An information processing method performs steps for an information processing apparatus to communicate with an image forming apparatus having first and second sheet output sections. The second sheet output section can be switched between a close position to serve to guide a sheet to the first sheet output section, and an open position not to guide the sheet to the first sheet output section but to stack the sheet. The method inputs a type of sheet, acquires information indicating whether the second sheet output section is in an open or closed state, and transmits image information to the image forming apparatus. When the sheet type recommends the sheet be output to the second sheet output section and the second sheet output section is in the closed state, a message is output to prompt to switch the second sheet output section into the open position before the image information is transmitted.

A tandem type image forming system includes a first image forming apparatus, and a second image forming apparatus connected in series to the first image forming apparatus and located on a downstream side in a sheet conveyance direction with respect to the first image forming apparatus. The tandem type image forming system has a controller which shortens a second sheet interval when conveying a plurality of consecutive sheets from the first image forming apparatus to the second image forming apparatus than a first sheet interval when conveying the plurality of consecutive sheets from the second image forming apparatus to a post processing apparatus connected to the second image forming apparatus.

A method of image processing includes: reading a data file in a predetermined page description language including a search key; chaining a plurality of pieces of resource data in each of a plurality of resource dictionaries; loading the chained plurality of pieces of resource data in each of the plurality of resource dictionaries in a memory area including unique keys; searching the requested resource data from the chained pieces of resource data using the search key for matching the unique key of the requested resource data one by one along the chain in both direction from a starting piece of resource data; labeling each of the plurality of pieces of resource data based on a history of the matching. The searching includes determining the starting piece of resource data in the chained plurality of pieces of resource data based on the history.

Provided is an image forming apparatus which acquires a plurality of jobs for repeatedly arranging images having widths smaller than a width of a continuous paper in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper, sets information for arranging the acquired jobs in a width direction of the continuous paper, forms images based on the set information, and sets a common blank forming period at which blanks among images appearing at different periods in each job coincide with each other between the jobs in the conveyance direction and forms a common blank.

An output apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires document data having an output time limit which is a time limit in which output the document data is permitted, and an output unit that outputs the document data in a mode different from an output mode of the document data before the output time limit elapses, when the output time limit has elapsed.

An image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a perforated sheet includes an image forming portion for forming a toner image with toner of a plurality of colors, an image processing portion for performing image processing on image data acquired, and a controller for controlling the image processing portion to form the toner image on the basis of the image data processed by the image processing portion. In a case that a sheet on which the toner image is to be formed is the perforated sheet, the image processing portion performs the image processing so that black image data is formed as image data of process black with the toner of the plurality of colors by the image forming portion.

A printing apparatus includes: a main controlling circuit; a sub-controlling circuit group including sub-controlling circuits connected in series; and heads. The print data includes data of a plurality of pixels. The main controlling circuit is configured to execute: generation of, based on the print data, data of first to n-th pixel groups regarding the first to n-th pixel groups each including pixels which are not adjacent (n2), and transmission of the data of the first to n-th pixel groups to the sub-controlling circuit group. Each of the plurality of sub-controlling circuits is configured to execute: obtainment of data of pixels which are associated with each of the plurality of sub-controlling circuits, from the data of the first to n-th pixel groups, and driving of one of the plurality of heads corresponding thereto, based on the data of the pixels.

There are provided a circulation path which can supply printing material to a printing element board having nozzle capable of ejecting printing material and collect printing material not ejected from the printing element board, an acquisition unit which acquires information on concentration of printing material circulating through the circulation path, and a discharge control unit which executes discharge control of printing material concentration in which printing material is discharged from the circulation path and the circulation path is supplied with an amount of printing material corresponding to a discharge amount according to the information on concentration. In a case where the discharge control is executed, the discharge control unit selectively executes one of first discharge control in which a discharge amount of printing material concentration is a first discharge amount and second discharge control in which the discharge amount is a second discharge amount greater than the first discharge amount.

A method is provided for surface-selective coating of a surface of an individual physical document, in particular a card-like document, with a liquid coating. The method includes: receiving or generating an actual image information by image sensors, which represents an actual image of the surface; and comparing the actual image information with reference image information, which represents a reference image of a reference surface corresponding to the surface, to determine, based on possible deviations between the actual image and the reference image, any deformation of the surface compared to the reference surface and to generate deformation information representing said deformation or alternatively the absence thereof. A coating device is then controlled based on coating information determined based on the deformation information and on geometry information that defines a target shape of a partial surface of the surface to be provided with the liquid coating.

The present invention generally relates to a method (34) for controlling a drying procedure of a printed product and an industrial printing machine (10). The printed product is manufactured by the industrial printing machine (10). An image to be printed is split into several image cells. For each image cell a total amount of ink to be used and an average lightness value of the ink to be printed within the respective image cell are determined. For each image cell a cell-dependent amount of infrared radiation to be applied for drying the ink to be used within the respective image cell is determined based on the total amount of ink to be used and the average lightness value determined in view of the respective image cell. A mixture of the drying procedure to be applied for drying the ink to be used within the image to be printed is determined based at least on the cell-dependent amounts of infrared radiation to be applied and a moving speed of the printed product. The mixture comprises at least a ratio of an overall amount of infrared radiation and an overall amount of convective heating.