Image forming apparatus and method for setting license information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image forming apparatus having a function of validating a license by inputting license information, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- a storage unit configured to be accessible from an external device even if the power of the image forming apparatus is OFF; and
a control unit configured to, when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned ON, if license information has been written in the storage unit from an external device while the power of the image forming apparatus was OFF, validate a function of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the license information by using the license information,wherein the storage unit is accessed via two different interfaces, including;
a passive RFIA; and
a bus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital MFP includes a dual I/F storage unit including two different interfaces: an external interface (RFID) and an internal interface (bus). When the power of the digital MFP is turned ON, in steps S406 and S407, if a main controller of the digital MFP determines that license information has been written in the dual I/F storage unit from a portable terminal while the power of the digital MFP was OFF, then in step S408, the main controller validates a function of the digital MFP corresponding to the license information, by using the license information.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. An image forming apparatus having a function of validating a license by inputting license information, the image forming apparatus comprising:
-
a storage unit configured to be accessible from an external device even if the power of the image forming apparatus is OFF; and a control unit configured to, when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned ON, if license information has been written in the storage unit from an external device while the power of the image forming apparatus was OFF, validate a function of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the license information by using the license information, wherein the storage unit is accessed via two different interfaces, including; a passive RFIA; and a bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An image forming apparatus having a function of validating a license by inputting license information, the image forming apparatus comprising:
-
a storage unit configured to be accessible from an external device even if the power of the image forming apparatus is OFF; and a control unit configured to, when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned ON, if license information has been written in the storage unit from an external device while the power of the image forming apparatus was OFF, validate a function of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the license information by using the license information, wherein, when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned ON, the control unit is configured to confirm the contents of the storage unit and, if an instruction for invalidating a function of the image forming apparatus is determined to have been stored in the storage unit from an external device while the power of the image forming apparatus was OFF, according to the instruction, the control unit is configured to invalidate the function of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the instruction. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a function of validating a license by inputting license information, and a storage unit configured to be accessible from an external device even if the power of image forming apparatus is OFF, wherein the storage unit includes two different interfaces, including a passive and a bus, the method comprising:
performing control to validate a function of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the license information by using the license information when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned ON, if license information has been written in the storage unit from an external device while the power of the image forming apparatus was OFF.
-
11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for making a computer execute a method for a control method for an image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus has a function that can be activated by a input of license information and comprises a storage device accessible from an external device even if the image forming apparatus is powered OFF, wherein the storage device includes two different interfaces, including a passive and a bus, the method comprising:
performing control to validate a function of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the license information by using the license information when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned ON, if license information has been written in the storage unit from an external device while the power of the image forming apparatus was OFF.
Specification