Patent ID: 8605301

Claim:
An image processing apparatus connected to one or a plurality of second image processing apparatuses, the image processing apparatus comprising: a reading unit that reads images of multiple pages of originals; an acquiring unit that acquires, as device information, from the one or the plurality of connected second image processing apparatuses, at least a discharge direction indicating either face-up discharge in which printed sheets are sequentially discharged with the printed side up or face-down discharge in which printed sheets are sequentially discharged with the printed side down, information on whether the one or the plurality of second image processing apparatuses includes a duplex printing mechanism for printing images on both sides of a sheet by reversing the sheet, and information on whether the one or the plurality of second image processing apparatuses includes a storage unit for storing transmitted images; a transmission control unit that determines a second image processing apparatus which takes charge of part of a printing process of the read images and images to be transmitted to the second image processing apparatus based on the acquired device information, and transmits the determined images to the determined second image processing apparatus; a printing control unit that determines printing order according to the acquired device information, and transmits an instruction to print the images in the determined printing order to the second image processing apparatus; and a storage unit storing a print instruction table, the print instruction table storing a plurality of combinations of the discharge direction, the information on whether the one or the plurality of second image processing apparatuses includes the duplex printing mechanism, and the information on whether the one or the plurality of second image processing apparatuses includes the storage unit each of the plurality of combinations stored in association with a predetermined image transmission order, a predetermined printing order, and a predetermined presence or absence of reversal by duplex printing mechanism, wherein the transmission control unit determines the images to be transmitted to the second image processing apparatus by referencing the print instruction table, and the printing control unit determines the printing order by referencing the print instruction table.