Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Akihiko Motegi

Masaru Kaneko

Shigeru Yamazaki

Yasushi Nakazato

Shinichiro Wada

Kazuya Iwasaki

Masaki Narita

Hiroaki Kotabe

Masahiko Banno

Kouji Yamanobe

Hiroshi Komai

Takashi Nishizawa

A method and computer-based printing system enable a user of a computer to send an image file to a host computer and subsequently to a printer for printing while ensuring that the user is able to retrieve the printed document without other individuals having access to the printed document. More particularly, in response to receiving a print request from a user terminal, stores the image data with a unique job number, sends the job number to the terminal computer and this terminal computer displays the job number to the user. The user may then enter the displayed job number and password on an operation unit of any printer selected by the user, and in response, the host computer downloads the stored image data associated with the inputted job number to the selected printer and the selected printer prints the document. Other individuals are prevented from viewing the printed document because only the intended recipient (i.e., the user who originated print job) knows the user's password and job number and because the intended recipient is located at the printer and can 'guard' the printed document from being viewed by other people.

Computer-based network printing system and method for providing a unique identifier to be input by a user

An operation detecting part detects operation of a power switch, and a backup device performs a backup operation enabling a predetermined amount of power supply even after the power switch has cut off the power supply. Upon detection of power cut off by the operation detecting part, while the backup device performs the backup operation, the control part saves predetermined data stored in a volatile storage device in an apparatus externally via a network, or into a non-volatile storage device.

Image formation apparatus and network system

Computer-based network printing system and method

A power supply control device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a shutoff detector for monitoring the state of a power switch. In response to the output signal of the shutoff detector representative of the turn-off of the power switch, a shutoff processing section executes processing for avoiding accidental error detection and protecting a memory before the output voltage of a DC power supply drops to a preselected level.

Power supply control device for an image forming apparatus

A printer system includes a plurality of client computers and a single network printer selectively connectable to the client computers via a server computer. A power supply control section is included in the printer for selectively turning on or turning off the power supply of the printer in response to remote control effected from any one of client computers via the server computer. A confirming section is also included in the printer for confirming, in response to a power OFF command received from any one of the client computers, the connection of client computers other than one sent the power OFF command. The power supply control section turns off the power supply if allowed on the basis of information output from the confirming section and representative of the connection of the other client computers.

Printer system

A method and computer-based printing system enable a user of a computer to send an image file to a host computer and subsequently to a printer for printing while ensuring that the user is able to retrieve the printed document without other individuals having access to the printed document. More particularly, in response to receiving a print request from a user terminal, stores the image data with a unique job number, sends the job number to the terminal computer and this terminal computer displays the job number to the user. The user may then enter the displayed job number and password on an operation unit of any printer selected by the user, and in response, the host computer downloads the stored image data associated with the inputted job number to the selected printer and the selected printer prints the document. Other individuals are prevented from viewing the printed document because only the intended recipient (i.e., the user who originated print job) knows the user's password and job number and because the intended recipient is located at the printer and can &ldquo;guard&rdquo; the printed document from being viewed by other people.

In an image forming system, an image forming apparatus with an optional main box having a plurality of bins prevents the cover of each bin from being locked in its closed position unless papers output to all the bins are taken out. Hence, all the bins are empty when they are used later, and can be used by any users. This implements a mail box which can be efficiently used by many users.

Image forming system

An image forming apparatus includes a laser beam scanning unit for scanning a recording medium in synchronism with a writing clock signal so that a dotted image is formed on the recording medium, a counter for carrying out a count operation in synchronism with the writing clock signal so that one count value or a plurality of count values determining a scanning area is/are obtained, a first controller for activating or inactivating the laser beam scanning unit based on one or the plurality of count values, a dip switch unit for specifying a dotting density, a second controller for controlling the frequency of the writing clock signal and/or a speed of scanning; and a changing unit for changing one or the plurality of count values, which should be obtained by the counter, based on the dotting density specified by the dip switch unit, so that the position of the scanning area with respect to the recording medium is constant even if the frequency of the writing clock signal and/or the scanning speed are changed by the second controller.

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Tokyo, Japan

Akihiko Motegi