An image forming apparatus that dynamically and suitably switches login processing between a user who selects an icon and a user who is identified by reading of a card. The image forming apparatus searches user information of a user who logs in by selecting a user icon displayed on a display unit and a user who logs in using a card, and performs the login processing on a searched user.

A printer is configured with a processor which calculates printhead control parameters, the control parameters being determined by the processor in such a way as to optimize the printing process of the printer's printhead. The processor determines the printhead control parameters according to an optimization algorithm stored in the printer. To maintain the internal security of the optimization algorithm, the printhead control parameters are encrypted by the processor. The encrypted printhead control parameters are then transmitted to the printhead via an internal data path of the printer. If a third party monitors the data along the internal data path, the encryption algorithm remains secure because the control parameters are encrypted. The printhead contains a second, dedicated processor. The printhead processor receives the encrypted printhead control parameters, and decrypts the control parameters. The printhead then prints according to the decrypted printhead control parameters, ensuring optimized printing.

A printing system can easily configure a data terminal when a POS application running on a server is used from a data terminal. A POS system has a server that runs a POS application, a data terminal, and a printer communicatively connected through the Internet to the server. The printer has a local communication unit that establishes communication with the data terminal, a communication relay unit that communicatively connects the data terminal and the server, a configuration settings acquisition unit that gets configuration settings to configure the POS application from the server, and an application configuring unit that configures the POS application based on the configuration settings to use the POS application from the data terminal.

This disclosure provides a document management method and system to monitor activity associated with a processed document according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the document management system is configured to apply security controls to a document and provide a full organizational audit history of documents processed.

A remote communication system includes an image forming apparatus, an electronic device, a session relay system, and a session management system. The session relay system notifies a first session ID and a second session ID to the session management system. The session management system executes a notification of the first session ID to the electronic device and a notification of the second session ID to the image forming apparatus. The electronic device establishes a connection with the session relay system. The connection uses the first session ID. The image forming apparatus establishes a connection with the session relay system. The connection uses the second session ID. The session relay system relays the session by associating the connection established with the electronic device with the connection established with the image forming apparatus using the first session ID and the second session ID.

Systems and methods are provided for piecewise encryption of Page Description Language (PDL) print jobs. One embodiment is a method that includes receiving a Page Description Language (PDL) print job at a printer, wherein the print job includes segments of PDL content, and includes unencrypted PDL content. For each of the segments within the print job, the method includes detecting an identifier (ID) for the segment, correlating the ID with an encryption key stored at the printer, and decrypting the segment at the printer via the encryption key. The method further includes printing the print job, including each segment that has been decrypted.

An image recording apparatus includes a print engine, a sensor, a controller, and a memory. The print engine is configured to record an image on a recording medium. The sensor is configured to detect whether the image recording apparatus is moved. The memory is configured to store particular information. The memory stores instructions, the instructions, when executed by the controller, causing the controller to perform: a first deletion process of, in response to determining that a first condition is satisfied, deleting the particular information stored in the memory, the first condition being that movement of the image recording apparatus is detected by the sensor.

According to an embodiment, an image erasing apparatus includes a reading unit, an erasing unit, an image forming unit, and a controller. The reading unit reads identification information formed on a sheet conveyed. The erasing unit erases a part or all of a first image formed on the sheet after the identification information is read. The controller obtains image data corresponding to the identification information that is read by the reading unit. The controller controls the image forming unit so as to form a second image, which is indicated by the obtained image data, onto the sheet from which the first image has been erased.

Embodiments disclosed include systems and methods for computer automated print services control comprising authenticating a user credential input via a user device. The system and method includes generating, by a printer driver comprised in the user device, a user interface comprising features supported by a plurality of printing devices. Further, it includes receiving via the user device over the network, a print instruction comprising the features supported by the plurality of printing devices connected to the computer system over the network. And based on the print instruction, generating a print job in an embodiment. Further, based on the user authentication at one of the plurality of printing devices, converting via a gateway, the received print instruction into a format compatible with that printing device and releasing the generated print job for printing at that printing device, according to an embodiment.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller to control a process of printing identification information along with an image on a medium. A first image forming section forms images using a non-decolorable material. A second image forming section forms images using a decolorable material. A fixing device performs fixes images to the medium at a first fixing temperature at or above a decoloring temperature of the decolorable material. When the identification information is to be visible, the controller controls the first image forming section to form the image and identification information, and the images are fixed to the medium at the first temperature. When the identification information printed on the medium is to be invisible, the first image forming section forms the first image, the second image forming section forms the identification information, and the fixing device fixes the images at the first temperature.