A system comprises a writer to form a plurality of color mits on a base material, wherein at least one of the color mits may represent computer-readable instructions comprising data other than pixel-image data. The plurality of color mits may include a first color mit and a second color mit, wherein the first color mit represents information data, and the second color mit represents that the first color mit contains a particular type of information data. The system also may include a reader to read colors of the plurality of color mits on the base material. The system may comprise a device to map at least one of the color mits to computer-readable instructions. The system may further comprise a processor configured to transmit signals using a colored light.

A number of monochrome pages printed by a print system in a color mode and a total number of pages printed by the print system are monitored. A ratio of the number of monochrome pages printed by the print system in the color mode to the total number of pages printed by the print system is determined. The print system is switched between the color mode and a monochrome mode of the print system mode based on the ratio so as to reduce color cartridge wear of the print system and/or so as to reduce transitions between the color mode and the monochrome mode while printing monochrome pages.

A number of monochrome pages printed by a print system in a color mode and a total number of pages printed by the print system are monitored. A ratio of the number of monochrome pages printed by the print system in the color mode to the total number of pages printed by the print system is determined. The print system is switched between the color mode and a monochrome mode of the print system mode based on the ratio so as to reduce color cartridge wear of the print system and/or so as to reduce transitions between the color mode and the monochrome mode while printing monochrome pages.

A printing system receives print jobs having pages that are separated by different levels of ink use to print the pages. The number of pages for different ink use levels are determined as well as the cost estimation to print the different pages. Ink use and cost estimates are provided on a granular level as opposed to overall ink use and costs for printing a print job. Modifications are made to one or more pages to lower ink use for those specific pages as opposed to the print job as a whole. The printing system displays the different ink use levels as well as the cost estimates.

A printing system receives print jobs having pages that are separated by different levels of ink use to print the pages. The number of pages for different ink use levels are determined as well as the cost estimation to print the different pages. Ink use and cost estimates are provided on a granular level as opposed to overall ink use and costs for printing a print job. Modifications are made to one or more pages to lower ink use for those specific pages as opposed to the print job as a whole. The printing system displays the different ink use levels as well as the cost estimates.

At least one of the first notification and the second notification is provided via a display device, based on a fact that, by the editing of an object, an object with a transmission property is overlapped on the front surface of an object to be printed by use of a spot color ink, the first notification being provided for warning that the object with the transmission property is in a state of being overlapped on the front surface of the object to be printed by use of the spot color ink, the second notification being provided for asking whether or not a predetermined overlapping state in which the object with the transmission property is overlapped on the front surface of the object to be printed by use of the spot color ink is to be maintained.

At least one of the first notification and the second notification is provided via a display device, based on a fact that, by the editing of an object, an object with a transmission property is overlapped on the front surface of an object to be printed by use of a spot color ink, the first notification being provided for warning that the object with the transmission property is in a state of being overlapped on the front surface of the object to be printed by use of the spot color ink, the second notification being provided for asking whether or not a predetermined overlapping state in which the object with the transmission property is overlapped on the front surface of the object to be printed by use of the spot color ink is to be maintained.

An image reading apparatus executes a calibration processing of calibrating a reading unit when a medium detection sensor detects that a medium is present. The image reading apparatus executes the calibration processing each time a first time-period elapses in a state where the medium detection sensor detects that the medium is present after the calibration processing. When a start instruction of reading the medium is received, the image reading apparatus starts transport of the medium and causes the reading unit to read the medium on a basis of calibration information of a last calibration processing.

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to acquire, from a read image, a predetermined item, and a value corresponding to the item, the read image being obtained by reading a document and being subjected, prior to acquisition of the item and the value, to preprocessing and character recognition. Further, the processor is configured to, in response to not successfully acquiring at least one of the item and the value, change a setting on the preprocessing or a setting on the character recognition in accordance with the acquisition or non-acquisition state of the item and the value, and then perform the preprocessing or the character recognition.

An image processing apparatus includes circuitry. The circuitry is configured to acquire an output target image to be formed and output. The circuitry is configured to generate an image for inspection from the output target image. The circuitry is configured to add a reference point image to an area of the image for inspection in a case in which the circuitry fails to set a reference point based on the image for inspection. The circuitry is configured to align the reference point added to the image for inspection and the reference point image of a read image of the output target image formed on a recording medium with the reference point image added in response to adding the reference point image to the image for inspection, to compare the image for inspection with the read image to perform inspection.