An image processing apparatus of one embodiment includes an image processing unit and a controller. The controller receives biometric information for a user for a logon operation and re-orders user record entries in a table when a predetermined condition occurs. Each record entry in the table includes reference biometric information in association with user information. The re-ordering of the entries is based on user information stored in the user record entries. After the re-ordering of the user record entries in the table, the controller performs an authentication operation that includes comparing the received biometric information to reference biometric information in the re-ordered user record entries of the table until a match is determined.

A printing system includes: a printer including a controller; and a contract processing server. The controller is configured to perform: determining, in response to receiving from an external device a print job including print data representing an image, whether authority information indicating an authority to print the image has been issued; and transmitting, in response to determining that the authority information has been issued, to the contract processing server an inquiry for determining whether the authority information is valid. The contract processing server is configured to perform: transmitting, in response to receiving the inquiry, a response to the controller. The controller is configured to further perform: determining, in response to receiving the response, whether the authority information is valid on the basis of the received response; and printing, in response to determining that the authority information is valid, the image on a print medium by controlling the printer.

A system and method for tracking multifunction peripheral device user satisfaction captures user images and audio during device operation. User characteristics such as gestures, posture, spoke words or facial expressions are used in conjunction with device status information to determine whether the user is satisfied with the device. If not, remedial action is initiated, such as launching a virtual assistant on the multifunction peripheral touchscreen or summoning of a human assistant.

A method is provided to exert unbinding control on an image forming device. The method includes: obtaining an unbinding instruction; sending a first unbinding request to the server according to the unbinding instruction, where the unbinding request includes identification information of the image forming device; obtaining a reply message from the server in response to the unbinding request; and in response to a determination that the reply message indicates unbinding failure, automatically sending a second unbinding request to the server.

A printing file management system includes a storage unit configured to cause a recording medium to store a printing file and a processing unit configured to set a storage period for the printing file based on a combination of a security level and repeat printing setting associated with the printing file stored in the recording medium and automatically delete the printing file when the storage period expires.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to perform a storage printing process that includes storing print data in a dedicated memory, which is a portable memory set as a storage destination to store the print data in the storage printing process when attached to a dedicated port among a plurality of ports, and causing a print engine to perform printing according to the print data stored in the dedicated memory in response to an operation received via a user interface, prior to the storage printing process, set one of the plurality of ports as the dedicated port, in response to a portable memory being attached to a port, determine whether the portable memory is the dedicated memory and the port is the dedicated port, and provide a notification when determining that the portable memory is not the dedicated memory but the port is the dedicated port.

An information processing apparatus includes: a processor configured to: when performing control of outputting a file from a storage unit in accordance with a request from a using user, issue second identification information to the using user, the file having been stored by a registering user in the storage unit, the file being associated with first identification information for identifying the file, the second identification information to be used for recording information related to use of the file; and upon receipt of the second identification information from the using user, perform control of recording the information related to the use of the file.

Provided is an image forming system that can obtain similar output results. The job generation unit generates a job and adds a command including a document acquisition destination to the job. The job transmission unit sends a job to which a command is added. The job acquisition unit acquires the job from the terminal. The command analysis unit analyzes the commands included in the acquired job. The document acquisition unit acquires a document from the acquisition destination according to the analyzed command. The rendering unit renders the acquired document and generates output data. The output transmission unit transmits the rendered output data. The output data acquisition unit acquires the output data. The image forming unit forms an image of the output data.

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.

A control unit is provided that is configured to execute predetermined control processing to prevent printing previously executed by a first printing unit from being executed by a second printing unit, the printing being based on at least one of one or more print jobs received from a server system.