An image forming apparatus 176 capable of easy log-in to a desired cloud service includes a print engine communicable with a cloud server 170 for printing a print job received from cloud server 170, a reader/writer 174 capable of proximity communication with a portable terminal 172, and a log-in executing device receiving log-in information to cloud server 170 from portable terminal 172 through reader/writer 174, for executing the log-in process to cloud server 170 using the log-in information.

Apparatus and methods for transformation of a digital scanner image using machine-learning algorithms are provided. The apparatus and methods may include a portable USB device configured for connection to a scanner port. The device may access and store a scanned digital image captured by the scanner. A device processor may use OCR to generate an editable PDF file and use one or more machine-learning algorithms to apply auto-corrections to the PDF file. The processor may communicate with a user interface configured to display each line from the scanned digital image in line with the corresponding auto-corrected text. The user interface may receive separate inputs accepting each line of auto-corrected text. Auto-correction acceptance data may be transmitted to the device processor. Each accepted auto-correction may be associated with a quantified value. A machine-learning algorithm may be configured to maximize a total value for auto-corrections in a scanned document.

A server apparatus includes an acquiring unit, a reporting unit, a script acquiring unit, and a requesting unit. When a user issues a request for executing information processing to an information processing apparatus, the acquiring unit acquires unique information for uniquely identifying an information storage medium corresponding to the user through a network. The unique information is read from the information storage medium by a reading device. The reporting unit refers to a storage unit that stores therein pieces of unique information and applications relating to information processing in an associated manner with each other, to detect an application associated with the acquired unique information, and reports the acquired unique information to the detected application. The script acquiring unit acquires, from the application, a script generated by the application based on the unique information. The requesting unit transmits a request for executing the acquired script to the information processing apparatus.

A communication device includes a first holding unit which holds a disk-like first recording medium capable of storing information and a second holding unit which holds a second recording medium which is different from the first recording medium. The communication device further includes a request reception unit configured to receive a request for information indicating a recording medium which is usable by the communication device from a terminal device, and a transmission unit configured to transmit information indicating the first recording medium and information indicating the second recording medium held by the second holding unit to the terminal device when the request is received.

A method for printing documents includes detecting a trigger event when a portable memory device is communicatively connected to a print device. The print device is in communication with a data store that contains print history identifying one or more files printed using one or more print devices. The method includes receiving an instruction to print a document file stored on the portable memory device, identifying a property associated with the document file, and comparing the property associated with the document file to the print history to determine if a previously printed document in the print history is substantially similar to the document file. If a previously printed document in the print history is substantially similar to the document file, before printing the document causing a user interface to output a prompt that the document file has previously been printed, otherwise causing the print device to print the document.

An external storage medium processing device includes a plurality of receiving units to and from which the external storage medium can be attached and detached. Further, when detecting that the external storage medium is attached to the receiving unit at the time of startup, a control unit collates identification information stored in a storage unit with identification information acquired from the external storage medium. A notification unit does not perform notification of attachment if identification information is matched and, if not, performs notification of attachment.

A communication device includes a first holding unit which holds a disk-like first recording medium capable of storing information and a second holding unit which holds a second recording medium which is different from the first recording medium. The communication device further includes a request reception unit configured to receive a request for information indicating a recording medium which is usable by the communication device from a terminal device, and a transmission unit configured to transmit information indicating the first recording medium and information indicating the second recording medium held by the second holding unit to the terminal device when the request is received.

An external storage medium processing device includes a plurality of receiving units to and from which the external storage medium can be attached and detached. Further, when detecting that the external storage medium is attached to the receiving unit at the time of startup, a control unit collates identification information stored in a storage unit with identification information acquired from the external storage medium. A notification unit does not perform notification of attachment if identification information is matched and, if not, performs notification of attachment.

An imaging cartridge chip includes a communication module for providing data communication between the imaging cartridge chip and an imaging device; a non-volatile data storage module for storing at least two different serial numbers; a volatile temporary data storage module connecting between the communication module and the non-volatile data storage module and including at least two temporary data storage units; and a control module. The control module is configured to load different serial numbers into corresponding temporary data storage units; to send a serial number in a selected temporary data storage unit to the imaging device; to determine whether the serial number sent to the imaging device passes a legitimacy verification of the imaging device; and when the serial number sent to the imaging device does not pass the legitimacy verification, to send a serial number in another temporary data storage unit to the imaging device.

A communication device may monitor an establishment of a first type of communication link between a communication device and an external device while the communication device is in a first state in which a P2P mode of an NFC standard is active and a first mode of the NFC standard is active. The communication device may send first data to the external device by using the first type of communication link. The first data may include a command for causing the external device to execute an activation of a particular application. The communication device may change the state of the communication device from the first state to a second state in which the P2P mode is active, and perform the two-way communication with the external device that operates the particular application by using a second type of communication link.