A method for proactively creating an image product includes capturing an image of an object in a first environment by a device, storing a library of personalized products each characterized by a product type, automatically recognizing the object in the image as having a product type associated with the library of personalized products, automatically creating a design for the personalized product of the product type using personalized content, automatically displaying the design of the personalized product of the product type incorporating the selected photo in the first environment on the device, and manufacturing a physical product based on the design of the personalized product.

A scanning network includes a central server configured to distribute a scan task. The scan task is associated with a scanning of an identified document. The scanning network further includes a plurality of imaging devices configured to receive and execute a scan task and a storage database configured to receive a document image created from execution of a scan task.

Disclosed are various examples for network printer detection and authentication for managed device deployment. In one example, a computing environment can receive an identifier from a client device over a network, where the client device detects the identifier based on a wireless transmission performed by a transmitter in association with a print operation assigned to a network printer. The computing environment can determine whether an authentication is required at the network printer in association with the print operation and cause an agent application executable on the client device to obtain authentication data. An authentication can be performed based on the authentication data received from the client device and, in response to a successful authentication, causes the print operation to be performed by the network printer.

An image forming apparatus that executes a screen saver that provides information related with an accessory device connected to the image forming apparatus, and a method of controlling the image forming apparatus that executes a screen saver are provided. The method includes sensing an accessory device connected to the image forming apparatus, requesting execution of a screen saver corresponding to the sensed accessory device, searching for the screen saver corresponding to the sensed accessory device, and executing a found screen saver.

An image forming apparatus 102 that can flexibly cope with control command incompatibility caused by peripheral parts of the microcomputer device 103 to expand the function of the image forming apparatus 102. A status management unit 162 manages the state of the image forming apparatus 102, and a microcomputer command processing unit 181 communicates with the microcomputer device 103 attached to the image forming apparatus 102. The microcomputer command processing unit 181 receives request data from the microcomputer device 103 and transmits response data to the microcomputer device 103. Then, the microcomputer command processing unit 181 acquires the state of the image forming apparatus 102 from the status management unit 162 based on the received request data, and determines response data according to the acquired state of the image forming apparatus 102.

An information processing apparatus includes a first communication unit configured to communicate with a first communication apparatus; a second communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with each of one or more second wireless communication apparatuses; an acquisition unit configured to acquire from the first communication apparatus via the first communication unit an apparatus ID that is held by the first communication apparatus and that is used for identifying one of the one or more second wireless communication apparatuses to or from which the second communication unit transmits or receives data; and a control unit configured to control the second communication unit to transmit or receive the data to or from the one of the one or more second wireless communication apparatuses that is identified by the apparatus ID acquired by the acquisition unit.

An information processing apparatus includes an attachment portion, a log-in processing portion, a correlation processing portion, and a restriction processing portion. To the attachment portion, a storage device is attached in a detachable manner. The log-in processing portion authorizes a user to log in based on a predetermined authentication operation. The correlation processing portion correlates the storage device attached to the attachment portion with a user who has already logged in when the storage device is attached to the attachment portion, or with a user who first logs in after the storage device is attached to the attachment portion and kept to be attached. The restriction processing portion restricts access to the storage device attached to the attachment portion, to the user who is correlated with the storage device by the correlation processing portion.

A method for proactively creating an image product includes capturing an image of an object in a first environment by a device, storing a library of personalized products each characterized by a product type, automatically recognizing the object in the image as having a product type associated with the library of personalized products, automatically creating a design for the personalized product of the product type using personalized content, automatically displaying the design of the personalized product of the product type incorporating the selected photo in the first environment on the device, and manufacturing a physical product based on the design of the personalized product.

An image forming apparatus that executes a screen saver that provides information related with an accessory device connected to the image forming apparatus, and a method of controlling the image forming apparatus that executes a screen saver are provided. The method includes sensing an accessory device connected to the image forming apparatus, requesting execution of a screen saver corresponding to the sensed accessory device, searching for the screen saver corresponding to the sensed accessory device, and executing a found screen saver.

A method for proactively creating an image product includes capturing an image of an object in a first environment by a device, storing a library of personalized products each characterized by a product type, automatically recognizing the object in the image as having a product type associated with the library of personalized products, automatically creating a design for the personalized product of the product type using personalized content, automatically displaying the design of the personalized product of the product type incorporating the selected photo in the first environment on the device, and manufacturing a physical product based on the design of the personalized product.