A printing system manages printing devices. A managing server receives device update status information and pending job information from each of the printing devices. A status change for a component within a first printing device is detected, thereby updating the device information for the first printing device. The managing server parses a print job queue for the first printing device to update the pending job information to determine the print job will cause a first potential error related to the changed status of the first printing device. When a new print job is received, the managing server determines that the new print job will not occur according to the first potential error, identifies a second printing device, determines the new print job will not result in a second potential error at the second printing device, and sends the new print job to the second printing device.

An information processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing instructions. Executing the instructions by the processor causes the processor to perform operations. A virtual device on the information processing apparatus to transmit a print job to an image forming apparatus is selected. A user interface is displayed that is for activating, in accordance with the selected virtual device and among one or more applications to provide an additional function to the image forming apparatus, an application that corresponds to a model of the image forming apparatus to which the selected virtual device transmits the print job.

An information processing apparatus comprises a processor configured to: authenticate a user designated as a utilizer of a document; enable the authenticated user to instruct a processing apparatus to perform processing of the document, the processing apparatus being different from the information processing apparatus; and disable the authenticated user to access the document from the information processing apparatus.

A printing system for processing entries in a distributed ledger manages documents or transactions based on printing or scanning operations. A computing platform within the system receives a first entry having a variable set of data. The computing platform determines a partial chain hash of the first entry using the variable set of data. The computing platform generates at least one additional entry having at least one additional variable set of data. The computing platform updates the partial chain hash with the at least one additional variable set of data of the at least one additional entry. The computing platform generates a block having a block header for a blockchain using the partial chain hash when a condition is met. The block includes transactions or documents to be printed at a printing device using the distributed ledger.

Previous printers were designed to print a paper copy of data and/or receipts which causes a disconnect with modem day data manipulation. This printer interface can print data to and receive data from the internet and hand held devices which will open up extremely fast data exchange and data manipulation for consumers, cities, states and the federal government without the expense of having to purchase complete new systems. By simply changing out an old printer we can connect all old computer systems with modem day systems that now have the ability to manipulate data automatically.

A processing system includes a service provider, such as a printing device, that receives requests to process tasks or jobs from service requesters. At times, the service provider will not be available for processing and will generate deferral responses to the service requesters. The deferral responses include a condition to be met before processing requests can be resent from the service requesters. After the condition is met, the processing requests are resent to the service provider to be fulfilled.

A printing system includes a printing device having a digital front end (DFE) and at least one client device that sends print jobs to the printing device. A print job may include different components needed to completely print a document, such as a cover and block of pages for a book. The DFE identifies the different components within the print job and provides tight integration to coordinate the printing of the different components. Rules are used to identify the different components. Once identified, the DFE can route the components accordingly to different output bins as well as provide separate print instructions for the components. Rules also are used to define job batching within the printing device.

A printing system manages printing devices. A managing server receives device update status information and pending job information from each of the printing devices. A status change for a component within a first printing device is detected, thereby updating the device information for the first printing device. The managing server parses a print job queue for the first printing device to update the pending job information to determine the print job will cause a first potential error related to the changed status of the first printing device. When a new print job is received, the managing server determines that the new print job will not occur according to the first potential error, identifies a second printing device, determines the new print job will not result in a second potential error at the second printing device, and sends the new print job to the second printing device.

A print setting corresponding to a folder referable by an external apparatus is stored in an image formation apparatus, storage of a file in the folder is detected, the detected file is moved to a storage area in the image formation apparatus, and a print job is generated based on the moved file and information about the print setting corresponding to the detected folder.

A method for controlling a printer to print on a recording medium having a non-contact tag by a processor of the printer is provided. The method comprises placing the recording medium on a placement area of the printer; wireless reading, from the non-contact tag, a plurality of pieces of identification information each for identifying a specific image; detecting whether any one of a plurality operation buttons provided on the printer has been pressed by a user, wherein the pressed operation button is corresponding to one of plurality of pieces of identification information; acquiring, from a storage device provided in the printer, the specific image corresponding the one of plurality of pieces of identification information selected by the pressed operation button; and printing the specific image on the recording medium.