JP2024065777A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

After a user issues an instruction for image formation, the user can go to any one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses and start image formation at that image forming apparatus.
[Solution] When data for image formation is sent from a PC 100 to a print server 400, the print server 400 acquires a priority list from a seat management server 300. Based on this priority list, the print server 400 sends the entire data for image formation to a first priority printer, and sends data indicating job identification information in the data for image formation to a second priority printer. The first priority printer performs image formation based on the received image data in response to an image formation instruction from a user. The second priority printer receives image data from the print server 400 in response to an image formation instruction from a user, and performs image formation based on the image data.
[Selected figure] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming system equipped with multiple image forming devices that form images based on an image formation request from a terminal device.

Conventionally, there is an image forming system in which an image forming device forms an image on a medium based on image data transmitted from a terminal device via a server. In such an image forming system, when multiple image forming devices are installed around a terminal device, it is conceivable to select one of the image forming devices to form an image. Patent Document 1 describes an example of a method for selecting such an image forming device. In Patent Document 1, the position (seat) where the terminal device is used is associated in advance with the image forming device (printer) to be selected. Then, when a user instructs the image forming system to form an image on a terminal device in use at one of the seats, the image forming device associated with that seat is selected on the terminal device, and the image is formed by that image forming device.

JP 2010-86488 A

In an image forming system having multiple image forming devices as described above, there may be a demand for a method in which a user who has instructed image formation on a terminal device can actually go to the image forming device they wish to use, have that image forming device start image formation, and receive the media on which the image has been formed. As described above, Patent Document 1 employs a method in which one of the image forming devices associated with a seat is automatically selected, and image formation is automatically started on that image forming device. For this reason, the method of Patent Document 1 cannot meet the demands described above.

The object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system in which a user can give an instruction to form an image, then go to one of a number of image forming devices and start image formation at that image forming device.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming system including a terminal device, a plurality of image forming devices that form an image based on an image formation request from the terminal device, and a server capable of communicating with the terminal device and each of the plurality of image forming devices, wherein the terminal device transmits identification information data indicating identification information that identifies the image formation request and image data indicating an image to the server, and the server includes a priority acquisition unit that acquires priorities of the plurality of image forming devices, a first image data transmission unit that, when receiving the identification information data and the image data from the terminal device, transmits both the identification information data and the image data to a first priority device that is the image forming device with the highest priority among the plurality of image forming devices based on the priority acquired by the priority acquisition unit, transmits the identification information data to a second priority device that is the image forming device with the next highest priority and does not transmit the image data, and a second image data transmission unit that transmits the identification information data to the second priority device that is the image forming device with the next highest priority, and transmits the image data to the second priority device. and a second image data transmission unit that transmits the image data to the second priority device that is the requester when the image data is requested. Each of the multiple image forming devices includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium, a user input unit that accepts user input, and a control unit. When the control unit receives both the identification information data and the image data from the first image data transmission unit, the control unit executes a first process of controlling the image forming unit to form an image indicated by the image data on a medium based on the user input accepted by the user input unit, and when the control unit receives the identification information data of the identification information data and the image data from the first image data transmission unit, the control unit executes a second process of requesting the image data from the server based on the user input accepted by the user input unit and controlling the image forming unit to form an image indicated by the image data transmitted from the second image data transmission unit in response to the request on a medium.

When a request for image formation occurs in a terminal device, both identification information data and image data are sent via the server to a first priority device among the multiple image forming devices, and identification information data is sent via the server to a second priority device, but image data is not sent. In response to the above, when a user instructs image formation through a user input unit of the first priority device, image formation based on the image data previously sent is promptly performed in the first priority device.

In contrast, image data is not sent to the second priority device. Therefore, at this stage, there is no need to reserve a memory area in the second priority device for storing image data. This prevents the memory capacity to be reserved for storing image data from becoming excessive. On the other hand, because identification information data is sent to the second priority device, when a user input is made through the user input unit of the second priority device to instruct image formation, a request for image data can be properly executed to the server. Therefore, image formation is properly executed even when the second priority device is selected by the user.

As described above, regardless of whether the user goes to the first priority device or the second priority device among multiple image forming devices, the user can appropriately instruct the device to start image formation.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a PC, a printer, and each server included in the printer system of FIG. 1 . 2 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of processing executed by the printer system of FIG. 1; 4 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of processing different from that shown in FIG. 3, which is executed by the printer system shown in FIG. 1;

[First embodiment]
A printer system 1 according to a first embodiment, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer system 1 (corresponding to the "image forming system" of the present invention) has a PC 100, a printer 200, a seat management server 300, and a print server 400. These devices are installed in a room (for example, an office) in a building where a plurality of seats are arranged. A user freely selects one of the seats and uses the PC 100 he or she brought by placing it on the desk of the seat. Identification information is set for each seat (see Table 1 described later). The seat identification information is displayed in a place that can be recognized by the user, such as the top surface of the seat. A plurality of printers 200 are respectively installed on the other plurality of seats in the room. A communication network N such as a LAN (Local Area Network) is constructed in the building. The PC 100, the printer 200, the seat management server 300, and the print server 400 can communicate with each other through the communication network N.

As shown in FIG. 2, the PC 100 (corresponding to the "terminal device" of the present invention), the seat management server 300, and the print server 400 each have a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and a hard disk drive. The ROM and RAM store programs and data that the CPU uses to perform various controls. The RAM temporarily stores data used by the CPU when executing a program.

The PC 100 (corresponding to the "terminal device" of the present invention) has an input unit 110 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display 120. Driver software is installed in the storage built into the PC 100, which communicates data with the print server 400 and causes the printer 200 to form an image. In addition to this driver software, various programs such as operating system software cause the CPU to execute predetermined processes, causing the PC 100 to execute various processes described below.

When a user installs PC100 in a seat and begins using it, the user inputs the seat identification information into PC100 through input unit 110. The input result is sent to seat management server 300 together with a notification to begin using the seat and the user's identification information. When the user ends using PC100 at the seat, the user inputs a notification to end using the seat into PC100 through input unit 110. The input result is sent to seat management server 300 together with the user's identification information. The seat identification information sent from PC100 to seat management server 300 indicates the location where PC100 is used, and corresponds to the location information of the terminal device of the present invention.

The printer 200 (corresponding to the "image forming device" of the present invention) has a touch panel display 210, an image forming unit 220, and a control unit 230. The touch panel display 210 (corresponding to the "user input unit" of the present invention) displays characters, images, etc. on the screen. In addition, when a finger or the like touches the screen, the touch panel display 210 detects the contact position and outputs the detection result to the control unit 230. This allows various user inputs through the touch panel display 210. The image forming unit 220 contains printing paper (corresponding to the "medium" of the present invention) and forms an image on the printing paper by applying ink (corresponding to the "colorant" of the present invention) to the printing paper. The control unit 230 controls the operation of the touch panel display 210, the image forming unit 220, and each part of the printer 200 based on the results of user input from the touch panel display 210, etc. The control unit 230 controls the above operations and performs various other processes in cooperation with hardware such as a CPU, a storage device, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and software stored in the storage device.

A user can input a request for image formation to the printer 200 to the PC 100 through the input unit 110. When such a request is input, the PC 100 transmits data for image formation to the print server 400. The data for image formation includes data indicating job identification information, which is information for identifying the request for image formation to the printer 200, data indicating user identification information, and image data indicating the image to be formed. The job identification information may be a character string that directly indicates related information of the request for image formation, such as the name of the application, the time when the request occurred, or a name set by the user or application, or it may be a mere string of characters that does not have a direct meaning. When the control unit 230 of the printer 200 receives data for image formation through the print server 400, it displays the job identification information on the touch panel display 210 and waits for user input through the touch panel display 210. For example, the control unit 230 displays an "OK" button image on the touch panel display 210 and waits for user input by the user touching the display area of the button image with a finger or the like. The user goes from the seat where the PC 100 is installed to the printer 200 where the image formation is performed, and performs user input to instruct the start of image formation by operating the touch panel display 210. When such user input is received, the control unit 230 controls the image forming unit 220 to form an image on the printing paper based on the data received from the print server 400.

The seat management server 300 has a seat information storage unit 310, a seat acquisition unit 320, and a priority list derivation unit 330. The seat information storage unit 310 stores the seat position and seat usage status in association with the seat identification information. The seat usage status includes the user's identification information if the seat is in use by a user, the printer 200's identification information if the printer 200 is installed, and information indicating that the seat is vacant if the seat is not in use by a user and the printer 200 is not installed.

The following Table 1 is an example of information stored in the seat information storage unit 310. "Seat ID" in Table 1 indicates the identification information of the seat. For example, seat ID "1F-1" means the first seat on the first floor of the building. Also, seat ID "2F-2" means the second seat on the second floor of the building. "Position" in Table 1 indicates the position of the seat. The position of the seat is indicated by three variables (x, y, f). The variables x and y indicate the horizontal position, and the variable f indicates the floor of the building. "Usage status" in Table 1 indicates the status of the seat being used. For example, "Printer A", "Printer B", "Printer C", and "Printer D" indicate that the printers 200 identified by the identification information "A", "B", "C", and "D", respectively, are installed. Also, "Taro" and "Hanako" indicate that the users identified by the identification information "Taro" and "Hanako", respectively, are using the seat. "Vacant seat" indicates that the printer 200 is not installed and is not being used by a user.

When a notification of the start or end of seat use is sent from PC 100, seat acquisition unit 320 (corresponding to the "position acquisition unit" of the present invention) updates the contents of the usage status in Table 1 based on the user and seat identification information sent along with the notification. For example, in the state of Table 1, when a notification of the start of seat use is sent together with user identification information "Jiro" and seat identification information "1F-4", the usage status of No. 4 is changed to "Jiro". Also, in the state of Table 1, when a notification of the end of seat use is sent together with user identification information "Taro", the usage status of No. 5 is changed to "Vacant".

[Table 1]

The priority list derivation unit 330 will be described later.

The print server 400 has a first image formation data transmission unit 411, a second image formation data transmission unit 412, and a priority list acquisition unit 420. When image formation data is transmitted from the PC 100, the first image formation data transmission unit 411 (corresponding to the "first image data transmission unit" of the present invention) transmits data indicating job identification information and image data contained in the data to the printer 200. When image data is requested from the printer 200, the second image formation data transmission unit 412 (corresponding to the "second image data transmission unit" of the present invention) transmits image data contained in the data for image formation to the requesting printer 200, as described below. Details of the first image formation data transmission unit 411 and the second image formation data transmission unit 412 and the priority list acquisition unit 420 will be described later.

However, when multiple printers 200 are installed in the vicinity of the PC 100 as in this embodiment, a method may be desired in which the user can directly go to a printer 200 and instruct the printer 200 to start image formation by instructing the printer 200 to start image formation. In this case, for example, it is possible to send image data to each printer 200 that the user may select. In this case, it is necessary to secure a memory area in each printer 200 for temporarily storing image data. For this reason, if image data is also sent to printers 200 with a relatively low priority, there is a risk that an excessively large memory capacity will be required for the entire system.

Therefore, the printer system 1 according to this embodiment is configured as follows to prevent the system as a whole from requiring excessive storage capacity. First, the priority list derivation unit 330 (corresponding to the "priority derivation unit" of the present invention) of the seat management server 300 receives user identification information from the print server 400, and acquires the seat position used by the user indicated by the identification information from the memory contents of the seat information storage unit 310 (for example, the contents of Table 1). Then, based on the relationship between the acquired seat position and the position of each printer 200 indicated by the memory contents of the seat information storage unit 310, the priority list derivation unit 330 generates a priority list for the printer 200 indicated by the memory contents of the seat information storage unit 310 and transmits it to the print server 400.

The priority list includes a first priority printer and a second priority printer. The first priority printer corresponds to the printer 200 with the highest priority. Specifically, the first priority printer is set to the printer 200 closest to the seat occupied by the user. The second priority printer corresponds to the printer 200 with the next highest priority after the first priority printer. Specifically, the second priority printer is set to one or more printers 200 relatively close to the seat occupied by the user who issued the image formation request. For example, in the example of Table 1, if the user is Taro, the printer 200 closest to seat 1F-5 is printer A at seat 1F-1, and the printers 200 second and third closest to seat 1F-5 are printer B at seat 1F-2 and printer C at seat 1F-3, respectively, printer A is set to the first priority printer, and printers B and C are set to the second priority printers.

When the priority list acquisition unit 420 of the print server 400 receives image formation data from the PC 100, it transmits the user identification information indicated by the data to the seat management server 300. The priority list acquisition unit 420 then acquires the priority list transmitted from the seat management server 300 in response to this. The first image formation data transmission unit 411 transmits both the data indicating the job identification information and the image data from the image formation data received from the PC 100 to the first priority printer indicated by the priority list acquired by the priority list acquisition unit 420. On the other hand, the first image formation data transmission unit 411 transmits only the data indicating the job identification information from the image formation data received from the PC 100 to each second priority printer indicated by the priority list acquired by the priority list acquisition unit 420. In addition, when a request for image data is transmitted from the second priority printer, the second image formation data transmission unit 412 transmits image data to the second priority printer that made the request.

When each printer 200 receives both data indicating job identification information and image data from the print server 400, the control unit 230 is configured to execute the following process (corresponding to the "first process" of the present invention). The control unit 230 causes the touch panel display 210 to display the job identification information. When the above-mentioned user input instructing the start of image formation is made via the touch panel display 210, the control unit 230 controls the image forming unit 220 to promptly execute image formation based on the received image data.

In response to this, each printer 200 is configured such that when it receives only data indicating the job identification information from the print server 400, the control unit 230 executes the following process (corresponding to the "second process" of the present invention). The control unit 230 causes the touch panel display 210 to display the job identification information. When the above-mentioned user input instructing the start of image formation is made via the touch panel display 210, the control unit 230 requests image data from the print server 400. The control unit 230 then controls the image forming unit 220 to execute image formation based on the image data sent from the print server 400 in response to the request.

The flow of a series of processes for image formation by the printer system 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the user inputs a request for image formation to the PC 100 (S1). In response to this, the PC 100 generates data for image formation (S2) and transmits it to the print server 400 (S3). Next, the print server 400 extracts the user's identification information from the data for image formation from the PC 100 (S4) and transmits the information to the seat management server 300 (S5). In response to this, the seat management server 300 generates a priority list for the printer 200 based on the positional relationship between the seat used by the user indicated by the identification information received from the print server 400 and the seat on which the printer 200 is installed (S6), and transmits it to the print server 400 (S7). Based on the priority list received from the seat management server 300, the print server 400 transmits both data indicating the job identification information and image data to the first priority printer (S8), and transmits only data indicating the job identification information to each second priority printer (S9).

When the user operates the touch panel display 210 of the first priority printer to instruct the start of image formation (S10), the first priority printer starts image formation based on the image data sent from the print server 400 in S8 (S11). When image formation is completed, the first priority printer deletes the data indicating the job identification information and the image data from its storage area, and sends a report indicating that image formation is complete to the print server 400 together with the job identification information (S12). In response, the print server 400 instructs each second priority printer to delete the job identification information (S13). In response, each second priority printer deletes the job identification information received from the print server 400 in S9 from its storage area (S14).

Unlike S10 above, when an instruction to start image formation is given in the second priority printer, the process from S21 shown in FIG. 4 is executed. When the user operates the touch panel display 210 of the second priority printer to instruct the start of image formation (S21), the second priority printer transmits a request for image data together with the job identification information received in S9 to the print server 400 (S22). In response to this, the print server 400 transmits image data corresponding to the job identification information from the second priority printer to the second priority printer (S23). The second priority printer executes image formation based on the image data transmitted from the print server 400 (S24). When image formation is completed, the second priority printer deletes the data indicating the job identification information and the image data from the storage area, and transmits a report indicating that image formation has been completed to the print server 400 together with the job identification information (S25). In response to this, the print server 400 instructs the first priority printer to delete the image data corresponding to the job identification information (S26). In response, the first priority printer deletes the image data and data indicating the job identification information sent from the print server 400 in S8 from its storage area (S27). The print server 400 also instructs each second priority printer for which no image formation has been performed to delete the job identification information (S28). In response, each second priority printer for which no image formation has been performed deletes the job identification information received from the print server 400 in S9 from its storage area (S29).

According to the present embodiment described above, when a request for image formation occurs in the PC 100, both job identification information and image data are sent via the print server 400 to a first priority printer among the multiple printers 200 included in the printer system 1, and data indicating the job identification information is sent via the print server 400 to the second priority printer, but image data is not sent. In response, when the user instructs image formation via the touch panel display 210 of the first priority printer, image formation based on the image data previously sent is promptly performed in the first priority printer.

In contrast, as described above, image data is not sent to the second priority printer. Therefore, at this stage, there is no need to reserve a memory area in the second priority printer for storing image data. This prevents the memory capacity to be reserved for storing image data from becoming excessively large in the entire system. On the other hand, because data indicating the job identification information is sent to the second priority printer, when a user input is made to instruct image formation through the touch panel display 210 of any of the second priority printers, a request for image data can be appropriately executed to the print server 400. Therefore, image formation is appropriately executed even when the second priority printer is selected by the user.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the seat management server 300 appropriately generates a priority list for the first priority printer and the second priority printer based on the relationship between the position of the seat currently being used by the user and the position of the printer 200. Specifically, the printer 200 installed at the seat closest to the user's seat is set as the first priority printer, and the printer 200 that is second or subsequent closest to the user's seat is set as the second priority printer. Therefore, the printer 200 that the user is likely to visit is given priority, which is highly convenient for the user.

In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, when an image is formed in any of the printers 200, data for image formation or data indicating job identification information that is no longer necessary is appropriately deleted in the other printers 200, and memory areas for storing image data, etc. are released.

Second Embodiment
A printer system according to a second embodiment, which is another embodiment of the present invention, will be described below. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the priority list of the printer 200 is derived without using the seat management server 300. In other respects, the second embodiment has a configuration in common with the first embodiment. For this reason, the same reference numerals as above will be used for such common configuration, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

The print server according to this embodiment acquires the status of each printer 200 (corresponding to the "image forming device state" of the present invention). The print server then derives a priority list based on at least one of the status of each printer 200 and the content of the image data. Specifically, the remaining amount of consumables (ink and printing paper) as the status of the printer 200 is compared with the required amount of consumables based on the content of the image data, and the first priority printer and the second priority printer are set based on the degree to which the remaining amount of the consumables exceeds the required amount (hereinafter referred to as the super-process degree). For example, a printer 200 whose super-process degree is equal to or greater than a first threshold is set as the first priority printer, and a printer 200 whose super-process degree is greater than a second threshold (<first threshold) but less than the first threshold is set as the second priority printer. Note that the priority list may be derived based only on the status of the printer 200, or the priority list may be derived based only on the content of the image data.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to set an appropriate priority that takes into account the status of the printer 200 and the contents of the image data.

<Modification>
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above based on the drawings, the specific configuration should not be considered to be limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, one printer 200 is set as the first priority printer. In contrast, multiple printers 200 may be set as the first priority printer. In other words, multiple printers 200 may be set as the highest priority printer.

In the above embodiment, the printer 200 closest to the PC 100 to which the image formation request has been made is set as the first priority printer, and the second closest printer 200 is set as the second priority printer. Alternatively, the first and second closest printers 200 to the PC 100 may be set as the first priority printer, and the third and fourth closest printers 200 to the PC 100 may be set as the second priority printer. In other words, the priority list may be derived so that the distance between the first priority printer and the PC 100 is closer than the distance between the second priority printer and the PC 100.

In the above embodiment, the priority list is derived with attention paid to the distance between the PC 100, which has requested image formation, and the printer 200. In contrast, the priority list may be derived based on a positional relationship other than the distance between the PC 100 and the printer 200. For example, assume that multiple sections are set and each seat is divided into one of the sections. In this case, in response to a request for image formation generated by a PC 100 used at one of the seats, the printer 200 at a seat in the section to which that seat belongs may be set as the first priority printer, and the printer 200 at a seat in the adjacent section may be set as the second priority printer. In this case, the distance between the first priority printer and the PC 100 does not necessarily have to be smaller than the distance between the second priority printer and the PC 100.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the priority list is derived based on seat position information held by the seat management server 300. In contrast, the priority list may be derived based on position information acquired by means other than the seat management server 300. As such a means, for example, a sensor may be installed on the seat that can detect when the PC 100 is placed on the seat, and the position information of the PC 100 may be acquired based on the detection result of the sensor.

In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the present invention has been described as being applied to a printer system 1 having a printer 200, but is not limited to this. The present invention may also be applied to systems having other inkjet-type image forming devices that eject ink from a head, such as multifunction devices and copiers. The present invention may also be applied to systems having laser-type image forming devices that perform image recording processing by adhering toner (corresponding to the "colorant" of the present invention) to printing paper, instead of adhering ink to printing paper using an inkjet method. In this case, a toner cartridge that contains toner is removably attached to the image forming device.

1 Printer system 100 PC
110 Input unit 120 Display 200 Printer 210 Touch panel display 220 Image forming unit 230 Control unit 300 Seat management server 330 Priority list derivation unit 400 Print server 411 First image forming data transmission unit 412 Second image forming data transmission unit 420 Priority list acquisition unit N Communication network

Claims (8)

An image forming system including a terminal device, a plurality of image forming devices that form images based on a request for image formation from the terminal device, and a server that can communicate with each of the terminal device and the plurality of image forming devices,
the terminal device transmits, to the server, identification information data indicating identification information for identifying the request for image formation and image data indicating an image;
The server,
a priority acquisition unit that acquires priorities of the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
a first image data transmission unit that, when receiving the identification information data and the image data from the terminal device, transmits both the identification information data and the image data to a first priority device that is the image forming device having the highest priority among the plurality of image forming devices based on the priority acquired by the priority acquisition unit, and transmits the identification information data and does not transmit the image data to a second priority device that is the image forming device having the next highest priority;
a second image data transmission unit that transmits the image data to the second priority device that is a request source when the image data is requested by the second priority device,
Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes:
an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium;
a user input unit for accepting user input;
A control unit,
The control unit:
a first process of controlling the image forming unit to form an image indicated by the image data on a medium based on a user input received by the user input unit when both the identification information data and the image data are received from the first image data transmission unit;
an image forming system characterized in that, when the identification information data and the image data, of which the identification information data is received from the first image data transmission unit, a second process is executed to request the image data from the server based on user input accepted by the user input unit, and to control the image forming unit to form an image indicated by the image data transmitted from the second image data transmission unit on a medium in response to the request. a location acquisition unit that acquires location information for each of the terminal device and the plurality of image forming devices,
2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the priority is derived based on a positional relationship between the terminal device and the image forming device indicated by the position information acquired by the position acquisition unit. The image forming system according to claim 2, characterized in that the priority is derived so that the distance between the first priority device and the terminal device is smaller than the distance between the second priority device and the terminal device. The system further includes a location management device capable of communicating with each of the terminal device and the server,
The terminal device transmits the location information corresponding to the location of use to the location management device;
The location management device,
the location acquisition unit acquiring the location information from the terminal device;
The image forming system according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a priority derivation unit that derives the priority based on the location information acquired by the location acquisition unit and the location information of the multiple image forming devices, and transmits the derived priority to the server. an image forming completed device, which is an image forming device that has formed an image on a medium based on the image data, among the first priority device and the second priority device, transmits a notification of completion of image formation to the server;
The server,
when receiving a notice of completion of image formation from the image-formed device, transmitting a data deletion instruction to the first priority device and the second priority device other than the image-formed device,
Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes:
The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, when the instruction is received from the server, the identification information data and/or the image data received from the server are deleted. The priority acquisition unit,
2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the priority is derived based on at least one of the states of the plurality of image forming devices and the contents of the image data. The image forming system according to claim 6, characterized in that the status of the multiple image forming devices is a status related to the remaining amount of colorant used in image formation performed by the image forming devices. The image forming system according to claim 6, characterized in that the status of the multiple image forming devices is a status related to the remaining amount of media used in image formation performed by the image forming devices.

Images