Patent ID: 8089645

Claim:
An image processing apparatus which receives print data from an information processing device connected thereto via a communications network, together with sender information on the information processing device, develops the print data in a printable data form and prints out the data through an image forming portion, comprising: a confidential print determining portion for determining whether the print data is confidential print data; a storage for storing the confidential print data detected by the confidential print determining portion and ID information transmitted with the confidential print data; an input control portion for allowing for input of the ID information for executing a printing process of the confidential print data; and a controller having the function that, when detecting input of the ID information, outputs confidential print data corresponding to the input ID information and the function of causing the image forming portion to transition from normal power status to power saving status when no print request has been made to the image processing apparatus for a fixed period of time or longer, characterized in that in a process by which the image forming portion transitions from the normal power status to the power saving status, after the confidential print data is stored in the storage, the controller gives notice that the image forming portion will transition to the power saving status, to the information processing device before the transition; wherein when receiving an extension request from the information processing device to postpone the transition of the image forming portion to the power saving status after having given notice of the transition of the image forming portion to the power saving status to the information processing device, the controller delays the transition of the image forming portion to the power saving status, and when the controller gives notice of the transition of the image forming portion to the power saving status to the information processing device and receives no extension request to postpone the transition from the information processing device, the controller deletes the confidential print data transmitted from the information processing device, from the storage.