Image formation management system, image formation management method, and storage medium

Abstract

A disclosed image formation management system includes image forming apparatuses and a local management apparatus connected via a network to the image forming apparatuses. Each of the image forming apparatuses includes a user information storing unit storing user information of users, a management information storing unit storing a current number of image formation pages and a maximum number of image formation pages of each of the users, and an image formation control unit configured to authenticate the users based on the user information and to limit image formation by each of the authenticated users based on the current number of image formation pages and the maximum number of image formation pages. The local management apparatus is configured to manage the user information and the maximum numbers of image formation pages of the users of the image forming apparatuses.

1 . A method of limiting an output of output objects for a plurality of output apparatuses, comprising:
 providing an upper limit information of an output for a plurality of users belonging to a group;   obtaining, based on a user identification information, a current performance of a group to which a user regarding the user identification information belongs thereto;   determining whether to limit the output by comparing the current performance of the group with the upper limit information of the group; and   limiting the output based on a result of the determination.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user identification information includes one of the user name and a card identification information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group is arranged in a hierarchy with other group. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising limiting the output if the current performance reaches the upper limit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting to obtain a list of the plurality of output apparatuses belonging to the group; and   sending the list to an information management unit.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 sending a request for a current number of printed pages to each of the output apparatuses belonging to the group; and   obtaining a total number of printed pages by adding up the current number of printed pages.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising obtaining and sending a request for a previous total number of printed pages to the group. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein obtaining the current number of printed pages of users from the output apparatuses is at regular intervals. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 calculating the total number of printed pages for each group of users; and   determining whether the total number of printed pages is equal to or larger than a total maximum number of output objects assigned to the group.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein if the total number of printed pages is equal to or larger than the total maximum number of output objects, requesting the output apparatuses belonging to the group to set the print permission information of the corresponding users in the list to false. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 obtaining a weight information;   calculating a weighted total number of printed pages based on the total number of printed pages, the previous total number of printed pages, and the weight information.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising determining whether the weighted total number of printed pages is equal to or larger than the weighted total number of output objects in the upper limit group information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein if the weighted total number of printed pages is equal to or larger than the weighted total maximum number of output objects, requesting the output apparatuses belonging to the group to set the print permission information of the corresponding users in the list to false. 
     
     
         14 . An output management system, comprising:
 a plurality of output apparatuses; and   a management apparatus connected via a network to the output apparatuses and configured to manage the use of the output apparatuses,   wherein the management apparatus is configured to:   provide an upper limit information of an output for a plurality of users belonging to a group,   obtain, based on a user identification information, a current performance of a group to which a user regarding the user identification information belongs thereto;   determine whether to limit the output, and compare the current performance of the group with the upper limit information of the group; and   limit the output based on a result of the determination.   
     
     
         15 . The output management system according to  claim 14 , wherein the management apparatus further comprises a print permission control unit to obtain a list of the plurality of output apparatuses belonging to the group, and sends a request for a list of groups to a group information retrieving unit. 
     
     
         16 . The output management system according to  claim 15 , wherein the print permission control unit further sends a request for a current number of printed pages to each of the output apparatuses belonging to the group, and obtains a total number of printed pages by adding up the current number of printed pages. 
     
     
         17 . The output management system according to  claim 16 , wherein the print permission control unit obtains and sends a request for a previous total number of printed pages to the group. 
     
     
         18 . The output management system according to  claim 16 , wherein the print permission control unit calculates the total number of printed pages for each group of users; and determines whether the total number of printed pages is equal to or larger than a total maximum number of output objects assigned to the group. 
     
     
         19 . The output management system according to  claim 18 , wherein if the total number of printed pages is equal to or larger than the total maximum number of output objects, the print permission control unit requests the output apparatuses belonging to the group to set the print permission information of the corresponding users in the list to false. 
     
     
         20 . The output management system of  claim 14 , wherein the management apparatus further comprises a permission control unit configured to obtain a current number of image formation pages of the users belonging to each of the groups from the output apparatuses at regular intervals, to calculate a total number of image formation pages of each of the groups by adding up the current number of image formation pages, to determine whether a total number of image formation pages is equal to or larger than a total maximum number of image formation pages, and to request the output apparatuses to set the image formation permission information of the users belonging to the each of the groups to false if the total number of image formation pages is equal to or larger than the total maximum number of image formation pages.