Image forming apparatus allowing easy management relating to user's usage

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a read unit reading information for specifying another image forming apparatus and an authentication key from a mounted medium;
• a request unit requesting authentication from said other image forming apparatus by transmitting thereto information specific to said medium and said authentication key, as authentication information;
• an authentication result obtaining unit obtaining a result of said authentication from said other image forming apparatus;
• and
• a presentation unit presenting a specific function in a selectable manner, based on information included in the result of said authentication.

A method of managing usage and a usage amount in each of image forming apparatuses is a method of managing usage and a usage amount by a user in each of a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining user information of said user logging into said first image forming apparatus, in said first image forming apparatus;
• retaining information specific to a medium mounted on said first image forming apparatus, in said first image forming apparatus in association with said user information;
• creating an authentication key by encrypting said user information in said first image forming apparatus;
• writing said authentication key and information for specifying said first image forming apparatus to said medium in said first image forming apparatus;
• reading said authentication key and the information for specifying said first image forming apparatus from said medium mounted on said second image forming apparatus, in said second image forming apparatus;
• requesting authentication from said first image forming apparatus by transmitting thereto the information specific to said medium mounted on said second image forming apparatus and said authentication key, as authentication information, in said second image forming apparatus;
• decoding said authentication key transmitted from said second image forming apparatus, in said first image forming apparatus;
• making a comparison in said first image forming apparatus, based on user information obtained by decoding said authentication key, between the information specific to said medium and retained in association with said user information obtained by decoding said authentication key, and information specific to the medium and included in said authentication information;
• outputting a result of said comparison as a result of said authentication from said first image forming apparatus to said second image forming apparatus;
• and
• presenting a specific function in a selectable manner in said second image forming apparatus, based on information included in the result of said authentication from said first image forming apparatus.

A computer readable recording medium recording a management program, wherein

• said management program is a program for allowing a computer to manage usage and a usage amount by a user in each of a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus, and allows said computer to execute the steps of:
• obtaining user information of said user logging into said first image forming apparatus, in said first image forming apparatus;
• retaining information specific to a medium mounted on said first image forming apparatus, in said first image forming apparatus in association with said user information;
• creating an authentication key by encrypting said user information in said first image forming apparatus;
• writing said authentication key and information for specifying said first image forming apparatus to said medium in said first image forming apparatus;
• reading said authentication key and the information for specifying said first image forming apparatus from said medium mounted on said second image forming apparatus, in said second image forming apparatus;
• requesting authentication from said first image forming apparatus by transmitting thereto the information specific to said medium mounted on said second image forming apparatus and said authentication key, as authentication information, in said second image forming apparatus;
• decoding said authentication key transmitted from said second image forming apparatus, in said first image forming apparatus;
• making a comparison in said first image forming apparatus, based on user information obtained by decoding said authentication key, between the information specific to said medium and retained in association with said user information obtained by decoding said authentication key, and information specific to the medium and included in said authentication information;
• outputting a result of said comparison as a result of said authentication from said first image forming apparatus to said second image forming apparatus;
• and
• presenting a specific function in a selectable manner in said second image forming apparatus, based on information included in the result of said authentication from said first image forming apparatus.