1. An image recording system comprising:
a host device configured to have product data identifying a specific product; and
an image recording device responsive to the host device for recording product information on an image recording medium in accordance with said product data provided by the host device and a selected one of a plurality of image layout templates, the selected template being specified by the host device, the image recording device including:
(a) a storage unit storing said plurality of templates, each template in said plurality of image layout templates having at least one imaging region and being defined by a respective set of area definition data fields that define the imaging regions of each respective template including default settings for the imaging regions, and
(b) a recording execution unit recording on the image recording medium said product information according to said received product data and the area definition data fields of the selected template;
wherein said host device includes a recording control unit that acquires additional descriptive data related to said specific product, and prior to said image recording device recording said product information on said image recording medium, said recording control unit selectively instructs said image recording device to alter the default settings of at least one imaging region of the selected template to alternate settings that reflect information extracted from said additional descriptive data.
2. The image recording system described in claim 1, wherein:
the image recording device has a recording head capable of color printing; and
said additional descriptive data includes inventory information related to the inventory of the specific product, and said recording control unit instructs said image recording device to alter a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the selected template to an alternate color setting indicative of the inventory status of the specific product as determined from said inventory information.
3. The image recording system described in claim 2, wherein:
said additional descriptive data is acquired from a data store within the host device;
said descriptive product is a commercial product; and
said alternate settings are predefined within the selected template.
4. The image recording system described in claim 2, wherein:
said additional descriptive data is acquired from a remote server that manages product inventory.
5. The image recording system described in claim 2, wherein:
said additional descriptive data includes the rate of decrease in the inventory of said specific product, and said recording control unit instructs said image recording device to alter a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the selected template to an alternate color setting indicative of the rate of decrease in the inventory of said specific product.
6. The image recording system described in claim 5, wherein:
said additional descriptive data is acquired from a remote server that manages product inventory, and calculates the rate of decrease in the inventory of the specific product based on product inventory information acquired from the remote server; and
said recording control unit instructs said image recording device to alter a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the selected template to an alternate color setting indicative of the inventory status of the specific product as determined from said inventory information.
7. The image recording system described in claim 2, wherein:
within said at least one imaging region, at least one of its border or background is altered from its default color setting to said alternate color setting.
8. The image recording system described in claim 1, wherein:
the image recording device has a recording head capable of color printing; and
said additional descriptive data includes distribution information related to the distribution of said specific product, and said recording control unit instructs said image recording device to alter a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the selected template to an alternate color setting indicative of the distribution information.
9. The image recording system described in claim 8, wherein:
the distribution information includes information related to whether the distribution path of said specific product met requirements of at least one of the distribution channel, storage time, storage temperature, or manufacturer of the product; and
said recording control unit instructs said image recording device to alter a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the selected template to an alternate color setting indicative of whether the distribution path of said specific product met requirements of distribution channel, storage time, storage temperature, or manufacturer of the product.
10. The image recording system described in claim 8, wherein:
said additional descriptive data includes information related to the expiration date and the product processor of the specific product; and
said recording control unit instructs said image recording device to alter a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the selected template to an alternate color setting indicative of the proximity of the expiration date or the specific produced was processed by an approved product processor.
11. The image recording system described in claim 8, wherein:
within said at least one imaging region, at least one of its border or background is altered from its default color setting to said alternate color setting.
12. An image recording device that is responsive to a host device, and records on a recording medium an image related to a commercial product as directed by the host device, the image recording device comprising:
a storage unit storing a plurality of image layout templates, each template of said plurality of image layout templates having at least one imaging region and being defined by a respective set of area definition data fields that define the imaging regions of each respective template including default settings for the imaging regions; and
a recording control unit that, in response to the host device directing the image recording device to follow a specified one of said templates to record first image data representative of a first set of descriptive data provided by the host device and corresponding to said commercial product, acquires a second set of descriptive data corresponding to said commercial product, and based on the second set of descriptive data selectively alters the default settings of at least one imaging region of the specified template to alternate settings to define an altered specified template that further reflects information extracted from said second set of description data, and records said first image data according to the altered specified template.
13. The image recording device described in claim 12, further comprising:
a recording head capable of color printing;
said second set of descriptive data includes inventory information of said commercial product; and
said recording control unit alters a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the specified template to an alternate color setting indicative of the inventory status of the commercial product as determined from said inventory information.
14. The image recording device described in claim 13, wherein:
within said at least one imaging region, at least one of its border or background is altered from its default color setting to said alternate color setting.
15. The image recording device described in claim 12, further comprising:
a recording head capable of color printing; and
said second set of descriptive data includes distribution information related to the distribution of said commercial product, and
said recording control unit alters a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the specified template to an alternate color setting indicative of the distribution information.
16. The image recording device described in claim 15, wherein:
within said at least one imaging region, at least one of its border or background is altered from its default color setting to said alternate color setting.
17. A control method of an image recording control system including a host device in communication with an image recording device that records on a recording medium an image related to a commercial product as directed by the host device, the control method comprising the following steps:
(A) storing within the image recording device a plurality of image layout templates, each template of said plurality of image layout templates having at least one imaging region and being defined by a respective set of area definition data fields that define the imaging regions of each respective template including default settings for the imaging regions;
(B) submitting first set of descriptive data related to said commercial product to the host device and identifying one template within said plurality of image layout templates;
(C) having said host device generate first image data representative of said first set of descriptive data and arranged for recording in accordance with the identified template;
(D) having said host device access a second set of descriptive data related to said commercial product, and based on the second set of descriptive data selectively altering the default settings of at least one imaging region of the identified template to alternate settings that further reflect information extracted from said second set of description data;
(E) having the host device transmit recording commands to the image recording device, said recording commands directing the image recording device to record said first image data in accordance with the identified template and alternate settings; and
(F) in response to receiving said recording commands, having said image recording device record said on said recording medium said first image data in accordance with the identified template and alternate settings.
18. The control method of an image recording control system described in claim 17, wherein:
the image recording device has a recording head capable of color printing;
said second set of descriptive data includes inventory information of said commercial product; and
in step (D), said host device selectively alters a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the identified template to an alternate color setting indicative of the inventory status of the commercial product as determined from said inventory information.
19. The control method of an image recording control system described in claim 17, wherein:
the image recording device has a recording head capable of color printing; and
said second set of descriptive data includes distribution information related to the distribution of said commercial product, and
in step (D), said host device selectively alters a default color setting of said at least one imaging region of the identified template to an alternate color setting indicative of the distribution information.
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 method of operating a direct reduction of iron process, in which iron-containing particulate solids are treated at elevated temperatures in order to reduce iron oxides in the solids, the method comprising:
extracting, at at least one location in the direct reduction of iron process, a sample of said iron-containing particulate solids;
determining from said sample a transition temperature at which the stickiness of the iron-containing particulate solids exhibits a critical transition; and
controlling at least one parameter of the direct reduction of iron process at a controlled location in the process in order to maintain the temperature of the iron-containing particulate solids at the at least one location in the process from which the sample is extracted in a favourable range with respect to the transition temperature at which the stickiness of the iron-containing particulate solids exhibits a critical transition.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one parameter is selected from gas and solids temperatures and gas and solids compositions.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one parameter includes a temperature of initial reduction.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said controlled location in the process is said at least one location from which the sample is extracted.
5. A method according to claim 1 including extracting respective samples of the iron-containing particulate solids at a plurality of locations in the direct reduction of iron process, and determining for each such location a transition temperature at which the stickiness of the iron-containing particulate solids exhibits a critical transition.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said transition temperature at which the stickiness of the iron-containing particulate solids exhibits a critical transition is determined by:
depositing said sample on a generally horizontal support by pouring the sample onto the support and allowing it to freely form its own angle of repose;
subjecting the sample to a predetermined heating regime and gas atmosphere;
rotating the support about an axis having a generally horizontal component to an angular position at which integrity of the sample fails;
plotting the angles at which integrity of the sample fails against sample temperatures, which angular position is a measure of the stickiness of said particulate solids; and
identifying as the transition temperature that temperature at which there is a step in the plot.
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said predetermined heating regime comprises heating the particles to a temperature in the range of 400 to 1000\xb0 C. in an appropriate atmosphere.