Image-processing system enabling user to use a plurality of communicably connected image-processing apparatuses, image-processing apparatus, function execution authorizing method, and function execution authorizing program embodied in computer readable medium

An image-processing system including a plurality of communicably connected image-processing apparatuses, each of the plurality of image-processing apparatuses comprising:

• a storing portion to store registered-user information including:
• user identification information for identifying a user;
• and function information defining a function, among functions possessed by each image-processing apparatus, to give permission for execution to said user identification information;
• a first registered-user information generating portion to receive input of said user identification information and said function information and to generate new registered-user information including said received user identification information and said received function information;
• a registering portion to store said registered-user information in said storing portion;
• a user-identification-information receiving portion to receive input of said user identification information;
• and
• a permitting portion to permit execution of a function defined in said function information corresponding to said received user identification information, on condition that said registered-user information including said user identification information received by said user-identification-information receiving portion is stored in said storing portion,
• wherein said registering portion includes:
• a register-demand transmitting portion to, when storing said new registered-user information in said storing portion, transmit a register demand to all the other image-processing apparatuses, the register demand including said user identification information and said function information;
• and
• a second registered-user-information generating portion to generate, upon reception of said register demand including said user identification information and said function information from either one of said plurality of image-processing apparatuses, new registered-user information including said received user identification information and new function information defining, among functions defined in said received function information, a function possessed by said second registered-user-information generating portion's own image-processing apparatus.

An image-processing apparatus mutually communicable with another image-processing apparatus, said image-processing apparatus comprising:

• a storing portion to store registered-user information including at least user identification information for identifying a user;
• a user-identification-information receiving portion to receive input of said user identification information;
• a judging portion to judge whether said registered-user information including said received user identification information is stored in said storing portion;
• a first permitting portion to, when said judging portion judges that said registered-user information is stored in said storing portion, permit execution of at least one function possessed by said first permitting portion's own image-processing apparatus;
• a function information acquiring portion to, when said judging portion judges that said registered-user information is not stored in said storing portion, acquire function information defining at least one function possessed by another image-processing apparatus storing said registered-user information including said received user identification information;
• and
• a second permitting portion to permit execution of a function among the functions defined in said function information, the function being also possessed by said second permitting portion's own image-processing apparatus.

An image-processing apparatus mutually communicable with another image-processing apparatus, said image-processing apparatus comprising:

• a storing portion to store registered-user information including:
• user identification information for identifying a user;
• and function information defining a function, among functions possessed by said storing portion's own image-processing apparatus, to give permission for execution to said user identification information;
• a first registered-user information generating portion to receive input of said user identification information and said function information and to generate new registered-user information including said received user identification information and said received function information;
• a registering portion to store said generated registered-user information in said storing portion;
• a user-identification-information receiving portion to receive input of said user identification information;
• and
• a permitting portion to permit execution of a function defined in said function information corresponding to said received user identification information, on condition that said registered-user information including said user identification information received by said user-identification-information receiving portion is stored in said storing portion,
• wherein said registering portion includes:
• a register-demand transmitting portion to, when storing said new registered-user information in said storing portion, transmit a register demand to said another image-processing apparatus, the register demand including said user identification information and said function information;
• and
• a second registered-user information generating portion to generate, upon reception of said register demand including said user identification information and said function information from said another image-processing apparatus, new registered-user information including said received user identification information and new function information defining, among functions defined in said received function information, a function possessed by said second registered-user-information generating portion's own image-processing apparatus.

A function execution authorizing method executed in an image-processing apparatus mutually communicable with another image-processing apparatus, wherein:

• said image-processing apparatus includes a storing portion to store registered-user information including at least user identification information for identifying a user;
• and
• said method comprises:
• a step of receiving input of said user identification information;
• a step of judging whether said registered-user information including said received user identification information is stored in said storing portion;
• a first permitting step of permitting, when said registered-user information is judged to be stored in said storing portion, execution of at least one function possessed by said image-processing apparatus;
• a step of acquiring, when said registered-user information is judged not to be stored in said storing portion, function information defining at least one function possessed by another image-processing apparatus storing said registered-user information including said received user identification information;
• and
• a second permitting step of permitting execution of a function among the functions defined in said acquired function information, the function being also possessed by said image-processing apparatus.

A function execution authorizing method executed in an image-processing apparatus mutually communicable with another image-processing apparatus, wherein:

• said image-processing apparatus includes a storing portion to store registered-user information including:
• user identification information for identifying a user;
• and function information defining a function, among functions possessed by said image-processing apparatus, to give permission for execution to said user identification information;
• and
• said method comprises:
• a first generating step of receiving input of said user identification information and said function information and generating new registered-user information including said received user identification information and said received function information;
• a step of storing said generated registered-user information in said storing portion;
• a step of receiving input of said user identification information;
• and
• a step of permitting execution of a function defined in said function information corresponding to said received user identification information, on condition that said registered-user information including said received user identification information is stored in said storing portion,
• wherein said step of storing said generated registered-user information in said storing portion includes:
• a step of transmitting, when storing said new registered-user information in said storing portion, a register demand to said another image-processing apparatus, the register demand including said user identification information and said function information;
• and
• a second generating step of generating, upon reception of said register demand including said user identification information and said function information from said another image-processing apparatus, new registered-user information including said received user identification information and new function information defining, among functions defined in said received function information, a function possessed by said image-processing apparatus.

A function execution authorizing program embodied in a computer readable medium, said program being executed in an image-processing apparatus mutually communicable with another image-processing apparatus, wherein:

• said image-processing apparatus includes a storing portion to store registered-user information including at least user identification information for identifying a user;
• and
• said program comprises:
• a step of receiving input of said user identification information;
• a step of judging whether said registered-user information including said received user identification information is stored in said storing portion;
• a first permitting step of permitting, when said registered-user information is judged to be stored in said storing portion, execution of at least one function possessed by said image-processing apparatus;
• a step of acquiring, when said registered-user information is judged not to be stored in said storing portion, function information defining at least one function possessed by another image-processing apparatus storing said registered-user information including said received user identification information;
• and
• a second permitting step of permitting execution of a function among the functions defined in said acquired function information, the function being also possessed by said image-processing apparatus.

A function execution authorizing program embodied in a Non Transitory computer readable medium, said program being executed in an image-processing apparatus mutually communicable with another image-processing apparatus, wherein:

• said image-processing apparatus includes a storing portion to store registered-user information including:
• user identification information for identifying a user;
• and function information defining a function, among functions possessed by said image-processing apparatus, to give permission for execution to said user identification information;
• and said program comprises:
• a first generating step of receiving input of said user identification information and said function information and generating new registered-user information including said received user identification information and said received function information;
• a step of storing said generated registered-user information in said storing portion;
• a step of receiving input of said user identification information;
• and a step of permitting execution of a function defined in said function information corresponding to said received user identification information, on condition that said registered-user information including said received user identification information is stored in said storing portion, wherein said step of storing said generated registered-user information in said storing portion includes:
• a step of transmitting, when storing said new registered-user information in said storing portion, a register demand to said another image-processing apparatus, the register demand including said user identification information and said function information;
• and a second generating step of generating, upon reception of said register demand including said user identification information and said function information from said another image-processing apparatus, new registered-user information including said received user identification information and new function information defining, among functions defined in said received function information, a function possessed by said image-processing apparatus.