Patent ID: 8510856

Claim:
An image processing device for performing an image-related process about an image, comprising: an access right information storage for storing first access right information which indicates permission of using one or more functions of the image processing device in the image processing device for each user; an access right information searching portion for searching in the access right information storage for first access right information of a user who wants to use the one or more functions of the image processing device; a use permission determining portion for determining whether or not use of the one or more functions of the image processing device should be permitted for the user in accordance with the first access right information of the user if the first access right information of the user is found by the access right information searching portion; an image-related process control portion for controlling the image processing device so that an image-related process of the image processing device designated by the user can be performed when the use permission determining portion produces a determination result indicating that the user can use the one or more functions of the image processing device; a determination request portion for requesting an authentication server via a network to act as the use permission determining portion if the first access right information does not allow the user to use the one or more functions of the image processing device, the authentication server storing second access right information, which indicates permission of use of the one or more functions of the image processing device in the image processing device for each user in accordance with the second access right information; and wherein, when the authentication server produces a determination result indicating that the user can use the image processing device for the one or more functions and the image processing device receives the determination result by the authentication server from the authentication server, the image-related process control portion controls the image processing device so that the image-related process of the image processing device designated by the user can be performed in accordance with the second access right information for the user.