Disclosed is an image forming system including: an image forming apparatus; and an operation unit communicating wirelessly with the image forming apparatus. The operation unit includes a touch panel display, a first memory temporality storing a first screen image and a second screen image related to the image forming apparatus, a second memory in which the second screen image is stored in advance. When the first screen image transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the operation unit is displayed on the touch panel display, if a first icon on the first screen image is touched, the position of the first icon is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. When the second screen image stored in the second memory is displayed on the touch panel display, if a second icon on the second screen image is touched, a command indicating the second icon is transmitted to the image forming apparatus.

An erasing apparatus according to an embodiment includes an erasing unit that erases an image formed on a sheet and a scanning unit that scans a surface of a sheet. A control determines whether or not an image on the sheet has been erased based on the scanned surface and count the number of sheets on which images are determined to have been erased, with respect to each size of the sheets. A network interface transmits information including the counted number of the sheets and a size of the sheets on which images are determined to have been erased to a managing apparatus that manages points associated with the erasing of the images on the sheets.

A method and system for managing one or more high frequency service items associated with a device. A parent/child relationship between the high frequency service items can be defined to track replacement of components based on a service action related to a child component. A taxonomy of related service items and servicing functions can be specified in an XML document associated with the rendering system. The relationship between the high frequency service items can be indicated utilizing a related component indicator and a HFSI counter. A parent component can be replaced by a maintenance operator and an aggregate child component can be rebuilt by a service engineer in order to retain the component life thereby reducing down time and service costs.

An image processing apparatus is configured to transit to a communicable power-saving state in which information exchange is possible through a network while power supply to a part of units of the apparatus is stopped. The apparatus includes a connection detection unit configured to detect a connection state of a network cable; and a power supply control unit configured to control a supply state of a power source according to the connection state of the network cable. When the network cable is changed from a connected state to a disconnected state, the power supply control unit controls the supply state of the power source so as to cause the apparatus to transit to a connection detectable power-saving state in which a power supply range is more limited than that in the communicable power-saving state and in which detection of the connection state of the network cable is possible by the connection detection unit.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a housing configured to store the image forming unit, the housing including an outer peripheral wall; a power supply unit disposed inside the housing; and a near field communication board including an antenna for near field communication, the near field communication board being disposed at a position of the outer peripheral wall apart from the power supply unit by a communicable distance or more.

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes: a detecting unit configured to detect a user approaching the image forming apparatus; a communication unit configured to be capable of receiving the job from a mobile terminal via short-range wireless communication; and a controlling unit that controls a power supply such that electric power is supplied from the power supply to a first device and a second device in response to detection of the user by the detecting unit, and controls the power supply such that in response to designation of a job from the mobile terminal via the short-range wireless communication, the power supply continues supply of the electric power to the first device that is used for executing the designated job and the power supply stops supply of the electric power to the second device that is not used for executing the designated job.

An image forming apparatus includes an execution unit, a power supply control unit, and a setting unit. In a case where the power supply control unit receives a shutdown request while the execution unit is executing first repair processing for a predetermined partition in accordance with reservation information, the setting unit changes the reservation information from the first repair processing to second repair processing that takes a shorter time than the first repair processing.

Methods relating generally to textured printing are disclosed. In a method, at least one object or object outline in an image is identified using an artificial intelligence engine. A sub image is generated for the at least one object or object outline. The image and the sub image are processed to convert into image information and associated position information for the sub image in relation to the image for textured printing. The image information and the position information are stored in a memory for the textured printing.

An image forming apparatus includes a first processor configured to control a transporter that transports a sheet and a first image forming section that forms an image on the sheet transported by the transporter, and a second processor configured to control a second image forming section that forms an image on the sheet transported by the transporter. The first processor and the second processor are contained in a single housing. When the first processor receives an image formation command from outside the housing and determines to perform an image forming process at the first image forming section, the first processor is configured to perform transport preparation for transporting the sheet at the transporter and receive, from the second processor, a completion notification corresponding to a preparation command, for performing image formation preparation in the second image forming section, transmitted to the second processor via an inside of the housing, and subsequently cause the transporter to transport the sheet and the first image forming section to form the image. If the first processor ascertains that an independent process involving not forming the image at the first image forming section but forming the image at the second image forming section is to be performed, the first processor is configured to perform the transport preparation before receiving the completion notification, and cause the transporter to transport the sheet after receiving the completion notification.

A printing device comprises a housing, a communication interface configured to communicate with a server, and a controller. The printing device is configured to operate either in a contract mode or in a normal mode. The housing is configured such that one or more consumables including a first type consumable and a second type consumable are attachable. The first type consumable is dedicated for the contract printing, and the second type consumable is usable for printing in both the contract mode and the normal mode. The controller is configured to activate the contract mode in response to an activation instruction from the server. In a case where the second type consumable is attached to the housing when the contract mode is activated, the controller changes a state of the printing device to a contract printing state in which the contract printing is activated after activating the contract mode.