Patent ID: 8185035

Claim:
An image forming system in which an image reading device, an image forming device, and a bookbinding apparatus are connected, comprising: a sheet-unique information-reading unit configured to read sheet-unique information from a sheet to be used for making a book based on image data, the sheet-unique information representing an interference pattern reflected by asperities on a surface of the sheet, the sheet-unique information, consequently, being unique to the sheet due to an arrangement of the asperities on the surface of the sheet, and the sheet-unique information-reading unit comprising a light emitting unit configured to emit light on the sheet, and an image sensor configured to receive the corresponding interference pattern; a storage unit configured to store the sheet-unique information read by said sheet-unique information-reading unit in association with the image data; and a control unit configured to cause the image data stored in association with the sheet-unique information in said storage unit to be output to said image forming device for printing of the book on at least the sheet read by said sheet-unique information-reading unit; wherein the sheet-unique information-reading unit is a second sheet-unique information-reading unit disposed in the bookbinding apparatus, wherein the image forming system further comprises a first sheet-unique information-reading unit configured to read sheet-unique information representing an interference pattern and disposed in the image reading device, wherein, after the control unit causes the image data stored in association with the sheet-unique information in said storage unit to be output to said image forming device and the book is printed, (a) said first sheet-unique information reading unit is configured to read subsequent sheet-unique information from a sheet of a book inputted by a user for scanning, (b) said control unit is configured to compare the subsequent sheet-unique information with the sheet-unique information stored in said storage unit, and if there is a match, said control unit is configured to cause the image data stored in association with the sheet-unique information in said storage unit to be output to said image forming device for printing of a subsequent copy of the book.