Minolta Company, Ltd.

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.

Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Syuji Maruta

Yoshikazu Ikenoue

Masazumi Ito

Eiichi Yoshida

Akio Nakajima

Keiji Kusumoto

Yoshiyuki Tamai

Yoshiaki Takano

Tomokazu Kato

Kentaro Nagatani

Tadashi Ohira

Kazuhiro Araki

Toshihisa Motosugi

Makoto Obayashi

Yoshikazu Watanabe

Takashi Noda

Masahiro Imamura

Takatoshi Hamada

Keiichi Nomura

Akihito Takada

Eiko Hirano

An image forming apparatus includes a job execution portion, a connecting portion for detachably connecting an external storage, a detection portion for detecting connection to the connecting portion of the external storage, a stored information reading portion for reading stored information of the external storage based on connection detection of the external storage by the detection portion, an internal storage portion for storing the read stored information, and a job administration portion for making the job execution portion execute a job about the stored information stored in the internal storage portion and for registering the job about the stored information as a processing wait job when the job execution portion is executing another job.

Image forming apparatus, job execution apparatus, and job execution method

A stored information processing device for external storages, comprises a plurality of connecting portions for connecting a plurality of external storages in a detachable manner, a stored information reading portion capable of reading stored information of the external storage connected to the connecting portion, a display portion capable of displaying the stored information of the external storage read by the stored information reading portion, a detection portion for detecting a connection and/or disconnection of the external storage with respect to any one of the connecting portions of the external storage, a discrimination portion for discriminating whether, when a connection and/or disconnection of the first external storage with respect to any one of the connecting portions, a second external storage is connected to the other connecting portion, and a controller for determining whether the stored information of the first and/or second external storage is displayed on the display portion depending on a discrimination result.

Stored information processing device for external storages, and stored information processing method

A new box storing information sorted for each individual or each prescribed department is to be registered with a first image processing apparatus, notification of a request to return a box name is transmitted to obtain additional information including a name(s) of a box(es) possessed by a second image processing apparatus. The second image processing apparatus responds to the notification by returning to the first image processing apparatus additional information including the name(s) of the box(es) that the second image processing apparatus possesses. The first image processing apparatus refers to the additional information obtained from the second image processing apparatus including the box name(s) to add to the new box the additional information including a box name and register the same.

Image processing apparatus facilitating information management

The present invention provides a tandem-style image forming apparatus that has multiple image forming units and a controller that controls the rotation of the polygon mirrors of the image forming units, wherein during image formation, the controller performs steady rotation control for the polygon mirrors of the image forming units used for image formation, and where a color image forming session is performed after a monochrome image formation session is completed, the controller performs steady rotation control for polygon mirrors of the image forming units used for color image formation but not for monochrome image formation a prescribed period of time prior to the commencement of image formation by such image forming units, thereby extending the useful lives of the motors that drive the polygon mirrors and producing high-quality color images.

Image forming apparatus

A printing system includes a printer, a center side data processor, and a remote user side processor (input terminal) all interconnected via a network. A print request and information related to a printing operation is sent from a user side processor to a reception device at the center side data processor. A printing cost is calculated and transmitted back to the user side processor via the network. Upon determination that payment has been received, the front data is sent to the printer for printing. The period of time of retaining the print data 8 is modified depending upon whether payment has been received.

Printing system that calculates printing cost using data input via a remote data input terminal and returns calculated printing cost to the remote data input terminal

In an image processing apparatus, a predetermined processing is performed in response to occurrence of an abnormal condition that an image forming job cannot be executed. A first processing is preset for the apparatus as a common processing to respond to the abnormal condition. A second processing is set for the image forming job as a processing to respond to the abnormal condition. Either the first processing or the second processing is selected according to priorities assigned thereto. The selected processing is performed in response to occurrence of the abnormal condition when the abnormal condition occurs. The processing to handle the abnormal condition can flexibly be selected from among a plurality of processings according to the environment in which the printer system is placed.

Image processing apparatus with programmable selection of abnormal condition handling

A printing system comprising a data processor, a printer, and an ID code transmitter for allotting an ID code to a data file for distinguishing the data file from others. An input device is mounted on the printer for providing the ID code to the printer before a printing process is executed. The printer executes the printing process in response to the ID code provided thereto and on the basis of the data file to which the ID code has been allotted. The invention is particularly adapted for preventing the user of the data processor from obtaining a printout on the basis of another user's data file by mistake.

Method of printing and printing system

A printing system includes an input unit for entering a printing job, a calculator for calculating copying cost according to the input printing job, a display for displaying the calculated copying cost, and a controller for allowing modification of a displayed printing job, and permitting a printing operation after confirming that there is no modification in the displayed printing job. The cost of a desired printing job can be displayed prior to a print out operation, so that modification of the printing mode is allowed. Since a print out operation is permitted after confirming the display of the copying cost, the expense required for printing can be identified in advance.

Printing system that can identify printing cost beforehand

A digital copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus sets a copying operation time period per sheet based on the size of a copying sheet. If the remaining number of sheets corresponding to an expendable in the digital copying machine decreases, time at which this expandable runs out is displayed, and time at which a discharge tray is filled is displayed if the number of sheets to be discharged onto the discharge tray is expected to exceed a fixed value. As a result, an image forming apparatus permitting an operator to smoothly perform processings with the apparatus if a copying operation to a set of documents formed of a plurality of sheets cannot be completed.

Image forming apparatus permitting whether or not input image can be

An image forming apparatus includes a feeder for feeding a new paper accommodated in a feeding cassette, an image forming device which forms an image on the paper fed by the feeder, an intermediate container which temporarily accommodates the paper fed by the feeder and having the image thereon, a refeeder which refeeds the accommodated paper from the intermediate container to form an image on the paper again, a detector which detects presence or absence of paper to be fed by the refeeder for image formation, and a controller which effects a change-over from the paper feeding operation by the refeeder to the paper feeding operation by the feeder when the detector detects the absence of paper to be refed or forbids the paper feeding operation by the refeeder until the detector detects the absence of paper to be refed after the paper has been accommodated in the intermediate container.

Image forming apparatus for producing duplex or composite prints with

A copying machine having a function of prohibiting the operation of an automatic document take-up unit. This copying machine includes an automatic document take-up unit and a document feeder for feeding a document, a document turnover unit for turning over the document for copying of both sides of the document, a designating unit for designating a copy side, a detecting unit for detecting whether the document turnover unit is attached or not, and a prohibiting unit for prohibiting the automatic document take-up unit from operation in case the document turnover unit is not attached.

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Toyokawa, Japan

Syuji Maruta