DEVICE COOPERATION SYSTEM, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND FUNCTION PROVIDING METHOD

摘要

In a device cooperation system, devices connected via a network take partial charge of providing a function. A first device acquires image data to be output; receives a condition used when the first device and a second device output the image data; stores a possible output amount that can be output by the first device; determines whether a total page number, which is obtained from the condition and a number of pages of the acquired image data, is less than or equal to the possible output amount; determines first and second output numbers to be respectively allocated to the first and second devices; sends the image data and the second output number to the second device; and updates the possible output amount according to a number output by the first and second devices.