Patent ID: 8325370
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: G06F,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A network interface apparatus which is connected to an image forming apparatus and can communicate with an information processing apparatus for transmitting print data including management information and an external apparatus for storing print authority information, comprising: a print data receiving unit configured to receive the print data from the information processing apparatus; a first storage unit configured to store the print data received by the print data receiving unit into a memory; a user identification information receiving unit configured to receive user identification information for identifying a user; a print authority information obtaining unit configured to obtain the print authority information corresponding to the user identification information received by the user identification information receiving unit from the external apparatus; a color print discriminating unit configured to discriminate whether or not the user can perform a color printing according to the print authority information; a print data analyzing unit configured to perform a color analysis of the print data stored in the memory; and a print data transmitting unit configured to transmit the print data stored in the memory to the image forming apparatus in order to allow the image forming apparatus to print the print data, wherein if it is determined by the color print discriminating unit that the color printing cannot be performed and if it is determined as a result of the analysis by the print data analyzing unit that first print data does not include the color data, the print data transmitting unit transmits the first print data to the image forming apparatus without changing color/monochrome setting information included as management information in the first print data to monochrome, and wherein if it is determined by the color print discriminating unit that the color printing cannot be performed and if it is determined as a result of the analysis by the print data analyzing unit that second print data includes the color data, the print data transmitting unit changes the color/monochrome setting information included as the management information in the second print data to the monochrome and transmits the second print data to the image forming apparatus.