Seiko Epson Corporation

Mikiya Shimada

Nobuhisa Takabayashi

Hiroki Okabe

Katsuyuki Takada

Shinya Koike

Toshiaki Oishi

In a client, a photo frame for which guidelines have been set at predetermined positions based on an operator's setting operation is provided as a trimming frame TF with guidelines. While the trimming frame TF with guidelines is displayed on a processing object image in an overlapping manner, the trimming frame TF with guidelines is shifted and displayed on the processing object image based on the operator's shifting operation as well as the trimming frame TF with guidelines is enlarged or contracted and displayed so as to become a similar form based on the operator's enlarging or contracting operation. The operator can thus shift and enlarge or contract the trimming frame TF with guidelines so that the guidelines set by him/herself and a target contained in the processing object image have a desirable positional relationship.

Image processing method and image processor for trimming an object image

Each print job received from a client computeris divided into minimum printing units as divisional jobs, which are stored in a job folder. When either of an upper spoolerand a lower spoolerhas any vacancy for next allocation, one divisional job is allocated to a printer corresponding to the spooler having the vacancy. The name of the printer that has received allocation of the divisional job is written into the job folder. When any allocated divisional job having an identical image file name and an identical customer ID with those of a current object divisional job is present in the job folder, the current object divisional job is allocated to the printer, to which the allocated divisional job has been allocated. This arrangement allocates multiple divisional jobs for printing an identical image demanded from an identical customer to the same printer, thus ensuring substantially equal quality of resulting printed images.

Print management system and print management method

The technique of the invention retrieves any print job of redundant image data having identical image identification data with the image identification data of an object job, which is specified among print jobs stored in a print server, deletes image data present on a reference path of the retrieved print job, and overwrites the reference path of the retrieved print job with a reference path of the object job. The print job in which the image data was deleted is executed by utilizing the common reference path to read remaining image data and converting the image data into print data printable with a printer. This arrangement desirably prevents identical image data from being stored redundantly and thereby effectively saves the storage capacity of print jobs.

Print job management apparatus and print job management method

In photo studio system, a count which represents a number of printing operations with regard to each of the printerandis reset to zero in response to successful establishment of connection of a print serverwith the management server. The printerandare allowed to continuously carry out printing operations as long as the count is reset to zero before reaching the preset value. On the other hand, failed establishment of connection with the management servercauses the count to reach the preset value and imposes restrictions on the printing operations with regard to each of the printerand. Each of the printers is not allowed to continue printing operations over a long time period in the state of disconnection from the management server. This arrangement desirably prevents the management server from suffering significant losses.

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Nagano-ken, Japan

Mikiya Shimada