Patent ID: 9509868
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: G06F,H04N

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus that is connected to be communicable with a network having a plurality of additional image forming apparatuses different from each other, the image forming apparatus comprising: a printer unit that forms an image based on image data and outputs the image onto a sheet; a communication unit that enables a connection with the network; and a control unit that can execute a first operating system activating on the image forming apparatus and a control program activating on the first operating system and performing a process relating to image formation, and the control unit enables operation of a second operating system performing a process other than the process relating to image formation in parallel with the operation of the first operating system, wherein the control unit selects and determines one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses in which the second operating system is operable based on a process state relating to the image formation of the image forming apparatus being executed, transmits an operating state of the second operating system to the one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses, and switches processing of the second operating system to the one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses, wherein, in the one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses in which the second operating system executes in accordance with the switching, an operation screen server is operable which provides information of a second operation screen in the second operating system to a further one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses that is connected to the one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses through the network and receives an operation input for the provided second operation screen, and wherein the control unit includes an operation screen client that receives the information of the second operation screen in the second operating system that is provided by the operation screen server operating in the one of the plurality of additional image forming apparataus and enables an operation input for the second operation screen, and the control unit stops the second operating system on the one of the plurality of additional image forming apparatuses in accordance with a connection state between the operation screen server and the operation screen client and executes the second operating system in the image forming apparatus in which the second operating system executed before the switching again.