| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which eliminates the need to register user authentication information into all image forming apparatus in a network environment and which prevents a registered user from fraudulently using an unintended image forming apparatus, and to provide an image forming system. <P>SOLUTION: In the case where a user name is not registered as a result of searching the user name inputted through a user authentication screen (NO in S603), an another image forming apparatus in which the user name may be registered is requested to alternatively authenticate the user (S621 to S625). When a reply saying "OK" is made by the image forming apparatus (YES in S627), the determination is made that the result of the authentication is "OK" (step S611) and the authentication process is terminated. When the result of authentication is not "OK" even though all the image forming apparatuses registered in alternative authentication device registration table are requested to alternatively authenticate the user (YES in S631), "NO" is given as the result of the authentication and the authentication process is terminated (S633). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
