System for supplying a program from a server to a printing device through a network based on operating environment characteristics of installed optional units

A program supplying system comprising:

• an image forming apparatus including an apparatus main body and one or more of a plurality of different optional units combined therewith;
• a server from which a program is supplied through a network to the image forming apparatus,
• wherein the image forming apparatus further includes an operating portion operable by a user to initiate a program supplying operation and operating environment determining means for determining an operating environment of the image forming apparatus based on which one or more of the plurality of different optional units are combined with the apparatus main body, the image forming apparatus transmitting operating environment information indicative of the determined operating environment through the network to the server before the program is supplied,
• wherein the server includes operation determining means for determining whether the program is operable in the operating environment based on the operating environment information received from the image forming apparatus, the server transmitting a result of the determination as to operability through the network to the image forming apparatus, and
• wherein the server transmits the program to the image forming apparatus if the program is determined by the operating determining means to be operable in the operating environment of the image forming apparatus.

A method of supplying a program from a server to one or more image forming apparatuses each of which respectively comprises a main body and one or more of a plurality of different optional units combined with the main body thereof, the program supplying method comprising:

• sending from one of the image forming apparatuses to the server, in response to a user input to that one image forming apparatus, a request for a list of programs;
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus, in response to the program list request received from the one image forming apparatus, an operating environment information request;
• determining, in response to the operating environment information request received from the server, an operating environment of the one image forming apparatus, the operating environment being based at least in part on which one or more of the plurality of different optional units are combined with the main body thereof;
• sending from the one image forming apparatus to the server operating environment information indicative of the determined operating environment;
• determining, based on the operating environment information received from the one image forming apparatus, which programs stored in the server are operable in the one image forming apparatus;
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus a list of the programs stored in the server that are operable in the one image forming apparatus;
• displaying the program list received from the server on a display of the one image forming apparatus;
• receiving at the one image forming apparatus a user input selecting one of the programs from the program list;
• sending from the one image forming apparatus to the server, in response to the user input, selection data corresponding to the program selected from the program list;
• and
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus, in response to the selection data received from the one image forming apparatus, the selected program.

A method of supplying a program from a server to one or more image forming apparatuses each of which respectively comprises a main body and one or more of a plurality of different optional units combined with the main body thereof, the program supplying method comprising:

• sending from one of the image forming apparatuses to the server, in response to a user input to that one image forming apparatus, a request for a list of programs;
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus, in response to the program list request received from the one image forming apparatus, the list of programs;
• displaying the program list received from the server on a display of the one image forming apparatus;
• receiving at the one image forming apparatus a user input selecting one of the programs from the program list;
• sending from the one image forming apparatus to the server, in response to the user input, selection data corresponding to the program selected from the program list;
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus, in response to the selection data received from the one image forming apparatus, an operating environment information request;
• determining, in response to the operating environment information request received from the server, an operating environment of the one image forming apparatus, the operating environment being based at least in part on which one or more of the plurality of different optional units are combined with the main body thereof;
• sending from the one image forming apparatus to the server operating environment information indicative of the determined operating environment;
• determining, based on the operating environment information received from the one image forming apparatus, whether the selected program is operable in the one image forming apparatus;
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus, if the selected program is operable in the one image forming apparatus, the selected program;
• and
• sending from the server to the one image forming apparatus, if the selected program is not operable in the one image forming apparatus, an invitation to select another program.