Abstract: An imaging device is configured to operable in a normal print mode and in an economical print mode. The imaging device includes an image storage, a cost calculating system that calculates a normal print cost representing a cost when the image is printed in the normal print mode, an upper limit setting system that sets an upper limit of the print cost. Further provided is an adjustment parameter determining system that determines an adjustment parameter representative of reduced quantity of consumable substances when the image data is printed. The adjustment parameter is calculated based on the upper limit and the normal print cost such that a print cost is suppressed below the upper limit if the image data stored in the image storage is printed in accordance with the adjustment parameter. A printing system is provided to print the image in accordance with the adjustment parameter.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that can be connected to an image-forming apparatus, a method, and a program used for the information processing apparatus are disclosed. The information processing apparatus comprises a control unit for controlling print-setting information set for document data to be printed, a recognition unit for recognizing information about a first function specified by the print-setting information by translating the print-setting information controlled by the control unit, an obtaining unit for obtaining information about a second function of the image-forming apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus, a determination unit for determining whether or not the image-forming apparatus can perform the first function recognized by the recognition unit based on the second-function information obtained by the obtaining unit, and a modification unit for modifying the print-setting information controlled by the control unit based on the determination result.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for managing the print speed of a variable speed printer are disclosed. Embodiments include a print controller system having a raster image processor for rasterizing a print job to create a plurality of rasterized pages and a printer controller buffer for storing one or more of the rasterized pages. The printer controller buffer may also transmit at a print engine feed rate the one or more rasterized pages to a print engine. Embodiments may also include a speed control module in communication with the printer controller buffer for determining the print engine feed rate. Further embodiments may include the speed control module determining the print engine feed rate based on one or more of page processing times, page arrival rates, estimated print completion rates, and the number of pages in a print engine buffer.

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

Abstract: The subject invention offers data deletion operation with respect to the area storing image data for security purpose, and also offers a function for suspending the deletion operation by a specific condition so as to accept a request of processing new image data. The image processing device includes image data inputting means for inputting image data; image data storing means for storing the image data inputted by the image data inputting means; image data processing (outputting) means for processing (outputting) the image data stored in the image data storing means; image data invalidating (deleting) means for performing invalidation (deletion) of the image data stored in the image data storing means; directing means for directing cutoff of the invalidation performed by the image data invalidating means; and permitting means for permitting the cutoff of the invalidation directed by the directing means.

Abstract: In one embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the invention, an overwrite-block specifying device specifies equal size blocks so that a storage area in a data storage device is divided into consecutive equal size blocks to be overwritten with overwrite data. The data storage device includes an image data storage area configured to store encrypted image data on a page-by-page basis. An overwrite-data specifying device specifies the value of the overwrite-data whose size is smaller than that of the equal size block. A data erase control device overwrites the equal size blocks with the value of the overwrite-data, on a block-by-block basis.

Abstract: Separate multicolorant and monochromatic digital image marking engines are operated concurrently for print jobs having both monochromatic and color images. The marked multicolorant image sheets are batch printed and held in a sheet buffer and interspersed in sequence with the monochromatic marked sheets without interrupting the faster monochromatic marking engine or requiring multiple unnecessary run cost increasing start up and shut down cycles of the multicolorant marking engine.

Abstract: A method is described for managing a print shop system in which a plurality of printers are connected to and managed by a server. To print a document having both color and black and white pages using N-up and/or duplex printing, the server determines whether to print the entire document on a color printer or to split the document into two sub-jobs and print them on a color printer and a black and white printer, respectively. To achieve this, pages of the document are grouped into groups each to be printed on sheet of paper. If different paper attributes are present within any group, the document is not split. If all groups of pages have identical paper attributes within the group, each group is examined to determine its color designation (e.g. color, black and white), so that the sheets can be printed on appropriate printers.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus previewing on a display screen ink-character information and braille information which are printed and embossed on the same process sheet, the apparatus including: an ink-character previewing device for previewing the ink-character information; a braille previewing device for previewing the braille information; and a preview switching device controlling the ink-character previewing device and the braille previewing device and capable of selectively switching a display mode among a display of only the ink-character information, that of only the braille information, and that of the ink-character information and the braille information when printing and embossing operations are performed in a manner in which the ink-character information and the braille information are at least partially overlapped with each other on the process sheet.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Positions of flushing candidate pixels are provided in standard areas S formed from pixels arranged in a matrix pattern. A reference area formation section forms a reference area Ref by arranging two standard areas S adjacently to each other in both a main scan direction and a conveyance direction. In a range where there are overlaps with virtual pixel rows 84 not associated with image dots for a virtual flushing area F virtually arranged at a randomly-determined position in the reference area Ref, an extraction section extracts pixels overlapping flushing candidate pixels in the reference area Ref. A head control section controls inkjet heads such that image dots and flushing dots corresponding to the extracted pixels are formed on a sheet P.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: The method or system for controlling a printing or copying system for processing single sheets, a first single sheet and at least a second single sheet immediately following the first single sheet is processed with aid of n processing units. A required minimum distance between the first and the second single sheet is determined for each processing unit. A delay distance is determined for the first and at least for each of the n?1 following processing units. A difference between the minimum distance of a processing unit and a sum of the delay distances of the preceding processing units is formed. A smallest possible distance with which the second single sheet is fed to the first processing unit after the first single sheet is determined by a highest value of the determined minimum distance of the first processing unit and the determined differences.

Abstract: A control device and a method for controlling scanning speed of a scanner. The control device includes a decision device and a driving device. The decision device further includes an image buffer, an up-down counter and a comparator. The decision device receives the input image data and utilizes the up-down counter to compute data access volume inside the image buffer. The comparator decides whether to increase or decrease the scanning speed according to the data access volume and also outputs decision data to the driving device.

Abstract: A printing system including a transmitting terminal that transmits printable print content and a printer terminal that receives and prints the print content, the terminals being connected via an IP network.

Abstract: An optical disk contains main video data obtained by compressing pictures captured by a video camera at a relatively low compression ratio, low resolution proxy video data obtained by performing compression at a compression ratio higher than that for the main video data, metadata for use in editing. When a state in which the optical disk 2 is loaded into a drive of an optical disk apparatus is detected, the proxy video data and the metadata are read and recorded in a hard disk drive (HDD) without receiving a user's instruction. The proxy video data and metadata recorded in the HDD are used in simple editing before main editing in which the main video data is edited.

Abstract: This invention increases the job information management precision. To accomplish this, an information processing method of recording or accumulating job information on a job issued from an information processing apparatus connectable to an image forming apparatus including an acquisition step of acquiring the job information from the information processing apparatus or the image forming apparatus, a determination step of determining whether to record or accumulate the job information acquired in the acquisition step, in accordance with a driver which generates data of the issued job, and a recording/accumulation step of recording or accumulating the job information determined in the determination step to be recorded or accumulated.

Abstract: An electronic document creating apparatus includes a document information obtaining device that obtains and inputs document identification information put on a sheet document. The document identification information specifies an electronic document stored in a folder. The electronic document serves as an output source of the sheet document. An electronic document extraction device is provided to extract an electronic document based on the document identification information. A new document creation device is provided to create a new electronic document by combining at least two electronic documents extracted by the electronic document extraction device. The new electronic document is stored in a folder.

Abstract: A method and system for printing documents are provided. New print jobs are automatically analysed with respect to the device-specific properties of the individual pages and each page is designated, on the basis of the analysis, either for processing on a printer of the first type or the second type. Then, the jobs are made locally available for printing on each of the printers. A user may locally start a job on any of the printers and that printer then automatically selects and prints only the pages of the job that are designated for processing on its own type of printer. Then, the user may locally start that same job on any of the printers of the other type and that printer then also automatically selects and prints only the pages of the job designated for processing on its own type of printer.

Abstract: A printing result can be obtained with correct segment of a set unit in a collate document. When a printing mode in which a spool file manager 304 outputs a plurality of logical pages on one storage medium, drawing information among logical pages in a document is compared, and, when it is determined that the document is a collate document to be printed in plural set units, drawing information among logical pages in a document spooled in a spool file 303 is compared. Then, the number of pages indicating a segment of a set unit is detected, and a set-unit transfer process for drawing information on a printer 1500 is controlled depending on the segment of a set unit.

Abstract: A printer for receiving print data transmitted from a client device via a network and for effecting print processing on the basis of the received print data, comprising: a detecting unit which detects whether or not the print processing has been completed properly; a determining unit which determines a cause if it has been detected by the detecting unit that the print processing has not been completed properly; a storing unit which stores the print data in a file server on the network if it has been detected by the detecting unit that the print processing has not been completed properly; and a mail transmitting unit which transmits to the client device by an electronic mail a cause of the improper completion of the print processing determined by the determining unit and storage position information on the print data stored by the storing unit.

Abstract: When the user gives a printing instruction of an image delivered in response to the user's selection and edited, the image printing system of the invention retrieves available printers for printing the image, based on the ink type suitable for printing the image and an input paper size, and displays a list of the retrieved available printers on the user's Web browser. In response to the user's selection of a desired printer out of the list, the image printing system inputs a captured image, which is obtained by capturing the edited image, as a check image and the user's settings of editing parameters via the Internet and sends the check image and the user's settings of the editing parameters to a computer in a printing center where the selected printer is located. The computer displays a resized edited image and the check image in a comparable manner to confirm their consistency, prior to printing the edited image.

Abstract: In an image forming device, a hardware performs operations to image data. An image memory handler performs allocation of a memory to software execution entities which execute the operations, and performs execution control of the software execution entities. A processing part manages as queues operation specifications to respective functions of the hardware demanded from the software execution entities, and performs execution control of the operation specifications independently of the image memory handler.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus include a handheld printer manipulated by an operator to print an image on a media. A controller correlates a location of a printhead to the image and causes printing or not. A position sensor provides input to the controller. Its signal typifies pixels in a matrix frame indicating a current position frame and, over time, a previous position frame. The controller compares the two frames to find a presence of the previous in the current. To improve computational efficiency, the controller reduces a relative size of both frames before comparing. Specific reduction techniques contemplate converting a matrix frame of pixels indicative of previous and current locations into smaller matrices, including one-dimensional forms. Possible search areas within the current frame to look for the previous frame utilize knowledge about the movement history of the printer. Position sensor signal validity and controller architectures are other noteworthy features.

Abstract: In a printing system, intermediate data in a rendering-standby state can be rendered before intermediate data of an entire page is accumulated in a printing apparatus. A printer driver of a host computer sequentially converts a plurality of rendered objects of each page generated by an application to rendering commands of each page which can be interpreted by the printing apparatus. Every time a rendered object that should be rendered last in each of a plurality of bands, which are defined by dividing a page by the printing apparatus, is detected, the printer driver converts the rendered object that should be rendered last to a rendering command and notifies the printing apparatus of end information indicating the end of processing of the corresponding band.

Abstract: In one embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the invention, an overwrite data determination device for determining overwrite data so that a hard disk containing information on image forming jobs is overwritten with the overwrite data. An overwrite block size determination device for determining size of an equal-size block so that a disk memory area is divided into equal-size blocks to be overwritten with the overwrite data. The size of the equal-size block is larger than that of the overwrite data. Using the overwrite settings specified by the overwrite data determination device and the overwrite block-size determination device, a data erase control device overwrites the hard disk with meaningless data in order to erase data stored in the hard disk.

Abstract: In determining whether to use RIP completed data, a print control apparatus determines whether objects constituting a processing target page are all reusable objects. As a result of this determination, if it is not determined that the objects constituting the processing target page are all reusable objects, the print control apparatus performs RIP on the processing target page data without using the RIP completed data. On the other hand, if the objects constituting the processing target page are all reusable objects, it is then determined whether a registered common page matching the processing target page is present in a common page table. As a result of this determination, if the registered common page is present, the print control apparatus reuses the RIP completed data. If the registered common page is not present, the print control apparatus performs the RIP on the processing target page without using the RIP completed data.

Abstract: A method for recovering from an interruption while executing color split printing is described. The document is split into two sub-documents. N sets of the first sub-document are printed on a first printer, and N sets of the second sub-document are printed on a second printer while merging sheets of the first sub-document using a paper inserter unit. When an interruption occurs when printing and merging the nth set, the nth set is skipped and the remaining sets are finished first. Then, the second printer instructs the user to place the printed sheets of the nth set of the first sub-document starting from the first sheet after the point of interruption in the paper inserter unit. The second printer prints the nth set of the second sub-document starting from the point of interruption while merging sheets of the first sub-document using the paper inserter unit to complete the nth set.

Abstract: To provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a program that can decrease the frequency at which the object is externally referenced at the time of drawing and improve the drawing efficiency by suitably adjusting the bandwidth so that each element block of a structured document data may be included in one band. Therefore, the image processing apparatus scans the page of the structured document data in dividing the structured document data having plural element blocks into plural bands. The number of element blocks where an object to be externally referenced on the scanned line is arranged is detected. And the line at which the detected number of element blocks is decrease is set up as a divided line of the structured document data.

Abstract: A card type memory includes a file system for use in an image forming apparatus, outside the file system, an operating system that starts a program installed in the image forming apparatus, an image formation program that executes image formation, and a start program that starts the program are also included in the card type memory outside the file system.

Abstract: For generating from variable data page-oriented data for printing dynamic documents, a layout module (13) is linked in series with one or more data processing modules (121, 122) to a data input module (11). The data input module (11) loads (S3) a part of the variable data into local memory and passes it by reference through the data processing modules (121, 122) to the layout module (13). The data processing modules (121, 122) are configured to read (S8c, S13c, S13f) a data field from the variable data in the local memory only in cases where the data field is to be processed by the respective data processing module. The layout module (13) generates (S8) the page-oriented data output from unprocessed and pre-processed data fields, defined in each case by a respective pointer from the data processing modules. Thereby, allocation and de-allocation of local memory is reduced and performance improved.

Abstract: A printing apparatus receives a print job from an information processing apparatus. It is determined whether the received print job is a first print job or a second print job. If the results of the determination indicate that the received print job is a first print job, printing onto a printing medium is executed based on the first print job. However, if the received print job is a second print job, the second print job is stored in a storage medium. Then, if a printing instruction for printing the second print job containing printing settings and stored in the storage medium has been made, printing based on the second print job is executed onto a printing medium onto which printing based on the first print job has already been executed, and a process for adding a processing agent to that printing medium is then executed.

Abstract: An image information apparatus includes image input devices that read images on both sides of an original in parallel, a local memory that temporarily stores one or more image data read by the image input devices, and a hard disk device that stores the same image data that is stored in the local memory. A PCI bus, which serves as a transfer path for the image data on both the sides, and a PCI transfer controller, which controls communication via the PCI bus, are provided between the image input devices and the local memory. In addition, transfer units, which pass the image data on both the sides read by the image input devices to the PCI transfer controller in parallel and individually, is provided on the image input devices.

Abstract: An automatic counting device for measuring the number of target objects included in an image, which includes a discrimination section, a counting section, and a correction section. The discrimination section discriminates the target objects included in the image based on face information extracted from the image. The counting section measures the number of target objects discriminated by the discrimination means. The correction section corrects the number of each type of target object measured by the counting section such that the counting error arising from the difference in the discrimination accuracy between each type of target object is minimized based on information related to the discrimination accuracy for each type of target object.

Abstract: Systems and methods consistent with some embodiments presented provide methods for the concurrent generation and parallel rasterization of at least one display list in a memory pool comprising frame buffer memory and display list memory, wherein the display list comprises a plurality of equal sized display list blocks, the method comprises: monitoring the completion status of the display list blocks; monitoring the availability of rasterization processes; assigning a completed display list block to an available rasterization process; and rasterizing the display list block using the available rasterization process. In some embodiments, rasterization processes may run concurrently and operate on distinct blocks corresponding to distinct bands. Rasterized display list blocks are returned to the memory pool. In some embodiments, each concurrently executing rasterization process may execute on a distinct core of a multi-core processor.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for raster image processing which allows access to the page buffer during raster image processing. The method and apparatus of the present invention allow for virtually every page presented to the raster image processor to be printed with available memory. In addition, the method and apparatus for raster image processing of the present invention significantly reduces the bandwidth required between the raster image processor and the raster image processor manager. In addition, the method and apparatus for raster image processing of the present invention has equal or better performance than those methods or apparatuses that use display lists. Further, the method and apparatus of the present invention support the use of tag data and multiple page description languages.

Abstract: An image processing method includes steps of acquiring information about image conditions, such as resolution settings, supported by a first print device for printing image data; generating an image data item corresponding to each acquired image condition; determining an image attribute, such as a character image or a dot image, included in each of the generated image data items; trimming an image in an area including the image attribute from each of the image data items; laying out the trimmed images on prepared template data; and printing out the template data using a second print device different from the first print device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input unit inputting image data, a memory having a storage region for storing the image data inputted by the input unit, a printer printing the image data in response to an user's instruction of printing the image data stored in the storage region, a transmitting unit transmitting set information indicating setting of the storage region to an other image processing apparatus, and a control unit controlling the transmitting unit not to transmit the set information to the other image processing apparatus when a pass word for accessing the storage region is included in the set information, and to transmit the set information to the other image processing apparatus when the pass word for accessing the storage region is not included in the set information.

Abstract: Methods for determining an optimal memory allocation unit size for a framebuffer in a single memory pool comprising frame buffer memory and display list memory on printing devices are presented. In some embodiments, a method for determining an optimal allocation unit size for memory allocation units allocated from a memory pool in response to a memory allocation request for a pixmap comprises determining the amount of unutilized memory when the pixmap is stored using a plurality of memory allocation unit sizes, wherein the memory allocation unit sizes are an integral multiple of a base memory allocation unit; and selecting a memory allocation unit size from the plurality of memory allocation unit sizes based on criteria related to the amount of unutilized memory.

Abstract: A printer controller performs processing of a print job by a processor which realizes various processings by executing a program, and by a hardware circuit which interacts with the processor. A part of hardware circuit is configured as a determination circuit which determines a type of a packet stored in a memory for reception, on the basis of data in a particular part of the packet. When the packet is determined to be a command packet, the hardware circuit provides the packet for the processor. When the packet is determined to be a data packet, the hardware circuit transfers print data in a data part of the packet to a memory for image processing.

Abstract: A document processing apparatus reads document data and carries out a preflight check. In the preflight check, the content of the document is interpreted page by page to determine resources that are needed for output. Then, it is determined for each page whether the resources needed for output are available in a printing system. If a resource that is not available is needed, a warning is issued for the page. If the resources are available, intermediate data for a printed output is generated for the page. Then, a result of the preflight check is output.

Abstract: In a printing method, a user at a user terminal (10) having a physically connected mobile device (20) including non-volatile storage constructs an incomplete print job envelope (32) and completing data (34). The completing data (34) are stored on the non-volatile storage of the mobile device (20). The incomplete print job envelope (32) is communicated to a printing device (12). The mobile device (20) is physically disconnected from the user terminal (10), and physically connected with the printing device (12) to reconstruct the print job at the printing device (12) from the incomplete print job envelope (32) and the completing data (34).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a vending promotional printer for use within a vending machine are disclosed. A vending promotional printer includes a coupon database describing a stack of coupons that are specified using a template based couponing printer language. A coupon is selected for creation and issued to the customer based on a matrix of event-based triggers involving factors or parameters known to the vending promotional printer directly or supplied by master promotional controller. Triggers may include the time of day, the date or amount of a cash-out voucher to be issued to a customer, the duration of play on a vending machine, a customer classification, the amount of money or credits added to a game, or a random frequency of coupon issuance having satisfied any or all of the aforementioned factors.

Abstract: A controller driver includes a first compressor for compressing received image data to generate first compressed image data, a second compressor to generate second compressed image data, and an image memory capable of storing the second compressed image data of at least one frame. It also includes an overdrive processing unit for generating corrected image data where a tone value of the received image data is corrected from the first compressed image data or its expanded data and second compressed image data of one frame previous to the first compressed image data or its expanded data. The compression processing performed in the first compressor is the same as compression processing performed in the second compressor in compressing image data of one frame previous to the received image data.

Abstract: An authentication output system including: a network device that performs an output based on output data; and a device utilization apparatus that utilizes the network device, the network device and the device utilization apparatus being communicably connected to each other, and the network device performing the output through authentication.

Abstract: A document input from a scanner is used as input image data and is stored in image memory in page number order. A control unit prints the input image data and receives instruction data showing the cutting edge when cutting on the center line of the printing paper from the input unit. The control unit stores the addresses at which the input image data are stored in an array A; the image processing unit sorts the addresses stored in the first or second half of the array A, based on instruction data shown by the instruction data discussed above, in descending order by page number. The image processing unit alternates and stores in an array B addresses stored in the first or second half of the sorted array A, and in the first or second half of the unsorted array A. The print processing unit prints the input image data, in the order stored in the array B, on both sides of printing paper, and attains printing results as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A document generation system includes a printing system and a computer. The printing system includes a print engine, a scanner, a controller and a user interface. The computer is remotely located from but coupled to the printing system. The computer includes software for generating an electronic document and software for designating an insertion point in the electronic document wherein a scanned image of a hardcopy document is to be inserted prior to generating a finished document including the electronic document and an image of the scanned hardcopy document. The controller includes software for identifying the insertion point and for holding the electronic document until the hardcopy document is scanned before generating the finished document including the electronic document and the image of the scanned hardcopy document.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-function peripheral which is easy for a user to operate. To achieve the object, according to the present invention, there is provided a peripheral connected to an information processing apparatus, which inputs and analyzes a job script constituted of packet data from the information processing apparatus, and subsequently generates an appropriate job file in accordance with the content of the job script.

Abstract: An original document image is inputted as multi valued image data (original image data) from an input unit. The multivalued image data is binarized by a binary image generation unit. Then, layout analysis is performed based on the binary image data. Based on the layout information, a partial image having text-attribute is extracted and a partial image having non-text-attribute are extracted from the multi-valued image data. One of the partial images is encrypted, and the encrypted data is stored with the partial image that is not encrypted and the layout information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which reduces memory requirements of a printer and realizes high-speed printing is provided for a color image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming units, transferring sequentially developed images in color to a recording medium, and forming a color image. In a host computer connected to a printer which has a plurality of image forming units, transfers sequentially developed images in color with overlapping timing to a recording medium, and forms a color image, the CPU converts document data into image data, and transfers the data in the order in which the data is printed in accordance with the delay among the image forming units.