Image forming system having information processing apparatus controlling guidance display on image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus, used in an information processing system having a process request of an image forming apparatus registered beforehand in an information processing apparatus, and the image forming apparatus operating based on the registered process request, comprising:

• a display device;
• and
• a receiving device receiving said process request from said information processing apparatus;
• wherein
• said process request includes guidance information necessary for generating guidance of an operation to be performed by a user in said image forming apparatus, and output manner specifying information specifying the manner of output of a document;
• said image forming apparatus further comprising:
• a guidance display generating device, connected to receive an output of said receiving device, for generating and displaying on said display device guidance related to a user operation on the document in accordance with the guidance information included in the process request received by said receiving device;
• and
• an image processing control device, connected to receive an output of said receiving device, for executing an image forming process on the document to be output in the manner of output specified by the output manner specifying information, based on the output manner specifying information included in the process request received by the receiving device.

An image forming system, comprising an information processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of receiving information transferred from said information processing apparatus;

• wherein
• said information processing apparatus includes
• an input device receiving an input of information related to a document to be processed in said image forming apparatus, and an input determining manner of output from said image forming apparatus as a result of processing of said document,
• a process request generating device, connected to receive an output from said input device, for generating a process request including guidance information necessary to generate guidance of an operation to be performed by a user in said image forming apparatus, so that said document is output from said image forming apparatus in a manner determined in accordance with an input received by said input device, and output manner specifying information specifying the manner of output of the document from said image forming apparatus, and
• a transfer device, connected to receive an output of said process request generating device, for transferring the process request generated by said process request generating device to said image forming apparatus.

In an information processing apparatus communicable with an image forming apparatus, a method of setting said image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of;

• receiving an input of information related to a document to be processed in said image forming apparatus, and an input determining manner of output from said image forming apparatus as a result of processing of said document;
• generating a process request including guidance information necessary to generate guidance of an operation to be performed by a user in said image forming apparatus, so that said document is output from said image forming apparatus in a manner determined in accordance with the input received at said receiving step, and output manner specifying information specifying the manner of output of the document from said image forming apparatus;
• and
• transferring the process request generated at said process request generating step to said image forming apparatus.

In an image forming apparatus communicable with an information processing apparatus, a method of image formation in the image forming apparatus operating based on a process request on a document received from said information processing apparatus, wherein

• said image forming apparatus includes a display device;
• said process request includes guidance information necessary for generating guidance of an operation to be performed by a user in said image forming apparatus, and output manner specifying information specifying the manner of output of a document;
• said method comprising the steps of;
• generating and displaying on said display device guidance related to a user operation on the document in accordance with the guidance information included in the process request received from said information processing apparatus;
• and
• executing an image forming process on the document to be output in the manner of output specified by the output manner specifying information, based on the output manner specifying information included in the process request received from said information processing apparatus.

A computer program product including a computer readable storage medium,

• said storage medium storing a computer program causing, when executed by a computer, said computer to execute a method including the steps of:
• receiving an input of information related to a document to be processed in said image forming apparatus, and an input determining manner of output from said image forming apparatus as a result of processing of said document;
• generating a process request including guidance information necessary to generate guidance of an operation to be performed by a user in said image forming apparatus, so that said document is output from said image forming apparatus in a manner determined in accordance with the input received at said receiving step, and output manner specifying information specifying the manner of output of the document from said image forming apparatus;
• and
• transferring the process request generated at said process request generating step to said image forming apparatus.

A computer program product including a computer readable storage medium,

• said storage medium storing a computer program causing, when executed by a computer controlling an image forming apparatus, said computer to execute the method including the step of
• receiving a process request to said image forming apparatus;
• wherein
• said process request includes guidance information necessary for generating guidance of an operation to be performed by a user in said image forming apparatus, and output manner specifying information specifying the manner of output of a document;
• said method further including the steps of
• generating and displaying on said display device guidance related to a user operation on the document in accordance with the guidance information included in the process request received at said receiving step;
• and
• executing an image forming process on the document to be output in the manner of output specified by the output manner specifying information, based on the output manner specifying information included in the process request received at said receiving step.