Image forming apparatus, information setting system, and information setting method

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus, setting information is stored in a storage part for a function which the, image forming apparatus operates based on the setting information. An acquisition request of common setting information is sent to an information processing apparatus including the common setting information in common with multiple of the image forming apparatuses connected through a network. The common setting information is received from the information processing apparatus. The common setting information received by the receiving part is set in the setting information stored in the storage part.

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a storage part configured to store setting information for a function which the image forming apparatus operates based on the setting information;   a sending part configured to send an acquisition request of common setting information to an information processing apparatus including the common setting information in common with multiple of the image forming apparatuses connected through a network;   a receiving part configured to receive the common setting information from the information processing apparatus; and   an update control part configured to control setting the common setting information received by the receiving part in the setting information stored in the storage part.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sending part is configured to send authentication information before sending the acquisition request, and to send the acquisition request when an authentication is successful at the information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the update control part is configured to control the sending part to send the acquisition request when the image forming apparatus is turned on. 
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the update control part is configured to control the sending part to send the acquisition request at a predetermined time interval. 
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the update control part determines whether to acquire the common setting information when a device abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a notice part configured to send a notice indicating a failure and a reason of the failure to an administrator of the image forming apparatus, when the update control part fails setting the common setting information. 
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the update control part is configured to determine whether a setting value in the common setting information is settable in the image forming apparatus when the common setting information is set. 
     
     
         8 . An information setting system, comprising:
 multiple image forming apparatuses each of which operates based on setting information for a function stored in a first storage part; and   an information processing apparatus connectable to the multiple image forming apparatuses through a network,   wherein said information processing apparatus includes   a second storage part configured to store common setting information in common with the multiple image forming apparatuses connected through the network; and   a communication part configured to send the common setting information to the multiple image forming apparatuses, when receiving an acquisition request of the common setting information from the multiple image forming apparatuses, and   each of the multiple image forming apparatuses includes   a sending part configured to send an acquisition request of the common setting information to the information processing apparatus;   a receiving part configured to receive the common setting information from the information processing apparatus; and   an update control part configured to control setting the common setting information received by the receiving part in the setting information stored in the first storage part.   
     
     
         9 . The information setting system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the sending part is configured to send authentication information before sending the acquisition request, and to send the acquisition request when an authentication is successful at the information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The information setting system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the update control part is configured to control the sending part to send the acquisition request when each of the multiple image forming apparatuses is turned on. 
     
     
         11 . The information setting system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the update control part is configured to control the sending part to send the acquisition request at a predetermined time interval. 
     
     
         12 . The information setting system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the update control part determines whether to acquire the common setting information when a device abnormality occurs in at least one of the multiple image forming apparatuses. 
     
     
         13 . The information setting system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each of the multiple image forming apparatuses further includes a notice part configured to send a notice indicating a failure and a reason of the failure to an administrator of the multiple image forming apparatuses, when the update control part fails setting the common setting information. 
     
     
         14 . The information setting system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the update control part is configured to determine whether a setting value in the common setting information is settable in each of the multiple image forming apparatuses when the common setting information is set. 
     
     
         15 . An information setting method performed in an image forming apparatus which operates based on setting information for a function stored in a storage part, said information setting method comprising:
 sending an acquisition request of common setting information to an information processing apparatus including the common setting information in common with multiple of the image forming apparatuses connected through a network;   receiving the common setting information from the information processing apparatus; and   controlling setting the common setting information received by the receiving part in the setting information stored in the storage part.