Patent ID: 7286250

Claim:
A client apparatus for transmitting print data to a printer such that the printer prints out the print data and for performing user authentication processing in print processing, comprising: a job combination unit for combining a plurality of print jobs into a single combined print job; a request unit for, by means of a printer driver, issuing a request, including an input user ID, to an authentication server for obtaining permission to print the single combined print job combined by said job combination unit; and a transmission control unit in which a printer driver controls a process so that, when permission is obtained from the authentication server, print data based upon the single combined print job is generated by means of the printer driver and transmitted to a printer, but when permission is not obtained from the authentication server (i) the print data based upon the single combined print job is not generated by means of the printer driver and (ii) an indication that permission was not obtained from the authentication server is transmitted to a job accounting application by means of the printer driver.