Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Masaki Higashiura

Takeshi Tani

Yusuke Nagai

Masahiro Sakiyama

Hirotaka Kubota

Wataru Nishi

Yoshiyuki Kofuji

An image forming apparatusallowing insertion of an insert-sheet between discharged sheets of recording paper includes: an image forming unitforming an image on the recording paper; an operation unitdesignating an insertion position for inserting the insert-sheet; a discharge unit discharging the sheets of recording paper having images formed and the insert-sheet; and a control unitcontrolling timing for inserting the insert-sheet. The insertion position is designated by a copy-by-copy basis with one copy being a set of sheets of recording paper having all images included in a job instructing image formation on the recording paper formed thereon. The control unitcontrols the discharge unit such that the sheets of recording paper having the image formed thereon are discharged by the number determined from the insertion position and thereafter the insert-sheet is discharged.

Image forming apparatus

An image reading apparatus, which has reading means for reading images recorded on sheets and carries out predetermined processing for the images read using the reading means, comprising first extracting means for extracting a plurality of predetermined patterns from the images read using the reading means, second extracting means for extracting the combination information regarding the combination of the patterns from the images read using the reading means, and judging means for judging whether the combination of a plurality of the patterns extracted using the first extracting means coincides with the combination information extracted using the second extracting means or not, the predetermined processing being carried out on the basis of the result of the judgment made using the judging means.

Image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, image processing system and image reading method

The present invention is to provide an output control system in which an information processing apparatus instructs an image output apparatus to output image data, and in which the image output apparatus outputs the image data. The output control system is configured by an image output apparatusand a plurality of information processing apparatuses. The information processing apparatusincludes an output data creation sectionwhich generates output data from image data to be processed. When an image data file to be processed is opened, a control sectioninstructs the output data creation sectionto generate output data of the first page of the image data to be processed without depending on an output instruction from a user, and transmits the output data to the image output apparatus. The image output apparatustemporarily holds the received output data. When the output instruction is inputted from the user, the image output apparatusoutputs the temporarily held output data.

Output control system

An image reading apparatus capable of reading images according to a plurality of reading methods, comprising a manuscript table on which manuscripts are placed, a reading section for reading images from the manuscripts placed on the manuscript table, and a plurality of detecting sections for detecting the manuscripts placed on the manuscript table, wherein an image reading method is determined according to the detection states of the respective detecting sections, and the images of the manuscripts are read using the reading section according to the determined reading method.

Image reading apparatus and image recording apparatus

An image reading apparatus comprises: reading means for reading an image recorded on a sheet; detecting means for detecting plural kinds of patterns from the read image; storing means for storing processing information used in processing to be executed, in a manner corresponding to pattern information concerning a combination of patterns; means for acquiring information concerning a combination of detected patterns on the basis of a detection result when said detecting means detects a pattern from each of the images read from a plurality of sheets; means for searching for the acquired information in the pattern information stored in said storing means; means for reading from said storing means the processing information stored in a manner corresponding to the pattern information, when the pattern information has been found by the above-mentioned means; and means for executing said processing using the read processing information.

Image reading apparatus, image processing system, and image recording apparatus

An upper limit of allowed print count is set for each user requesting print jobs, and a multi function printer includes: (i) a schedule transmission requesting section for acquiring schedule information of the user; (ii) a print count predicting section for predicting, on the basis of the acquired schedule information, allowed print count assigned to the user, and the number of printed sheets, whether changing the upper limit of the allowed print count is required; and (iii) a settings change inquiry section for inquiring a manager terminal of whether the manager terminal authorizes changing the upper limit of the allowed print count. If having obtained from the manager terminal authorization of change of the upper limit of the allowed print count, the multi function printer performs a print job within a range of a new allowed print count. Thus, the multi function printer can reduce print job costs by setting restrictions concerning print jobs and smoothly process print jobs by appropriately changing the restrictions in advance if necessary.

Printing apparatus and print restrictions management system for inquiring whether changing print restrictions is authorized

An image reading unit reads a paper formed with a predetermined pattern in a state folded into a predetermined shape, and a recognizing unit detects the shape of the paper based on the obtained image data. The recognizing unit reads the process instructing information corresponding to the detected shape and the obtained image data from the information table, and provides the read process instructing information to an authenticating unit or a setting unit. The authenticating unit executes authenticating process based on the provided process instructing information, and the setting unit executes the setting process based on the process instructing information inputted from the recognizing unit. Therefore, the information necessary for various processes is inputted, and the processes based on the input information are executed by reading the document folded in advance into a predetermined shape without performing troublesome operation such as key operation.

Image forming apparatus, image processing apparatus and image forming/processing apparatus

A data processing device, such as a facsimile machine or a printer, sends setting information necessary for processing data to a storage device for a back-up purpose, etc., and the storage device stores the setting information of the data processing device. The storage device classifies the data processing device according to whether or not the data processing device has a data protection function for protecting data to be processed, and stores the setting information in association with a type in which the data processing device is classified. When sending the setting information to a data processing device, the storage device sends the setting information corresponding to the type in which the data processing device as a recipient is classified.

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Nara, Japan

Masaki Higashiura