Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Yusuke Nagai

Naofumi Ueda

Masaki Higashiura

Masahiro Sakiyama

Wataru Nishi

A network scanner for transmitting image data as read from a document, which has been stored in a predetermined memory includes: a transmission part specifying means for specifying a part of the image data to be transmitted to said terminal(s); and specified data transmission means for transmitting the part of the image data as specified by the transmission part specifying means to the terminal(s). According to the foregoing structure, the load on communicating can be significantly reduced.

Network scanner

A document is made which consists of a large number of recording sheets whose originality can be certified with reliability. Different specific images are respectively formed on a plurality of recording sheets of recording sheets outputted in constant order. Confirmation holes are formed on recording sheets at higher levels than the recording sheets with the specific images formed thereon, in positions in conformity with the positions of the specific images. When a document made by stacking those recording sheets is seen from the top, and the specific images are visible through the confirmation holes, the originality of the document can be certified. When the specific image is invisible through the confirmation hole, it is found that the document has been changed due to missing of part of the recording sheets, a change in order of the recording sheets, or the like, and hence the originality of the document cannot be certified.

Image processing 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

When it is judged that the IP address of a PC for the administrator is not included in IP addresses received from the PC for the administrator under accessing while a PC whose access is to be authorized is registered (NO in S), the IP address of the PC for the administrator is registered besides IP addresses received for identifying PCs (S). Meanwhile, when it is judged that the IP address of a PC for the administrator is included in IP addresses received from the PC for the administrator under accessing while a PC whose access is to be rejected is registered (YES in S), the IP addresses received for identifying PCs are registered after excluding the IP address of the PC for the administrator therefrom (S). This makes it possible to avoid a situation that an access from the terminal device for the administrator to a network device becomes impossible.

Growing community of inventors

Yamatokoriyama, Japan

Yusuke Nagai