A system includes at least one physical memory device and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device, the one or more processors to receive data from a plurality of printing entities, wherein the data received from each of the plurality of printing entities comprises a different data format, process the data associated with each of the pluralities of entities to convert the data to meta-data and combine the meta-data into a functional data format.

A printing apparatus comprising a printing unit configured to print an image, and a controlling unit including a processor and a memory storing a program which executed by the processor, the controlling being configured to act as a receiving unit configured to receive print data generated by an external apparatus, and a causing unit configured to cause the printing unit to print user information described in the received print data on a sheet together with an image of the print data, and configured to cause the printing unit to print user information described in setting information received by the receiving unit together with the received print data on a sheet together with an image of the print data.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for printing an article. The apparatus includes a data providing device adapted to provide article-specific printing data for the article from product data of the article, and to provide machine-specific printing data for the article in dependence on a printing machine to be used for the printing process. The apparatus also includes a control device adapted to merge the article-specific printing data and the machine-specific printing data, and to control the printing machine for printing the article based thereon.

An image processing device may judge whether to execute a first type of enlarging process or a second type of enlarging process based on M lines of letter strings in an original image, in a case of judging to execute the first type of enlarging process, generate a first type of processed image data indicating a first type of processed image by executing the first type of enlarging process, and in a case of judging to execute the second type of enlarging process, generate a second type of processed image data indicating a second type of processed image by executing the second type of enlarging process. A layout of the plurality of letters in the second type of processed image is different from a layout of the plurality of letters in the first type of processed image.

Example systems and related methods may relate to processing and printing print data in the case of an error. Namely, a printing device may include a communication interface and a controller. The controller includes a processor configured to execute instructions. The instructions include receiving multi-page print data in a first file format via a communication interface. The instructions also include when an error condition is determined during print data processing, responsively transmitting an error message via the communication interface and storing an error page location. The instructions further include receiving the print data in a second file format and determining a remainder portion and a discard portion of the print data in the second file format based on the error page location. The instructions further include processing the remainder portion of the print data in the second file format.

Methods and devices process an electronic image of an item that has a background color and line features of a second color distinct from the background color. An electronic image and a menu option are displayed to allow the user to define at least one area of the electronic image as a distinctive color region. The electronic image is separated into different planes, and line features within the distinctive color region are removed from a second mask plane (second color) and added to a third mask plane (third color). The first plane, second mask plane, and third mask plane, are combined into an electronic file, and automatically stored.

Methods and devices process an electronic image of an item that has a background color and line features of a second color distinct from the background color. An electronic image and a menu option are displayed to allow the user to define at least one area of the electronic image as a distinctive color region. The electronic image is separated into different planes, and line features within the distinctive color region are removed from a second mask plane (second color) and added to a third mask plane (third color). The first plane, second mask plane, and third mask plane, are combined into an electronic file, and automatically stored.

Methods and apparatus for rendering images are provided. A computing device can receive a plurality of parts of an image, with the plurality of parts including a first particular part immediately preceding a second particular part. The plurality of parts can include first type parts and second type parts having a positive count value. The computing device can decode the plurality of parts by: generating a first node of the first type including color information of both first and second particular parts, if both first and second particular parts are first type parts; otherwise generating a second node of the second type with the matching color information and a sum of the first and second particular parts' count values, if first and second particular parts are second type parts and have matching color information. The computing device can render a line of the image based on the nodes.

Example systems and related methods may relate to processing and printing print data in the case of an error. Namely, a printing device may include a communication interface and a controller. The controller includes a processor configured to execute instructions. The instructions include receiving multi-page print data in a first file format via a communication interface. The instructions also include when an error condition is determined during print data processing, responsively transmitting an error message via the communication interface and storing an error page location. The instructions further include receiving the print data in a second file format and determining a remainder portion and a discard portion of the print data in the second file format based on the error page location. The instructions further include processing the remainder portion of the print data in the second file format.

In one embodiment, a method for the simulation of preprinted forms is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first image as a back drop of a form, the image including a plurality of printable features corresponding to positions of the image. A second image is received as data to be filled in to the form, the second image including a second plurality of printable features corresponding to positions of the image, wherein the second plurality of printable features each have an assigned ink transparency. A feature of the first image is blended with a corresponding feature of the second image based on the assigned ink transparencies to form a blended feature. The blended features are combined to form a blended image that blends the first and the second images and is suitable for printing.