Minolta Company, Ltd.

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.

Hideki Hino

Atsushi Tomita

Kentaro Nagatani

Kazuo Okunishi

Hideo Mae

Yoshiaki Takano

Eiichi Yoshida

Shoji Imaizumi

Masaaki Saka

Hiroshi Iwamoto

Yoshihiko Yoshizaki

Daisetsu Tohyama

Atsushi Kawai

Hisashi Uchida

Kazuo Inui

Tomo Tsuboi

Ayumi Itoh

Yuji Kawamura

Tomoji Tanaka

Kenya Haba

Koji Shakushi

A transmission-side MFP receives a user name, checks whether the user name is registered in a destination user list, and if so, transmits image data to a reception-side MFP. If an ACK is received, the transmission-side MFP displays that transmission was successful. When a NACK is received or a time out occurs, the transmission-side MFP checks whether the user name is registered in an individual address book, and if so, transmits the image data using a corresponding transmission method. If an ACK is received, the transmission-side MFP displays that transmission was successful. If a timeout occurs, the transmission-side MFP displays that transmission failed.

Image transmission apparatus

In order to prevent leakage of prescribed information (such as highly confidential information, for example) stored in a data management apparatus via a storage device external to such data management apparatus, when the data management apparatus carries out processing to back up the data stored therein to the external storage device, the data management apparatus prohibits backup of prescribed designated information.

Data management apparatus and data management system

When electronic mail with firmware attached is received at a data communication apparatus, determination is made whether it corresponds to firmware data of a write process allowable state. In the case of write process allowable data, the message is downloaded from a mail server to a printer controller. Then, derived firmware is transmitted to an image formation apparatus. A firmware rewrite permission is obtained. When the firmware attached to the message does not attain a write process allowable state, waiting is conducted for reception of write process allowable firmware with the data left in the mail server. As a result, a data communication apparatus is provided that can rewrite firmware appropriately independent of a transmitted and received order of divided firmware.

Data communication apparatus capable of rewriting firmware

A job execution system comprises a job execution apparatus, an image data storage portion which is installed either outside or inside the job execution apparatus and stores image data in each box, a group information storing portion which is installed either outside or inside the job execution apparatus and stores group information preset for each group to which the user belongs in association with the box, a group information acquisition portion which is installed to the job execution apparatus and acquires the group information associated with the box when the box in which the image data is stored is designated by the user, and a controller which operates the job execution apparatus in conformity to the acquired group information.

Job execution system and job execution method, and job execution apparatus and image forming apparatus used for this system

An image processing apparatus checks a next job to be executed, and if the job is a firmware rewriting job, accesses a mail server, downloads e-mail, and obtains a job type of a job attached to the e-mail. If the job is a print job, the image processing apparatus extracts image information pertaining to the job from the e-mail, stores the image information, registers the job in a job management table, and ends processing. If there are no print jobs, the image processing apparatus executes the firmware rewriting job, deletes the job from the job management table, and ends the processing.

Image processing apparatus, management apparatus and image processing method that reduce delays in print job processing caused by rewriting of firmware

A data management system includes an authentication server and a data management apparatus (or an MFP). The authentication server includes a storage part for storing affiliation information specifying at least one group that each user belongs to, an authentication part for transferring and receiving data to and from the data management apparatus to perform user authentication, and a group identification part for identifying one or more groups that an authenticated user belongs to based on the affiliation information to send information about the one or more groups to the data management apparatus. An access permission part of the data management apparatus permits an authenticated user belonging to a plurality of groups to access a data file to which any of the plurality of groups has been granted access.

Data management apparatus, data management system, and method of data management

A process cartridge having a nonvolatile memory for storing prescribed information corresponding to addresses is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming device. The nonvolatile memory includes a first address at which data including a shipment destination used by a control system of the main body of the image forming device is stored, a second address where data including process control information to further control the control system of the main body is stored, a first unused address at which data including a destination code is stored and which is used by the control system of the main body of the image forming device is not defined, and a second unused address at which no data is stored and of which use by the control system of the main body of the image forming device is not defined.

Process cartridge for image forming device

A process cartridge having a nonvolatile memory for storing prescribed information corresponding to addresses is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming device. The nonvolatile memory stores first destination information of 'shipment destination' data to be used to control the printing operation by a control system of the main body of the image forming device and second destination information of 'lot No.' data not to be used to control the printing operation by the control system. The nonvolatile memory allows the image forming device to perform an appropriate printing operation without changing a program of the main body of the image forming device even when a new destination is arisen for a reason of production management, marketing etc. after beginning to put the image forming device on the market.

A job execution system comprises a job execution apparatus, a mode storage portion which stores mode control information that indicates the relationship between a user and a job execution mode of a group to which the user belongs, and a mode identification portion which identifies the job execution mode of the group to which the user belongs in accordance with the user information entered by the user and the mode control information. Furthermore, the job execution apparatus is equipped with a job execution portion which executes the job and a controller which allows the job execution portion to execute the job directed by the user for execution in a job execution mode identified by the mode identification portion.

A data broadcasting receiving terminal receives a data broadcasting signal from a broadcasting station to detect print-out data and a control signal associated with print-out from the data broadcasting signal. The data broadcasting receiving terminal, at a time point of the start of broadcasting, notifies an image forming apparatus of the detected print-out data and printing prohibition data included in the control signal associated with print-out. The data broadcasting receiving terminal acquires a preparation time required for print-out from the image forming apparatus and a time of restoration from a power saving mode and issues a command of printing start, in consideration of the time requirements, to the image forming apparatus so that print-out data is printed out at predetermined timing.

Image forming apparatus capable of forming image for broadcasting program at proper timing

An image processing apparatus avoids abnormal control on loads including an optional device and enables only program transfer when transfer of a control program from an external device is not normally proceeding. Through a communication interface, the control program is transferred from the external device to a flash memory via an external controller, while a transfer state thereof is stored in EEPROM. In response to the state of the EEPROM, CPU controls power supply to the external controller and the optional device to avoid abnormal operation of the optional device during transfer of control programs.

Image processing apparatus having a function to receive control programs transferred from external device

An image processing apparatus includes a memory storing firmware, a reception unit for receiving an image processing job, an image processing job execution controller for executing the image processing job using the firmware, a firmware reception unit for receiving firmware for rewrite purpose distributed from an external device, a firmware rewrite controller for executing a firmware rewrite job of rewriting the firmware stored in the memory to the received firmware, a judgment unit for judging a type of the received firmware, and a job management controller for adjusting an execution order of the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job according to the type of the received firmware, and instructing to execute the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job in the adjusted execution order when the image processing job and the firmware rewrite job are both placed in a wait state for execution.

Image processing apparatus, management unit for image forming apparatus, and program executed by image processing apparatus or by management unit for image forming apparatus

When electronic mail indicating termination of firmware rewriting has arrived from an image formation apparatus that has received divided firmware, the transmitter side of the firmware determines whether rewriting has ended properly or not from the mail. When rewriting has ended properly, electronic mail with the next divided firmware attached is transmitted based on the division number, divisor value, machine type and module indicated in a Subject field. When rewriting has not ended properly, the same firmware indicated in the Subject field is transmitted again. Accordingly, divided firmware can be transmitted appropriately. Thus, firmware of a large size can be transmitted appropriately even in the case where the size set at the mail server is restricted.

Data communication program product transmitting firmware in divisional manner

An image processing apparatus connected to a network transfers an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when new firmware for a rewrite purpose is obtained to when rewrite to the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.

Growing community of inventors

Toyokawa, Japan

Hideki Hino