Patent ID: 7376966

Claim:
An unauthorized usage monitoring system for monitoring unauthorized usage of an image processing device, which performs image processing in response to a request for image processing, comprising: an identification means for identifying a user who requests image processing; a storage means capable of storing information in which the user identified by the identification means is associated with at least a portion of the image data for which the user requested image processing; and a determination means for determining whether or not to carry out information storage to the storage means; wherein the determination means uses an information storage ratio that is set based on a tendency for unauthorized usage of the image processing device corresponding to an environmental condition to determine whether or not to carry out information storage to the storage means, wherein the environmental condition for setting the information storage ratio is the number of people in a space in which the image processing device is installed, and wherein, in determining whether or not to carry out information storage to the storage means, the determination means uses an information storage ratio that is higher for lower numbers of people in the space in which the image processing device is installed.