An intelligent Print Device monitoring & manipulation method provided on a host computer that continually tracks in the connected/accessible print devices parameters like toner or ink cartridge/container along with identities & toner levels. As & when certain device statuses change, the invention will accordingly & progressively alter the density/resolution and such allied print device setting to achieve higher page yield from the available toner/ink present in cartridge. The alteration activity can be initiated automatically on-site &/or manually from remote location, when it is added as part of system platform that bridges client sites having print devices and the host computer to external service providers.

A server includes memory storing management information including: first correspondence information representing correspondence between an output format for printing process and price for the printing process based on the output format; and second correspondence information representing correspondence between an account information of a user and balance spendable by the user and a controller configured to perform: receiving a printing request using an account information item; determining whether an object price is equal to or less than an object balance; if the object price is more than the object balance, extracting candidate output format that is different from the object output format and usable to perform a printing process based on the printing request within the object balance, with reference to the first correspondence information; and transmitting information representing the extracted candidate output format to an external device.

An image forming apparatus includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a control unit that is configured to cause received print data to be stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit. The control unit causes a printer unit to perform a print to print the stored print data in the first storage unit in a case where the first storage unit is in a normal state, and causes a message to be displayed in a case where the first storage unit has a functional failure.

The disclosure discloses a printer including a CPU that executes a detection process, a first determination process, and a first mode switching process. In the detection process, a type of a storage body is detected. In the first determination process, it is determined on the basis of a detection result whether the type of the storage body attached to the attaching part is a first type in an ordering state associated with insufficiency in quantity or a second type other than the first type. In the first mode switching process a control mode is switched from a normal mode prepared in advance correspondingly to the second type to a medium-saving mode prepared in advance correspondingly to the first type for reducing a consumption amount of the print-receiving medium than the normal mode, in the case that the type is determined as the first type.

An image forming apparatus including: an image forming unit; a reverse conveying roller; a discharge unit including: a reverse conveying path; an openable and closable member; an open/close sensor; a discharge tray; a sheet conveyance unit; and a failure detector; and a controller, wherein in a case in which the controller determines that the sheet conveyance unit is in failure based on a detection result of the failure detector and determines that the openable and closable member is closed based on a detection result of the open/close sensor, the controller prohibits discharge of the sheet to the discharge tray and permits conveyance of the sheet to the reverse conveying path, and in a case in which the controller determines that the sheet conveyance unit is in failure and determines that the openable and closable member is open, the controller prohibits the conveyance of the sheet to the reverse conveying path.

An image forming apparatus is operable in a first mode, in which a job can be processed at a first printing speed, and a second mode, in which the job can be processed at a second printing speed faster than the first printing speed. The apparatus includes at least one processor that executes instructions to receive a reservation of a period in which the image forming apparatus will operate in the second mode, and to control the image forming apparatus to operate in the second mode, rather than the first mode, in accordance with the reservation. Further, the at least one processor executes the instructions to set a function in which the image forming apparatus operates in the second mode to be one of disabled and enabled, and to enable the reservation to be received based on the set function being changed from disabled to enabled.

An imaging device having a controller, a print engine and a raster image processor including methods for reducing wear in one or more components of the imaging device, the raster image processor including instructions for receiving a print job, determining whether one or more function features in the imaging device is disabled prior processing the print job, adjusting a default printing performance of the imaging device upon a determination that the one or more function features in the imaging device is disabled, generating a rasterized image for each page of the print job following the adjusting, and sending each rasterized image to the print engine of the imaging device for printing, wherein the adjusting the printing performance of the imaging device reduces the component wear in the imaging device and extends an allowable life of the one or more imaging components.

An information processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to acquire document information associated with a document, determine recommended setting for printing and a reduction ratio of resource for printing based on the document information and a function of an execution device that prints image of the document on a medium, the reduction ratio of resource being calculated based on a ratio of an amount of the resource required for printing when the printing is performed based on the acquired document information and an amount of the resource required for printing when the printing is performed based on the recommended setting, and display recommended information including the recommended setting and the reduction ratio of the resource on a display.

An imaging device having a controller, a print engine and a raster image processor including methods for reducing wear in one or more components of the imaging device, the raster image processor including instructions for receiving a print job, determining whether one or more function features in the imaging device is disabled prior processing the print job, adjusting a default printing performance of the imaging device upon a determination that the one or more function features in the imaging device is disabled, generating a rasterized image for each page of the print job following the adjusting, and sending each rasterized image to the print engine of the imaging device for printing, wherein the adjusting the printing performance of the imaging device reduces the component wear in the imaging device and extends an allowable life of the one or more imaging components.

An image recording device includes a display panel, a cartridge mount, an information input interface, memory, and a controller. The controller obtains service provider information through the information input interface, stores the obtained service provider information in the memory, obtains first identification information or second identification information related to a cartridge mounted in the cartridge mount, sets an operation mode to a first mode in response to obtaining the first identification information, sets the operation mode to a second mode in response to obtaining the second identification information, causes the display panel to display a type of the cartridge in response to setting the operation mode to the first mode, and causes the display panel to display the service provider information in response to setting the operation mode to the second mode.