A roll-fed printing apparatus for printing at least a first and a second image on a recording medium, a method for controlling such a printing apparatus and a software medium are disclosed. According to the method, each swath is printed by a print head that reciprocates in a scanning direction, the print head being controlled to apply marking material to the recording medium in accordance with a first set of image lines for each swath to be printed; the first set of image lines being provided to the print head from a swath buffer; wherein the first set of image lines are transmitted to the swath buffer out of a second set of image lines stored in a line buffer to be printed without interruption; wherein, when the line buffer comprises the final image lines of a first bitmap representing the first image while there are still empty data storage sections within the line buffer starting image lines of a second bitmap representing the second image are transferred to the empty data storage section of the line buffer.

An image forming apparatus including a plurality of processing units capable of performing different support processing for a user asking for support, and a remote support apparatus operated by an operator are connected via a communication path. The remote support apparatus transmits to the image forming apparatus a request to perform the support using the selected processing unit, or a request to switch the processing unit to a selected specific processing unit and a request to perform the support. The image forming apparatus allows the processing unit which follows the request to perform the support, to perform the support, and switches the processing unit according to the request to switch the processing unit to allow the switched processing unit to perform the support. Further, the image forming apparatus returns a result which should be returned, among results of the performed support, to the remote support apparatus.

An image scanning method applied in an image scanning device capable of scanning a card. Record background values at the time of a card being without being in a scanning channel, and the background values recorded at the time of the card being without being in the scanning channel are regarded as preset values. Before the card is scanned, check whether the background values in the scanning channel conform to the preset values. Drive the card to move a distance Y. Check whether the background values in the scanning channel conform to the preset values. Preset a preset movement distance, check whether a movement distance of the card or a distance of accumulated movements of the card exceeds the preset movement distance. Display that the card is stuck. Stop checking and proceeding an image calibration. Start scanning the card. Complete scanning the card and withdraw the card.

A device management system and a device management method are provided, each of which: receives status information indicating a status of a relay device from the relay device, the relay device being connected with one or more devices in a local network via a firewall; based on a determination that the received status information satisfies a predetermined condition, obtains instruction information associated with the predetermined condition, the instruction information indicating a predetermined process to be executed by the relay device; and transmits the obtained instruction information to the relay device to cause the relay device to execute the predetermined process.

A roll-fed printing apparatus for printing at least a first and a second image on a recording medium, a method for controlling such a printing apparatus and a software medium are disclosed. According to the method, each swath is printed by a print head that reciprocates in a scanning direction, the print head being controlled to apply marking material to the recording medium in accordance with a first set of image lines for each swath to be printed; the first set of image lines being provided to the print head from a swath buffer; wherein the first set of image lines are transmitted to the swath buffer out of a second set of image lines stored in a line buffer to be printed without interruption; wherein, when the line buffer comprises the final image lines of a first bitmap representing the first image while there are still empty data storage sections within the line buffer starting image lines of a second bitmap representing the second image are transferred to the empty data storage section of the line buffer.

Determination is made as to whether or not image data inputted in a state where a mode for confirming a print result is set in a maintenance mode used by a service person includes information that indicates data for maintenance, and in a case that it is determined that the information is included, image formation is performed after superimposing a particular pattern on the image data, and in a case that it is determined that the information is not included, image formation in accordance with the image data is performed after waiting for the mode to be released.

A calibration system includes an image forming apparatus, a color-measurement device, a primary-color-input-output-characteristics adjustment unit, and a secondary-color-input-output-characteristics adjustment unit. The primary-color-input-output-characteristics adjustment unit adjusts input-output characteristics of a primary color of the image forming apparatus by correcting a gamma correction table for the primary color. The secondary-color-input-output-characteristics adjustment unit adjusts input-output characteristics of a secondary color of the image forming apparatus by correcting the gamma correction table for the primary color using the measurement results of the chart for the secondary color. The chart for the secondary color is printed by the image forming apparatus after the adjustment. The secondary-color-input-output-characteristics adjustment unit, as a combination ratio of two color materials, obtains the combination ratio where a hue angle of the specific secondary color becomes a defined hue angle so as to correct the gamma correction table for the primary color corresponding to the obtained combination ratio.

Provided is a data transmission system for detecting and predicting the occurrence of problems in image processing of a printing job before starting printing. A gateway registers a printing job that is received from a user terminal in memory, then transmits the printing job to a MFP. The MFP transmits printing data information to the gateway indicating the data amount in time when an image processing unit performs image processing on the printing job. The user terminal transmits printing data information to the gateway indicating the data amount in time when a simulated image processing unit perform a simulation process on the printing job. The gateway compares the printing data information, and when there is a difference in data amounts, registers problem information in memory indicating that there is a problem in image processing by the simulated image processing unit or the image processing unit.

An image scanning method applied in an image scanning device capable of scanning a card. Record background values at the time of a card being without being in a scanning channel, and the background values recorded at the time of the card being without being in the scanning channel are regarded as preset values. Before the card is scanned, check whether the background values in the scanning channel conform to the preset values. Drive the card to move a distance Y. Check whether the background values in the scanning channel conform to the preset values. Preset a preset movement distance, check whether a movement distance of the card or a distance of accumulated movements of the card exceeds the preset movement distance. Display that the card is stuck. Stop checking and proceeding an image calibration. Start scanning the card. Complete scanning the card and withdraw the card.

An information processing apparatus uploads data to an external service, determines whether the data upload is successful, downloads the uploaded data from the external service, determines whether the data download is successful, and compares the uploaded data with the downloaded data to determine a state of the external service. It is determined that the state of the external service is a normal state if it is determined that both of the data upload and the data download are successful and that the uploaded data and the downloaded data are identical, and it is determined that the state of the external service is abnormal state if it is determined that the data upload is not successful or that the data download is not successful or that the uploaded data and the downloaded data are not identical. The determined state is stored as a service state.