Patent ID: 8396388

Claim:
A system for controlling operation of a printer, the system comprising: a printer capable of performing a plurality of print functions, the printer comprising a plurality of software, each software for enabling a corresponding print function of the printer; an external memory detachably mounted on the printer, the external memory storing authentication information authorizing the printer to enable one or more sets of the print functions; a reader for reading information on the availability of the set of print functions authorized by the stored authentication information; a function setting unit for setting up operability of each software of the plurality of software corresponding to the set of print functions authorized by the stored authentication information based on the availability information read in the reader; and a controller for controlling the operation of the printer based on the operability of each software set up in the function setting unit; wherein all users of the printer have access to all of the print functions authorized by the authentication information stored in the external memory when the external memory is mounted on the printer; and wherein the plurality of print functions include at lest one print function among emulation, manual mode, printing on both sides, printing without margins, printing multiple pages on one page, toner saving and paper type setting.