An image forming apparatus including an image forming part forming an image includes a user authenticating part, a terminal selecting part and an installation instructing part. The user authenticating part authenticates a user on the basis of authentication information peculiar to the user in installing operation making an external terminal communicably connected to the image forming apparatus install a driver of the image forming apparatus. The terminal selecting part selects the external terminal registered in association with the user authenticated by the user authenticating part as an object terminal in the installing operation. The installation instructing part establishes remote access to the object terminal on the basis of log-in information previously registered with regard to the object terminal selected by the terminal selecting part and transmits installation instruction making the object terminal execute automatic installation of the driver to the object terminal.

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus capable of mounting an optional hardware. The information processing apparatus comprises a processor, an image processing circuit and a socket to which the optional hardware is to be mounted, wherein the optional hardware being connected to the socket communicates with the image processing circuit. The processor transmits a predetermined packet to the optional hardware mounted to the socket, receive a response packet to the predetermined packet from the image processing circuit, determines whether or not the received response packet is an expected response packet, and controls supplying power to the optional hardware in accordance with a determination result of the received response packet.

A supply item has toner for use in an imaging device. A chip has memory storing quanta indicating allowed usage of the supply item over its lifetime and a multiplier correlating the quanta to toner mass. The imaging device requires quanta to conduct imaging operations and loads the quanta and multiplier by way of a certificate stored in the memory. The imaging device retrieves quanta from the chip over time and both devices keep tally. Initialization between the supply item and imaging device includes providing encrypted and unencrypted instances of firmware versions and certificates from the supply item that the imaging device can compare for security. Alternatively, the supply item defines a fuser assembly, imaging unit, intermediate transfer member, or other component installed for use in the imaging device.

Provided is an image forming device which is capable of connecting an external storage device. After the external storage device has been connected to the image forming device, the image forming device performs a software installation based on setting data acquired from the external storage device. The image forming device stores a script for executing steps required for the executed software installation in ordered sequence in the external storage device. When the script has already been stored in the external storage device upon connection of the external storage device to the image forming device, the image forming device performs the software installation by implementing the steps in the ordered sequence in accordance with the script.

An image forming apparatus including applications and system side software for providing system side services to the applications is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes: an authentication module for displaying an authentication screen on an operation panel of the image forming apparatus, wherein the authentication module allows the image forming apparatus to display a screen for using the image forming apparatus instead of the authentication screen if authentication data input from the authentication screen satisfies an authentication condition, and wherein the authentication module is provided in the image forming apparatus separately from the system side software.

An example device includes at least one camera and a touchscreen user interface including thumbnail images for a plurality of stored pictures and a first button for a communication operation for sending a picture corresponding to a selected thumbnail image to another device.

An information processing apparatus includes an optional device, a main body processing portion, a first buffer, and a second buffer. When brought into a state where control data cannot be retained in an optional memory, the optional device transmits a saving request to the main body processing portion, and when brought into a state where the control data can be retained, the optional device transmits a saving cancel request to the main body processing portion. In a time period from the time of receipt of the saving request to the time of receipt of the saving cancel request, the main body processing portion saves specific control data to the second buffer, and after receipt of the saving cancel request, transmits the specific control data to the optional device.

An image forming device operates in a first operation when executing a first program and operates in a second operation when executing a second program. A controller of the image forming device transmits first USB configuration information to a terminal device when operated in a first operation and transmit second USB configuration information to the terminal device when operated in a second operation. The image forming device does not communicate with the terminal device when operated in the second operation in a case where the second USB configuration information is not transmitted to the terminal device, and communicates with the terminal device by transmitting the second USB configuration information in a case where operating in the second operation and communicating with the terminal device which receives the first USB configuration information.

There is provided an image reading apparatus in which a low output mode is a mode that can be controlled in a coupling state where a low power-feeding USB device is coupled, a high output mode is a mode that can be controlled in a coupling state where a high power-feeding USB device capable of feeding power higher than the low power-feeding USB device is coupled, and a control section does not perform image reading at a second reading speed faster than a first reading speed and performs image reading at the first reading speed in the low output mode.

A firmware of the image forming device stores USB configuration information in a memory when updating the firmware in a normal operation. When updating of the firmware is not completed normally, the image forming device operates a recovery operation by executing a recovery program. The recovery program transmits USB configuration information, which is stored in the memory, to a terminal device when performing USB communication with the terminal device in the recovery operation. Thus, the USB configuration of the normal operation and that of the recovery operation are identical.