Image forming device having division management function

Abstract

In a case where both a division management function which counts the number of pages printed for each division and a color management function which counts the only number of chromatically printed pages for each division are valid, an image forming device executes monochromatic printing even if a division to which a user belongs who has requested the printing is not determined, and executes color printing after the division to which the user belongs who has requested the printing is determined. Furthermore, the image forming device counts the number of monochromatically printed pages by a division undefined counter which is not associated with a specific division, and counts the number of chromatically printed pages by a division counter corresponding to the division to which the user belongs who has requested the printing.

1 . An image forming device comprising:
 an image forming unit to print an image in one of a color mode and a monochromatic mode;   an identification unit to identify a division to which a user belongs;   a division management unit to manage the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode by each division identified by the identification unit and to manage the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by an undefined division; and   a control unit to control the image forming unit to print in the monochromatic mode without identifying using the identification unit, in a case a print request by the user is in the monochromatic mode, and to print in the color mode while identifying the division to which the user belongs using the identification unit, in a case the print request by the user is in the color mode.   
     
     
         2 .- 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The image forming device according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a counting unit to count the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode first operation mode for each division identified by the identification unit. 
     
     
         5 . The image forming device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a plurality of division counters to be associated with the divisions to which the users belong, respectively,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode by the division counter corresponding to the division identified by the identification unit.   
     
     
         6 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The image forming device according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a division undefined counter not to be associated with any one of the divisions,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by the division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         20 . The image forming device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a division undefined counter not to be associated with any one of the divisions,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by the division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         21 . An image forming system comprising:
 an image forming unit to print an image in one of a color mode and a monochromatic mode;   an identification unit to identify a division to which a user belongs;   a division management unit to manage the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode by each division identified by the identification unit and to manage the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by an undefined division; and   a control unit to control the image forming unit to print in the monochromatic mode without identifying the division using the identification unit, in a case a print request by the user is in the monochromatic mode, and to print in the color mode while identifying the division to which the user belongs using the identification unit, in a case the print request by the user is in the color mode.   
     
     
         22 . The image forming system according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a counting unit to count the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode for each division identified by the identification unit.   
     
     
         23 . The image forming system according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a plurality of division counters to be associated with the divisions to which the users belong, respectively,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of the pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode by the division counter corresponding to the division identified by the identification unit.   
     
     
         24 . The image forming system according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a division undefined counter not to be associated with any one of the divisions,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by the division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         25 . The image forming system according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a division undefined counter not to be associated with any one of the divisions,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by the division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         26 . An image forming device comprising:
 an image forming unit to print an image one of in a color mode and in a monochromatic mode; and   a controller which identifies a division to which a user belongs,
 which manages the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode by each division identified by the identification unit, 
 which manages the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by an undefined division, and 
 which instructs the image forming unit to print in the monochromatic mode without identifying the division, in a case a print request by the user is in the monochromatic mode, and to print in the color mode while identifying the division to which the user belongs, in a case the print request by the user is in the color mode. 
   
     
     
         27 . The image forming device according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 the controller counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode for each division identified by the identification unit.   
     
     
         28 . The image forming device according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a plurality of division counters to be associated with the divisions to which the users belong, respectively,   wherein the controller counts the number of the pages printed by the image forming unit in the color mode by the division counter corresponding to the division identified by the identification unit.   
     
     
         29 . The image forming device according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a division undefined counter not to be associated with any one of the divisions,   wherein the controller counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by the division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         30 . The image forming device according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a division undefined counter not to be associated with any one of the divisions,   wherein the counting unit counts the number of pages printed by the image forming unit in the monochromatic mode by the division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         31 . An image forming method comprising:
 identifying a division to which a user belongs;   printing in the monochromatic mode without identifying the division, in a case a print request by the user is in the monochromatic mode;   managing the number of pages printed in the color mode by each division identified;   printing in the color mode while identifying the division to which the user belongs, in a case the print request by the user is in the color mode; and   managing the number of pages printed in the monochromatic mode by an undefined division.   
     
     
         32 . The image forming method according to  claim 31 , further comprising:
 counting the number of pages printed in the color mode for each division identified.   
     
     
         33 . The image forming method according to  claim 32 , further comprising:
 associating a plurality of division counters with the divisions to which the users belong, respectively; and   counting the number of the pages printed in the color mode by the division counter corresponding to the division identified.   
     
     
         34 . The image forming method according to  claim 33 , further comprising:
 counting the number of pages printed in the monochromatic mode by a division unidentified counter.   
     
     
         35 . The image forming method according to  claim 32 , further comprising:
 counting the number of pages printed in the monochromatic mode by a division unidentified counter.