output device busyness information as an important part of the approach toward promoting efficient output handling of new imaging jobs.

Abstract: A system and method for a printer that can detect characteristics of a printed document and trigger an action in response, in addition to or instead of the action of printing the document.

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

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises: a volatile recording medium that stores image data in itself; a nonvolatile recording medium that stores image data in itself; a transfer portion that transfers image data page by page between the volatile recording medium and the nonvolatile recording medium; a controller that suspends transfer of one page of first image data, lets transfer of one page of second image data interrupt, and executes transfer of that page of the second image data on a priority basis, if a request to transfer that page of the second image data is issued with a higher priority level than that page of the first image data while that page of the first image data is being transferred by the transfer portion, and then, resumes transfer of the untransferred portion of that page of the first image data after that page of the second image data is completely transferred.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus controls to print a plurality of sequential still images, which can be observed as a flip moving image, on the basis of moving image data. The image processing apparatus provides a window which has a start point button, end point button, seek bar, and the like. The user designates a desired still image extraction range from the moving image data by operating the start and end point buttons. This window also provides a preview button. When the user clicks the preview button, a predetermined number of sequential still images are generated from the designated still image extraction range in the moving image. These sequential still images are displayed while being sequentially switched in the order they appear in the moving image data.

Abstract: The present invention enables reduction in the amount of data of a document image while maintaining a layout of the document image, and enables suppression of image quality deterioration when reproducing the document image. An original document image is inputted as multivalued image data (original image data) from an image input unit. The multivalued image data is binarized by a binary image output unit. Then, layout analysis is performed based on the binary image data. With respect to text areas, character recognition is performed on the binary image, then the recognition data is outputted. With respect to non-text areas, the binary image data is used without further processing. With respect to a multivalued image, e.g., photographs or the like, the image data is compressed with an appropriate condition and stored.

Abstract: An image output apparatus capable of offline printing or displaying image and text data automatically and efficiently to a digital copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, a liquid crystal projector, and a television set. Discrimination is conducted as to whether data in a data file to be printed, which is read out from a memory card by a memory card controller, is color or monochrome image data. As a result of the discrimination, when the data is color image data, print confirmation unit provided in the image output apparatus allows a user to confirm whether or not to print out monochrome image data, which is converted from the color image data by the color/monochrome conversion unit.

Abstract: A method of printing a document having a plurality of pages in an original sequence includes determining an second sequence to print each of the pages, wherein the second equence is different than the original sequence; loading each of the pages onto cyclic multi-page transport apparatus according to the optimal sequence; and unloading the pages from the transport apparatus according to the original sequence.

Abstract: An image forming device configured as follows. A user is allowed to select desired print data files to be printed from among print data files stored in an external storage. A file list generating unit generates a list of the desired print data files selected by the user. The list includes an order of the desired print data files. A page arrangement unit arranges each page of the desired print data files on each recording sheet based on the list of the desired print data, a print mode and a total number of pages of the desired print data files. Blank pages to be added to complete the arrangement of pages of the print data files with respect to the recording sheets are generated. Page data is retrieved based on the arrangement of pages and is converted to image data, which is printed by an image data printing unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a memory unit having a common storage area which temporarily stores intermediate data between page description language data and bitmap data, and the bitmap data generated based on the intermediate data, and which includes a rasterization area used when the bitmap data are generated based on the intermediate data and temporarily stored therein; a control unit which generates the bitmap data form based on the intermediate data and temporarily stores in the rasterization area; an image processing unit which executes image processing on the bitmap data stored in the rasterization area by the control unit, and which stores the image-processing completed bitmap data in the storage area; and a memory area control section which expands the rasterization area according to a used state of the rasterization area.

Abstract: In a printer apparatus of the invention, a file storage unit stores an archive file including plural files each having a reservation keyword, a processing content designation data holding unit holds plural processing content designation data in which the reservation keyword and processing content on the file are made to correspond to each other, a processing content designation data retrieval unit extracts the reservation keyword from the file name of each of the plural files and retrieves one or plural processing content designation data including the extracted reservation keyword among the plural processing content designation data, and a print processing unit print-processes the data to be printed contained in the stored document file in accordance with the processing content on the file held in the processing content designation data holding unit corresponding to the retrieved processing content designation data.

Abstract: The efficient use of memory devices is crucial in processing a large amount of data. In particular, the buffer memory is used in an efficient manner by the use of a buffer memory control unit. The efficient use of the buffer memory is implemented in a high-speed color data processing unit in a color image processing device such as copiers, facsimile devices and printers.

Abstract: A position designation unit of a print data processing apparatus designates a position of identification information in each page of data to be printed, the identification information identifying the page. An extraction unit extracts the identification information contained in each page of the data, based on the position designated by the position designation unit. A memory stores the identification information extracted by the extraction unit and the data corresponding to the page containing the identification information, the identification information being associated with the data. An input unit inputs print object information containing the identification information indicating a page to be reprinted. A controller performs a control operation so that the data of the page corresponding to the print object information input from the input unit is output from the memory, based on the print object information input from the input unit and the identification information stored in the memory.

Abstract: When a plurality of sets of data items are stored in corresponding frames on respective pages for printing, a data processing device confirms the size of each frame and, for each page, confirms the size of data to be stored in each frame. In addition, a check is made if data of each of the plurality of data items overflows the corresponding frame. If an overflow is detected, a predetermined warning message is issued before performing a printing. When print data stored in a database is processed, one print page at a time, the processing described above allows a user identify a frame overflow of print data on any page before printing.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and system for managing font resources using system independent references. A resource library may store a table, referred to herein as the “resource access table” that contains an entry for each base font resource. Each entry may include the following information on a base font resource: a native name, a file name, a unique identification, attributes, and possibly a link list used to identify any font resources that are linked to the base font resource. Since changes to the resource file such as updating a version of a font resource, changing the attributes of the font resource or changing the font resource's linked fonts, simply require an update to the resource access table, the data stream and the application program generating that data stream does not have to be changed.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium recorded with a printing program causes a processor of a computer to calculate a rendering area of print data stored in a storing section of the computer as a primary area based on the print data, and to calculate a rendering area of commentary string data to be attached to the print data as a sub-area. The program then judges whether the primary area and the sub-area overlap, and whether the sub-area deviates from an effective printing area. The commentary string data can be changed so that the primary area and the sub-area do not overlap, and so that the entire sub-area is within the effective printing area, if at least one of the judgment results in the judging step is affirmative. The changed commentary string data then is attached to the print data.

Abstract: A method of automatically printing a large document in which the document image file is decomposed into manageably sized segments that are sequentialized and serially streamed from a remote location on a network to a print server for printing. In one exemplary embodiment the segments are sequentially printed on a single printer and automatically assembled to a completed document. In another exemplary embodiment the segments are printed concurrently on more than one printer and the completed document is assembled by the user/operator.

Abstract: There is provided an option module for a printer, capable of preserving versatility while reducing possibility of ending in an error. An option module for realizing a specific function while being connected to a printer has a unit for inquiring to a printer connected thereto (below, referred to as “the connected printer”) regarding a print function usable with the connected printer, and only the print function usable with the connected printer is designated and operated, realizing the specific function.

Abstract: A printing apparatus that can maintain consistency between image information and page numbers with respect to that image information. The printing apparatus includes: a data input unit that embeds identification information for identifying pages to be printed in image information; and a data converting unit, a layout determining unit, a rasterizing unit and a print engine control unit that determine whether or not the processing order is a predetermined page order on the basis of the identification information that has been embedded in each image information set and, when the processing order is the predetermined page order, perform processing in a state where the identification information remains embedded with respect to the image information serving as the determination target.

Abstract: An information management apparatus comprises: an assignment unit that uniquely assigns a region on an imaginary plane for a page of a document that is output by an image forming apparatus; a receiving unit that receives a request for assignment by the assignment unit, and identification information that identifies the document; a notification unit that notifies the image forming apparatus of coordinate values in a region assigned by the assignment unit, as coordinate values expressed on the document image of the page using a predetermined code; a storage unit that stores, for each region assigned by the assignment unit, region information that indicates the region and the identification information, the region information and the identification information being stored associated with each other; and a search unit that, when a coordinate value is input, searches for the identification information associated with the region that includes the coordinate value in the storage unit.

Abstract: A method of detecting image quality defects in the output of an image output device includes the steps of generating a test pattern at a known time, analyzing the test pattern to generate image quality defect records, storing the image quality defect records in memory linked to a time stamp indicating known time when the test pattern was generated, repeating the generating, analyzing and storing steps at a plurality of different known times to generate a database of time stamped image quality defect records, reconstructing isolated defect data from each of a plurality of image quality defect records in the database, constructing cumulative defect data by probabilistic summation of the isolated defect data and analyzing the cumulative defect data using an image quality assessment/analysis engine.

Abstract: An improved printer controller system includes bitmap buffers for storing bitmaps as uncompressed data and a buffer manager for managing an allocation of the bitmap buffers to the bitmaps. The buffer manager is configured to recap one of the bitmap buffers according to a bitmap identifier associated with a requested bitmap. A method for managing buffer allocation in a printer apparatus includes allocating one or more buffers to a bitmap, assigning a bitmap identifier to the one or more buffers, and printing the stored bitmap. The method further includes releasing the one or more buffers, receiving a request including the bitmap identifier, and reallocating the one or more buffers to the stored bitmap.

Abstract: A copy machine is configured to determine a set of one or more resources that are both external to the copy machine and available to process one or more portions of a copy job initiated at the copy machine. The copy machine is further configured to display, on a graphical user interface, one or more user interface objects that indicate one or more functions provided by the one or more resources.

Abstract: A data transmission apparatus capable of transmitting input image data of a plurality of pages as one or more image files is disclosed. It is designated which page or pages are to be put into each image file. Such designation may be specified by a user. One or more image files are created in accordance with the designation. The created image files are transmitted, for example, using an E-mail or File Transfer Protocol.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image compressing unit that creates thumbnail data in page units on the basis of image data of a document scanned by a scanner unit, a first control unit that writes the thumbnail data in page units in a page memory, converts the thumbnail data into thumbnail packets in a unit of thumbnail data of plural pages and reads out the thumbnail packets, and stores the thumbnail packets in a data storage medium, and a second control unit that reads out the thumbnail packets stored in the data storage medium and stores the thumbnail packets in the page memory, selects data of an arbitrary thumbnail packet in response to user operation, and displays a thumbnail image in a unit of plural pages on a display unit of a control panel.

Abstract: An output processing apparatus comprises a first storage that stores image data in a predetermined block unit, a second storage that stores a head address of each of the image data stored in the block units, and a controller that reads, from the first storage, the same line of the image data of the plural continuous blocks on a line-by-line basis based on the head address stored in the second storage, and outputs the plural lines of the readout image data to a recorder as one line of continuous image data.

Abstract: A drawing instruction processor refers to a bit map line table that shows whether the bit arrays in the row unit are the same in the order of concentrations. The drawing instruction processor decides whether dither patterns to be used for the adjacent specified drawing ranges are the same, by referring to the BLT, and links the drawing ranges to which the same pattern can be applied. Based on this, the drawing processor carries out a batch writing using a dither pattern prepared in advance into the specified range in the page memory. The dither pattern to be used for the drawing is prepared by linking a plurality of the same basic patterns to have a length corresponding to the length of the word length. As a result of such an arrangement, it is possible to achieve a high-speed processing.

Abstract: A printer for printing user information is provided with one or more sensors for detecting machine-readable information pre-printed or pre-formed on the substrate printed upon. The information uniquely identifies each substrate from other substrates and this information is associated with information relating to the user information. Use of pre-printed or pre-formed substrates allows use of any printing technology.

Abstract: Color image data is inputted, flag data indicative of attributes (character image, figure image, mesh image) of each pixel of an inputted image is generated, image processes, an enlargement, and a reduction according to the flag data are executed, the processed data is outputted to a printer, and an image of a high quality is formed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first memory for storing image data, a second memory for storing image forming conditions, an image output unit for outputting the image data stored in the first memory under the image forming conditions stored in the second memory, and command means for generating a command of discarding the image data being output from the image output unit. The apparatus also has a controller. If a command of discarding the image data is generated by the command means, the controller discards the image data stored in the first memory, while it maintains the associated image forming conditions stored in the second memory.

Abstract: Whether fascicle setting of bookbinding printing is designated is determined. When printing in several bundles is designated, imposition processing and drawing processing are performed on a plurality of printing surfaces on the basis of the fascicle setting. After each fascicle is printed, notification processing which prompts a printer driver to issue a saddle stitch command is executed. Fascicle processing of bookbinding printing can be transmitted as one printing job to a printer, and the fascicle bookbinding printing function can be realized.

Abstract: A controller for a four-drum printer eliminates a need for an expensive inter-drum delay memory, which has been conventionally used, to print an RGB image and allows a multifunction machine, printer, and the like to be provided at low cost. An image ring interface reads an image data containing the same tile, which is stored in a tile pattern in a RAM, four times with a delay corresponding to a delay (10 lines of tiles) of image formation between image forming sections, and sequentially transfers the image data to four image output interfaces.

Abstract: When a print job occurs, each host computer stores its job data on its own disk and sends job location data showing the location of the job data to a print server. The print server temporarily stores the job location data and sends it to a printer when the printer is ready. When the printer receives the job location data, it fetches job data from the host computer which the job location data shows and prints the job data.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically updating a component application that reflects a current data-source description document. The method comprises the following steps. Identifying one or more differences between the current data-source description document and a new data-source description document. Automatically updating components of the component application affected by the differences in the new data-source document. A data-source update module configured to implement the steps of the method is also provided.

Abstract: A CPU monitors the state of a printing apparatus, and controls transmission, to the host, of a control signal for controlling the data reception timing from the host.

Abstract: A requested print job is divided and distributed to a plurality of printers to efficiently and correctly print data of the print job, with only a simple user instruction of distributed printing. Under the control of a distribution controller, data of a print job is divided into data corresponding to the number of printers from which the data is output, and spooled in specific file formats in accordance with a combination of the printers. In accordance with the spooled data, divided print data is generated and distributed to the printers via a network under the control of a transmission controller.

Abstract: An all-in-one (AIO) printer is provided, in which its bulk input device (scanner) is employed as a data reader of audio information, and its bulk output device (print engine/printhead) is employed as a data burner (or writer) of audio information. The present invention acts as a sound recording device and a sound playback device that may be incorporated within an AIO printer. If the AIO printer is combined with a host computer that includes a microphone and speakers, then no physical hardware need be added to a standard AIO printer to perform the functions of the present invention of recording and storing audio information.

Abstract: In the present invention, in an image forming apparatus for laminating images by using an intermediate transferring body, it is sensed that all toner images corresponding to image data for the same sheet material are formed on the intermediate transferring body in an arbitrary order, and the toner images are transferred onto the sheet material, regardless of the colors of the toner images held by the toner image holding section. Therefore, number of sheets output per unit time can be increased.

Abstract: A card making device allowing easy procurement of a character card desired by the user. When specified conditions are satisfied during a game, character data for a specified character are extracted from a character data storage means by a character data extraction means, specified character data are selected by a character selection means, card layout information is input by a card layout information input means, card layout of character data selected according to card layout information is performed by a card display image information generation means and card display image information is then generated and output to a printer by means of a card display information output means.

Abstract: An image writing system includes a display recording medium and a writer. The display recording medium includes a storage unit that stores format information, which specifies an expression format, so that the format information is readable from an outside. The display recording medium allows the image to be written rewritably thereon in accordance with a writing external force and retains displaying of the written image even after the writing external force is removed. The writer includes a reading unit, an image generating unit and a writing unit. The reading unit reads the format information from the storage unit. The image generating unit generates an image from original image data in accordance with the read format information. The writing unit applies the writing external force to the display recording medium from which the reading unit reads the format information, to write the generated image into the display recording medium.

Abstract: Processed image data is generated from processing object image data indicative of a processing object image which, virtually has a plurality of cells each, of which includes a set of M×N pixels in which M pixels are arranged in the X direction and N pixels are arranged in Y direction, the cells are arranged in a plurality of steps and are shifted each other by Dx pixels in the X direction and by Dy pixels in the Y direction. An input raster buffer is operable to store (N?1) raster data each of which includes pixel values regarding pixels aligned on one line in the X direction in the processing object image. Each of the pixel values included in the raster data is sequentially inputted to a data updating circuit. The data updating circuit is operable to update the raster data in the input raster buffer so as to sequentially replace each of the pixel values in the oldest stored raster data by each of the inputted pixel values. Each of cell buffers is operable to store M×N pixel values regarding one of the cells.

Abstract: This invention provides an image processing method which allows easy re-use of image information that is stored to minimize deterioration of image quality and the storage capacity. Storage means is searched for original digital data corresponding to each input image. If no original digital data is found, the input image is converted into vector data, and is stored as digital data in the storage means. A sheet including at least one of information associated with the found original digital data when the original digital data is found in the search step and information associated with digital data which is obtained by converting the image into the vector data in the vectorization step and is stored in the storage step when no original digital data is found in the search step is generated, thus providing a sheet that allows easy re-use.

Abstract: In a simultaneous double-sided document reading, this invention controls by software the document reading order to store image data in a single image storage device in the same order as a document page sequence. The copying apparatus has a reader unit, a printer unit, a controller unit and a document supply control unit. The controller unit has a reader memory, an encoder and a decoder. The reader memory temporarily stores at least two pages of uncompressed image data read from the document by the reader unit. The encoder compresses the image data stored in the reader memory. The compressed image memory stores a plurality of pages of image data compressed by the encoder. The decoder analyzes (expands) the compressed image data stored in the compressed image memory and maps it on the page memory.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus controls to print a plurality of sequential still images, which can be observed as a flip moving image, on the basis of moving image data. The image processing apparatus provides a window which has a start point button, end point button, seek bar, and the like. The user designates a desired still image extraction range from the moving image data by operating the start and end point buttons. This window also provides a preview button. When the user clicks the preview button, a predetermined number of sequential still images are generated from the designated still image extraction range in the moving image. These sequential still images are displayed while being sequentially switched in the order they appear in the moving image data.

Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, capable of providing an image with little deterioration, even in case the image contrast has to be adjusted not for the purpose of image adjustment, such as for reducing the toner consumption amount or for preventing the leak in the charging device.