Patent ID: 8782737

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a document transport unit configured to transport a document placed thereon; a confirmation unit configured to confirm whether a detachable recording medium is connected to the apparatus and whether the document is placed on the document transport unit; an authentication control unit configured to control an authentication and, when the authentication is succeeded, switches an authentication status from a non-authenticated mode to an authenticated mode; and a function execution unit configured to execute a function, while the authentication status is the authenticated mode, wherein, during the authenticated mode, the authentication control unit is configured to control a switching of the authentication status from the authenticated mode to the non-authenticated mode based on i) a status indicating each of whether the recording medium is connected and a status indicating whether the document is placed on the document transport unit during the non-authenticated mode, and ii) a status indicating each of whether the recording medium is connected and a status indicating whether the document is placed on the document transport unit during the authenticated mode.