Patent ID: 7016066

Claim:
An image output control apparatus which is connected to a first image output device and a second image output device through a communication medium, and which can control image outputting by said first and second image output devices, the apparatus comprising: a display control unit adapted to display on a display unit a screen by which a user can input a limiting value of the number of output copies in the first image output device; a memory unit adapted to store the limiting value input by the user; a reception unit adapted to receive image data to be image-output and information representing the number of output copies; and an output mode selection unit adapted to select either one of a first image output mode for outputting the received image data by using the first image output device, and a second image output mode for outputting the received image data by using both the first and second image output devices, wherein said output mode selection unit selects the first image output mode when the number of output copies represented by the information received by said reception unit does not exceed the limiting value stored in said memory unit, and selects the second image output mode when the number of output copies represented by the information received by said reception unit exceeds the limiting value stored in said memory unit.