A server and a method of operating the same are provided. The method includes receiving metadata corresponding to printing data from a printing data storage device that stores the printing data, receiving, from an image forming apparatus, a request to transmit printing job information, determining a transmission route of the printing data based on whether the printing data storage device and the image forming apparatus are capable of communicating with each other, generating printing job information including the metadata and the transmission route, and transmitting the printing job information to the image forming apparatus.

An electronic apparatus includes: a connection circuit connectable to a network; a command acquisition circuit that acquires a family generation command for generating one family including all electronic apparatuses connected to the network; a detection circuit that detects a plurality of electronic apparatuses connected to the network; and a correspondence relation generation circuit that generates, when the command acquisition circuit receives the family generation command, a correspondence relation with each of the two electronic apparatuses that have not generated a correspondence relation with other electronic apparatuses, out of the plurality of detected electronic apparatuses.

An image forming apparatus forms a location free print system in which the groups of networks made up of a plurality of image forming apparatuses include a plurality of groups in which one image forming apparatus functions as a main server and an address list of addresses of main servers of all groups is shared by the main server of each group. A job list of print jobs of the image forming apparatuses is shared by each image forming apparatus in the first group. If a user is authenticated, then the image forming apparatus retrieves print jobs of the user registered in the first group from the job list. If retrieving print jobs of the user registered in a second group, the image forming apparatus instructs, via a main server of the first group, a main server of the second group to retrieve print jobs of the user.

An image processing system includes a first image forming apparatus to perform an image generation operation, a second image forming apparatus to perform an image generation operation, and a processing control apparatus to control the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus to output an output target image by using the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus based on an output command information of the output target image, the output command information including first information related to the image generation operation of the output target image, second information related to collation assigned to the output target image, and third information related to one or more graphic marks providable to the output target image based on the second information related to the collation.

An operating information storing system includes a master apparatus and multiple slave apparatuses. The master apparatus and each slave apparatus respectively include a first processor. The master apparatus includes a nonvolatile memory, the first processor that acquires operating information generated by each slave apparatus, stores the acquired operating information, and determines if at least one operating information indicates specific operating information, and a first transmitter. Each slave apparatus includes a volatile memory, a second processor to store generated operating information in the volatile memory sequentially, and a second transmitter that transfers the operating information stored in the volatile memory to the master apparatus. The second processor stores the specific operating information in the volatile memory until the second transmitter transfers the generated specific operating information to the master apparatus based on the request transferred by the first transmitter in the master apparatus if the specific operating information is generated.

A server for controlling a plurality of image forming apparatuses each provided with an autonomous navigation system that enables the image forming apparatus to travel to a destination: receives first location information indicating a current location of each image forming apparatus, and second location information indicating a current location of the information terminal; receives at least a monochrome printing time that indicates a time period in which the image forming apparatus performs monochrome printing when the image forming apparatus is not capable of performing color printing; and selects one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses as an image forming apparatus to perform printing according to the user request, based on the first location information, the second location information, and the device information.

According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus belonging to a pre-defined group comprises a storage section, an interface section and a processor. The storage section stores first setting information. The interface section receives second setting information. The processor compares the first setting information with the second setting information. If the second setting information is the newer one, the processor replaces the first setting information with the second setting information to update it, and reflects it to enable the image forming apparatus to operate according to the second setting information, and controls the interface section to send the second setting information to other image forming apparatuses belonging to the group. If the first setting information is the newer one, the processor controls the interface section to send the first setting information to other image forming apparatuses belonging to the group.

In an image forming device which is capable of executing an application program, a plurality of interface providing units are arranged each providing the application program with an interface which enables the application program to use a function of the image forming device. A selecting unit selects at least one of the plurality of interface providing units as an object of use for the application program based on a result of comparison of information stored in a storage device and indicating an execution environment of each of the plurality of interface providing units with information stored in the storage device and indicating an execution environment of the image forming device.

Examples disclosed herein relate to processors instructed to receive a job from a job source, retrieve destinations from a destination store and present the destinations on a user interface, receive through the user interface, a selected destination and parameters for the job, map the selected destination to a delivery agent, render the job into a document, and transmit the document to the selected destination with the delivery agent.

The card-printing vending machine (10) comprises a processor-based control unit (12), a touch-screen (14) electronically connected thereto, a card-printing unit (16) provided with a card holder (17) for storing a plurality of unprinted plastic cards, and a bank card reading unit (18), which are all arranged in a house. A communication interface (20) for establishing an interconnection with a remote database storing a plurality of card designs is electronically connected to the control unit (12).