An image forming apparatus includes a network interface, an operation panel including a touch panel, and a controller configured to provide a mobile input function to a mobile terminal via the network interface. The mobile input function enables the image forming apparatus to accept input operations from the mobile terminal via the network interface. The controller displays access information on the touch panel when the mobile input function is not provided, and starts providing the mobile input function in response to receiving access from the mobile terminal using the access information via the network interface. After starting to provide the mobile input function, the controller sends display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, thereby causing the mobile terminal to display an operation screen for operating the image forming apparatus from the mobile terminal.

Systems and methods are provided though which a transaction, e.g., in a multi-tier, distributed application may be initiated from a portable or hand-held device, such as a smartphone. A computer system or systems, possibly remote from the device, may approve the transaction, complete it, or both, and the remote computer system or systems may cause a document to be printed, e.g., by a printer physically proximate to the device.

Aspects of the invention are illustrated by embodiments in which a drug prescription may be created electronically using a hand-held device. In such an embodiment, the prescription may be transmitted to one or more remote computer systems, such as an application server, for processing. If specified, the remote computer systems may cause a prescription to be printed, e.g., at a printer near the prescriber's location. The prescriber may sign the printed prescription and give it to a patient or pharmacy.

A method of pairing a handheld printer/scanner device with a barcode printer acting as the host is disclosed. The pairing will further enhance the functionality of the host barcode printer. Specifically, the pairing process is initiated when a printer process that requires a handheld printer/scanner device is initiated. The method enables a handheld printer/scanner device to print to a host barcode printer, and also enables the host barcode printer to receive a barcode scan of the case label of received food items and retain information from the barcode scan for future printing of food freshness labels.

An information processing apparatus includes: a data sharing unit configured to cause an application selected as a data output destination to process data which is output by an application which is a data output source; a process-object-data generation control unit configured to generate process object data in one of a first format and a second format based on image data acquired by an image information interface from an image information source; and an application-information display unit configured to display identification images for identifying applications which the data sharing unit can select as the data output destination if the data sharing unit is to process either data of the first format or data of the second format.

An image forming apparatus which is capable of reducing input errors in network settings. The image forming apparatus has a plurality of network I/Fs and connects an image formation control apparatus to one of the plurality of network I/Fs. A display control unit controls display on a screen relating to network settings on the image forming apparatus. Based on selection of a network I/F to which the image formation control apparatus is to be connected, the display control unit determines what to display on the screen relating to network settings on the image forming apparatus.

An example image formation device includes a memory to store a program, and a controller to, by executing the program, perform pre-processing for an application to be installed, acquire information on an amount of resources necessary for execution of the application, acquire information on an amount of available resources, determine whether installation of the application is possible based on the information on the amount of resources necessary to execute the application and the information on the amount of available resources, and install the application in the memory when it is determined that the application is installable.

In a communication system, an image forming apparatus sends an address of a receiving section to an external device. The external device receives a selection of image data through plural thumbnails displayed on a display section, and wirelessly sends the selected image data to the image forming apparatus with the address. The image forming apparatus receives the selected image data sent with the address by the external device, and prints an image based on the selected image data. The image forming apparatus accepts a selection indicating whether a communication between the external device and the image forming apparatus is performed by a first communication system method or a second communication system method. The image forming apparatus performs sending and/or receiving the image data with the address by the first communication system method when the first communication system method is selected, and performs sending and/or receiving the image data with the address by the second communication system method when the second communication system method is selected.

Systems and methods are provided though which a transaction, e.g., in a multi-tier, distributed application may be initiated from a portable or hand-held device, such as a smartphone. A computer system or systems, possibly remote from the device, may approve the transaction, complete it, or both, and the remote computer system or systems may cause a document to be printed, e.g., by a printer physically proximate to the device. Aspects of the invention are illustrated by embodiments in which a drug prescription may be created electronically using a hand-held device. In such an embodiment, the prescription may be transmitted to one or more remote computer systems, such as an application server, for processing. If specified, the remote computer systems may cause a prescription to be printed, e.g., at a printer near the prescriber's location. The prescriber may sign the printed prescription and give it to a patient or pharmacy.

An image processing apparatus receives destination information for use in data transmission, performs control, based on the received destination information including a destination in an email address format, so that a first screen, which is used to transmit data external to the image processing apparatus, and on which a transmission destination of the data is displayed, based on the received destination information, is displayed on the operation unit, and performs control, based on the received destination information including only a destination in a fax format so that a second screen, different from the first screen and used to perform fax transmission, on which a transmission destination of the fax transmission is displayed, based on the received destination information, is displayed on the operation unit.

An information processing apparatus instructs a plurality of print plug-ins having at least a printer search function to search for a printer and displays, if the plurality of print plug-ins are instructed to perform the search, a first screen which includes (1) a printer detected by search processing performed by the plurality of print plug-ins instructed to perform the search and includes (2) an object for shifting to a second screen but does not include (3) a link to a download page of a print plug-in that is not installed, and displays, in response to an instruction given to the object in the first screen, the second screen which includes (3) the link to the download page of the print plug-in that is not installed.