Patent ID: 7760380

Claim:
An image forming apparatus which is connected, through a network, to a first image forming apparatus having a function for obtaining a storage location of original data corresponding to a document image in which location identification information is contained, the image forming apparatus comprising: a designation unit adapted to designate a desired function from a plurality of kinds of functions; a scan unit adapted to scan the document image containing the location identification information; a document image transmission unit adapted to transmit the document image scanned by said scan unit to the first image forming apparatus through the network for causing the first image forming apparatus to obtain the storage location of the original data from the location identification information contained in the transmitted document image and to obtain original data identification information for identifying the original data based on the obtained storage location of the original data in a case where the function designated by said designation unit is the function for obtaining the storage location of the original data; an original data identification information reception unit adapted to receive the original data identification information of the original data corresponding to the document image, transmitted by said document image transmission unit, from the first image forming apparatus through the network; a selection unit adapted to select the original data identification information received by said original data identification information reception unit based on an instruction for selecting the original data to be received; an instruction unit adapted to instruct the first image forming apparatus to search the original data corresponding to the original data identification information selected by said selection unit and to transmit the searched original data to said image forming apparatus; and a reception unit adapted to receive the searched original data, corresponding to the original data identification information selected by said selection unit, transmitted from said first image forming apparatus.