IMAGE FORMATION SYSTEM AND IMAGE FORMATION METHOD

摘要

A method comprises: sending a transmission instruction to send status information indicating a state of an image formation apparatus; receiving a status information in response to the transmission instruction; determining, based on the status information, whether to permit a lock instruction to be sent causing the image formation apparatus to shift to a locked state in which only image formation instructed by a first external apparatus is executable; sending the lock instruction when the lock instruction is permitted to be sent; causing the image formation apparatus to shift to the locked state in accordance with the sent lock instruction; sending an unlock instruction to cancel the locked state; and causing the image formation apparatus to shift to an unlocked state in accordance with the sent unlock instruction. The lock instruction is permitted to be sent when the image formation apparatus is determined to not be in the locked state.

主权项

1. An image formation system including at least an image formation apparatus, a first external apparatus, and a second external apparatus, the image formation system comprising:
a status information transmission instruction unit configured to send a status information transmission instruction to send status information indicating a state of the image formation apparatus; a processor configured to send the status information in response to the sent status information transmission instruction; a status information processor configured to receive the status information; a determination unit configured to determine whether to permit a lock instruction to be sent based on the status information received by the status information processor, the lock instruction causing the image formation apparatus to shift to a locked state in which image formation instructed by only a first external apparatus is executable; a lock instruction unit configured to send the lock instruction when the determination unit permits; a lock unit configured to cause the image formation apparatus to shift to the locked state in accordance with the sent lock instruction; an unlock instruction unit configured to send an unlock instruction to cancel the locked state; and an unlock unit configured to cause the image formation apparatus to shift to an unlocked state in accordance with the sent unlock instruction wherein the determination unit permits the lock instruction to be sent when determining that the image formation apparatus is not in the locked state on the basis of the status information.