Patent ID: 8264713

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a delivery instruction receiving unit configured to receive a delivery instruction indicating how to transmit requested data responsive to a delivery request from a request originator for data, the delivery instruction including delivery settings including a delivery mode indicating a delivery type for transmitting the requested data and corresponding values indicating predetermined characteristics of the delivery type for transmitting the requested data; a memory that stores a table storing elements of the delivery settings including the delivery mode indicating at least one delivery type available for transmitting the requested data and the corresponding values indicating the predetermined characteristics of the at least one delivery type available for transmitting the requested data; a converting unit configured to obtain a first value indicating the delivery type for transmitting the requested data, and to convert the first value into a second value indicating the corresponding predetermined characteristics of the delivery type for transmitting the requested data from the table, such that the requested data is transmitted without a user changing the delivery mode in the delivery settings; and a delivering unit configured to transmit the requested data in accordance with the received delivery instruction and the delivery mode including the predetermined characteristic of the delivery type for transmitting the requested data.