Patent Publication Number: US-2011055825-A1

Title: Image forming apparatus, license processing method, and recording medium embodied with license processing program

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a license processing method, and a recording medium embodied with a license processing program. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     An example of image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals accepts installing of new programs developed after shipment of the example of the image forming apparatuses. It is convenient for a user to be provided with a license for installing the program or a license for using the program apart from the program itself. These licenses are also beneficial for sellers of the programs because these licenses may expand business opportunities. 
     However, it is difficult to introduce licenses for each of the corresponding image forming apparatuses under a user environment where many image forming apparatuses are used. Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of collectively introducing licenses of applications into plural image forming apparatuses. 
     However, there may be a case where software architectures of application platforms of image forming apparatuses are fundamentally reviewed in response to changes of the hardware structures of the image forming apparatuses, and application platforms having new structures may be developed. In this case, managing methods of applications and licenses in the new application platforms may be drastically changed. Specifically, package types and license file types may be drastically changed. 
     When the new image forming apparatuses having the new application platforms are launched into markets, it is difficult to replace all image forming apparatuses which are already installed in offices by the new image forming apparatuses from a same point in time. Accordingly, there may be an environment in which the old image forming apparatuses and the new image forming apparatuses are mixed and simultaneously exist. 
     Under such an environment, the users are required to be aware of differences of methods of managing the licenses for each of the old image forming apparatuses and the new image forming apparatuses. As a result, users are required to select the managing methods corresponding to the image forming apparatuses in installing applications and licenses for each image forming apparatus. Such a situation causes a burden for the users and also a disincentive in replacing the old image forming apparatus with the new image forming apparatus. 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2008-243179 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide a novel and useful image forming apparatus, license processing method, and recording medium storing a license processing program solving one or more of the problems discussed above. 
     More specifically, the embodiments of the present invention may provide an image forming apparatus, license processing method, and recording medium storing a license processing program which can simplify work related to license management under an environment in which image forming apparatuses correspond to plural license managing methods. 
     One aspect of the embodiments of the present invention may be to provide an image forming apparatus including a plurality of license communication control units configured to receive requests for setting license data having different license managing types, a plurality of license managing units configured to decode the license data and set licenses by enabling to use the license data, and a license management integrating unit configured to select one of the plurality of license managing units in which the license corresponding to the request for setting the license data is set depending on one of the plurality of license communication control units which receives the request for setting the license data. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a system configuration of an apparatus managing system of an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus of the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a relationship among various servers and apparatuses in different license managing methods. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example functional configuration of an image forming apparatus  20 A. 
         FIG. 5  is a sequence diagram for illustrating a procedure of setting a license in an image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 6  is a structural example of a license managing table. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a structural example of a license file. 
         FIG. 8  is a sequence diagram of installing an application with a license managing method B. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart of installing an application B with the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a structural example of a package type A. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a structural example of an an application information file. 
         FIG. 12  is a flowchart for setting a license in an image forming apparatus  20 A. 
         FIG. 13  is a flowchart for invoking an application in the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A description is given below, with reference to the  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 13  of an embodiment of the present invention. Reference symbols typically designate as follows:
       10 A,  10 B: Apparatus managing server;     20 A,  20 B: Image forming apparatus;     50 A,  50 B: License managing server;     60 B: Package managing server;     21 : Controller;     22 : Scanner;     23 : Printer;     24 : Modem;     25 : Operation panel;     26 : Network interface;     27 : SD card slot;     80 : SD card;     211 : CPU;     212 : RAM;     213 : ROM;     214 : HDD;     215 : Operation panel;     221 A: License communication control unit;     221 B: License communication control unit;     222 A: License managing unit;     222 B: License managing unit;     223 : License management integrating unit;     224 : Package converting unit;     225 : A-Method installing unit; and     226 : Operation controlling unit.   

       FIG. 1  illustrates a system configuration of an apparatus managing system of an embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the apparatus managing system  1  includes a user environment E 1  which is a system environment for users of image forming apparatuses  20 . For example, the user environment E 1  corresponds to an enterprise or an office to which the users belong. 
     In the user environment E 1 , an apparatus managing server  10 A, an apparatus managing server  10 B, image forming apparatuses  20 A, image forming apparatuses  20 B, and the like are connected via a wired or wireless network  30  such as a local area network (LAN). The image forming apparatuses  20 A and  20 B are multifunction peripherals which individually perform plural functions such as printing, scanning, copying, and facsimile transmission (faxing). Hereinafter, the image forming apparatuses  20 A and  20 B are referred to as image forming apparatuses  20 . It is possible to continually expand functions of the image forming apparatuses  20  by adding or updating an application program (hereinafter referred to as “application”). 
     The apparatus managing server  10  is a computer such as a personal computer (PC) which collectively introduces licenses of applications operable in the image forming apparatus  20  within the user environment E 1 . Other user environments E 1  may exist depending on the number of users in the enterprise or the office. Therefore, the number of the user environments E 1  may be plural. 
     On the other hand, a maker environment E 2  is a system environment on a sales side of the applications to be added to the image forming apparatuses  20 . For example, the maker environment E 2  may be operated by the maker of the image forming apparatuses  20 . The maker environment E 2  includes a license managing server  50 A, a license server  50 B, a package managing server  60 B, and the like. 
     The license managing servers  50 A and  50 B are computers managing the licenses of the applications purchased by the users. Hereinafter, the license managing servers  50 A and  50 B are referred to as license managing server  50 . The package managing server  60 B is a computer which manages package files of applications (hereinafter, referred to as “package”). 
     The user environment E 1  and the maker environment E 2  are connected via a network  70  such as the Internet. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the image forming apparatus  20  includes hardware such as a controller  21 , a scanner  22 , a printer  23 , a modem  24 , an operation panel  25 , a network interface  26 , and an SD card slot  27 . 
     The controller  21  includes a CPU  211 , a RAM  212 , a ROM  213 , an HDD  214  or the like. The ROM  213  has various programs and data used by the programs. The RAM  212  is used as a memory area for loading the program, a work area for the loaded program or the like. The CPU  211  performs various functions by processing the program loaded on the RAM  212 . The HDD  214  records the programs, various data used by the programs, and the like. 
     The scanner is hardware for reading image data from a manuscript. The printer  23  is hardware for printing image data on a printing paper. The modem  24  is hardware for connecting the image forming apparatus  20  to a telecommunication line and is used for sending and receiving the image data with fax communication. The operation panel  25  is hardware provided with input means for receiving an input from a user and display means such as a liquid crystal panel. The network interface  26  is hardware for connecting the image forming apparatus  20  to a wired or wireless network such as a LAN. The SD card slot  27  is used to read a program recorded in an SD card  80 . Said differently, not only the program recorded in the ROM  223  but also the program recorded in the SD card  80  may be loaded into the RAM  212  and executed in the image forming apparatus  20 . The SD card  80  may be replaced by another recording medium. For example, the other recording media are a CD-ROM, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory or the like. The recording medium may be any memory. In this case, the SD card slot  17  may be replaced by hardware depending on kinds of the recording media. The image forming apparatus  20  may not be a multifunction peripheral, and may be a printer or a scanner which can realize a single function. 
     End parts of the reference symbols designating the apparatuses illustrated in  FIG. 1  indicate license managing methods corresponding to the apparatuses. When the end part of the reference symbol is “A”, the corresponding apparatus follows a license managing method of A. When the end part of the reference symbol is “B”, the corresponding apparatus follows a license managing method of B. There are no substantial meanings in the license managing method A and the license managing method B themselves, and the end parts “A” and “B” specifically indicate that the license managing method A and the license managing method B are relatively different methods. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a relationship among various servers and apparatuses following different license managing methods. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the apparatus managing server  10 A introduces licenses for the image forming apparatus  20 A. The license managing server  50 A manages the licenses for the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
     Meanwhile, the apparatus managing server  10 B carries out installation of the application and introduction of the license in the image forming apparatus  20 B. The license managing server  50 B manages the licenses for the image forming apparatus  20 B. The package managing server  60 B manages the package of the image forming apparatus  20 B. 
     The reason why a computer managing the applications, i.e. a computer corresponding to the package managing server  60 B, does not exist is that the distribution channel of the applications in the license managing method A is different from that in the license managing method B. Specifically, the application following the license managing method A is recorded in the recording medium such as the SD card  80  and distributed. It is also possible to install the application from a predetermined personal computer (PC). 
     In the embodiment, managing methods or modes of an application (hereinafter, referred to as application A) following the license managing method A and an application (hereinafter, referred to as application B) following the license managing method B are different. In the embodiment, the application A and the application B have different package types, namely structures of archival files of application execution modules. Hereinafter, the package type of the license managing method A is referred to as package type A, and the package type of the license managing method B is referred to as package type B. 
     The differences of the license managing methods are based on differences of data forms of the license data, encoding of the license files, encryption methods or the like. In this, the license file designates a file recording data proving a license (right of use) to permit using the application. It is not possible to use the application of the embodiment in the image forming apparatus  20  only by installing the application in the image forming apparatus  20 . The application can be used after the license file is introduced in the image forming apparatus  20 . 
     The license managing methods may use different communication protocols between the servers and the apparatuses used in introducing the licenses. For example, the communication protocol between the image forming apparatus  20 A and the apparatus managing server  10 A and the communication protocol between the image forming apparatus  20 B and the apparatus managing server  10 B may differ. 
     Therefore, the license file is not introduced from the apparatus managing server  10 A to the image forming apparatus  20 B. When the communication protocols are different between the license managing method A and the license managing method B, it is impossible to transfer the license file from the apparatus managing server  10 A to the image forming apparatus  20 B. Further, when the communication protocols are the same between the license managing method A and the license managing method B, and the same application as that in the image forming apparatus  20 A is installed in the image forming apparatus  20 B, it is also impossible to introduce the license file from the apparatus managing server  10 A into the image forming apparatus  20 B. This is because the image forming apparatus  20 B cannot decode or analyze the license files based on the license managing method A. 
     Therefore, users use the apparatus managing server  10 A when the license is introduced into the image forming apparatus  20 A, and use the apparatus managing server  10 B when the license is introduced into the image forming apparatus  20 B. When it is unknown which license managing method the image forming apparatus  20  follows, the users cannot introduce the licenses since the users do not know whether the apparatus managing server  10  to be used for the license introduction is the apparatus managing server  10 A or the apparatus managing server  10 B. 
     In order to solve such inconvenience, the image forming apparatus  20 A can follow the license managing method B in the embodiment. Specifically, the image forming apparatus  20 A can decode not only the license file based on the license managing method A but also the license file based on the license managing method B. The image forming apparatus  20 A can communicate to not only the apparatus managing server  10 A but also the apparatus managing server  10 B. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an example functional configuration of the image forming apparatus  20 A is described. The image forming apparatus  20 A follows both of the license managing method A and the license managing method B. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the image forming apparatus  20 A includes a license communication control unit  221 A, a license communication control unit  221 B, a license managing unit  222 A, a license managing unit  222 B, a license management integrating unit  223 , a package converting unit  224 , an A-method installing unit  225 , an operation controlling unit  226 , and so on. These units are realized when the program installed in the image forming apparatus  20 A is executed by the CPU  211 . End parts “A” and “B” of the reference symbols in  FIG. 4  have the same meanings as those on  FIG. 1 . 
     The license communication control unit  221 A controls communications of the image forming apparatus  20 A to the apparatus managing server  10 A. Specifically, the license communication control unit  221 A receives a setup request for requesting to introduce a license into the image forming apparatus  20 A from the apparatus managing server  10 A. The license communication control unit  221 A stores the A-method license file which follows the license managing method A and is transferred from the apparatus managing server  10 A upon a request for setting the license in a predetermined memory region of the HDD  214  or the RAM  212  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     The license communication control unit  221 B controls communications of the image forming apparatus  20 B to the apparatus managing server  10 B. The license communication control unit  221 B controls communications between the image forming apparatus  20 B and the apparatus managing server  10 B. Specifically, the license communication control unit  221 B receives a setup request for requesting to introduce a license into the image forming apparatus  20 B from the apparatus managing server  10 B. The license communication control unit  221 B stores the B-method license file which follows the license managing method B and is transferred from the apparatus managing server  10 B upon a request for setting the license in a predetermined memory region of the HDD  214  or the RAM  212  (see  FIG. 2 ). The license communication control unit  221 B receives a request for installing the application from the apparatus managing server  10 B. 
     The license managing server  222 A introduces and sets the license corresponding to the license managing method A and determines whether the application is permitted to be invoked. When the application is invoked, the license managing unit  222 A determines whether the application can be invoked based on the A-type license file. 
     The license managing unit  222 B introduces and sets the license corresponding to the license managing method B and determines whether the application is permitted to be invoked. When the application B is invoked, the license managing unit  222 B determines whether the application can be invoked based on the B-type license file. 
     The license management integrating unit  223  allocates requests received by the license communication control unit  221 A or the license communication control unit  221 B to the license managing unit  222 A or the license managing unit  222 B. Specifically, the request received by the license communication control unit  221 A is allocated to the license managing unit  222 A. Specifically, the request received by the license communication control unit  221 B is allocated to the license managing unit  222 B. The relationship among the license communication control units  221 , the license managing methods, and the license managing units  222  may be recorded in the HDD  214 . The license management integrating unit  223  requests the license managing unit  222 A or the license managing unit  222 B for execution of an invocation determining process corresponding to the license managing method which the application to be invoked follows in response to the request for invoking the application input from the operation controlling unit  226 . 
     The operation controlling unit  226  initiates a process input by the user through the operation panel  25 . 
     The A-method installing unit  225  executes an installing process which follows a remote installation of the application A. Specifically, the A-method installing unit receives an installation request for installing the application via the network and installs the application A. The package converting unit  224  converts the package type of the application B to the package type of the application B. 
     Hereinafter, a procedure in the apparatus managing system  1  is described.  FIG. 5  is a sequence diagram of illustrating a procedure of setting the license in an image forming apparatus  20 . In  FIG. 5 , the procedure carried out in common with the license managing methods is described irrespective of the license managing methods. Therefore,  FIG. 5  represents both of the license managing methods A and B. However, the procedures in the license managing methods A and B are not completely the same. For example, there may be differences of the communication protocols used in the steps and of parameters among the license managing methods. The order of carrying out the steps may differ as long as contradictions are not caused. 
     In step S 101 , a user designates an image forming apparatus in which a license is to be set by operating the apparatus managing server  10 , and inputs a setting request for the license by designating a product key of the application for which a license is allowed. The product key is an identifier uniquely issued or allocated for every purchase of the applications. The product key is used as information for identifying the license (right of use) for the purchased application and information proving the authentic purchaser of the application. In step S 101 , it is presumed that the user has purchased the application through a predetermined Web site or in a shop and acquired the product key. However, the application is not always acquired at a time of purchasing the application. Said differently, the application itself may be downloaded using the product key. 
     The image forming apparatus  20  into which the application is to be installed may be designated by searching the image forming apparatuses  20  connected to the apparatus managing server  10  via the network  30 , displaying the list of the searched image forming apparatuses  20 , and making the user select the destination of the installation from the list. Thus, the destination of installing the application may be received. The IP address or the host name of the image forming apparatus  20  into which the application is to be installed may be directly input to designate the image forming apparatus  20 . 
     Thereafter, the apparatus managing server  10  requests to acquire apparatus information from the image forming apparatus  20  which is designated as an object of setting the license (hereinafter, referred to as “target apparatus”) in step S 102 . The target apparatus  20  returns the apparatus information of the target apparatus  20  to the apparatus managing server  10  in step S 103 . The apparatus information includes the apparatus number. The apparatus numbers are identification information for uniquely identifying the image forming apparatuses  20 . List information of the applications installed in the target apparatus  20  may be included in the apparatus information. 
     Subsequently, the apparatus managing server  10  sends a license issue request to the license managing server  50  by designating the product key and the apparatus information in step S 104 . 
     The license managing server  50  determines whether the license is to be issued in response to the license issue request in step S 105 . The content of whether the license can be issued may differ depending on the license managing method. For example, the license managing table illustrated in  FIG. 6  is managed by the license managing server  50  to determine whether the license is to be issued based on the license managing table. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a structural example of the license managing table. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the license managing table has items such as control number, product key, product ID, apparatus number, status, license validated period, license validated date, license issue date, and so on. 
     Among these items, the control numbers, the product keys, the product IDs, the statuses, the license modes, and the license validated periods are recorded in the license managing table when the applications are purchased. 
     Meanwhile, the apparatus numbers, the license validated dates, and the license issue dates are recorded in response to the issuance of the licenses, i.e. issuance of the license files. The values of the statuses are updated in response to the issuance of the licenses. 
     The control numbers are identifiers (e.g. number) uniquely allocated to the records along with generation of the records of the license managing table. The product IDs are identifiers uniquely allocated to the applications. The same product ID is allocated to products having the same application names. In the embodiment, the product ID and the product key are clearly distinguished. The product IDs are provided to distinguish products as the applications, and the product keys are provided to distinguish purchases of the products as the applications. Therefore, every time the products are purchased, different product keys are issued even though the same products are purchased. The license validated dates indicate periods while the licenses are valid. 
     The apparatus number of the image forming apparatus  20  is registered in the item of apparatus number of the table illustrated in  FIG. 6  when the license file is issued. The item of status is information indicative of the states of the licenses. In the embodiment, the statuses indicate “no license”, “check out”, or “check in”. The status of “no license” indicates that no license is issued. The status of “checkout” indicates that the license has been issued. The status of “checkin” indicates that the license has been returned and is usable. The validated date indicates the validated date of the license file calculated based on the license validated period when the license file has been issued. The license issue date is the issue date of the license file which is registered when the license file is issued. 
     If the above-mentioned license managing table is used, and the record including the received product key is registered in the license managing table, the status of the record including the product key (hereinafter, referred to as “target record”) is not checkout, and the license validated date of the record including the product key does not exceed the present time or the value of the license validated date is not registered, the license managing server  50  may determine that the product key is valid. If not, the product key may be determined to be invalid. 
     When the product key is determined invalid, the license managing server  50  returns error information indicating that the product key is invalid to the apparatus managing server  10 . In this case, the apparatus managing server  10  makes the error information display on its display device and makes setting of the license stop. 
     When the product key is determined to be valid, the license managing server  50  updates the target record in the product managing table and generates the license file. Said differently, the received apparatus number is recorded in the target record, the status of the target record is indicated as “checkout”. Further, a value obtained by adding the present time to the license validated period of the target record is recorded in the license validated date of the target record. Further, the present year, month and date are recorded in the license issue date of the target record. When the target record is updated, the license file, which is issued to the same product key and lasts a period more than the license validated period, is prevented from being issued. 
     The license file may be generated as illustrated in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7  illustrates a structural example of the license file. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the license file includes the product ID, the apparatus number, and the license validated period. The product ID is that of the application to which the license is given to enable using the application by the license file. The application number is that of the image forming apparatus  20  which is permitted to use the application corresponding to the product ID by the license file. The license validated date of the license file is given by the license file. 
     The product ID of the license file corresponds to the product ID of the target record included in a request for issuing the license. The apparatus number included in the license issue request is registered as the apparatus number of the license file. The license validated date of the license file is the same as the license validated date registered in the target record. 
     The license file illustrated in  FIG. 7  is an example. The structure of the license file may differ depending on the license managing methods. 
     Next, the license managing server  50  returns the generated license file to the apparatus managing server  10  in step S 106 . The license file is encrypted or encoded before sending to the apparatus managing server  10  in order to avoid falsification. 
     Then, the apparatus managing server  10  sends the product ID of the application to which the license is set and the license file to the target apparatus  20  to request for setting the license in the target apparatus  20  in step S 107 . The target apparatus  20  carries out the setting of the license in response to the request for setting the license in step S 108 . The product ID may be extracted by the apparatus managing server  10  from the license file. In this case, the apparatus managing server  10  decrypts or decodes the encrypted or encoded license file with the corresponding encrypted or encoded method adopted by the license managing method which the apparatus managing server  10  follows. 
     Thereafter, the apparatus managing server  10  inquires the target apparatus  20  of a result of license setting in step S 109 . The target apparatus  20  returns the result of license setting in response to the inquiry in step S 110 . The apparatus managing server  10  makes the display device display information indicative of the result of license setting upon receipt of the result of license setting in step S 111 . 
     In the case of the license managing method B, the installing process illustrated in  FIG. 8  is carried out during the processes illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 8  is a sequence diagram of installing the application with the license managing method B. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the apparatus managing server  10  is limited to the apparatus managing server  10 B since the license managing method B is employed. The process illustrated in  FIG. 8  may be carried out at an arbitrary timing during the processes illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The process of  FIG. 8  may be carried out between steps S 103  and S 104 , or after step S 110 . 
     In step S 121 , the apparatus managing server  10 B sends a download request for the application B to the package managing server  60 B by designating the product ID. When step S 121  is carried out before the license file is acquired, the apparatus managing server  10 B may query the license managing server  50  of the product ID corresponding to the product key before step S 121 . When step S 121  is carried out after the license file is acquired, the product ID included in the license file may be designated in step S 121 . 
     Thereafter, the package managing server  60 B returns the package of the application B which follows the product ID to the apparatus managing server  10 B in step S 122 . Thereafter, the apparatus managing server  10 B sends the installation request of the acquired application B to the target apparatus  20  in step S 123 . The target apparatus  20  carries out the installation request of the application B which is received along with the installation request in step S 124 . 
     Next, step S 124  carried out by the image forming apparatus  20 A in  FIG. 8  is described in detail. 
       FIG. 9  is a flow chart of installing the application B in the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
     The installation request of the application B from the apparatus managing server  10 B is received by the license communication control unit  221 B in step S 201 . This is because the license communication control unit  221 A and the license communication control unit  221 B open their ports having different port numbers, and the apparatus managing servers  10 A and  10 B know the corresponding port numbers. The license communication control unit  221 B outputs the application B received along with the installation request to the package converting unit  224 . 
     The package converting unit  224  converts the package type of the application B to the package type A in step S 202 . As described above, the differences of the license managing methods are based on differences of data forms of the license data, encoding of the license files, encryption methods or the like. Therefore, the package types differ in data forms of the license data, encoding of the license files, encryption methods or the like. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a structural example of the package type A. Referring to  FIG. 10 , the package (archival file) of the package type A includes the application information file, the application file, and the like. 
     The application file is an executable code of the application. The application information file records attribute information of the application. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a structural example of an application information file. Referring to  FIG. 11 , the application information file records information indicative of the product ID, the flag of license management, and the license managing method. The flag of license management is information indicative of whether the application is under the license management. If the application is under the license management, the flag of license management is true. If not, the flag of license management is false. In the embodiment, the license managing methods A and B are exemplified. Especially, in both of the license managing methods, there are applications of free software which can be used without acquiring the licenses. The flag of license management is indicated as “false” as to the application of the free software. 
     As to the conversion, the package converting unit  224  converts the package type of the application B to the package type A illustrated in  FIG. 10 . Referring to  FIG. 10 , the application information file is generated when necessary. How to acquire the information recorded in the application information file differs depending on the package types of the application. When a file corresponding to the application information is included in the application B, the application information may be extracted from the file. The value of the license managing method of the application information file may designate the license managing method B. When the package type is converted to the application A, the application is originally the application B related to the license method B. 
     The package converting unit  224  inputs the converted application B of which package type has been converted as described above into the A-method installing unit  225  with a remote installation via the network based on the communication interface of the A-method installing unit  225 . 
     Thereafter, the A-method installing unit  225  carries out the installation of the converted application B which has been converted to the package type A in step S 203 . The A-method installing unit  225  updates application management information during the installation. The application management information may be a list of the product IDs and the destinations for installing the applications. The application management information is recorded in the HDD  214 . 
     When the application B is installed, the package type is converted to the package type A and the converted application is installed. On the other hand, the installation request for the application A is directly input in the A-method installing unit  225 . The package type A is installed without converting the package type. Therefore, the application installed in the image forming apparatus  20 A is managed as the package type A irrespective of the original package types of A or B. Said differently, the application information file and the application file are associated and managed. 
     Next, step S 108  carried out by the image forming apparatus  20 A in  FIG. 5  is described in detail. 
       FIG. 12  is a flow chart for setting the license in the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
     The request for setting the license from the apparatus managing server  10 A or  10 B to the image forming apparatus  20  is received by the license communication control unit  221 A or the license communication control unit  221 B in step S 301 . The request for setting the license from the apparatus managing server  10 A is received by the license communication control unit  221 A of the image forming apparatus  20 A. The request for setting the license from the apparatus managing server  10 B is received by the license communication control unit  221 B of the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
     The license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B which has received the request for setting the license processes the license file received by the request for setting the license with the license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B using the corresponding license managing method. The license file may be recorded in a predetermined memory region of the HDD  214 . The license file may be recorded in a predetermined memory region of the RAM  212 . The license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B requests the license management integrating unit  223  to set the license. At this time, the license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B reports the identifier of the license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B, information for identifying the license managing method of the license file which is to be processed, and the product ID received in accordance with the request for setting the license to the license management integrating unit  223 . 
     Next, license management integrating unit  223  determines whether the application (hereinafter, referred to as “target, application”) corresponding to the target product ID is installed in the image forming apparatus  20 A based on the application management information in step S 302 . When the target application is installed in YES of step S 302 , the license management integrating unit  223  reads the application information file corresponding to the target application in step S 303 . 
     Next, the license management integrating unit  223  compares the target product ID with the product ID recorded in the application information file. When the product IDs match in YES of step S 304 , the license management integrating unit  223  determines whether the license of target application is managed based on the flag of license management is step  5305 . When the license of the target application is managed in YES of step S 305 , namely the flag of license management is true, the license management integrating unit  223  determines the value of the license managing method of the target application matches the identifier of the license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B from which the license is requested to set in step S 306 . Matching of the identifiers is realized when the name of the license managing method of the application information file has a part like “A” or “B” common to a part of the identifiers of the license communication control unit  221 A or  221 B from which the license is requested to set. 
     When the identifiers match as described above in YES of step S 306 , the license management integrating unit  223  selects the license managing unit  222 A or  222 B which corresponds to the license managing method of the target application to make the license managing unit  222 A or  222 B set the license in step S 307 . The license management integrating unit  223  requests the selected license managing unit  222 A or  222 B to set the license. 
     The license managing unit  222 A or  222 B in which the license is requested to be set decrypts or decodes the license file recorded in the predetermined memory region, reads the decrypted or decoded license file, and determines whether the license file is effective in step S 308 . For example, it is confirmed whether the license validated date ends. It is different for each license managing method or for each license managing unit  222 A or  222 B which memory region the license file is read from, how the license file is decrypted or decoded, how the validity is determined, and so on. 
     When the license file is valid in YES of step S 308 , the license managing unit  222  sets the license in the target application in step S 309 . Specific processes of setting the license differ for each license managing method or for each license managing unit  222 A or  222 B. However, the license managing methods are common in being able to use the information recorded in the license files or the license files. For example, the license file to be processed may be stored in the memory region in which the license file used for checking the license is stored, or the content recorded in the license file is copied to a predetermined table. 
     On the other hand, in NO respectively of steps S 302 , S 304 , S 305 , S 306  or S 308 , the license management integrating unit  223  or the selected license managing unit  222 A or  222 B stops setting the license in step S 310 . Therefore, the license file does not become usable. 
     Next, how the application is invoked is described.  FIG. 13  is a flow chart for invoking the application in the image forming apparatus  20 A. 
     The operation controlling unit  226  receives a request for invoking the application through a screen displayed on the operation panel  25  in step S 401 . The screen may be a list of the applications installed in the image forming apparatus  20 . The operation controlling unit  226  designates the product ID (hereinafter, referred to as “target product ID”) of the application which is to be invoked, and requests the license management integrating unit  223  to invoke the application. 
     The license management integrating unit  223  determines whether the application (hereinafter, referred to as “target application”) corresponding to the target product ID is installed based on the application management information in step S 402 . When the target application is installed in YES of step S 402 , the license management integrating unit  223  reads the application information file corresponding to the target application in step S 403 . 
     Next, the license management integrating unit  223  compares the target product ID with the product ID recorded in the application information file in step S 404 . When the both of the product IDs match in YES of step S 404 , the license management integrating unit  223  determines whether the license of target application is managed based on the flag of license management of the application information file in step S 405 . 
     When the license of the target application is managed in YES of step S 405 , namely the flag of license management is “true”, the license management integrating unit  223  selects the license managing unit  222 A or  222 B corresponding to the license managing method of the target application to make the license managing unit  222 A or  222 B determine whether the target application is invoked in step S 406 . The license management integrating unit  223  requests the selected license managing unit  222 A or  222 B to determine whether the target application is invoked by designating the target product ID. 
     The license managing unit  222 A or  222 B which receives the request for determining whether the application is invoked determines whether the target application is invoked with the process corresponding to the license managing method corresponding to the license managing unit  222 A or  222 B in step S 407 . For example, it is confirmed whether the license file corresponding to the designated product ID exists or whether the license validated date expires. 
     When the license managing unit  222  determines that the application can be invoked, the license management integrating unit  223  invokes the target application in step S 408 . 
     On the other hand, in NO of step S 402 , NO of step S 404 , and NO of step S 407 , the invocation of the target application is refused in step S 409 . 
     As described, the image forming apparatus  20 A of the embodiment can install both of the applications A and B and set the licenses of both of the applications A and B. Therefore, in reference to  FIG. 1 , the licenses for the image forming apparatus  20 A can be managed by the apparatus managing server  10 B, the license managing server  50 B, and the package managing server  60 B even though the apparatus managing server  10 A and the license managing server  50 A do not exist as the components of the apparatus managing system  1 . This means that the licenses can be totally managed for the image forming apparatuses  20 A and  20 B which follow the different license managing methods. Therefore, the licenses can be simply managed in an environment in which image forming apparatuses following plural license managing methods exist. 
     In the embodiment, there has been described an example in which the two license managing methods exist for easiness of the explanation. However, the number of the license managing methods may be three or more. 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority or inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     This patent application is based on Japanese Priority Patent Application No. 2009-203929 filed on Sep. 3, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.