Patent ID: 8863264

Claim:
An image forming apparatus which stores therein a cache data table including user information for identifying a user, the apparatus comprising: a user information obtaining unit configured to obtain user information; a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the obtained user information corresponds to the user information included in the cache data table; a display unit configured to, in response to a determination that the obtained user information does not correspond to the user information included in the cache data table, display, on a display device, the user information which is included in the cache data table and can be an approved user such that use of the image forming apparatus by a user identified by the user information is approved; an accepting unit configured to accept a selection of the displayed user information; an approved user determining unit configured to determine whether or not user information further obtained by the user information obtaining unit according to the selection of the displayed user information is coincident with the user information of the approved user included in the cache data table; and a use permission unit configured to, in a case where coincidence is determined by the approved user determining unit, permit the user, for which the user information is determined by the determining unit not to be included in the cache data table, to use the image forming apparatus.