A display apparatus transmits a picture acquisition request for getting picture information to an external image apparatus connected through a predetermined interface to the display apparatus from the external image apparatus at predetermined intervals and gets a plurality of pieces of picture information from the external image apparatus to be displayed. The plurality of pictures may be switched at predetermined intervals, for example, to be displayed, so that the plurality of pictures may be displayed in a so-called slide show manner. A plurality of pictures for thumbnail may be produced from the plurality of pieces of picture information and be arranged together to be displayed in one picture screen of a display device.

A communication device includes a communication unit, a communication function allocation unit, a communication status determination unit, and a communication control unit. The communication unit performs communications with another communication device using a plurality of communication paths. The communication function allocation unit allocates communication functions to each of the communication paths in the communication unit. The communication status determination unit determines a communication status for each of the communication paths. The communication control unit controls communications for each of the communication paths in accordance with allocation by the communication function allocation unit and a determination result of the communication status determination unit.

An image forming apparatus including applications and system side software for providing system side services to the applications is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes: an authentication module for displaying an authentication screen on an operation panel of the image forming apparatus, wherein the authentication module allows the image forming apparatus to display a screen for using the image forming apparatus instead of the authentication screen if authentication data input from the authentication screen satisfies an authentication condition, and wherein the authentication module is provided in the image forming apparatus separately from the system side software.

This invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method for supplying an optimum amount of image data to another apparatus. When a PDA 91 has a maximum transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps, a mobile phone 1 determines that a maximum speed of communication with the PDA 91 is low, reduces accordingly the amount of moving image data captured by a CCD of the mobile phone, and supplies the captured moving image data to the PDA 91. The PDA 91 displays a low-quality moving image 93 on its display unit. When the PDA 91 has a maximum transfer rate of 480 Mbps, the CPU of the mobile phone leaves unchanged the amount of moving picture data captured by the CCD and supplies the captured moving image data to the PDA 91. The PDA 91 then displays a high-quality moving image 94 on the display unit. This invention applies advantageously to digital cameras.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to perform a first storing process including storing into a storage first image data received from a first external device via a first communication interface, when a value representing a condition of a wireless connection between the first external device and the first communication interface is less than a threshold, perform a first image forming process including after completion of the first storing process, controlling the image former to perform image formation for the stored first image data, and when the value is less than the threshold, in response to receiving second image data from a second external device via a second communication interface during the first storing process, perform a second image forming process in advance of the first image forming process, the second image forming process including controlling the image former to perform image formation for the second image data.

A system for tracking the location of an electronic device includes an electronic device and a wireless location tag. The wireless location tag includes a microcontroller unit, and a modular connector interface configured to be communicatively coupled to a port of the electronic device. The wireless location tag is configured to establish an Internet connection to one or more backend electronic devices in response to detecting that the wireless location tag has been communicatively coupled to the port of the electronic device, obtain identifying information that is associated with the electronic device, and identify tag identifying information associated with the wireless location tag. The wireless location tag is also configured to send one or more instructions to the one or more backend electronic devices via the Internet connection, and send one or more ping messages to the one or more backend electronic devices.

A communication control method which prevents control over a USB device from being hampered and reducing power consumption at the same time. When the USB device and a control apparatus, which controls the USB device, are connected to the printing apparatus, and a communication via the printing apparatus is being carried out, the printing apparatus and the USB device are not shifted into a power saving mode in which energization of the printing apparatus and the USB device is limited. When the USB device and the control apparatus are connected to the printing apparatus, and a communication via the printing apparatus is not being carried out, the printing apparatus and the USB device are shifted into the power saving mode.

Described embodiments provide a method and user equipment for selectively transferring image data from user equipment to a coupled external device. The method may include determining whether user equipment is coupled to an external device, receiving selection inputs from a user for selecting at least one of applications installed in the user equipment when the user equipment is determined as being coupled to the external device, and selectively transferring image data produced in the user equipment based on the selected application. The method may further include controlling the coupled external device to display the transferred image data on a display unit of the coupled external device.

Embodiment of systems and methods for the sending, delivery or receiving of faxes are disclosed herein. In particular, certain embodiments include a fax connector that may be deployed at users' sites, and a fax registration system that may be deployed remotely from these users' site. The fax connector can be accessed at a user's site over a computer based network in order to perform functions associated with faxing, including sending, receiving and obtaining status on faxes. The fax connector deployed at a sending user's site communicates with the fax registration system to obtain destination data associated with a recipient user's fax connector and transmits the fax to the destination fax connector over the computer based network based on the destination data obtained from the registration system. The fax can then be presented to the recipient at the recipient user's site.

Embodiment of systems and methods for the sending, delivery or receiving of faxes are disclosed herein. In particular, certain embodiments include a fax connector that may be deployed at users' sites, and a fax registration system that may be deployed remotely from these users' site. The fax connector can be accessed at a user's site over a computer based network in order to perform functions associated with faxing, including sending, receiving and obtaining status on faxes. The fax connector deployed at a sending user's site communicates with the fax registration system to obtain destination data associated with a recipient user's fax connector and transmits the fax to the destination fax connector over the computer based network based on the destination data obtained from the registration system. The fax can then be presented to the recipient at the recipient user's site.