Patent ID: 8400647

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a controller unit that executes various processes to form an image; a display unit that includes a display and displays an operation screen for receiving an operation instruction of the processes from a user on the display; and a generation unit that generates the operation screen, wherein the controller unit includes a storage unit that stores therein screen configuration data including information on a display element that forms the operation screen and information on coordinates representing a display position of the display element on a basic display screen, a determination unit that detects a change of a configuration of the image forming apparatus and determines whether the operation screen needs to be updated based on a content of the detected change, a screen-configuration-data acquisition unit that acquires, when it is determined that an update of the operation screen is needed, screen configuration data corresponding to an operation screen after the update from the storage unit, and a first communication unit that transmits the acquired screen configuration data to the display unit, the display unit includes a display controller that displays a first operation screen that is an operation screen before the update on the display, and a second communication unit that receives the screen configuration data from the first communication unit, the generation unit determines whether display text is included in the received screen configuration data, sends, via the second communication unit, a request for acquisition of character font data corresponding to the display text, in response to determining that display text is included in the received screen configuration data, and generates second operation screen data that is screen configuration data for a second operation screen based on the received screen configuration data and configuration information related to the display unit, the display controller updates the first operation screen to the second operation screen based on the second operation screen data, and the generating unit converts the coordinates representing the display position of the display element on the basic display screen into coordinates representing a display position of the display element on the display depending on ratio of vertical size and ratio of horizontal size between the basic display screen and the display to generate the second operation screen data.