A method for transmitting a parameter of a storage chip of an imaging cartridge, a storage chip and an imaging cartridge are provided. The method includes: receiving an instruction transmitted by a print imaging device; and determining that the instruction is an instruction for reading a key parameter, and transmitting the key parameter to the print imaging device, where the key parameter is generated by the storage chip. In the application, the parameter to be read by the print imaging device is generated by the storage chip. When the printing imaging equipment transmits the reading instruction, the storage chip transmits the parameter generated by itself to the print imaging device. Therefore, the parameter cannot be directly read by the printing imaging equipment at any moment, and thus a certain important parameter in the storage chip can be prevented from being obtained maliciously.

An image forming apparatus makes printing performed for maintenance by a service engineer charge-free, and prevents a print method for the service engineer from being used by a user. The image forming apparatus includes an input unit configured to input an image, a print unit configured to print the image input by the input unit, and a control unit configured to control the image input by the input unit to be output to the print unit and update a charging counter when the image forming apparatus operates in a first operation mode, and configured to control a specific pattern image to be superimposed on the image input by the input unit and the image with the superimposed specific pattern image to be output to the print unit without updating the charging counter when the image forming apparatus operates in a second operation mode.

An apparatus including a communication unit configured to communicate with a communication device and be able to output data stored in a memory to the communication device even without power supplied from a power supply to the apparatus stores, in the memory, status information to specify the status of the apparatus in a state in which the power supply supplies the power to the apparatus.

A management apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus for managing usage of the image forming apparatus is disclosed. The management apparatus includes a user data storage part for storing user identification data and use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data, and a use restriction data acquiring part for acquiring the use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data.

A laying sheet is laid between a printing device configured to perform printing on a medium and an installation surface on which the printing device is installed. The laying sheet includes a first surface coming into contact with the installation surface and a second surface being a surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface is provided with at least one mark indicating information relating to the printing device.

A server includes: a communicator communicable with an apparatus configured to perform a scanning operation and a printing operation using an ink-jet head; and a controller. The controller controls the server to: receive, from the apparatus, scan data representing a printing sheet printed by the ink-jet head; determine whether cleaning of the ink-jet head is required, based on the received scan data; transmit permission information to the apparatus when the server determines that the cleaning of the ink-jet head is required, the permission information indicating permission of the cleaning of the ink-jet head; and transmit non-permission information to the apparatus when the server determines that the cleaning of the ink-jet head is not required, the non-permission information indicating non-permission of the cleaning of the ink-jet head.

A network device that is capable of notifying of a factor of an error when reboot in response to an instruction cannot be performed due to an operating state. The network device is connected to a network. A receiving unit receives a reboot instruction through the network. A determination unit determines propriety of reboot based on an operating state of the network device when the receiving unit receives a reboot instruction. A reply unit replies information indicating no error when the determination unit determines that reboot is available, and replies information indicating an error together with information indicating a factor of unavailable reboot when the determination unit determines that reboot is unavailable.

An image processing apparatus having a storage device includes a switching unit configured to switch a bus width of a data bus of the storage device between at a time of activation of the image processing apparatus, and after the image processing apparatus is activated, and a shared terminal switching unit configured to switch a shared terminal shared between an I/O port and the data bus of the storage device, to an I/O side after the activation.

A CO2 emission estimation system includes a CO2 emission estimator. The CO2 emission estimator calculates an estimated value of CO2 emissions from an image forming apparatus when performing a job, using a CO2 emission estimation model as a formula for estimating the CO2 emissions and settings for the job. The CO2 emission estimation model is a formula where a multiple regression expression for determining an estimated value of a power consumption of the image forming apparatus when performing the job is multiplied by a CO2 emission factor. The CO2 emission estimation model has a plurality of explanatory variables each according to a different type of setting for the job.

A management apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus for managing usage of the image forming apparatus is disclosed. The management apparatus includes a user data storage part for storing user identification data and use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data, and a use restriction data acquiring part for acquiring the use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data.