Methods and apparatus to communicate data associated with media processing devices are disclosed. An example media processing device residing on a network includes a monitor configured to collect observational data associated with the media processing device in accordance with a configuration file stored on the media processing device; and communicate the observational data to a first device external to the network via a first persistent connection between the media processing device and the first external device; and a controller configured to receive an operational instruction from a second external device via a second persistent connection between the media processing device and the second external device, wherein the second persistent connection is independent of the first persistent connection; and implement the operational instruction on the media processing device, wherein the operation instruction controls media processing hardware of the media processing device.

A method of performing an image forming operation in an image forming apparatus supporting peer to peer (P2P) connection includes P2P connecting the image forming apparatus to an external wireless device while the image forming apparatus is wirelessly connected to an access point (AP) of an infrastructured network, receiving a discovery packet from the wireless device via a P2P interface, transmitting to the wireless device a response packet including an Internet protocol (IP) address of the P2P interface, receiving from the wireless device an image forming operation performing request having the IP address of the P2P interface as a destination, and performing the requested image forming operation.

A control method of an information processing device that is capable of performing communication by Wi-Fi and communication by Bluetooth includes accepting a predetermined instruction based on a user operation to the information processing device, executing, after the predetermined instruction is accepted, displaying processing that displays a predetermined screen that is a screen for allowing the information processing device to communicate with a communication device by Wi-Fi based on a fact that the information processing device is not able to perform communication with the communication device by Wi-Fi, and executing, after the predetermined instruction is accepted, communication processing that communicates, with the communication device by Bluetooth, predetermined information for establishing a wireless connection of the communication device by Wi-Fi.

A mobile information processing apparatus includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver receives destination information via visible light communication. The destination information is information for identifying an image output apparatus as a destination of second communication different from the visible light communication. The transmitter transmits second information and a print instruction to the image output apparatus via the second communication in accordance with the destination information. The second information is information indicating receipt of the destination information by the receiver.

An image processing apparatus includes plural communication interfaces, a determining unit, and a selecting unit. The determining unit determines whether or not communication with an information processing apparatus is executable by any of the plural communication interfaces. The selecting unit selects, based on a determination result generated by the determining unit, any one of the plural communication interfaces as a communication interface that communicates with the information processing apparatus.

An image forming apparatus capable of returning from the power saving state and performing user authentication by one action of holding an authentication card over a card reader even when the apparatus is in the power saving state. The apparatus performs short-distance wireless communication with an external device. A controller performs control processing including at least authentication processing. When short-distance wireless communication with the device is started, a short-distance wireless communication section delivers a return-starting interrupt, to the controller, receives authentication data from the device to thereby store the authentication data during returning of the apparatus. The controller performs authentication processing based on the stored authentication data after returning of the apparatus from the power saving state, and notifies the device of an authentication processing result by a different channel.

A control method including switching, in accordance with receipt of a print instruction, from a first state to a second state in which communication with an external apparatus based on a second communication method is possible and communication with the Internet based on a first communication method is not performed, while connection to the Internet based on the first communication method and connection to the external apparatus based on the second communication method are established and maintained in parallel.

A communication device may receive first information from a terminal device in a case where a first communication link is established via a first type of interface between the communication device and the terminal device. The communication device may determine whether a communication via a second type of interface between the communication device and the terminal device is performable, establish a second communication link via the first type of interface between the communication device and the terminal device, and perform a two-way communication of second information with the terminal device by using the second communication link in a case where it is determined that the communication via the second type of interface is performable. The communication device may not perform the two-way communication of the second information with the terminal device in a case where it is determined that the communication is not performable.

An image processing apparatus includes an SLIC configured to control an analog telephone, a plurality of modems configured to control facsimile communication using deemed voice, a plurality of PCMI/Fs configured to input and output encoded voice data, and a plurality of selectors configured to connect any of the SLIC and the plurality of modems to one of the plurality of PCMI/Fs, and controls the plurality of selectors according to requested processing to connect the SLIC and one of the plurality of modems to one of the plurality of PCMI/Fs, thereby performing the processing.

A print control system 1 has a control server 10 that transmits print data, and a printer 12 that communicates with the control server 10 through an asynchronous duplex communication path, receives print data sent by the control server 10 through the communication path, and prints based on the received data.