G06F3/1235

Image forming apparatus updating status information to indicate that consumable can be temporarily used in another image forming apparatus
11579820 · 2023-02-14 · ·

In an image forming apparatus, a consumable accommodates printing material and is mounted in a main casing. The consumable includes a consumable memory. A controller performs a restriction process to rewrite the first status information to indicate the used product to prohibit the consumable from being used in other image forming apparatuses in a case where first status information stored in the one of the consumable memory and a main memory indicates the new product. The controller performs an updating process to update the second status information so that the second status information indicates that the consumable can be temporarily used in the another image forming apparatus in a case where the controller receives a contract cancellation instruction. The contract cancellation instruction instructs to cancel an agreement concluded for the image forming apparatus.

Information control apparatus, print system, and non-transitory computer readable medium

An information control apparatus controls a printer device. The printer device outputs a sheet which is fed from a sheet feeder and which is printed and loads the printed sheet in a loader in accordance with a print instruction. The information control apparatus includes a controller. In a case in which the printer device outputs a check sheet while the print instruction is being executed, the controller performs control so that the sheet feeder will feed, as a sheet to be used as the check sheet, a sheet which will protrude from other sheets when being loaded in the loader.

Servers and non-transitory computer readable storage medium for registering and monitoring consumables
11509793 · 2022-11-22 · ·

A server registers, into a first memory, user identification information and service information in a condition where a connection between the server and a target device via the Internet has not been established. The server registers, into a second memory, first device identification information in association with the user identification information and the service information registered in the first memory after receiving the first device identification information. After the connection between the server and the target device via the Internet has been established for a first time, the server causes a service providing server to provide the service to the user using the user identification information and the service information in the first memory in response to receiving the device identification information from a target device matching the first device identification information.

Information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium storing program for reducing the number of operation steps of a user
11593046 · 2023-02-28 · ·

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to acquire first information that is information on an apparatus associated with one selection element selectable by a user, and second information that is information on the apparatus associated with another selection element selectable by a user; display the first information, in a case where the one selection element is selected, and display the second information instead of the first information, in a case where the other selection element is selected, on a display unit that displays the one selection element and the other selection element; and display the second information associated with the first information, without performing an operation of selecting the other selection element, in a case where the first information is displayed on the display unit.

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EFFICIENT JOB PROCESSING AND SCHEDULING USING PROCESS MINING

A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system are disclosed for processing and scheduling print jobs on a plurality of printers. The method includes: collecting job information on one or more past print jobs; collecting job information on a plurality of print jobs currently being processed, each of the plurality of print jobs being assigned to one or more operators from a plurality of operators; generating a process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed with a processing mining algorithm based on the job information collected on the one or more past print jobs and the job information collected on the plurality of print jobs currently being processed; and displaying the process workflow visualization for the plurality of print jobs currently being processed.

NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM AND CONTROL DEVICE
20220350546 · 2022-11-03 ·

A control device controls a notification regarding a consumable. The control device has an acquisition unit which acquires remaining amount data regarding a remaining amount of a consumable in a printer, a calculation unit which calculates a predicted execution time, at which predetermined processing relating to replenishment of the consumable is executed, with using the remaining amount data, a determination unit which determines whether a first specific condition is satisfied, with using a plurality of information including a period for discount sale of the consumable and the predicted execution time, and a notification unit which performs processing for notifying a user of first information including information regarding the discount sale of the consumable, in a case where it is determined that the first specific condition is satisfied.

PRINTING SYSTEM SUSPENDING PRINTING AND PERFORMING ONE OF POST FEE-SETTLEMENT PROCESS AND RESTART PROCESS

A printing system controls a printing member to perform printing based on a print job for which a charged fee is already settled. The printing system receives a first instruction to suspend the printing started by the printing member and suspends the printing started by the printing member in response to reception of the first instruction. The printing system receives a second instruction as to a post suspending process to be executed after the printing is suspended. The printing system performs one of a post fee-settlement process and a restart process, as the post suspending process. The post fee-settlement process is related to provision of a benefit corresponding to refunding at least part of the charged fee. The restart process is to restart the suspended printing to complete the print job after a reason that the first instruction is made is resolved.

Image recording device

A controller of an image reading device is configured to obtain template data from an information processing device through a communication interface. The template data includes format data, first replacement data, and second replacement data. The controller replaces the first replacement data with identification data of the image recording device, replaces the second replacement data with detailed information, and generates transmission data containing the format data, the identification data, and the detailed information. The controller transmits the generated transmission data to the information processing device through the communication interface.

SERVER AND CONTROL METHOD FOR SERVER
20230196379 · 2023-06-22 ·

A server may receive user information from a terminal device in a case where predetermined communication is executed with the terminal device, wherein the predetermined communication is related to supply of a device to the user, the device is transported to a predetermined place; store authentication information in a memory; notify the authentication information to the user; in a case where the authentication information is inputted to the device after the device has been transported to the predetermined place, receive the authentication information from the device; and shift a state of the server from a first state to a second state, wherein the first state is a state where the specific service is used is not provided to the user, and the second state is a state where the specific service is provided to the user.

Image forming apparatus with notification for replacement of a toner cartridge
11513462 · 2022-11-29 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: estimates a remaining amount of toner in a cartridge; registers a required replacement time corresponding to a time required by an operator to replace the cartridge; calculates a toner consumption speed when an image is printed, on the basis of data of the image to be printed and a printing speed when the image is printed; predicts a first timing at which the cartridge reaches a toner runout state during printing of the image, on the basis of the remaining amount of toner and the toner consumption speed; and makes notification for prompting the operator to replace the cartridge at a second timing before the first timing by the required replacement time.