1. A method comprising:
receiving incoming material with a first applied marking and authenticating the first marking of the incoming material;
applying a second marking to the incoming material in response to authentication;
creating a first relationship between the markings, the first relationship connecting the first marking with the second marking;
creating a second relationship between the first relationship and a product, the product comprising at least the incoming material; and
improving quality control of the product, including using the second relationship to identify the incoming material.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the first marking comprises comparing the first applied marking to a source marking, the source marking including indicia associated with the incoming material as provided by the source.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising rejecting the incoming material in response to failure of the comparison of the first marking to the source marking.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing first and second relationship data in a database, the storing of the data improving efficiency with identification of the incoming material associated with the product.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising tracking the received incoming material along an associated supply chain of the product, the tracking including maintaining the first and second relationships through the associated supply chain.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising accessing the stored second relationship data in the database, wherein the stored relationship data identifies a source associated with the product.
7. A computer system comprising:
a processing unit in communication with memory;
a functional unit in communication with the processing unit, the functional unit comprising tools to support supply chain tracking and management, including:
a receiving manager to receive incoming material with a first applied marking and authenticate the first marking of the incoming material;
a marking manager in communication with the receiving manager, the marking manager to apply a second marking to the incoming material in response to the authentication, the second marking separate from the first marking;
a connection manager in communication with the marking manager, the connection manager to create a first relationship between the markings, the first relationship connecting the first marking with the second marking and create a second relationship between the first relationship and a product, the product comprising at least the incoming material; and
a quality control manager in communication with the connection manager, the quality control manager to improve quality control of the product, including using the second relationship to identify the incoming material.
8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein to authenticate the first marking comprises to compare the first applied marking to a source marking, the source marking including indicia provided by the source.
9. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising the receiving manager to reject the incoming material in response to failure of the comparison of the first marking to the source marking.
10. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising a storage manager to store first and second relationship data in a database, the storing of the data improving efficiency with identification of the incoming material associated with the product.
11. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising the storage manager to track the received incoming material along an associated supply chain of the product, the tracking including maintaining the first and second relationships through the associated supply chain.
12. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising the storage manager to access the stored second relationship data in the database, wherein the stored relationship data identifies a source associated with the product.
13. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied thereon, which when executed cause a computer to implement the method comprising:
receiving incoming material with a first applied marking and authenticating the first marking of the incoming material;
applying a second marking to the incoming material in response to authentication;
creating a first relationship between the markings, the first relationship connecting the first marking with the second marking;
creating a second relationship between the first relationship and a product, the product comprising at least the incoming material; and
improving quality control of the product, including using the second relationship to identify the incoming material.
14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein authenticating the first marking comprises comparing the first applied marking to a source marking, the source marking including indicia provided by the source.
15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising rejection the incoming material in response to failure of the comparison of the first marking to the source marking.
16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising storing first and second relationship data in a database, the storing of the data improving efficiency with identification of the incoming material associated with the product.
17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising tracking the received incoming material along an associated supply chain of the product, the tracking including maintaining the first and second relationships through the associated supply chain.
18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising accessing the stored second relationship data in the database, wherein the stored relationship data identifies a source associated with the product.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A print control apparatus that controls a print apparatus capable of printing an image consuming a recording agent in accordance with image data, the print control apparatus comprising:
an image data obtaining unit that obtains image data; and
a print control unit that creates image data for test printing that consumes a less amount of recording agent than the printing based on the obtained image data upon receiving a command to print multiple test copies, controls the printing of at least one copy of the obtained image data among the multiple copies, and controls the printing of the remaining copies of the created image data for the test printing.
2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the image data obtaining unit is capable of obtaining raster-type image data; and
the print control unit is a unit that extracts edges of the obtained raster-type image data and creates an image for the test printing by line drawing upon receiving the command to print multiple test copies.
3. The print control apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the image data obtaining unit is capable of obtaining vector-type image data; and
the print control unit is a unit that creates an image for the test printing by omitting the fill of the obtained vector-type image data upon receiving the command to print multiple test copies.
4. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, controlling a print apparatus capable of printing an image using recording agents of multiple colors,
wherein the image data obtaining unit is capable of obtaining a color image; and
the print control unit is a unit that creates an image for the test printing by causing the obtained color image to be single-colored upon receiving the command to print multiple test copies.
5. The print control apparatus according to claim 4, further including a usage history memory unit that stores a usage history of each of the recording agencies of multiple colors,
wherein the print control unit judges a least frequently used-recording agent from among the recording agencies of multiple colors based on the stored usage histories and creates an image for the test printing by causing the obtained color image to be single-colored using the color corresponding to the color of the recording agent that has been judged to be the least frequently used-recording agent.
6. The print control apparatus according to claim 4, further including a color designation receiving unit that receives the designation of a color from a user to be used for making a single-colored image,
wherein the print control unit is a unit to create an image for the test printing by causing the obtained color image to be single-colored using a designated color.
7. A program that causes a computer to function as the print control apparatus according to claim 1.
8. A program that causes a computer to function as the print control apparatus according to claim 2.
9. A program that causes a computer to function as the print control apparatus according to claim 3.
10. A program that causes a computer to function as the print control apparatus according to claim 4.
11. A program that causes a computer to function as the print control apparatus according to claim 5.
12. A program that causes a computer to function as the print control apparatus according to claim 6.
13. A print control method that controls a print apparatus capable of printing an image consuming a recording agent in accordance with image data, comprising:
obtaining image data; and
creating an image for test printing that consumes a less amount of recording agent than the printing based on the obtained image data upon receiving a command to print multiple test copies, controlling the printing of at least one copy based on the obtained image data among the multiple copies, and controlling the printing of the remaining copies based on the created image data for the test printing.