Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method

A printing apparatus, comprising:

• a touch input unit that receives touch input from a user;
• and
• a request unit that generates control signals to request touch input of identification information and touch input of a password for authenticating the identification information via said touch input unit in order to permit a user's operation, wherein
• when identification information and a password for authenticating the identification information are input using a touch input unit of a different printing apparatus, and a user having the identification information is permitted to operate the different printing apparatus,
• said request unit does not request the touch input of the password via said touch input unit of said printing apparatus, if the same identification information that is input using the touch input unit of the different printing apparatus is input via said touch input unit of said printing apparatus.

An information processing apparatus, connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses, comprising:

• an acquisition unit that acquires identification information from one of said plurality of printing apparatuses;
• a judging unit that judges, in accordance with the identification information, whether or not an operation group in operation exists, with reference to a table associating (i) the identification information, (ii) an operation group necessary for achieving a specific task, and (iii) printing apparatuses grouped as printing apparatuses used for processing the operation group, with each other;
• and
• an instructing unit that instructs the printing apparatus, from which the identification information is acquired, from among said plurality of printing apparatuses, to request touch input of a password for authenticating the identification information from a user using a touch input unit that receives touch input from the user, wherein
• said instructing unit does not perform the instruction when it is judged by said judging unit that the operation group in operation exists.

An information processing method in an information processing system including a first printing apparatus and a second printing apparatus, said method comprising:

• a first request step of requesting touch input of identification information and touch input of a password for authenticating the identification information via a touch input unit of the first printing apparatus that receives touch input from a user, in order to permit a user to operate the first printing apparatus;
• and
• a second request step of requesting touch input of identification information and touch input of a password for authenticating the identification information via a second touch input unit different from the touch input unit of the first printing apparatus, in order to permit the user to operate the second printing apparatus, wherein
• when the user is permitted to operate the first printing apparatus, said second request step does not request the touch input of the password via the second touch input unit for permitting the user to operate the second printing apparatus from the user who is permitted to operate the first printing apparatus.

An information processing method in an information processing apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses, said method comprising the steps of:

• acquiring identification information from one of the plurality of printing apparatuses;
• judging, according to the identification information, whether or not an operation group in operation exists, with reference to a table associating (i) the identification information, (ii) an operation group necessary for achieving a specific task, and (iii) printing apparatuses grouped as printing apparatuses used for processing the operation group, with each other;
• and
• instructing the printing apparatus, from which the identification information is acquired, from among the plurality of printing apparatuses, to request touch input of a password for authenticating the identification information from a user using a touch input unit that receives touch input from the user, wherein
• said instructing step does not perform the instruction when it is judged in said judging step that the operation group in operation exists.

An information processing system, comprising:

• a first printing apparatus including
• a first touch input device that receives touch input from a user and is configured to permit a user to input identification information and to manually input a password;
• and
• a first processor that controls said first printing apparatus to request that a user input identification information and input a password for authenticating the identification information, via said first touch input device, and to permit a user to operate said first printing apparatus upon authentication of the identification information input via said first touch input device;
• a second printing apparatus including
• a second touch input device that receives touch input from a user and is configured to permit a user to input identification information and to manually input a password;
• and
• a second processor that controls said second printing apparatus to request that a user input identification information and input a password for authenticating the identification information, via said second touch input device, and to permit a user to operate said second printing apparatus upon authentication of the identification information input via said second touch input device;
• and
• a third processor that generates a control signal to instruct said second processor to skip requesting touch input of a password via said second touch input device from a user who has been permitted to operate said first printing apparatus, in order to permit the user who has been permitted to operate said first printing apparatus to operate said second printing apparatus.