Image forming apparatus associating with other apparatuses through network

• US 20030063313A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Tatsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus, screen information for displaying a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process is generated. A screen generating program and option information showing the plurality of function options is transmitted in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses. The predetermined process is conducted by using a hardware resource when receiving the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by executing said screen generating program, from the apparatus.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating screen information allowing a user to set at least one function option from a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process;

a transmitting part transmitting a screen generating program realizing said screen generating part and option information showing the plurality of function options in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

a process controlling part controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by executing said screen generating program.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

an application including said screen generating part and said process controlling part;

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said application; and

an operating system controlling the application and the control service,

wherein the predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a responding part responding by apparatus specific information including an apparatus address possible to specify said image forming apparatus on the network and an apparatus name in respect to a request of confirming whether or not the predetermined process is available, from the apparatus.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating input screen information allowing the user to set from a plurality of input function options concerning an input process for an image;

an image process screen generating part generating image process screen information allowing the user to set from a plurality of image process function options concerning an image process for the image; and

an output process screen generating part generating output process screen information allowing the user to set from a plurality of output function options concerning an output process for the image,

as said screen generating part.

5. The image forming apparatus as clamed in claim 1, comprising at least one of:

an input controlling part controlling an input process for an image and generating input image data;

an image process controlling part conducting an image process for the input image data and generating image output data to be output; and

an output controlling part controlling the output process for forming and outputting the image on a medium based on the image output data,

as said process controlling part.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising at least one of:

an input screen transmitting part transmitting an input screen generating program, that is indicated by said request, realizing said input screen generating part and input option information concerning the input process, to said apparatus;

an image process screen transmitting part transmitting an image process screen generating program, that is indicated by said request, realizing said image process screen generating part and image process option information concerning the image process, to said apparatus;

an output process screen transmitting part transmitting an output process screen generating program, that is indicated by said request, realizing said output screen generating part and output process option information concerning the output process, to said apparatus; and

a document list screen transmitting part transmitting a document list screen generating program for generating document list screen information allowing the user to select one document from a document list based on a plurality of document information showing a plurality of documents stored in said image forming apparatus, and the document information to said apparatus.

7. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating screen information allowing a user to set at least one first function option from a plurality of first function options available for a predetermined process;

a replacing part replacing said screen generating part by executing a screen generating program based on option information showing a plurality of second function options sent from said apparatus; and

a process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function option set by the user from a screen displayed based on the screen information generated by said screen generating part, which is replaced by said replacing part.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating input screen information allowing the user to set from a plurality of input function options concerning an input process for an image;

an image process screen generating part generating image process screen information allowing the user to set from a plurality of image function options concerning an image process for the image; and

an output process screen generating part generating output process screen information allowing the user to set from a plurality of output function options concerning an output process for the image,

as said screen generating part.

9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 8, comprising at least one of:

an input process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the input process by sending input setting parameter showing at least one input function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the input function options available for the input process by said apparatus;

an image process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the image process by sending image process setting parameter showing at least one image process function option set by the user from the plurality of the image process function options available for the image process by said apparatus; and

an output process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the output process by sending output setting parameter showing at least one output function option set by the user from the plurality of the output function options available for the output process by said apparatus,

as said process requesting part.

10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating program generating screen information allowing the user to set at least one function option, based on option information showing a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process;

a screen Web service providing process part providing said screen generating program and said option information as a first process result for a request received from an apparatus, that is connected through a network and the user uses; and

a process Web service providing process part controlling the predetermined process by utilizing a hardware resource for conducting the predetermined process based on the setting parameter, and providing a result of the predetermined process as a second process result, when receiving a setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options displayed at the apparatus by executing said screen generating program.

11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, comprising:

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said process Web service providing process part; and

an operating system controlling between said control service and each of the said screen web service providing process part and the process Web service providing process part,

wherein said predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a Web server part receiving a process request from the apparatus having a Web browser and connected through the network, and sending a process response showing information provided by said screen Web service providing process part or said process Web service providing process part to the apparatus in response to the process request.

13. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said predetermined process is an input control process for inputting an image and generating input image data, an image process for conducting an image process to the input image data and generating output image data, or an output control process for outputting the output image data to a medium.

14. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said process Web service providing process part comprises:

a dispatcher part separately obtaining the setting parameter from the process request and data file attached to the process request; and

a process executing part executing the predetermined process for the data file based on the setting parameter obtained by said dispatcher part.

15. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said process executing part comprises a queuing part queuing the setting parameter and the data file obtained by said dispatcher part.

16. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a message exchanging part shared with said screen Web service providing process part and said process Web service providing process part, and processing a message set in the process request and said process response by a predetermined description form in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol.

17. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said screen Web service providing process part provides said screen generating program included in a style transformation file for transforming said screen generating program from the predetermined description form to a predetermined display form by which the option information can display by the Web browser.

45. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said image generating part comprises:

an internal request determining part determining whether or not said request is an internal request of said image forming apparatus based on said request sender information; and

an internal process request generating part generating a process request requesting said process Web service providing process part to conduct said predetermined process by informing said setting parameter based on a determination result by said internal request determining part.

46. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 45, further comprising:

a service destination determining part determining whether or not a service destination to which said second process result is provided as Web service is internal, and sending said process request to said distributor part based on a determination part.

18. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a Web server part controlling a request and a response with an apparatus connected through a network and an internal processing part;

a Web browser part issuing the request by an input of the user and displaying the response received from said Web server part; and

a Web service client part sending the request from said Web server part to the apparatus in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol, and receiving the response for the request from the apparatus in accordance with the predetermined message exchanging protocol.

19. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a dispatcher part determining whether or not the request from said Web browser part is for the internal processing part, and sending the request to the internal processing part based on a determination result.

20. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an internal screen generating part generating screen information allowing the user to set at least one function option from a plurality of the function options,

wherein said Web server part comprises a request determining part determining whether or not the request is for said internal screen generating part, and sending the request to said internal screen generating part based on a determination result.

21. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said Web server part receives a first option information showing a plurality of function options available for the apparatus in respect to a process indicated by the request and a first screen generating program generating screen information allowing the user to set at least one function option, from the Web service client part as the response.

22. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said Web server part receives second information showing a plurality of function options available for said internal process part in respect to a process indicated the request and a second screen generating program generating screen information allowing the user to set at least one function option, from said internal screen generating part as the response.

23. The image forming apparatus claimed in claim 19, comprising at least one of:

an input processing part controlling an input process for an image and generating input image data;

an image processing part conducting an image process to the input image data and generating the image output data to output; and

an output processing part forming the image to a medium and controlling an output process to output the image.

24. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 20, comprising at least one of:

an internal input screen generating part generating input screen information configuring an input screen allowing the user to set from a plurality of input function options concerning input process for an image;

an internal image processing process screen generating part generating image process screen information configuring an image process screen allowing the user to set from a plurality of image process function options concerning an image process; and

an internal output screen generating part generating an output screen information configuring an output screen allowing the user to set from a plurality of output process for the image.

25. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating screen information allowing a user to set at least one function option from a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) transmitting a screen generating program realizing said step (a) and option information showing the plurality of function options in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

(c) controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options displayed at the apparatus by executing said screen generating program.

26. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating screen information allowing a user to set at least one first function option from a plurality of first function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) replacing said step (a) by executing a screen generating program based on option information showing a plurality of second function options sent from said apparatus; and

(c) requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter showing at least one second function option set by the user from a screen displayed based on the screen information generated by said step (a), which is replaced in said step (b).

27. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating screen information allowing the user to set at least one function option, based on option information showing a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) providing said screen generating program and said option information as a first process result for a request received from an apparatus, that is connected through a network and the user uses; and

(c) providing controlling the predetermined process by utilizing a hardware resource for conducting the predetermined process based on the setting parameter, and providing a result of the predetermined process as a second process result, when receiving a setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options displayed at the apparatus by executing said screen generating program.

28. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) controlling a request and a response with an apparatus connected through a network and an internal processing part;

(b) issuing the request by an input of the user and displaying the response received from said step (a); and

(c) sending the request from said Web server part to the apparatus in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol, and receiving the response for the request from the apparatus in accordance with the predetermined message exchanging protocol.

29. A computer-readable recording medium recorded with program code for causing a computer to form an image, said program comprising the code for:

(a) controlling a request and a response with an apparatus connected through a network and an internal processing part;

(b) issuing the request by an input of the user and displaying the response received from said code (a); and

(c) sending the request from said Web server part to the apparatus in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol, and receiving the response for the request from the apparatus in accordance with the predetermined message exchanging protocol.

30. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on option information showing the plurality of the function options available for a predetermined process;

a transmitting part transmitting said option information and said coordinate parameter in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

a process controlling part controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by using said coordinate parameter.

31. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 30, comprising:

an application including said screen generating part and said process controlling part;

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said application; and

an operating system controlling the application and the control service,

wherein the predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

32. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 30, comprising:

a responding part responding by apparatus specific information including an apparatus address possible to specify said image forming apparatus on the network and an apparatus name in respect to a request of confirming whether or not the predetermined process is available, from the apparatus.

33. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 30, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating an input coordinate parameter showing the plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of input function options to display at the display unit and the position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on input option information showing the plurality of the input function options concerning an input process for an image;

an image process screen generating part generating an image process coordinate parameter showing the plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of image process function options to display at the display unit and the position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on image process option information showing the plurality of the image process function options concerning an image process for the image; and

an output process screen generating part generating an output coordinate parameter showing the plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of output function options to display at the display unit and the position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on output option information showing the plurality of the output function options concerning an output process for the image,

as said screen generating part.

34. The image forming apparatus as clamed in claim 30, comprising at least one of:

an input controlling part controlling an input process for an image and generating input image data;

an image process controlling part conducting an image process for the input image data and generating image output data to be output; and

an output controlling part controlling the output process for forming and outputting the image on a medium based on the image output data,

as said process controlling part.

35. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 33, comprising at least one of:

an input screen transmitting part transmitting an input screen coordinate parameter, that is indicated by said request, generated by said input screen generating part and input option information concerning the input process, to said apparatus;

an image process screen transmitting part transmitting an image process screen coordinate parameter, that is indicated by said request, generated by said image process screen generating part and image process option information concerning the image process, to said apparatus; and

an output process screen transmitting part transmitting an output screen coordinate parameter, that is indicated by said request, generated by said output screen generating part and output option information concerning the output process, to said apparatus,

as said transmitting part.

36. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating a first coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of first function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on first option information showing the plurality of the first function options available for a predetermined process;

a replacing part replacing said first coordinate parameter with second coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of second function options available for an apparatus selected by a user and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components, said position coordinates and said second coordinate parameter sent from the apparatus connected through a network; and

a process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the second function options displayed using the second coordinate parameter.

37. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 36, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating, as the first coordinate parameter, an input screen coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of input function options to display at the display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on input option information showing the plurality of the input function options concerning an input process for an image;

an image process screen generating part generating, as the first coordinate parameter, an image process screen coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of image process function options to display at the display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on image process option information showing the plurality of image process function options concerning an image process for the image; and

an output process screen generating part generating, as the first coordinate parameter, an output screen coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of output function options to display at the display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on output option information showing the plurality of output function options concerning an output process for the image,

as said screen generating part.

38. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 37, comprising at least one of:

an input process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the input process by sending input setting parameter showing at least one input function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the input function options available for the input process by said apparatus;

an image process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the image process by sending image process setting parameter showing at least one image process function option set by the user from the plurality of the image process function options available for the image process by said apparatus; and

an output process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the output process by sending output setting parameter showing at least one output function option set by the user from the plurality of the output function options available for the output process by said apparatus,

as said process requesting part.

39. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen Web service providing process part providing said option information showing a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process, and a coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding to the plurality of the function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of the display components, as a first process result for a request received from an apparatus, that is connected through a network and the user uses; and

a process Web service providing process part controlling the predetermined process by utilizing a hardware resource for conducting the predetermined process based on the setting parameter, and providing a result of the predetermined process as a second process result, when receiving a setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options displayed at the apparatus by using said coordinate parameter

40. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 39, comprising:

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said process Web service providing process part; and

an operating system controlling between said control service and each of the said screen web service providing process part and the process Web service providing process part,

wherein said predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

41. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 39, further comprising:

a Web server part receiving a process request from the apparatus connected through the network, and sending a process response showing information provided by said screen Web service providing process part or said process Web service providing process part to the apparatus in response to the process request.

42. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 41, further comprising:

a distributor part distributing the process request to said screen Web service providing process part or said Web service providing process part based on Web service identification information showing a Web service provider indicated by the process request.

43. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 39, wherein said screen Web service providing process part comprises an image generating part generating the coordinate parameter based on the option information in respect to the predetermined process.

44. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein said image generating part comprises a request sender information setting part setting request sender information showing a request sender of said request when generating said coordinate parameter.

47. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 39, wherein said predetermined process is an input control process for inputting an image and generating input image data, an image process for conducting an image process to the input image data and generating output image data, or an output control process for outputting the output image data to a medium.

48. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein said process Web service providing process part comprises:

a dispatcher part separately obtaining the setting parameter from the process request and data file attached to the process request; and

a process executing part executing the predetermined process for the data file based on the setting parameter obtained by said dispatcher part.

49. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 41, further comprising a message exchanging part processing a message set in the process request and said process response by a predetermined description form in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol;

and

a description processing part processing a message that is set in said process request and described in a predetermined description form, and describing said process result to be set in said process response in said predetermined description form,

wherein said message exchanging part and said description processing part are shared with said screen Web service providing process part and said process Web service providing process part.

51. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 39, comprising:

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said process Web service providing process part; and

an operating system controlling between said control service and each of the said screen web service providing process part and the process Web service providing process part,

wherein said predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

50. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen Web service providing process part providing a coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding to the plurality of the function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of the display components, as a first process result for a request received from an apparatus, that is connected through a network and the user uses; and

a process Web service providing process part controlling the predetermined process by utilizing a hardware resource for conducting the predetermined process and providing a result of the predetermined process as a second process result, based on a setting parameter generated so as to indicate the function option corresponding to the setting position coordinate, when receiving, from the apparatus, a setting position coordinate of the function option set by the user from a screen that said apparatus displays using the coordinate parameter.

52. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 50, further comprising:

a Web server part receiving a process request from the apparatus connected through the network, and sending a process response showing information provided by said screen Web service providing process part or said process Web service providing process part to the apparatus in response to the process request.

53. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 50, wherein said screen Web service providing process part comprises an image generating part generating the coordinate parameter based on the option information in respect to the predetermined process, and setting request sender information showing a request sender of said request.

54. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 50, wherein said image generating part comprises an event sending part sending an event to said process Web service providing part when said setting position coordinate internally or from said apparatus.

55. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a Web service client part controlling a process request requesting an apparatus, that is connected through a network, to conduct a predetermined process and a process response providing a process result for the process request from the apparatus, in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol;

a screen processing part displaying a screen at a display unit based on a coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding to a plurality of function options to display available for said predetermined process of said apparatus at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of the display components, said coordinate parameter obtained from said apparatus; and

a controlling part instructing said screen processing part to display the screen based on the process response concerning a screen display sent from said Web service client part, and instructing said Web service client part to send said process request to said apparatus in response to an event sent from said screen processing part.

56. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 55, wherein said screen processing part displays said screen at said display unit based option information showing said plurality of the function options and said coordinate parameter, which are obtained from said apparatus.

57. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on option information showing the plurality of the function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) transmitting said option information and said coordinate parameter in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

(c) controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by using said coordinate parameter.

58. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of first function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components based on first option information showing the plurality of the first function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) replacing said first coordinate parameter with second coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding a plurality of second function options available for an apparatus selected by a user and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of display components, the position coordinates and the second coordinate parameter sent from the apparatus connected through a network; and

(c) requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the second function options displayed using the second coordinate parameter.

59. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing said option information showing a plurality of function options available for a predetermined process, and a coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding to the plurality of the function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of the display components, as a first process result for a request received from an apparatus, that is connected through a network and the user uses; and

(b) controlling the predetermined process by utilizing a hardware resource for conducting the predetermined process based on the setting parameter, and providing a result of the predetermined process as a second process result, when receiving a setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options displayed at the apparatus by using said coordinate parameter

60. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding to the plurality of the function options to display at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of the display components, as a first process result for a request received from an apparatus, that is connected through a network and the user uses; and

(b) controlling the predetermined process by utilizing a hardware resource for conducting the predetermined process and providing a result of the predetermined process as a second process result, based on a setting parameter generated so as to indicate the function option corresponding to the setting position coordinate, when receiving, from the apparatus, a setting position coordinate of the function option set by the user from a screen that said apparatus displays using the coordinate parameter.

61. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

(a) controlling a process request requesting an apparatus, that is connected through a network, to conduct a predetermined process and a process response providing a process result for the process request from the apparatus, in accordance with a predetermined message exchanging protocol;

(b) displaying a screen at a display unit based on a coordinate parameter showing a plurality of display components corresponding to a plurality of function options to display available for said predetermined process of said apparatus at a display unit and position coordinates for arranging the plurality of the display components, said coordinate parameter obtained from said apparatus; and

(c) instructing said step (b) to display the screen based on the process response concerning a screen display sent from said step (a), and instructing said step (a) to send said process request to said apparatus in response to an event sent from said step (b).

62. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on option information showing the plurality of the function options available for a predetermined process;

a transmitting part transmitting said option information in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

a process controlling part controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function options set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by using said option information.

63. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 62, comprising:

an application including said screen generating part and said process controlling part;

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said application; and

an operating system controlling the application and the control service,

wherein the predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

64. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 62, comprising:

a responding part responding by apparatus specific information including an apparatus address possible to specify said image forming apparatus on the network and an apparatus name in respect to a request of confirming whether or not the predetermined process is available, from the apparatus.

65. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 62, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating input screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on input option information showing the plurality of the input function options concerning an input process for an image;

an image process screen generating part generating image process screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on image process option information showing the plurality of the image process function options concerning an image process for the image; and

an output process screen generating part generating output screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on output option information showing the plurality of the output function options concerning an output process for the image,

as said screen generating part.

66. The image forming apparatus as clamed in claim 62, comprising at least one of:

an input controlling part controlling an input process for an image and generating input image data;

an image process controlling part conducting an image process for the input image data and generating image output data to be output; and

an output controlling part controlling the output process for forming and outputting the image on a medium based on the image output data,

as said process controlling part.

67. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 66, wherein said input controlling part controls a scanner as said hardware resource to conduct said input process.

68. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 66, wherein said output controlling part controls a plotter as said hardware resource to conduct said output process.

69. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 65, comprising at least one of:

an input screen transmitting part transmitting said input option information concerning the input process, that is indicated by said request, to said apparatus;

an image process screen transmitting part transmitting said image process option information concerning the image process, that is indicated by said request, to said apparatus; and

an output process screen transmitting part transmitting said output option information concerning the output process, that is indicated by said request, to said apparatus,

as said transmitting part.

70. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating first screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on first option information showing the plurality of the first function options available for a predetermined process;

a replacing part replacing said first screen information with second screen information for displaying a plurality of second function options available for an apparatus selected by a user, said second screen information sent from the apparatus connected through a network; and

a process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function options that are set by the user from the plurality of the second function options displayed based on the second screen information.

71. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 70, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating, as the first screen information, an input screen information for displaying a plurality of input function options based on input option information showing the plurality of the input function options concerning an input process for an image;

an image process screen generating part generating, as the first screen information, an image process screen information for displaying a plurality of image process function options based on image process option information showing the plurality of image process function options concerning an image process for the image; and

an output process screen generating part generating, as the first screen information, an output screen information for displaying a plurality of output option based on output option information showing the plurality of output function options concerning an output process for the image,

as said screen generating part.

72. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 70, comprising at least one of:

an input process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the input process by sending input setting parameter showing at least one input function options that are set by the user from the plurality of the input function options available for the input process by said apparatus;

an image process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the image process by sending image process setting parameter showing at least one image process function options set by the user from the plurality of the image process function options available for the image process by said apparatus; and

an output process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the output process by sending output setting parameter showing at least one output function options set by the user from the plurality of the output function options available for the output process by said apparatus,

as said process requesting part.

73. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on option information showing the plurality of the function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) transmitting said option information in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

(c) controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function options set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by using said option information.

74. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating first screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on first option information showing the plurality of the first function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) replacing said first screen information with second screen information for displaying a plurality of second function options available for an apparatus selected by a user, said second screen information sent from the apparatus connected through a network; and

(c) requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function options that are set by the user from the plurality of the second function options displayed based on the second screen information.

75. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a system information obtaining part obtaining system information concerning hardware resource, that is available to configure a system and used to determine a plurality of function options selectively set for a, predetermined process conducted by utilizing said hardware resource;

a transmitting part transmitting said system information in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

a process controlling part controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by using said system information.

76. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 75, comprising:

an application including said screen generating part and said process controlling part;

a control service managing the hardware resource and controlling to utilize the hardware resource in response to a utilization request from said application; and

an operating system controlling the application and the control service,

wherein the predetermined process is a process concerning an image form.

77. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 75, comprising:

a responding part responding by apparatus specific information including an apparatus address possible to specify said image forming apparatus on the network and an apparatus name in respect to a request of confirming whether or not the predetermined process is available, from the apparatus.

78. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 75, comprising:

a screen generating part generating screen information for displaying the plurality of the function options based on said system information showing the plurality of the function options available for a predetermined process

79. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 75, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating input option information showing the plurality of the input function options concerning an input process for an image from the system information, and generating input screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on the input option information;

an image process screen generating part generating image process option information showing the plurality of the image process function options concerning an image process for the image from the system information, and generating image process screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on the image process information; and

an output process screen generating part generating output option information showing the plurality of the output function options concerning an output process for the image from the system information, and generating output screen information for displaying a plurality of function options based on the output option information,

as said screen generating part.

80. The image forming apparatus as clamed in claim 75, comprising at least one of:

an input controlling part controlling an input process for an image and generating input image data;

an image process controlling part conducting an image process for the input image data and generating image output data to be output; and

an output controlling part controlling the output process for forming and outputting the image on a medium based on the image output data,

as said process controlling part.

81. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 79, wherein said input controlling part controls a scanner as said hardware resource to conduct said input process.

82. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 79, wherein said output controlling part controls a plotter as said hardware resource to conduct said output process.

83. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a screen generating part generating first screen information for displaying a plurality of function option based on first option information showing the plurality of the first function options available for a predetermined process;

a replacing part replacing said first screen information with second screen information for displaying a plurality of second function options available for an apparatus selected by a user, wherein said second screen information generated based on system information concerning hardware resource available to configure a system, the predetermined process is conducted by utilizing said hardware resource at the apparatus, said second screen information is sent from the apparatus connected through a network; and

a process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the second function options displayed based on the second screen information.

84. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 83, comprising at least one of:

an input screen generating part generating, as the first screen information, an input screen information for displaying a plurality of input function option based on input option information showing the plurality of the input function options concerning an input process for an image, said input option information selected from said system information;

an image process screen generating part generating, as the first screen information, an image process screen information for displaying a plurality of image process function option based on image process option information showing the plurality of image process function options concerning an image process for the image, said image process option information selected from said system information; and

an output process screen generating part generating, as the first screen information, an output screen information for displaying a plurality of output option based on output option information showing the plurality of output function options concerning an output process for the image, said output option information selected from said system information,

as said screen generating part.

85. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 83, comprising at least one of:

an input process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the input process by sending input setting parameter showing at least one input function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the input function options available for the input process by said apparatus;

an image process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the image process by sending image process setting parameter showing at least one image process function option set by the user from the plurality of the image process function options available for the image process by said apparatus; and

an output process requesting part requesting said apparatus to conduct the output process by sending output setting parameter showing at least one output function option set by the user from the plurality of the output function options available for the output process by said apparatus,

as said process requesting part.

86. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining system information concerning hardware resource, that is available to configure a system and used to determine a plurality of function options selectively set for a predetermined process conducted by utilizing said hardware resource;

(b) transmitting said system information in response to an request from an apparatus that is connected through a network and the user uses;

(c) controlling said predetermined process by using a hardware resource for conducting said predetermined process based on a setting parameter when receiving, from the apparatus, the setting parameter indicating the function option set by the user from the plurality of the function options that the apparatus displays by using said system information.

87. An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating first screen information for displaying a plurality of function option based on first option information showing the plurality of the first function options available for a predetermined process;

(b) replacing said first screen information with second screen information for displaying a plurality of second function options available for an apparatus selected by a user, wherein said second screen information generated based on system information concerning hardware resource available to configure a system, the predetermined process is conducted by utilizing said hardware resource at the apparatus, said second screen information is sent from the apparatus connected through a network; and

(c) requesting said apparatus to conduct said predetermined process by sending a setting parameter indicating at least one second function option that is set by the user from the plurality of the second function options displayed based on the second screen information.