IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit and a processor. The storage unit stores job parameters shared by a group of image forming apparatuses. The processor determines a job parameter among one of the shared job parameters that cannot be executed by the image forming apparatus and adjusts a set value of the job parameter so that the job parameter can be executed by the image forming apparatus.
1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a storage unit configured to store job parameters shared by a group of image forming apparatuses; and
a processor configured to determine a job parameter among one of the shared job parameters that cannot be executed by the image forming apparatus and to adjust a set value of the job parameter so that the job parameter can be executed by the image forming apparatus.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor adjusts the set value to a value at which the job parameter can be executed by any of the image forming apparatuses in the group.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the processor is configured to determine for each of the shared job parameters, a maximum set value at which the shared job parameter can be executed by the image forming apparatuses in the group.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image forming apparatus is a slave image forming apparatus in the group.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image forming apparatus is a master image forming apparatus in the group.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the processor updates the maximum set values each time a new image forming apparatus is added to or removed from the group, and performs a synchronization of the maximum set values with each of the image forming apparatuses in the group.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the processor updates the maximum set values each time a capability of one of the image forming apparatuses in the group to execute the shared job parameters is changed, and performs a synchronization of the maximum set values with each of the image forming apparatuses in the group.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a display,
wherein the processor controls the display to display the adjusted set value of the job parameter on a first screen, and a second screen for receiving a change of a set value of each item of the shared job parameters.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
upon receipt of a change of a set value of one of the shared job parameters, the processor controls the display to update the first screen to display the changed set value.
10 . An image forming system comprising:
a master image forming apparatus;
a plurality of slave image forming apparatuses connected to the master image forming apparatus and to each other over a network, wherein
an image forming apparatus of a group of image forming apparatuses including the master image forming apparatus and the plurality of slave image forming apparatuses comprise a storage unit configured to store job parameters shared by the group, and a processor configured to determine a job parameter among one of the shared job parameters that cannot be executed by the image forming apparatus and to adjust a set value of the job parameter so that the job parameter can be executed by the image forming apparatus.
11 . The system according to claim 10 ,
wherein the processor adjusts the set value to a value at which the job parameter can be executed by any of the image forming apparatuses in the group.
12 . The system according to claim 11 ,
wherein the processor is configured to determine for each of the shared job parameters, a maximum set value at which the shared job parameter can be executed by the image forming apparatuses in the group.
13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the image forming apparatus is one of the slave image forming apparatuses.
14 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the image forming apparatus is the master image forming apparatus.
15 . The system according to claim 14 ,
wherein the processor updates the maximum set values each time a new slave image forming apparatus is added to or removed from the group, and performs a synchronization of the maximum set values with each of the slave image forming apparatuses.
16 . The system according to claim 14 ,
wherein the processor updates the maximum set values each time a capability of one of the slave image forming apparatuses to execute the shared job parameters is changed, and performs a synchronization of the maximum set values with each of the slave image forming apparatuses.
17 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein
the image forming apparatus further comprises a display, and
the processor controls the display to display the adjusted set value of the job parameter on a first screen, and a second screen for receiving a change of a set value of each item of the shared job parameters.
18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein
upon receipt of a change of a set value of one of the shared job parameters, the processor controls the display to update the first screen to display the changed set value.
19 . A method of sharing job parameters among a group of image forming apparatuses connected to each other over a network, said method comprising:
storing job parameters shared by the group; and
determining by one of the image forming apparatuses in the group, a job parameter among one of the shared job parameters that cannot be executed thereby and adjusting a set value of the job parameter so that the job parameter can be executed thereby.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the set value is adjusted to a value at which the job parameter can be executed by any of the image forming apparatuses in the group.