Patent ID: 8923721
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus; and an external device to transmit a print job to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus executing image forming in accordance with the print job; wherein the external device comprises (i) a tag attaching unit to attach a tag having identification information to a print job group having at least two division jobs generated by dividing one print job in case that the print job to be transmitted is the print job group, the identification information requesting the image forming apparatus which receives the division jobs constituting the print job group to identify that the transmitted print job is the division job, and (ii) a job transmission unit to transmit the print job group; wherein the image forming apparatus comprises (i) a control unit, (ii) an image forming unit to execute the image forming in accordance with the print job group, (iii) a storing unit to hold one or more print jobs, and (iv) a job reception unit to receive the print job group from the external device; wherein the job reception unit receives the tag, and in case that in accordance with the identification information included in the tag the control unit identifies that the print job received while the job reception unit receives the print job group is another print job received from another external device except the external device which transmits the print job group, the control unit controls the storing unit so as to hold the another print job until the image forming unit completes the image forming in accordance with the print job group, and after the image forming unit completes the image forming in accordance with the print job group, the control unit controls the image forming unit to start the image forming in accordance with the another print job; and wherein the tag is attached to a last division job which is received by the job reception unit last in the print job group, and the tag attaching unit attaches another tag having another identification information to a print job except the division job, the another identification information requesting the image forming apparatus to identify that the print job except the division job is not the division job.