Patent ID: 9019538
Filing Date: 2015-04-28
Classification: G06F,G06K,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming system comprising: a print server; and a processor that is included in the print server, wherein: the processor as a request unit causes the print server to request, when an image forming apparatus that is not connected to a network is connected to the network, a resource relating to image forming processing available to the image forming apparatus; the processor as a providing unit provides the resource from the image forming apparatus to the print server, through the network, in response to the request from the request unit; the processor as a registration unit stores the provided resource in a storage unit and registers, in a database, resource information relating to the provided resource, in the print server; the processor as a confirmation unit causes the print server to confirm whether or not the image forming apparatus serving as a providing source of the resource information registered in the database is connected to the network; the processor as an update unit erases the provided resource from the storage unit and updates the database by deleting, from the database, the resource information relating to the provided resource, if all the image forming apparatuses compatible with the provided resources, in the storage unit, in common are disconnected from the network; the processor as the registration unit registers, in the database, identification information of the image forming apparatus serving as providing sources of the provided resource; the processor as the confirmation unit causes the print server to specify the image forming apparatus corresponding to the resource information registered in the database, transmit a confirmation request to the specified image forming apparatus, and confirm whether or not a response to the confirmation request has occurred from one or more of the specified image forming apparatuses; and the processor as the update unit causes the print server to erase the resource corresponding to the confirmation request from the storage unit and delete the resource information relating to the erased resource from the database if the response to the confirmation request has not occurred from all of the specified image forming apparatuses.