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.

A computer-implemented method for managing imaging protocols among a plurality of image scanners includes creating parent node data records, each respective parent node data record corresponding to a distinct type of image scanner. Imaging protocols are stored, each imaging protocol associated with a distinct parent node data record included in the parent node data records. Next, a child node creation process is performed for each respective image scanner. The child node creation process may include, for example: determining a respective image scanner type associated with a respective image scanner; identifying a respective parent node data record corresponding to the respective image scanner type; creating a child node data record associated with the respective parent node data record; identifying a respective imaging protocol associated with the respective parent node; and storing a copy of the respective imaging protocol at the respective scanner.

A scan task system includes a plurality of imaging devices, including MFDs, dedicated scanners, or mobile phones with scanning or camera functions. The system notifies a user or a number of users when a particular document needs to be scanned and transmitted to a specific destination. A scan task is sent to available imaging devices, and will appear when the user logs in at any imaging device on the network. When a user executes the scan task at any one of the imaging devices, the scan task is removed from all devices. The scan task can be pre-programmed to appropriately file or send a scanned document when the scan is executed.

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.

A printing apparatus includes a printer, a first wireless communicator, and a second wireless communicator. The first wireless communicator performs wireless local-area network (LAN) communication. The second wireless communicator transmits, to the information terminal, information required to perform the wireless LAN communication between the printing apparatus and an information terminal. The first wireless communicator receives print data from the information terminal. The printer performs printing based on the print data.

A system includes at least one controlled device that is controlled based on control information output from an external device, and an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material and communicate with the external device and the controlled device, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a transceiver that receives the control information from the external device and transmits the control information to the controlled device, and a transmission controller that stops the transmission of the control information by the transceiver or changes contents of the control information to be transmitted by the transceiver.

An object is to make it possible to add a vendor-unique command at the time at which addition of a vendor-unique command becomes necessary later even in the case where the device side does not have a dedicate pin for updating in communication control based on a SATA standard. An information processing system that performs data communication between a host and a device in conformity with the SATA standard, and the host transmits a setup command to which information on an undefined command is written to the device, and the device: has a command table for commands in conformity with the SATA standard, in which a command code to identify each command and information on a transfer protocol of each command are described; and makes the undefined command available between the host and the device by writing information on the undefined command to the command table in accordance with the received setup command.

An image processing apparatus includes an operation receiver configured to receive a predetermined operation, a first communication interface connectable with an external device, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to the operation receiver receiving the predetermined operation when the first communication interface is not connected with the external device, perform a first imaging process, and in response to the operation receiver receiving the predetermined operation when the first communication interface is connected with the external device, perform a second imaging process using the external device. The second imaging process is different from the first imaging process.

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.