Disclosed here is a system enabling users/customers to receive an objective assessment of the performance of a printer. This is accomplished by comparing a quality score of an earlier-in-time image with a quality score of a later-in-time image. A processor analyzes each image based on several criteria and uses various image-analysis methods, to flag errors within an image. A numeric quality score, based on the number of errors, is provided to the user to objectively evaluate whether the printer has degraded or not. Thus, the user can objectively present an argument to a salesperson or manufacturer that the user is due a remedy.

Disclosed here is a system enabling users/customers to receive an objective assessment of the performance of a printer. This is accomplished by comparing a quality score of an earlier-in-time image with a quality score of a later-in-time image. A processor analyzes each image based on several criteria and uses various image-analysis methods, to flag errors within an image. A numeric quality score, based on the number of errors, is provided to the user to objectively evaluate whether the printer has degraded or not. Thus, the user can objectively present an argument to a salesperson or manufacturer that the user is due a remedy.

A server connected to an image processing device over a network, executes: running an application that operates in cooperation with the image processing device; obtaining screen information to use the application from the application based on a request from an external device; outputting the screen information to the external device; detecting an error on the image processing device with which the application operates in cooperation; and adding error information to access an error screen constructed by the image processing device to the screen information when the error on the image processing device is detected. The server outputs the screen information with added the error information to the external device when the error information is added to the screen information.

In an image forming apparatus, an event detection unit detects occurrence of an event which requires replacement of a part, a notification unit notifies guidance for replacing the part if the event detection unit detects occurrence of the event, and a control unit ends a notification of the guidance using, as conditions, a case in which a cover open to perform the replacement is set in a closed state and a case in which an input of an instruction that the replacement has completed is accepted.

According to an embodiment, a consumable management apparatus includes a detecting unit, a storage unit, an analyzing circuit, a predicting circuit, and a notifying circuit. The detecting unit detects a use condition of a consumable. The storage unit stores therein a use history of the consumable. The analyzing circuit is configured to analyze a consumption speed of the consumable based on a degree of use frequency of the consumable, the degree of use frequency being obtained from the use history of the consumable stored in the storage unit. The predicting circuit is configured to predict a replacement time of the consumable from the use condition of the consumable detected by the detecting unit and the consumption speed of the consumable analyzed by the analyzing circuit. The notifying circuit is configured to give a notice of the replacement time of the consumable predicted by the predicting circuit.

The present disclosure relates to formulation and implementation of rules associated with printing devices. One example embodiment includes a method. The method includes monitoring, by a computing device, events associated with one or more printing devices. The method also includes identifying, by the computing device, a correlation between a first event type of the monitored events and a second event type of the monitored events. Further, the method includes formulating, by the computing device, a rule based on the correlation. According to the rule, when the first event type occurs, the computing device causes the second event type to occur in response. In addition, the method includes receiving, by the computing device, an indication that the rule should be implemented on the one or more printing devices. The method further includes implementing, by the computing device, the rule on the one or more printing devices.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to perform a printing process of forming an image on a print medium based on print data, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine whether or not the printing process has completed based on remaining print data to be printed, when the print medium is removed from a paper discharge tray in which the print medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit is placed, and to cause a warning to be output upon determining that the printing process has not completed based on the remaining print data to be printed.

A control method for an information processing apparatus that performs wireless communication with a communication apparatus includes receiving, via a communication in a state in which pairing between the communication apparatus and the information processing apparatus is complete, predetermined information transmitted from the communication apparatus in a case where the communication apparatus is in a predetermined error state, and causes a display unit to display a screen for eliminating an error occurring in the communication apparatus, wherein, in a case where the pairing is complete, a screen including first information for eliminating the predetermined error state is displayed based on the received predetermined information, and, in a case where the pairing is not complete, a screen including second information different from the first information is displayed.

The present disclosure relates to formulation and implementation of rules associated with printing devices. One example embodiment includes a method. The method includes monitoring, by a computing device, events associated with one or more printing devices. The method also includes identifying, by the computing device, a correlation between a first event type of the monitored events and a second event type of the monitored events. Further, the method includes formulating, by the computing device, a rule based on the correlation. According to the rule, when the first event type occurs, the computing device causes the second event type to occur in response. In addition, the method includes receiving, by the computing device, an indication that the rule should be implemented on the one or more printing devices. The method further includes implementing, by the computing device, the rule on the one or more printing devices.

An image forming apparatus combines a plurality of sub-movies representing operation procedures to be performed to perform maintenance on the image forming apparatus and plays the combined sub-movies sequentially as one movie. In response to stopping the movie being played, the image forming apparatus displays a replay mark for use to issue a command to replay the movie from the beginning of a sub-movie corresponding to a position where the movie is stopped.