Image forming apparatus

A license issue system comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a license issue device that are connected via a network, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an accept unit that accepts transfer license information for moving a license of a designated function to a transfer destination device;
• a license information generation unit that generates activation license information for activating a function in the transfer destination device based on the transfer license information accepted by the accept unit;
• a provision unit that provides the information processing apparatus with the activation license information generated by the license information generation unit;
• and
• a deadline management unit that invalidates a function corresponding to the transfer license information when an expiration date of the transfer license information has passed.

A method for controlling an image forming apparatus that is connected to an information processing apparatus, and that can activate and invalidate a function that the image forming apparatus has based on given license information, the method comprising:

• an accepting step of an accept unit of the image forming apparatus accepting transfer license information for moving a license of a designated function to a transfer destination device;
• a license information generation step of a license information generation unit of the image forming apparatus generating activation license information for activating a function in the transfer destination device based on the transfer license information accepted in the accept step;
• a provision step of a provision unit of the image forming apparatus providing the information processing apparatus with the activation license information generated in the license information generation step;
• and
• a deadline control step of a deadline management unit of the image forming apparatus invalidating a function corresponding to the transfer license information when an expiration date of the transfer license information has passed.

A computer-readable storage medium storing an application program for causing an image forming apparatus to function as:

• an accept unit that accepts transfer license information for moving a license of a designated function to a transfer destination device;
• a license information generation unit that generates activation license information for activating a function in the transfer destination device based on the transfer license information accepted by the accept unit;
• a provision unit that provides an information processing apparatus with the activation license information generated by the license information generation unit;
• and
• a deadline management unit that invalidates a function corresponding to the transfer license information when an expiration date of the transfer license information has passed.