A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for detection and avoidance of printing of previously printed print jobs. The method includes storing one or more digital copies of print jobs in a central storage system; storing one or more physical copies of the one or more digital copies of the print jobs in a document stacker; receiving a print job on a printer; sending a request from the printer to the central storage system to determine if a physical copy of the print job is in the document stacker; and when the print job is in the document stacker sending a code from the central storage system for retrieval of a physical copy of the print job from the document stacker.

A printing unit determines one method based on a user setting from among two methods of a first method of printing a print job for a cloud account associated with a user account under a condition that a login process has been performed by a login unit, and a second method of printing a print job notified by an event notification in response to receiving the event notification from a cloud print service even when the login process has not been performed by the login unit, and the printing unit prints a print job by the determined one method.

A verification system includes: a code generation server publicizing time stamped codes; a proving device, including a video camera, that acquires a published time stamped code from the code generation server, and, while recording a video, incorporates the acquired time stamped code into the video; and a verifying device that receives the video, extracts the time stamped code from the content of the video, compares the time stamped code to published time stamped codes, and displays a verification of the published time stamped code.

An image formation system includes: an encoded image generation device including a first processor that generates print data from manuscript data, sets security information for controlling a print mode of the print data, and generates an encoded image from the print data and the security information; and an image formation device including a second processor that inputs the encoded image, decodes the print data and the security data from the input encoded image, determines whether an output of the decoded print data is available in accordance with the decoded security information, and outputs the decoded print data when it is determined that the output of the print data is available.

In a first image formation mode, an image is formed with a first development contrast C1 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a second development contrast C2, which is lower than the first development contrast C1; in a second image formation mode, an image is formed with a third development contrast C3 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a fourth development contrast C4, which is lower than the third development contrast C3; and when C1 (=C2/C1) denotes a ratio between the second development contrast C2 and the first development contrast C1, and C2 (=C4/C3) denotes a ratio between the fourth development contrast C4 and the third development contrast C3, C2<C1 is satisfied.

An image formation system includes: an encoded image generation device including a first processor that generates print data from manuscript data, sets security information for controlling a print mode of the print data, and generates an encoded image from the print data and the security information; and an image formation device including a second processor that inputs the encoded image, decodes the print data and the security data from the input encoded image, determines whether an output of the decoded print data is available in accordance with the decoded security information, and outputs the decoded print data when it is determined that the output of the print data is available.

An image processing device comprises an image data input means 2, an image data storage means 12 for storing the image data being input, an image data processing means 6 having multiple processing modes for outputting the stored image data, and a image data erasing means for erasing the image data stored in the storage means 12. The device further comprises erase count control means 8, 14 for controlling the number of times for erasing image data capable of having the number of times of erase set arbitrarily according to the security level required for each mode, and capable of having the set number of times of erase changed in mid-flow. Confidentiality is protected by performing erase operations repeatedly to the region storing the unnecessary image data according to the security level.

In a first image formation mode, an image is formed with a first development contrast C1 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a second development contrast C2, which is lower than the first development contrast C1; in a second image formation mode, an image is formed with a third development contrast C3 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a fourth development contrast C4, which is lower than the third development contrast C3; and when C1 (=C2/C1) denotes a ratio between the second development contrast C2 and the first development contrast C1, and C2 (=C4/C3) denotes a ratio between the fourth development contrast C4 and the third development contrast C3, C2<C1 is satisfied.

An equipment unit is disclosed, including a first obtaining unit which obtains first identification information for a parameter set for calculating a use amount of the equipment unit; a comparison unit which compares the first identification information and second identification information for a parameter set for calculating a use amount of the equipment unit; a second obtaining unit which obtains information on a difference between the parameter set related to the first identification information and the parameter set stored in the equipment unit when the first identification information and the second identification information differ; and a control unit which calculates an amount of use of the equipment unit based on the parameter set stored in the equipment unit, and the information on the difference and controls the use of the equipment unit by the user.

In a first image formation mode, an image is formed with a first development contrast C1 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a second development contrast C2, which is lower than the first development contrast C1; in a second image formation mode, an image is formed with a third development contrast C3 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a fourth development contrast C4, which is lower than the third development contrast C3; and when C1 (=C2/C1) denotes a ratio between the second development contrast C2 and the first development contrast C1, and C2 (=C4/C3) denotes a ratio between the fourth development contrast C4 and the third development contrast C3, C2<C1 is satisfied.