Patent ID: 8024654

Claim:
A layout diagram generating apparatus, comprising: a data obtaining unit configured to obtain data, the data including layout data relating to layout of a user and a device and log data relating to a job performed by or to be performed by the device; a layout diagram generating unit configured to generate a layout diagram illustrating the layout of the user and the device based on the layout data, the layout diagram including a user object representing the user and a device object representing the device; a line data generating unit configured to generate line data based on the log data, the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as a line object connecting the user object and the device object; and an analyzing unit configured to analyze an access level of a logged user, wherein the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as the line object is determined according to the access level of the logged user, and each of the above units is implemented as hardware or as a hardware/software combination.