Patent ID: 7295790

Claim:
An image forming apparatus including a plurality of selective usable functions, comprising: an input device configured to input image data; a detector configured to detect a predetermined image data included in the input image data; a sensor configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal to a memory card within a predetermined vicinity of the image forming apparatus and to receive identification information of the user from the memory card, the memory card being configured to be carried by a user of the image forming apparatus; a memory configured to store predetermined function information, the predetermined function information being associated with the identification information of a predetermined user and defining functions of the image forming apparatus which the predetermined user is authorized to use; and a controller that, when the predetermined image data is detected by the detector, is configured to restrict the functions of the image forming apparatus, based on the predetermined function information stored in the memory that is associated with the identification information of the predetermined user received by the sensor, and to perform image processing on the input image data including the predetermined image data, based on the restricted functions, the controller, when the user selects a function other than the restricted functions, being further configured to select, from the restricted functions, a substitute function for the function selected by the user.