Patent ID: 7925015
Filing Date: 2011-04-12
Classification: G03G,G06F

Abstract:
1. An image forming system, comprising: a terminal; an image forming apparatus; communications means to couple said terminal and said image forming apparatus; user interface means to accept an input of user information at login, send the user information from said terminal to said image forming apparatus via said communications means, accept an input of a request of processing after said login, and send the request from said terminal to said image forming apparatus via said communications means; said image forming apparatus having user authentication means to check the user information sent from said terminal at said login, issue an authentication key for an authorized user, set a predetermined term of validity for said authentication key issued to said authorized user, send said authentication key from said image forming apparatus to said terminal via said communications means and update the predetermined term of validity by resetting said image forming apparatus every time said image forming apparatus receives said authentication key together with said request for processing; wherein when said authentication key sent back to the image forming apparatus with a processing request from the terminal is not recognized by the user authentication means, the user authentication means informs said image forming apparatus which in turn sends an information regarding a failed authentication to the terminal, and upon receiving said information regarding said failed authentication, said terminal invokes a re-login process to request to the image forming apparatus to issue a new authentication key; and setting change means to accept an input of setting change information to change a setting for said image forming apparatus: wherein said user interface means has said setting change means, and said user interface means sends the setting change information input with said setting change means together with said authentication key from said terminal to said image forming apparatus via said communications means.