Seiko Epson Corporation

Toshiharu Katada

Osamu Yokoyama

Akira Komatsu

Fumio Nagasaka

Yasushi Nakaoka

Kazutoshi Kato

Yutaka Hisamatsu

Masaaki Hanaoka

Masanori Mukaiyama

Toshiya Kondo

Yuji Nakajima

Satoshi Miyazawa

Takashi Miyasaka

Tomohiro Kuroda

Kotaro Yamauchi

To make it easy to set a desired job and execute a series of tasks on an image reading device, an image reading system is equipped with an image reading device and a plurality of information terminals connected to the image reading device by a communication network, wherein the information terminals are equipped with setting means (unit) for setting a job to be executed on the image reading device, and response means (unit) for responding to a job inquiry and sending the job to the image reading device. The image reading device is equipped with inquiry means (unit) for sending the job inquiries to the plurality of information terminals, display means (unit) for displaying the jobs received from the plurality of information terminals so as to be selectable, selection means (unit) for selecting the displayed jobs, and execution means (unit) for executing the selected job.

Image reading system, image reading device, and job management program

The technique of the present invention intermediates between an arbitrary client and an arbitrary printer connecting with a network to actualize practical printing works. A print portal system utilizing a server connected to the network intermediates between the client and the printer to execute a printing operation. The client outputs a printing requirement, which specifies print data of interest and a printer as an output resource, to the print portal system. The print portal system converts the input print data into data of a general purpose format, which does not depend upon the type of the printer, and transfers the converted print data to the specified printer.

Print portal system on network

A constructed system includes multiple clients, a server like a print portal, and multiple printers connecting with a network. A client transmits a printing requirement, which specifies a content of interest to be printed and a printer as an output resource, to the print portal. The print portal transmits the specified content of interest to the specified printer, which then carries out the actual printing operation. A security system interposed between the print portal and the printer in principle refuses transmission of data from the print portal, but allows transmission of the printing requirement from the client when direct communication between the printer and the client is established by means of infrared ray or feeble radio wave. This arrangement ensures the sufficient level of security, while enhancing utility of printing via the network.

Security system for output device

A correlation element correlates a source device with a destination device according to an instruction given by the user. A decision element determines whether or not a certain combination of device classes is operable as a composite device. In the case of the affirmative answer, a determination element identifies the type of the composite device and specifies a user interface for operating the composite device. A data output element then displays the specified user interface in a window on a monitor at a specific timing. This arrangement effectively improves the operatability of the device control.

Control device for controlling the transmission and receipt of data and a method of determining the transmitter and the receiver of the data

When a user drags and drops a digital camera category icon onto a printer category icon , an application unit detects the drag and drop action (S ). The application unit gains access to a server (S ), and obtains data regarding the names of individual digital cameras and the names of individual printers present on a network and corresponding icons, out of pieces of information stored in a common database (S ). The application unit subsequently opens a digital camera category window and a printer category window on a screen of a monitor , based on the obtained data, and causes device icons of the digital cameras and device icons of the printers to be displayed simultaneously but separately in the window and in the window (step S ). This arrangement ensures the user good usability and operatability when the user requires some operation between an arbitrary set of devices.

Device controller, method of displaying user interface, and recording medium in which computer program for displaying user interface is recorded

An eyeglass lens of the present invention has a surface which is a refracting surface arranged such that two coordinate axes X and Y are set to contact with the refracting surface at a determined point thereon while directions of the coordinate axes and an XY plane including the two axes are determined, that a perpendicular line is dropped toward the XY plane from an arbitrary point on the refracting surface, and then X, Y coordinates of an intersecting point between the perpendicular line and the XY plane are denoted by x and y, respectively, and the length of the perpendicular line by z, and that a value of z is expressed as follows: ##EQU1## where r.sup.2 =x.sup.2 +y.sup.2 ; C.sub.x, C.sub.y, K.sub.x, K.sub.y, A.sub.n,m,j are constants to define the shape of lens;

Eyeglass lens

A lens for eyeglasses which corrects an astigmatism includes a first refracting surface and a second refracting surface. Each refracting surface has an optical center and a periphery. At least one of the refracting surfaces is divided into a first portion and a second portion in which the first portion has a variation in curvature of the lens which is greater than the variation of curvature of the second portion.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano-ken, Japan

Toshiharu Katada