An information processing apparatus includes an operation device, a communication device, and a control device. The operation device receives an instruction according to an operation performed by a user. The communication device performs data communication with a plurality of image forming apparatuses. The control device acts as a calculator and a controller. The calculator calculates an evaluation value for each of one or more evaluation items designated by the user through the operation device and calculates a sum of the calculated evaluation values, as use priority, with respect to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The controller transmits a print job, execution of which has been instructed by the user through the operation device, to the image forming apparatus that has gained highest user priority, via the communication device.

A policy-based printing system is implemented to allow access to a private domain to print using a public domain. The private domain includes private servers that store documents. The public domain includes servers and a printing device. A public policy server uses a domain list and a protocol connection with a private authentication server to validate a user and identify which private domain to access. The public policy server receives requests from the printing device to process a print job of a document in the private domain. The private server processes the requests using the policy and a ledger to determine whether to allow the print job to the printing device. If a parameter of the policy is exceeded, then the private server allows an overage for the parameter so that the document is accessed.

An inspection apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: conducts an inspection on an image by comparing a scanned image with a correct image, the image being formed on paper in accordance with a print job, the scanned image being generated by reading the image, the correct image serving as a reference for the inspection of the image; and determines whether a page is a target for the inspection in accordance with a type of the paper on which the image will be formed according to print setting of the print job, wherein the hardware processor conducts the inspection on the image on a page that has been determined to be the target for the inspection by the hardware processor, and does not conduct the inspection on the image on a page that has been determined to not be the target for the inspection.

A printer, capable of appropriately extending an existing replacement recommendation time of a component determined based on a life prescribed for the component, includes: a time determination unit (timer), a comparison examination unit (comparator), and a notification unit (notifier). The timer determines a time at which replacement of a component is recommended based on tendency information indicating a deterioration tendency of the component with respect to an operation status. The tendency information is generated from collection and storage of information on the operation status collected from a plurality of printers and information on a degree of deterioration at a disposal time of the component. The comparator compares a time output by the time determination unit with a predetermined life of the component, and examines whether to perform recommendation for component replacement. The notifier notifies of information on recommendation for component replacement based on an examination result of the comparator.

An image forming device includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a transfer medium; and a controller that controls multiple image readers capable of performing image reading for the same surface of the transfer medium, and acquires reading results from the image readers. The controller is capable of performing failure/no-failure determination for the image on the transfer medium based on the reading results, of switching image reading by the multiple image readers between reading by a first number of image readers and reading by a second number of image readers, the second number being smaller than the first number, and of enabling, while the second number of image readers perform reading, at least one of the other image readers to execute a maintenance operation for the at least one of the other image readers.

A printing apparatus includes an image former which forms a tone pattern image on a sheet conveyed from a sheet feeding deck, a color measurer which performs color measurement by reading the tone pattern image formed by the image former, and one or more controllers including one or more processors and one or more memories. The one or more controllers are configured to generate tone correction data based on a difference between color measurement results by the color measurer and a reference value, and perform tone correction for print target image data by using the generated tone correction data. The reference value is registered in association with a type of sheet that is accommodated in the sheet feeding deck, and in a case where the type of sheet that is accommodated in the sheet feeding deck is changed, the reference value is cleared.

An operating method of an image forming apparatus includes: receiving an input to select a selective eco mode which selectively applies an eco mode during an image forming job of a document; obtaining at least one area to be excluded from application of the eco mode from a preview of the document according to execution of the selective eco mode; generating a mask in which an area corresponding to at least one area of the document is set in an array corresponding to a preview image of the document, based on information about the at least one area of the document; and outputting the document to which the selective eco mode is applied based on the mask.

A printing system includes an acquirer, a comparator, a calculator, and an allocator. The acquirer acquires the number of media printed by a first printing device installed at a first location. The comparator compares the number of printed media acquired by the acquirer with the number of media specified based on a billing amount. The calculator calculates a first number of printable media of the first printing device based on the comparison by the comparator. The allocator allocates at least a part of the first number of printable media calculated by the calculator as a second number of printable media to a second printing device installed at a second location. The second printing device can perform printing as a billing target based on the second number of printable media.

An image forming device includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a transfer medium; and a controller that controls multiple image readers capable of performing image reading for the same surface of the transfer medium, and acquires reading results from the image readers. The controller is capable of performing failure/no-failure determination for the image on the transfer medium based on the reading results, of switching image reading by the multiple image readers between reading by a first number of image readers and reading by a second number of image readers, the second number being smaller than the first number, and of enabling, while the second number of image readers perform reading, at least one of the other image readers to execute a maintenance operation for the at least one of the other image readers.

A printing apparatus includes an image forming portion which forms a chart image on a sheet conveyed from a sheet feeding deck, a color measure portion which performs color measurement by reading the chart image formed by the image forming portion, and one or more controllers including one or more processors and one or more memories. The one or more controllers are configured to generate correction data based on color measurement results by the color measurer portion and a reference value, and perform correction for target image data by using the generated correction data. The reference value is obtained by performing color measurement by the color measure portion and is registered in association with a type of sheet on which the chart image is formed, and in a case where the type of sheet on which the chart image is formed is changed, the reference value is updated.