Image forming system and information processing apparatus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus is connected to an image forming apparatus to be capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit for storing low cost printing information transmitted from the image forming apparatus; a receiving unit for receiving a printing instruction; and a control unit for determining whether first data or second data different from the first data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus according to the low cost printing information stored in the storage unit when the receiving unit receives the printing instruction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus to be capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a storage unit for storing low cost printing information transmitted from the image forming apparatus;   a receiving unit for receiving a printing instruction; and   a control unit for determining whether first data or second data different from the first data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus according to the low cost printing information stored in the storage unit when the receiving unit receives the printing instruction.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said printing instruction includes a user printing setting specified by a user, and
 said first data includes the user printing setting.   
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a printing setting storage unit for storing an apparatus printing setting defined in advance,
 wherein said second data includes the apparatus printing setting.   
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said second data includes modified data of the user printing setting. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said apparatus printing setting is a low cost printing setting. 
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said control unit is configured to retrieve the low cost printing setting from the printing setting storage unit, and
 said control unit is configured to change the user printing setting to the low cost printing setting to generate the second data.   
     
     
         7 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said low cost printing setting is information of a selection result based on a selection input between a first mode and a second mode having a printing cost lower than that of the first mode. 
     
     
         8 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said low cost printing setting is information of a selection result based on a selection input between a first mode and a second mode having a printing cost lower than that of the first mode,
 said low cost printing setting includes a plurality of types of setting items,   said user printing setting includes a plurality of types of setting items,   said control unit is configured to compare values of corresponding setting items between the user printing setting and the low cost printing setting when the selection result is the second mode, and   said control unit is configured to change the user printing setting to the low cost printing setting of only the setting item that is determined to be lower cost in the low cost printing setting relative to the user printing setting.   
     
     
         9 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said low cost printing setting includes the setting items including at least two of a print density, a duplex print setting, a fixing temperature setting, and an arrangement setting, and
 said user printing setting includes the setting items including at least two of the print density, the duplex print setting, the fixing temperature setting, and the arrangement setting.   
     
     
         10 . An image forming system, comprising:
 an image forming apparatus; and   an information processing apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus to be capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus,   wherein said image forming apparatus includes a transmission unit for transmitting a low cost printing information to the information processing apparatus,   said information processing apparatus includes:   a storage unit for storing the low cost printing information transmitted from the image forming apparatus;   a receiving unit for receiving a printing instruction; and   a control unit for determining whether first data or second data different from the first data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus according to the low cost printing information stored in the storage unit when the receiving unit receives the printing instruction.   
     
     
         11 . The image forming system according to  claim 10 , wherein said image forming apparatus further includes a receiving unit for receiving the low cost printing information, and
 said control unit is configured to transmit the low cost printing information to the image forming apparatus when the receiving unit receives the low cost printing information.   
     
     
         12 . The image forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein said low cost printing setting is information of a selection result based on a selection input between a first mode and a second mode having a printing cost lower than that of the first mode.