Information processing apparatus and information processing method

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to input (i) forming information related to a layout, (ii) a plurality of objects, and (iii) a policy, the policy including information on permission of usage of the plurality of objects, information on allowance of usage related to a layout for the plurality of objects and information on the dependency relationship between the plurality of objects;

a first determination unit configured to determine based on the policy, for each of the plurality of objects, whether or not the usage of the object is permitted;

a second determination unit configured to determine based on the policy whether or not the forming information satisfies an allowed layout;

a first setting unit configured to set a status of the object as a consumable object in the case that the first determination unit determines that the usage of the object is permitted and the second determination unit determines that the forming information satisfies the allowed layout, and to set the status of the object as a non-consumable object in the case that the second determination unit determines that the forming information does not satisfy the allowed layout or the first determination unit determines that the usage of object is not permitted;

a second setting unit configured to set, using the information on the dependency relationship between the plurality of objects included in the policy, the status of the object as a non-consumable object when the object is dependent on a non-consumable object; and

an output unit adapted to lay out and output the objects whose statuses are set as consumable objects, wherein the output unit does not output the objects whose statuses are set as non-consumable objects,

wherein one of the first determination unit, the second determination unit, the first setting unit, and the second setting unit comprises a processor.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the layout information is at least one of a position in which an object is located, a size to which an object is formed, a transformation specification of an object, an output intensity of an object, and overlap information between objects.

3. An information processing method comprising the steps of: inputting (i) forming information related to a layout, (ii) a plurality of objects, and (iii) a policy which includes information on permission of usage of the plurality of objects, information on allowance of usage related to a layout for the plurality of objects and information on the dependency relationship between the plurality of objects;

determining in a first determining step, based on the policy, for each of the plurality of objects, whether or not the usage of the object is permitted;

determining in a second determining step, based on the policy whether or not the forming information satisfies an allowed layout;

setting a status of the object as a consumable object in the case that the first determination step determines that the usage of the object is permitted and the second determination step determines that the forming information satisfies the allowed layout, and setting the status of the object as a non-consumable object in the case that the second determination step determines that the forming information does not satisfy the allowed layout or the first determination step determines that the usage of object is not permitted;

setting, using the information on the dependency relationship between the plurality of objects included in the policy, the status of the object as a non-consumable object when the object is dependent on a non-consumable object; and

laying out and outputting the objects whose statuses are set as consumable objects, wherein the output unit does not output the objects whose statuses are set as non-consumable objects.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3 , wherein the layout information is at least one of a position in which an object is located, a size to which an object is formed, a transformation specification of an object, an output intensity of an object, and overlap information between objects.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in which a computer program is recorded, wherein the computer program causes a computer to function as an information processing apparatus including:

an input unit configured to input (i) forming information related to a layout, (ii) a plurality of objects, and (iii) a policy which includes information on permission of usage of the plurality of objects, information on allowance of usage related to a layout for the plurality of objects and information on the dependency relationship between the plurality of objects;

a first determination unit configured to determine based on the policy, for each of the plurality of objects, whether the usage of the object is permitted;

a second determination unit configured to determine based on the policy whether the forming information satisfies an allowed layout;

a first setting unit configured to set a status of the object as a consumable object in the case that the first determination unit determines that the usage of the object is permitted and the second determination unit determines that the forming information satisfies the allowed layout, and to set the status of the object as a non-consumable object in the case that the second determination unit determines that the forming information does not satisfy the allowed layout or the first determination unit determines that the usage of object is not permitted;

a second setting unit configured to set, using the information on the dependency relationship between the plurality of objects included in the policy, the status of the object as a non-consumable object when the object is dependent on a non-consumable object; and

an output unit configured to lay out and output the objects whose statuses are set as consumable objects, wherein the output unit does not output the objects whose statuses are set as non-consumable objects.