An information processing apparatus comprising a processor executing a control program configured to authenticate a user. The processor further configured to transmit an action instructing signal for issuing an instruction to perform an action to a portable device at plural radio wave output intensities selectively, via wireless communication, wherein the portable device has been associated with the user in advance. The processor further configured to detect a status change of the portable device, for at least one of the plural radio wave output intensities. The processor further configured to determine, when the action instruction signal is transmitted at the at least one of the plural radio wave output intensities and based on the change of the status corresponds to the action instructed by the action instruction signal, whether or not the user is holding the portable device that is associated with the user in advance.

A printing method includes a first printing setting information receiving step for receiving first printing setting information for simulating printing by a second printing unit, a first printing instructing step for instructing a first printing unit to print first printing data based on the first printing setting information, a transmitting step for transmitting, to a second information supplying unit, second printing data based on the first printing data and second printing setting information based on a colorimetric result, a receiving step for receiving the second printing data and the second printing setting information, a second printing setting information receiving step for receiving the second printing data and the second printing setting information from the second information supplying unit, a second printing instructing step for instructing the second printing unit to print the second printing data based on the second printing setting information.

Systems and methods for 3D printer management can allow or reject printing of an object based on a model that is trained with machine learning. In one example, the model classifies the object according to object type. The object type can be compared against a list to determine whether to block the object from printing. The object can also be compared to previously printed objects. The object can be blocked from printing if a combination of the object and a previously printed object amounts to a threshold amount of a blacklisted item. The lists can be specific to users, such as an organizational group to which the user belongs. A print server can apply the model prior to forwarding the object to a 3D printer for printing. Both the models and the lists can evolve based on machine learning, such as based on which print decisions receive override from administrators.

A printing system restricts printing performed by a printing apparatus in a case where predetermined information, representing a printing amount of the printing by utilizing a consumable part, reaches a set 1st value during printing in a state where communication between a server and the printing apparatus is impossible, and the server outputs a 2nd value, which is different from the 1st value, to the printing apparatus in a state where the communication with the printing apparatus is possible. If the 2nd value is input from the server, the printing apparatus restricts the printing in a case where the predetermined information reaches the 2nd value during printing in a state where the communication with the server is impossible, and in a case where a time period related to maintenance of the server is input, the server outputs the 2nd value to the printing apparatus, based on the time period.

A policy-based system is implemented to allow access to a private domain to print using a public domain. The private domain includes private servers that store documents. The public domain includes servers and a printing device. A public policy server uses a domain list and a protocol connection with a private authentication server to validate a user and identify which private domain to access. The public policy server receives requests from the printing device to process a print job of a document in the private domain. The policy-based system also determines whether printing operations may occur in a public printing service. A public print server determines whether to allow printing for a user in an organization.

Examples dis closed herein relate to receiving a first request to begin a first operation on a physical document, receiving a second request to begin a second operation, determining whether the first operation has completed, and in response to determining that the first operation has not completed, delay performance of the second operation.

A user device generates metadata including location information of a print job target, based on a user input made via a user interface device, and transmits the generated metadata to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus analyzes the metadata received from the user device via a communicator, obtains a print job target from a server storing the print job target, based on location information of the print job target included in the metadata, and performs a printing job according to a format of the obtained print job target.

A printing apparatus transmits user information and print data to a server system. The printing apparatus includes a reception unit and a control unit. The reception unit receives print data from an information processing apparatus. The control unit returns a response indicating authentication failure to the information processing apparatus when user information is not attached to the print data received, and transmits the print data to the server system when user information is attached to the print data.

A policy-based system is implemented to allow access to a private domain to print using a public domain. The private domain includes private servers that store documents. The public domain includes servers and a printing device. A public policy server uses a domain list and a protocol connection with a private authentication server to validate a user and identify which private domain to access. The public policy server receives requests from the printing device to process a print job of a document in the private domain. The policy-based system also determines whether printing operations may occur in a public printing service. A public print server determines whether to allow printing for a user in an organization.

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a print engine, a communication apparatus to receive print data, and a processor to generate an intrinsic dot pattern for the print data, to generate a print image including the intrinsic dot pattern by using the generated intrinsic dot pattern and the print data, and to control the print engine to print the generated print image.