Patent ID: 7952733

Claim:
An image transfer system, comprising: a plurality of printers to connect to a network to output image data received through the network, and to send a searching inquiry response including a respective network address in response to a searching inquiry request; and an information terminal device to broadcast the searching inquiry request through the network to each of the printers, the searching inquiry request instructing the printers that a time period for transmission of a communication start request has begun, to broadcast, after receipt of a communication start request from one of the printers selected at the information terminal device and identified by a print request command sent to the selected printer, a searching inquiry complete notification to each of the printers instructing the printers that the time period for transmission of the communication start request has ended and to refrain from transmission of a communication start request, and to broadcast, after one of the printers is selected from a console of one of the printers and a communication start request is received from the selected printer, the searching inquiry complete notification to each of the printers.