A method is provided for checking an image inspection system having a camera system with a camera, an illumination apparatus for targeted illumination of a printing substrate, an image processing computer, and a main computer, for quality control of products of a printing substrate processing machine by using the main computer. A reference image is entered and transmitted to the main computer, a current printing image recorded by the camera system is transmitted to the image processing computer, a partial image in a suitable region of the current printing image, not being printed with printing image data, is selected in the image processing computer, the partial image is analyzed by comparison with the reference image in the image processing computer, and the inspection system is assessed based on the analysis of the partial image by the main computer and any defects of the inspection system being found are indicated.

A support apparatus that supports maintenance of a printing apparatus, the support apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the processor to act as a printing execution unit configured to cause the printing apparatus to execute printing of a test pattern, a specifying unit configured to specify, based on the test pattern being printed, content of maintenance required for the printing apparatus, and a notification unit configured to notify based on the content being specified.

An information processing apparatus includes: one or more processors; and one or more memories storing one or more computer programs. The one or more computer programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the information processing apparatus to function as: a reception unit configured to receive history information, from a device, indicating an operation history of a predetermined operation in the device; an analysis unit configured to analyze a condition of the device based on the history information in a case where an execution condition is satisfied; and a setting unit configured to set the execution condition, and wherein the setting unit sets the execution condition based on an analysis result by the analysis unit.

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, including: a job receiver that receives a print job; a printer that executes an image forming in accordance with the print job received by the job receiver; and a hardware processor that: receives an adjustment content and a setting of an execution starting condition of an adjustment for an adjustment item relating to the image forming, and registers the adjustment content and the execution starting condition as a profile; and executes the adjustment in accordance with the adjustment content set in the registered profile when the execution starting condition set in the profile is satisfied.

A method, a system, and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium are disclosed for a first printer connected to a second printer to perform color calibration for the second printer, wherein the second printer does not have a sensor, the first printer including a sensor which measures a media, which has been printed by the second printer and is being fed on a media path of the first printer. The method includes (a) determining the timing to instruct the second printer to print a first measurement chart; (b) instructing, at the timing determined at step (a), the second printer to print the first measurement chart; (c) measuring, by the sensor, the first measurement chart which has been printed by the second printer; and (d) outputting information corresponding to a result measured at step (c).

Methods and apparatus for predicting colorant usage by printing devices are provided. A prediction server can receive a request to predict colorant usage for a first printing device. The prediction server can determine first plurality of functions to predict colorant usage for the first printing device. The first plurality of functions can include at least one linear function and at least one non-linear function. The first plurality of functions can be based on colorant-usage rates indicating historical rates of change in colorant used by the first printing device. The prediction server can determine a prediction of colorant usage for the first printing device using the first plurality of functions. The prediction server can provide an output involving the prediction of colorant usage for the first printing device, where the prediction of colorant usage can include a confidence interval related to the prediction.

Provided are a print control apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a color calibration control program. A print control apparatus includes an information storage processing section which stores measured color values into a database which stores history information of color measurement, where the measured color values are obtained by measuring colors in a color chart by using a printing device. The print control apparatus further includes a color defining section which defines a specific color by referring to the database, and a color calibration controlling section which, while the printing device is processing a print job, causes the printing device to measure the specific color, determines whether to calibrate the printing device on the basis of a change with time in the measured color value of the specific color, and calibrates the printing device according to the determination result.

Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section that periodically forms a color calibration image which is used for color adjustment along with an image on a recording material, a color information obtaining section that periodically obtains color information of the color calibration image which is formed on the recording material before color adjustment which is periodically performed, and a color adjusting section that, based on plural pieces of the color information that is obtained by the color information obtaining section, performs color adjustment on an image formed by the image forming section such that a difference between a color of an image which is supposed to be output and a color of an image which is output is reduced by a next color adjustment.

A managing server accepts an instruction of a message intended to be displayed on a screen of an image processing apparatus from a user, and generates page information including the message and first instruction information corresponding to the accepted instruction. The image processing apparatus periodically performs a first inquiry about instruction information for the image processing apparatus to the managing server, displays, in response to a notification based on the first instruction information from the managing server, a message corresponding to the notification in a status display area of a displaying unit, acquires the page information including the message related to the first instruction information from the managing server, and displays the acquired page information on the displaying unit.

Methods and apparatus for predicting colorant usage by printing devices are provided. A prediction server can receive a request to predict colorant usage for a first printing device. The prediction server can determine first plurality of functions to predict colorant usage for the first printing device. The first plurality of functions can include at least one linear function and at least one non-linear function. The first plurality of functions can be based on colorant-usage rates indicating historical rates of change in colorant used by the first printing device. The prediction server can determine a prediction of colorant usage for the first printing device using the first plurality of functions. The prediction server can provide an output involving the prediction of colorant usage for the first printing device, where the prediction of colorant usage can include a confidence interval related to the prediction.