1-25. (canceled)
26. A method comprising:
providing inductive energy into a chamber from an induction device to sustain an atomization source within the chamber using inductive energy from an induction device; and
providing additional radio frequency from a boost device into the chamber comprising the sustained atomization source from a boost device, in which the boost device is separate from the induction device.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the boost device as a coil.
28. The method of claim 27, further comprising configuring the induction device as an induction coil.
29. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the provided additional radio frequency energy to comprise a frequency of about 25 MHz to about 50 MHz.
30. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the provided additional radio frequency energy to comprise a power of about 100 Watts to about 2,000 Watts.
31. The method of claim 26, further comprising detecting species in the chamber using a detection device.
32. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing species in the chamber to a mass analyzer.
33. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the atomization source as an inductively coupled plasma.
34. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the atomization source as a flame.
35. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the provided radio frequency energy as pulsed radio frequency energy.
36. A method comprising:
providing inductive energy into a first chamber from an induction device to sustain an atomization source within the first chamber using inductive energy from an induction device; and
providing radio frequency from a boost device into a second chamber, fluidically coupled to the first chamber, in which the boost device is separate from the induction device and in which the first chamber is separate from the second chamber.
37. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring the boost device as a coil.
38. The method of claim 37, further comprising configuring the induction device as an induction coil.
39. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring the provided radio frequency energy to comprise a frequency of about 25 MHz to about 50 MHz.
40. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring the provided radio frequency energy to comprise a power of about 100 Watts to about 2,000 Watts.
41. The method of claim 36, further comprising detecting species in the second chamber using a detection device.
42. The method of claim 36, further comprising providing species in the second chamber to a mass analyzer.
43. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring the atomization source as an inductively coupled plasma.
44. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring the atomization source as a flame.
45. The method of claim 36, further comprising providing an interface between the first chamber and the second chamber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claims which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A printing system comprising a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus,
said print server including:
a first connection unit configured to establish a connection with said at least one mediation apparatus and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from said print server serving as a source;
a management unit configured to manage a mediation apparatus and an image forming apparatus in association with each other as a group;
a transfer instruction transmission unit configured, upon receiving a print instruction, to determine, among said at least one mediation apparatus, a mediation apparatus to which a print request transfer instruction is to be transmitted, and to transmit the print request transfer instruction to the determined mediation apparatus via the maintained connection; and
a processing unit configured, upon receiving a print job acquisition request, to transmit a print job in response to the print job acquisition request,
said mediation apparatus including:
a second connection unit configured to establish a connection with said print server in correspondence with said first connection unit of said print server, and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from said print server serving as a source;
a transfer instruction reception unit configured to receive the print request transfer instruction from said print server via the maintained connection;
a determination unit configured to analyze the received print request transfer instruction and to determine, among image forming apparatuses associated as the same group, an image forming apparatus which is to execute print processing; and
a print request transmission unit configured to transmit a print request to the image forming apparatus determined by said determination unit, and
said image forming apparatus including:
a print request reception unit configured to receive the print request from said mediation apparatus;
a print job acquisition unit configured, in order to acquire a print job corresponding to the print request, to transmit the print job acquisition request to said print server and to receive the print job as a response to the print job acquisition request; and
a printing unit configured to execute print processing for the print job received by said print job acquisition unit.
2. A printing system comprising a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus,
said print server including:
a first connection unit configured to establish a connection with said at least one mediation apparatus and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from said print server serving as a source;
a management unit configured to manage a mediation apparatus and an image forming apparatus in association with each other as a group; and
a transfer instruction transmission unit configured, upon receiving a print instruction, to determine, among said at least one mediation apparatus, a mediation apparatus to which a print request transfer instruction is to be transmitted, and to transmit a print request transfer instruction containing a print job to the determined mediation apparatus via the maintained connection,
said mediation apparatus including:
a second connection unit configured to establish a connection with said print server in correspondence with said first connection unit of said print server, and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from said print server serving as a source;
a transfer instruction reception unit configured to receive the print request transfer instruction from said print server via the maintained connection;
a determination unit configured to analyze the received print request transfer instruction and to determine, among image forming apparatuses associated as the same group, an image forming apparatus which is to execute print processing; and
a print request transmission unit configured to transmit a print request containing a print job to the image forming apparatus determined by said determination unit, and
said image forming apparatus including:
a print request reception unit configured to receive the print request from said mediation apparatus; and
a printing unit configured to execute print processing for the print job contained in the print request received by said print request reception unit.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein
said image forming apparatus further includes a mediation apparatus management unit configured to manage a mediation apparatus in a group associated with said image forming apparatus,
said mediation apparatus management unit inquires, of said print server, information of a mediation apparatus associated with the same group and manages said mediation apparatus based on a response to the inquiry, and
said management unit of said print server transmits information of said mediation apparatus associated with the same group as a group of said image forming apparatus in response to the inquiry from said image forming apparatus about information of said mediation apparatus.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein
said image forming apparatus further includes respective units of said mediation apparatus,
when a mediation apparatus associated with the same group as a group of said image forming apparatus does not exist in responding to an inquiry from said image forming apparatus about information of said mediation apparatus, said management unit of said print server transmits an instruction to said image forming apparatus to operate as a mediation apparatus, and
upon receiving the instruction from said print server to operate as a mediation apparatus, said mediation apparatus management unit of said image forming apparatus operates respective units of said image forming apparatus operating as said mediation apparatus.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein
said image forming apparatus further includes:
an identification information acquisition unit configured to acquire, from said mediation apparatus, identification information for identifying a group; and
a registration request transmission unit configured, when said identification information acquisition unit has acquired the identification information, to transmit, to said print server, a registration request containing the identification information and information of said image forming apparatus, and
said management unit of said print server manages said image forming apparatus in association with the group indicated by the identification information in response to the registration request from said image forming apparatus.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein
when said identification information acquisition unit of said image forming apparatus could not acquire the identification information, said registration request transmission unit transmits a registration request containing no identification information to said print server, and
said management unit of said print server issues new identification information in response to the registration request containing no identification information, and manages the new identification information and said image forming apparatus in association with each other.
7. A printing method in a printing system including a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus, comprising:
in the print server,
a first connection step of establishing a connection with said at least one mediation apparatus and maintaining the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source;
a management step of managing a mediation apparatus and an image forming apparatus in association with each other as a group;
a transfer instruction transmission step of, upon receiving a print instruction, determining, among said at least one mediation apparatus, a mediation apparatus to which a print request transfer instruction is to be transmitted, and transmitting the print request transfer instruction to the determined mediation apparatus via the maintained connection; and
a processing step of, upon receiving a print job acquisition request, transmitting a print job in response to the print job acquisition request,
in the mediation apparatus,
a second connection step of establishing a connection with the print server in correspondence with the first connection step in the print server, and maintaining the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source;
a transfer instruction reception step of receiving the print request transfer instruction from the print server via the maintained connection;
a determination step of analyzing the received print request transfer instruction and determining, among image forming apparatuses associated as the same group, an image forming apparatus which is to execute print processing; and
a print request transmission step of transmitting a print request to the image forming apparatus determined in the determination step, and
in the image forming apparatus,
a print request reception step of receiving the print request from the mediation apparatus;
a print job acquisition step of, in order to acquire a print job corresponding to the print request, transmitting the print job acquisition request to the print server and receiving the print job as a response to the print job acquisition request; and
a printing step of executing print processing for the print job received in the print job acquisition step.
8. A printing method in a printing system including a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus, comprising:
in the print server,
a first connection step of establishing a connection with said at least one mediation apparatus and maintaining the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source;
a management step of managing a mediation apparatus and an image forming apparatus in association with each other as a group; and
a transfer instruction transmission step of, upon receiving a print instruction, determining, among said at least one mediation apparatus, a mediation apparatus to which a print request transfer instruction is to be transmitted, and transmitting a print request transfer instruction containing a print job to the determined mediation apparatus via the maintained connection,
in the mediation apparatus,
a second connection step of establishing a connection with the print server in correspondence with the first connection step of the print server, and maintaining the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source;
a transfer instruction reception step of receiving the print request transfer instruction from the print server via the maintained connection;
a determination step of analyzing the received print request transfer instruction and determining, among image forming apparatuses associated as the same group, an image forming apparatus which is to execute print processing; and
a print request transmission step of transmitting a print request containing a print job to the image forming apparatus determined in the determination step, and
in the image forming apparatus,
a print request reception step of receiving the print request from the mediation apparatus; and
a printing step of executing print processing for the print job contained in the print request received in the print request reception step.
9. A print server in a printing system including a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus, comprising:
a connection unit configured to establish a connection with said at least one mediation apparatus and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source;
a management unit configured to manage a mediation apparatus and an image forming apparatus in association with each other as a group;
a transfer instruction transmission unit configured, upon receiving a print instruction, to determine, among said at least one mediation apparatus, a mediation apparatus to which a print request transfer instruction is to be transmitted, and to transmit the print request transfer instruction to the determined mediation apparatus via the maintained connection; and
a processing unit configured, upon receiving a print job acquisition request, to transmit a print job in response to the print job acquisition request.
10. A mediation apparatus in a printing system including a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus, comprising:
a connection unit configured to establish a connection with the print server and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source;
a transfer instruction reception unit configured to receive a print request transfer instruction from the print server via the maintained connection;
a determination unit configured to analyze the received print request transfer instruction and to determine, among image forming apparatuses associated as the same group, an image forming apparatus which is to execute print processing; and
a print request transmission unit configured to transmit a print request to the image forming apparatus determined by said determination unit.
11. An image forming apparatus in a printing system including a print server, at least one mediation apparatus, and at least one image forming apparatus, comprising:
a print request reception unit configured to receive a print request from the mediation apparatus;
a print job acquisition unit configured, in order to acquire a print job corresponding to the print request, to transmit a print job acquisition request to the print server and to receive the print job as a response to the print job acquisition request; and
a printing unit configured to execute print processing for the print job received by said print job acquisition unit.
12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as
a connection unit configured to establish a connection with at least one mediation apparatus configured to mediate an instruction to a printing apparatus, and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from the computer serving as a source,
a management unit configured to manage a mediation apparatus and an image forming apparatus in association with each other as a group,
a transfer instruction transmission unit configured, upon receiving a print instruction, to determine, among said at least one mediation apparatus, a mediation apparatus to which a print request transfer instruction is to be transmitted, and to transmit the print request transfer instruction to the determined mediation apparatus via the maintained connection, and
a processing unit configured, upon receiving a print job acquisition request, to transmit a print job in response to the print job acquisition request.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as
a connection unit configured to establish a connection with the print server and to maintain the established connection to be able to transmit data from the print server serving as a source,
a transfer instruction reception unit configured to receive a print request transfer instruction from the print server via the maintained connection, a determination unit configured to analyze the received print request transfer instruction and to determine, among image forming apparatuses associated as the same group, an image forming apparatus which is to execute print processing, and
a print request transmission unit configured to transmit a print request to the image forming apparatus determined by said determination unit.
14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as
a print request reception unit configured to receive a print request,
a print job acquisition unit configured, in order to acquire a print job corresponding to the print request, to transmit a print job acquisition request to a print server and receives the print job as a response to the print job acquisition request, and
a printing unit configured to execute print processing for the print job received by said print job acquisition unit.