JP2018074234A - Image formation system and image formation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system in which proxy execution is made possible while preventing a user from being conscious of an image forming apparatus that performs the proxy execution.SOLUTION: A network-connected image forming apparatus near a user comprises: an operation part; a display part; a function presentation part for presenting a function that the apparatus can provide, and a function that another image forming apparatus can provide, to the user; a proxy function retrieval part for retrieving the function that the other image forming apparatus can provide, on a network; a proxy execution request part for requesting remote proxy execution of a function to be remotely executed to any other image forming apparatus that provides the function; and a function execution part for receiving a processing result of processing of the proxy execution from the other image forming apparatus which performs the proxy execution, and performing final finish. The other image forming apparatus comprises: a provision function response part for responding a function of which the proxy execution can be performed by the apparatus, with respect to a retrieval inquiry of the function from the proxy function retrieval part; and a proxy execution part for executing processing relating to the function of which the proxy execution is requested from the image forming apparatus near the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming method for sharing functions among a plurality of image forming apparatuses (MFPs, Multifunction Peripherals).

  Today, in offices and the like, there are many cases where a plurality of image forming apparatuses having various functions are installed. The user uses these image forming apparatuses in accordance with the types of functions of the image forming apparatus.

  However, it is difficult for the user to accurately grasp the functions of each image forming apparatus, and in reality, the functions of each image forming apparatus are not properly used.

  Therefore, in order to appropriately use the functions of the image forming apparatuses, a device for sharing the functions of the image forming apparatuses has been devised.

  For example, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a server that stores print settings related to individual users is set up, print setting information is acquired from the server, and an operation screen customized for each user is displayed on the operation panel. ing. Then, the user selects an image forming apparatus that performs the substitution process, and the substitution process is performed in the selected image forming apparatus.

  Further, for example, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, the user selects an image forming apparatus to perform substitution processing from the operation panel of the image forming apparatus at hand.

JP 2012-8662 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-167637

  The technique of Patent Document 1 or 2 adopts a configuration in which a user explicitly selects an image forming apparatus that he / she wants to perform substitution processing (proxy execution).

  However, what the user originally wants to do is to let any image forming device do any processing that cannot be done by the local image forming device, and the user pays attention to where the proxy execution is performed. It should not be necessary.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system and an image forming method capable of performing proxy execution without making the user aware of the image forming apparatus performing proxy execution.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a network-connected image forming apparatus at hand of a user and one or more other image forming apparatuses. The apparatus includes an operation unit, a display unit, a first communication unit capable of communicating with the one or more other image forming apparatuses, a function that can be provided to the user via the display unit, and the device A function presentation unit that presents functions that can be provided remotely by one or more other image forming apparatuses, and a proxy function search unit that searches the network for functions that can be remotely provided by the one or more other image forming apparatuses. A proxy execution request unit that requests a proxy execution of a function remotely from any of the one or more other image forming apparatuses that provide a function to be executed remotely; Processing results A function execution unit that receives from the other image forming apparatus that performed the physical execution and performs final finishing, and each of the one or more other image forming apparatuses can communicate with the image forming apparatus at hand What is a function that can be remotely executed by the device itself in response to a search query for a function that provides remote proxy execution by the second communication unit and the proxy function search unit of the image forming apparatus at hand? And a proxy function execution unit that executes a process related to a function requested to be remotely performed by the image forming apparatus at hand.

  Therefore, proxy execution is possible without making the user (user) aware of the image forming apparatus that performs proxy execution.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the image forming system according to an aspect of the present invention, the proxy function search unit searches the network for functions that the one or more other image forming apparatuses can remotely provide. A configuration that performs asynchronous processing may also be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming method according to an aspect of the present invention provides an image in an image forming system including a network-connected image forming apparatus at hand and one or more other image forming apparatuses. In the forming method, the proxy function search unit of the local image forming apparatus searches the network for a function that the one or more other image forming apparatuses can remotely provide, and the one or more other images Each of the providing function responding units of the forming apparatus has a function that the own apparatus can perform proxy execution remotely in response to a search query for a function that provides remote proxy execution by the proxy function search unit of the local image forming apparatus. The function presenting unit of the image forming apparatus at hand responds to what the user can provide to the user via the display unit, and the one or more other image forming apparatuses are remote. A function that can be provided is presented, and the proxy execution request unit of the image forming apparatus at hand provides a remote function to any one of the one or more other image forming apparatuses that provide the function to be executed remotely. The proxy execution unit of the other image forming apparatus requested to perform proxy execution executes processing related to the function requested to perform proxy execution remotely from the image forming apparatus at hand, and The function execution unit of the image forming apparatus receives the processing result of the proxy execution performed remotely from the other image forming apparatus that performed the proxy execution, and performs final finishing.

  As described above, according to the present invention, proxy execution can be performed without making the user aware of the image forming apparatus that performs proxy execution.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a screen provided with a GUI among examples of screen display when a function that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 is presented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a screen provided with a GUI among examples of screen display when a function that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 is presented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a screen provided with a GUI among examples of screen display when a function that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 is presented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a screen having a CUI among examples of screen display when a function that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 is presented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a screen having a CUI among examples of screen display when a function that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 is presented. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a screen having a CUI among examples of screen display when a function that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 is presented. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus 20. 2 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus 30. FIG. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining a flow of processing when presenting a function that can be provided to a user in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a flow when the image forming apparatus 20 at hand in the image forming system 1 requests another image forming apparatus 30 to execute a function proxy and performs processing.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[overall structure]
First, the overall configuration of the image forming system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in this figure, a user stands on the side of one image forming apparatus 20 (hereinafter also referred to as the image forming apparatus 20 at hand) and accesses the image forming apparatus 20 to use the functions.

  The image forming apparatus 20 at hand remotely uses a function not provided by the own apparatus 20 among the functions provided by the image forming apparatus 30 (hereinafter also referred to as other image forming apparatus 30) connected to the network.

  For example, when the image forming apparatus 20 at hand does not provide an aggregation function such as “2 in 1”, the image forming apparatus 30 at which the image forming apparatus 20 at hand provides an aggregation function from among the other image forming apparatuses 30. Requesting that the image processing related to aggregation be executed on behalf of the user. Then, the image forming apparatus 20 at hand receives the collected processed data from the other image forming apparatus 30 and prints it out by the own apparatus 20.

  The overall configuration of the image forming system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

[Screen display example (1)]
Next, a display example on a screen having a GUI (Graphical User Interface) among examples of screen display when presenting a selectable function in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 will be described. 2, 3, and 4 illustrate examples of display on a screen having a GUI among examples of screen display when presenting a selectable function in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1. FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a first screen when functions available on the image forming apparatus 20 at hand are displayed. In this screen, functions provided by other image forming apparatuses 30 are not displayed yet, but only functions (paper selection, zoom, resolution) provided by the apparatus 20 are displayed.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the screen shown in FIG. 2 has transitioned, and shows that the aggregation function may be provided from any of the other image forming apparatuses 30.

  FIG. 4 shows a screen transitioned from the state of FIG. 3, and it is determined that the aggregation function is provided from any of the other image forming apparatuses 30, and the hardware of the image forming apparatus 20 at hand is determined. It shows that consistency is also achieved.

  Note that the term “consistency with hardware” as used herein refers to, for example, hardware in which the image forming apparatus 20 at hand supports double-sided printing even if another image forming apparatus 30 provides a function compatible with double-sided printing. If it is not held, double-sided printing cannot be performed in the end, and it is meaningless to display it on the screen as a function provided remotely.

  As described above, the display example on the screen provided with the GUI among the examples of the screen display when the selectable function is presented by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 has been described.

[Screen display example (2)]
Next, an example of display on a screen having a CUI (Character User Interface) among examples of screen display when presenting a selectable function in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1 will be described. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate examples of display on a screen having a CUI among examples of screen display when presenting functions that can be selected by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the image forming system 1. FIG.

  FIG. 5 shows a first screen when functions available on the image forming apparatus 20 at hand are displayed. In this screen, functions provided by other image forming apparatuses 30 are not displayed yet, but only functions (paper selection, zoom) provided by the own apparatus 20 are displayed.

  FIG. 6 shows a state in which the screen shown in FIG. 5 has transitioned, and shows a state in which a function provided from any of the other image forming apparatuses 30 is being searched.

  FIG. 7 shows a screen transitioned from the state of FIG. 6, and it is determined that the aggregation function is provided from any of the other image forming apparatuses 30, and the hardware of the image forming apparatus 20 at hand is determined. It shows that consistency is also achieved.

  As described above, the display example on the screen provided with the CUI has been described among the examples of the screen display when the image forming apparatus 20 at the hand of the image forming system 1 presents a selectable function.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 20]
Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 20 will be described. FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus 20.

  The image forming apparatus 20 includes a control unit 21. The control unit 21 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the image forming apparatus 20.

  The control unit 21 includes a document reading unit 22, an image processing unit 23, an image memory 24, an image forming unit 25, an operation unit 26, a display unit 26a, a facsimile communication unit 27, a communication unit 28 (first communication unit), and a storage unit. 29 and the like. The control unit 21 performs operation control of each of the above connected units, and transmission / reception of signals or data to / from each unit.

  The control unit 21 performs operation control on each function such as a scanner function, a print function, a copy function, and a facsimile transmission / reception function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user through the operation unit 26 or a network-connected PC. Controls the drive and processing of the mechanisms necessary to execute.

  The control unit 21 includes a function presentation unit 21a, a proxy function search unit 21b, a proxy execution request unit 21c, and a function execution unit 21d. The function presentation unit 21a, the proxy function search unit 21b, the proxy execution request unit 21c, and the function execution unit 21d are functional blocks that are realized by the CPU loading a program loaded from the ROM or the like into the RAM.

As described above, the function presentation unit 21a presents a function that can be provided to the user by the image forming apparatus 20 at hand and a function that can be provided remotely by the other image forming apparatus 30 to the user via the display unit 26a.

  The proxy function search unit 21b searches the intranet for functions that other image forming apparatuses 30 can remotely provide, that is, functions that can request proxy execution.

  The proxy execution request unit 21 c requests remote proxy execution to another image forming apparatus 30 that provides a function for proxy execution.

  The function execution unit 21d receives the processing result of the remote proxy execution from the other image forming apparatus 30 that performed the proxy execution, and performs final finishing.

  The document reading unit 22 reads an image from a document.

  The image processing unit 23 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the document reading unit 22 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 23 performs image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the document reading unit 22 is formed.

  The image memory 24 is an area for temporarily storing data of a document image obtained by reading by the document reading unit 22 and temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 25.

  The image forming unit 25 forms an image such as the image data read by the document reading unit 22.

  The operation unit 26 includes a touch panel unit and operation key units that receive instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 20. The touch panel unit includes a display unit 26a such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) provided with a touch panel.

  The facsimile communication unit 27 includes an encoding / decoding unit, a modulation / demodulation unit, and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone line network.

  The communication unit 28 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from other image forming apparatuses 30 and apparatuses such as a PC via the LAN connected to the communication unit 28.

  The storage unit 29 stores a document image read by the document reading unit 22. The storage unit 29 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD.

  The configuration of the image forming apparatus 20 has been described above.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 30]
Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 30 will be described. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus 30.

  The image forming apparatus 30 includes a control unit 31. The control unit 31 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and governs overall operation control of the image forming apparatus 30.

  The control unit 31 includes a document reading unit 32, an image processing unit 33, an image memory 34, an image forming unit 35, an operation unit 36, a display unit 36a, a facsimile communication unit 37, a communication unit 38 (second communication unit), and a storage unit. 39 and so on. The control unit 31 performs operation control of each of the above connected units and transmission / reception of signals or data to / from each unit.

  The control unit 31 performs operation control for each function such as a scanner function, a print function, a copy function, and a facsimile transmission / reception function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user through the operation unit 36 or a network-connected PC. Controls the drive and processing of the mechanisms necessary to execute.

  In addition, the control unit 31 includes a providing function response unit 31a and a proxy execution unit 31b. The provided function response unit 31a and the proxy execution unit 31b are functional blocks that are realized by executing a program loaded from the ROM or the like into the RAM by the CPU.

  The provided function response unit 31a responds to a search query for a function that provides proxy execution by the proxy function search unit 21b of the image forming apparatus 20 at hand, which is a function that can be remotely executed by the own apparatus.

  The proxy execution unit 31b executes processing related to a function requested to perform proxy execution remotely from the image forming apparatus 20 at hand. The processed data that is the execution result is returned to the image forming apparatus 20 at hand.

  The document reading unit 32 reads an image from a document.

  The image processing unit 33 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the document reading unit 32 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 33 performs image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the document reading unit 32 is formed.

  The image memory 34 is an area for temporarily storing document image data obtained by reading by the document reading unit 32 and temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 35.

  The image forming unit 35 forms an image such as the image data read by the document reading unit 32.

  The operation unit 36 includes a touch panel unit and operation key units that receive instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 30. The touch panel unit includes a display unit 36a such as an LCD provided with a touch panel.

  The facsimile communication unit 37 includes an encoding / decoding unit, a modulation / demodulation unit, and an NCU (not shown), and transmits a facsimile using a public telephone line network.

  The communication unit 38 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from the image forming apparatus 20 and the PC at hand via the LAN connected to the communication unit 38.

  The storage unit 39 stores a document image read by the document reading unit 22, image data used when performing proxy execution, and the like. The storage unit 39 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD.

  The configuration of the image forming apparatus 30 has been described above. In the above description, the image forming apparatus 20 and the image forming apparatus 30 are configured differently. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image forming apparatus 20 or the image forming apparatus 30 includes the above-described image forming apparatus 20 and image. You may combine both the structures of the formation apparatus 30. FIG. In that case, the proxy execution can be appropriately performed no matter what image forming apparatus the user performs before.

[Processing flow (function presentation)]
Next, the flow of processing in presenting the functions that can be provided to the user in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand will be described. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining the flow of processing when presenting functions that can be provided to the user in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand.

  First, the user instructs the function presentation unit 21a to display a function that can be provided on the display unit 26a (step S1).

  Next, the proxy function search unit 21b asynchronously inquires about other functions that can be provided to other image forming apparatuses 30 on the intranet (acquisition of support function information) (step S1.1).

  Next, the function presentation unit 21a presents a function that can be provided by the own device to the user (step S1.2).

  Next, the function presentation unit 21a receives the proxy executable function (support function information) that has been inquired asynchronously from the provided function response unit 31a of the other image forming apparatus 30 that has made the inquiry (step S1.1). .1).

  Next, the function presentation unit 21a confirms the content of the received support function information, and extracts only functions that are consistent with the hardware of the own device (step S1.3).

  Next, the function presentation unit 21a presents a list of functions that can be used remotely to the user (step S1.4).

  As described above, the inquiry about the support function to the other image forming apparatus 30 is performed asynchronously, and the function that can be provided by the own apparatus is immediately presented to the user. Therefore, the user wants to use the function provided by the own apparatus. In this case, the function can be used without waiting for the inquiry result to the other image forming apparatus 30.

  The processing flow when presenting the functions that can be provided to the user in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand has been described above.

[Flow of processing (execution of proxy function)]
Next, in the image forming system 1, a flow when the image forming apparatus 20 at hand requests another image forming apparatus 30 to perform a function proxy and performs processing will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the flow in the image forming system 1 when the image forming apparatus 20 at hand requests another image forming apparatus 30 to execute a function proxy.

  First, in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand, the user selects a function that the user wants to use from the functions indicated by the function presentation unit 21a (step S10).

  Next, the proxy function request unit 21c determines whether or not the selected function is a function provided by the own device 20 (step S11).

  When the selected function is a function provided by the own device 20 (Y in step S11), the function execution unit 21d executes the selected function and ends the process (step S21).

  When the selected function is not a function provided by the own apparatus 20 (N in Step S11), the proxy execution request unit 21c requests the other image forming apparatus 30 that executes the selected function as a proxy (Step S11). Step S12). When there are a plurality of other image forming apparatuses 30 that can request proxy execution, for example, the configuration may be such that the image forming apparatus 30 that returned the response earliest is selected and the request is sent.

  Next, in another image forming apparatus 30 for which proxy execution is requested, the proxy execution unit 31b receives the proxy execution request (step S13). The proxy execution request is attached with a function name for requesting proxy execution and a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for downloading image data to be processed.

  Next, the proxy execution unit 31b determines whether or not proxy execution is possible in consideration of the presence of other jobs being executed and the occurrence of errors in the own device 30 (step S14).

  When the proxy execution is impossible (N in Step S14), the proxy execution unit 31b notifies the image forming apparatus 20 that the proxy execution is impossible and ends the process (Step S22).

  When the proxy execution is possible (Y in step S14), the proxy execution unit 31b confirms the content of the proxy execution request (step S15).

  Next, the proxy execution unit 31b downloads image data used for processing based on the URL attached to the proxy execution request (step S16).

  Next, the proxy execution unit 31b performs the requested function as a proxy (performs image processing) (step S17).

  Next, the proxy execution unit 31b transmits the processed image data to the image forming apparatus 20 at hand (step S18).

  Next, in the image forming apparatus 20 at hand, the function execution unit 21d receives the processed data (step S19). The method for sending the processed data may be a method of downloading the processed data based on the URL after sending the URL in the same manner as the proxy execution request.

  Next, based on the processed data, the function execution unit 21d executes a process that is the finishing of the process instructed by the user, and ends the process (step S20).

  As described above, the flow when the image forming apparatus 20 at hand requests the other image forming apparatus 30 to perform proxy function execution and performs processing in the image forming system 1 has been described.

[Additional notes]
As described above, the image forming system 1 according to the present invention includes the image forming apparatus 20 at hand of the user and one or more other image forming apparatuses 30 connected to the network, and the image forming apparatus 20 at hand. The device 20 is provided to the user via the operation unit 26, the display unit 26a, the first communication unit 28 capable of communicating with the one or more other image forming apparatuses 30, and the display unit 26a. A function presentation unit 21a that presents a function that can be provided remotely and a function that can be provided remotely by the one or more other image forming apparatuses 30, and a function that can be provided remotely by the one or more other image forming apparatuses 30 in the network. A proxy execution request for requesting proxy execution of a function remotely to any one of the proxy function search unit 21b to search above and the one or more other image forming apparatuses 30 that provide a function to be executed remotely. 21c, and a function execution unit 21d that receives the processing result of the proxy execution process remotely from the other image forming apparatus 30 that performed the proxy execution and performs final finishing, and includes the one or more other functions. Each of the image forming apparatuses 30 provides remote proxy execution by the second communication unit 38 that can communicate with the image forming apparatus 20 at hand and the proxy function search unit 21b of the image forming apparatus 20 at hand. In response to a search query for a function to be performed, a providing function response unit 31a that responds to what function the apparatus 30 can remotely execute by proxy, and remote proxy execution from the image forming apparatus 20 at hand are requested. A proxy execution unit 31b that executes processing related to the function.

  Therefore, proxy execution is possible without making the user aware of the image forming apparatus that performs proxy execution.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to the above-mentioned embodiment, Of course, various changes can be added within the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming system 20 ... Image forming apparatus 21 ... Control part 21a ... Function presentation part 21b ... Proxy function search part 21c ... Proxy execution request part 21d ... Function execution part 22 ... Document reading part 23 ... Image processing part 24 ... Image memory DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 25 ... Image formation part 26 ... Operation part 26a ... Display part 27 ... Facsimile communication part 28 ... Communication part 29 ... Memory | storage part 30 ... Image forming apparatus 31 ... Control part 31a ... Provision function response part 31b ... Proxy execution part 32 ... Original reading Section 33 ... Image processing section 34 ... Image memory 35 ... Image forming section 36 ... Operation section 36a ... Display section 37 ... Facsimile communication section 38 ... Communication section 39 ... Storage section

Claims (3)

A network-connected image forming device at hand of the user and one or more other image forming devices,
The image forming apparatus at hand is
An operation unit;
A display unit;
A first communication unit capable of communicating with the one or more other image forming apparatuses;
A function presentation unit that presents a function that can be provided to the user via the display unit and a function that can be provided remotely by the one or more other image forming apparatuses;
A proxy function search unit that searches the network for functions that the one or more other image forming apparatuses can remotely provide;
A proxy execution requesting unit that requests a proxy execution of a function remotely from any of the one or more other image forming apparatuses that provide a function to be executed remotely;
A function execution unit that receives the processing result of the proxy execution remotely performed from the other image forming apparatus that has performed the proxy execution and performs final finishing;
Each of the one or more other image forming apparatuses includes:
A second communication unit capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus at hand;
A providing function response unit for responding to a function search query for a function that provides remote proxy execution by the proxy function search unit of the image forming apparatus at hand; ,
An image forming system comprising: a proxy execution unit that executes a process related to a function requested to be remotely performed by the remote image forming apparatus. The image forming system according to claim 1,
The proxy function search unit
An image forming apparatus that performs search on the network for functions that can be remotely provided by the one or more other image forming apparatuses by asynchronous processing. An image forming method in an image forming system including a network connected image forming apparatus at hand of a user and one or more other image forming apparatuses,
The proxy function search unit of the local image forming apparatus searches the network for functions that can be remotely provided by the one or more other image forming apparatuses,
Each of the provided function response units of the one or more other image forming apparatuses responds to a search query for a function that provides remote proxy execution by the proxy function search unit of the local image forming apparatus. In response to what is a proxy executable function
The function presentation unit of the image forming apparatus at hand presents a function that can be provided to the user via the display unit and a function that can be provided remotely by the one or more other image forming apparatuses,
The proxy execution requesting unit of the image forming apparatus at hand requests remote execution of the function to any one of the one or more other image forming apparatuses that provide the function to be executed remotely;
The proxy execution unit of the other image forming apparatus requested to perform proxy execution performs processing related to the function requested to perform proxy execution remotely from the image forming apparatus at hand.
An image forming method in which a function execution unit of the local image forming apparatus receives a processing result of a proxy execution remotely from the other image forming apparatus that performed the proxy execution, and performs final finishing.