Server device, method for configuration setting for image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus

A method for configuring a setting for a desired image forming apparatus out of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, comprising:

• detecting location information representing a current location of the desired image forming apparatus;
• and
• determining the setting for the desired image forming apparatus by referring to settings for other image forming apparatuses, out of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, located at a short distance from the current location of the desired image forming apparatus, wherein
• the determining the setting includes selecting, out of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, at least one of image forming apparatuses within a predetermined distance from the current location of the desired image forming apparatus and a predetermined number of image forming apparatuses in order of increasing distance from the current location of the desired image forming apparatus, and
• calculating, when settings for the image forming apparatuses selected include numerical values, an average of the numerical values included in the settings and
• choosing a most frequently appearing setting out of the settings when the settings include non-numerical values.

An image forming apparatus that can be connected with a server device in a communicable manner and has a setting retention section, wherein

• a setting of the image forming apparatus is configured by the server device,
• the server device refers to settings for other image forming apparatuses located at a short distance from a current location of the image forming apparatus to configure the setting for the image forming apparatus,
• the setting retention section receives and retains the setting configured by the server device and transmitted from the server device, and
• for configuring the setting, the server device:
• selects at least one of image forming apparatuses within a predetermined distance from the current location of the image forming apparatus and a predetermined number of image forming apparatuses in order of increasing distance from the current location;
• when settings for the image forming apparatuses selected include numerical values, calculates an average of the numerical values included in the settings;
• and
• when the settings include non-numerical values, chooses a most frequently appearing setting out of the settings.