An image forming apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: executes processing corresponding to an instruction input via an external device; sends a first notification to the external device according to a completion of execution of the processing; and upon estimating that the execution of the processing is not completed before a timeout time, sends a second notification different from the first notification to the external device. The external device sets the timeout time for the first notification.

Methods relating generally to printing to a medium with a printer are disclosed. In one such method, a plurality of objects (“the objects”) for a tile is received. An object count for each object type of the objects is counted. A tile-reuse count is initialized. A tile object associated with the objects is generated. Tile area data for the tile, tiling area data for a tiling area, and bounding region data for a bounding region are received. A check is performed for the tile area data having at least one dimension exceeding a corresponding bounding region dimension of the bounding region data. It is determined that the tiling area data does have at least one dimension exceeding the bounding region dimension. Responsive to the determining the tiling area data does have at least one dimension exceeding the bounding region dimension, a template for the tile is generated for non-overlapping tiling.

Provided is a consumable chip and a communication method thereof. The method is adopted for a consumable chip including a first consumable MCU unit, a verification cryptographic operation unit and a second consumable MCU unit; the method includes: when the first consumable MCU unit is incompatible with the printer, the first consumable MCU unit activating the second consumable MCU unit to execute a second consumable chip core processing flow, and calling the verification cryptographic algorithm function program of the verification cryptographic operation unit to calculate a new verification password; after the first consumable MCU unit inquires that the second consumable MCU unit has completed the second consumable chip core processing flow, the first consumable MCU unit reading the new verification password and sending to the printer, the new verification password is received by the printer to achieve compatibility between the first consumable MCU unit and the printer.

A print data control apparatus includes a reception section that receives print data which is to be printed in a first printing apparatus; a transmission section that transmits the print data, which is received by the reception section, to a second printing apparatus; an information acquisition section that acquires information related to the second printing apparatus; and an acceptance section that accepts an instruction which is to be provided to the second printing apparatus that designates a type of processing with respect to the print data transmitted by the transmission section, that is, an instruction which is selected based on information acquired by the information acquisition section.

An image forming apparatus includes a consumable cartridge and a main body. The consumable cartridge includes a cartridge memory storing usage information and identifying information. The main body includes a main memory and a controller. The controller stores the identifying information stored in the cartridge memory in the main memory and rewrites the usage information stored in the cartridge memory into information indicating that the consumable cartridge is used in a case where the usage information indicates that the consumable cartridge is unused. The controller allows the image forming apparatus to execute printing in a case where the usage information indicates that the consumable cartridge is used and the identifying information stored in the cartridge memory is stored in the main memory or executes a specific error process in a case where the usage information indicates that the consumable cartridge is used and the identifying information stored in the cartridge memory is not stored in the main memory.

An operation panel unit is used for an image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit is configured to input various control instructions to the image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit includes a display portion, an NFC reading portion, and a USB port. The NFC reading portion and the USB port are disposed on different surfaces of the display portion.

When a communication error has occurred in a communication with one of external devices connected to a connector portion, a communication control portion of a communication device sets, to a second value, a status value of a first enable signal output to a specific first output portion that corresponds to the external device in which the communication error has occurred, and sets, to a first value, a status value of a first enable signal output to a first output portion other than the specific first output portion. When the communication error has occurred, a hub portion restarts, and then sets all second enable signals to the second value. An application portion that corresponds to the first output portion other than the specific first output portion, maintains to be ON state regardless of occurrence of the communication error since the first enable signal has been set to the first value.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program readable by a computer of a terminal management apparatus in a terminal management system where a first system transferring information between the terminal management apparatus and a first terminal apparatus via a relay apparatus and a second system transferring information between the terminal management apparatus and a second terminal apparatus without passing through the relay apparatus coexist, the program causing the terminal management apparatus to perform: when an instruction received from an external apparatus, determining a transmission destination; when the transmission destination is the second terminal apparatus, dividing the received instruction into a plurality of transmission units and transmitting an instruction included in each transmission unit to the second terminal apparatus; and when the transmission destination is the first terminal apparatus, transmitting the received instruction to the relay apparatus without being divided.

Methods relating generally to printing to a medium with a printer are disclosed. In one such method, a plurality of objects (“the objects”) for a tile is received. An object count for each object type of the objects is counted. A tile-reuse count is initialized. A tile object associated with the objects is generated. Tile area data for the tile, tiling area data for a tiling area, and bounding region data for a bounding region are received. A check is performed for the tile area data having at least one dimension exceeding a corresponding bounding region dimension of the bounding region data. It is determined that the tiling area data does have at least one dimension exceeding the bounding region dimension. Responsive to the determining the tiling area data does have at least one dimension exceeding the bounding region dimension, a template for the tile is generated for non-overlapping tiling.

The present disclosure discloses a method and a system for securing a user interface (UI) panel of a multi-function device. The method includes activating a retraction assembly, based on one or more retraction triggering conditions. Once the retraction assembly is activated, multiple components of the retraction assembly start functioning. At first, the UI panel is moved to a first position. Next, the UI panel is moved from the first position to a second position. Then, the UI panel in the second position is retracted into the multi-function device to secure the UI panel inside the multi-function device. This way, the UI panel is secured inside the multi-function device. Later, the retracted UI panel may be moved out of the multi-function device. To move the UI panel outside the multi-function device, the retraction assembly is activated again based on the one or more protraction triggering conditions.