Patent ID: 7859700

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a system information obtaining part obtaining system information identifying which hardware resources of the image forming apparatus that are available to be configured, the system information corresponding to a plurality of function options available to be selectively set for a predetermined process conducted by said hardware resources; a transmitting part transmitting said system information in response to an request from a second apparatus that is connected through a network; an input part displaying a screen providing input options generated based on the system information and receiving user selections from the screen as input parameters; a process controlling part controlling said predetermined process of said hardware resources based on the input parameters while no setting parameter has been received and based on the setting parameter in response to receiving, from the second apparatus, the setting parameter indicating a selected function option of the plurality of the function options that the second apparatus displays based on said system information; and a screen generating part generating screen information for displaying on the second apparatus the plurality of the function options based on said system information showing the plurality of the function options available for the predetermined process.