Patent ID: 8570570

Claim:
An image forming apparatus connected to a network, comprising: an image scanning unit configured to create an image data file; a file reception unit configured to receive the image data file from the image scanning unit; a meta data file creating unit configured to create a first meta data file and a second meta data file; a file delivery unit configured to transmit the first meta data file, the image data file, and the second meta data file to a file delivery apparatus connected to the network; a transmission file name creating unit configured to create a transmission file name including a common part among the first meta data file, the image data file, and the second meta data file; and a control unit configured to (1) provide the transmission file name including the common part to the first meta data file corresponding to the image data file, (2) transmit the first meta data file to the file delivery apparatus via the file delivery unit, (3) provide the transmission file name including the common part to the image data file, (4) transmit the image data file to the file delivery apparatus via the file delivery unit, (5) provide the transmission file name including the common part to the second meta data file corresponding to the image data file, and (6) transmit the second meta data file to the file delivery apparatus via the file delivery unit.