# US 2021/0240800 A1 · Image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240800 A1 - Document ID: US20210240800A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/023,333 - Filed: 2020-09-16 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30 - Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Rie KABASAWA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240800A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/105: {Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level} - G06F 21/1073: {Conversion} - H04N 1/00411: {the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen} - H04N 1/0049: {providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp (H04N1/00408 takes precedence)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism, a panel serving as a user interface of the image forming mechanism, a receiver that receives an image forming instruction for the image forming mechanism from a user of an information processing apparatus, and a display controller that controls the panel to display, in response to the receiver receiving the image forming instruction, a message about management of a license related to software installed in the information processing apparatus by referring to management information of the software. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming mechanism; a panel serving as a user interface of the image forming mechanism; a receiver that receives an image forming instruction for the image forming mechanism from a user of an information processing apparatus; and a display controller that controls the panel to display, in response to the receiver receiving the image forming instruction, a message about management of a license related to software installed in the information processing apparatus by referring to management information of the software. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the license related to the software is a support license for the software. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the message is a message about an expiry date of the support license, or a message that prompts the user to upgrade the software to a version the support license applies to. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display controller controls the panel to display a start button to start a procedure of the upgrading of the software to the version the support license applies to. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display controller controls the panel to display, in response to receiving an operation on the start button, guidance information that prompts the user to complete the procedure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a notifier that notifies a server that manages the support license of the software, in response to absence of an operation on the start button, that the user is not upgrading the software. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display controller controls the panel to display an alert message different from the message before the support license is invalidated, and wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a notifier that notifies a server that manages the support license of the software that the alert message has been displayed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the license related to the software is a use license for the software. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the message is a message about an expiry date of the use license, or a message that prompts the user to renew the use license. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display controller controls the panel to display a start button to start a procedure of the renewal of the use license. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display controller controls the panel to display an alert message different from the message before the use license is invalidated, and wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a notifier that notifies a server that manages the use license of the software that the alert message has been displayed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a license manager that manages the license related to the software based on the license management information. ### Claim 13 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming mechanism; a panel serving as a user interface of the image forming mechanism; means for receiving an image forming instruction for the image forming mechanism from a user of an information processing apparatus; and means for controlling the panel to display, in response to reception of the image forming instruction, a message about management of a license related to software installed in the information processing apparatus by referring to management information of the software.