A policy-based printing system is implemented to allow access to a private domain to print using a public domain. The private domain includes private servers that store documents. The public domain includes servers and a printing device. A public policy server uses a domain list and a protocol connection with a private authentication server to validate a user and identify which private domain to access. The public policy server receives requests from the printing device to process a print job of a document in the private domain. If the private server is off-line, then the printing device prints the document and a cost reimbursement request is submitted to account for the printed document.

An image forming apparatus includes a setting unit that sets a non-billing mode that is a mode of executing, without performing billing, a job that is set such that billing is performed for execution of the job, and a storage unit that stores a history of a job executed during a period in which the non-billing mode is set, wherein the stored history includes a cumulative number of pages obtained by printing performed by executing a job during a period in which the non billing mode is set.

An image forming apparatus includes a setting unit that sets a non-billing mode that is a mode of executing, without performing billing, a job that is set such that billing is performed for execution of the job, and a storage unit that stores a history of a job executed during a period in which the non-billing mode is set, wherein the stored history includes a cumulative number of pages obtained by printing performed by executing a job during a period in which the non billing mode is set.

In a case where a cleaning member is reciprocated in a longitudinal direction of a transmissive member in cleaning operation, the time necessary for the cleaning operation is lengthened. A movement unit is controlled to move the cleaning member in a first direction from a first position in response to a cleaning start signal and then to stop the cleaning member at a second position, and to move the cleaning member in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the second position in response to a next cleaning start signal and then to stop the cleaning member at the first position.

In a case where a cleaning member is reciprocated in a longitudinal direction of a transmissive member in cleaning operation, the time necessary for the cleaning operation is lengthened. A movement unit is controlled to move the cleaning member in a first direction from a first position in response to a cleaning start signal and then to stop the cleaning member at a second position, and to move the cleaning member in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the second position in response to a next cleaning start signal and then to stop the cleaning member at the first position.

An apparatus includes a forming unit, a cleaning mechanism that cleans a transparent member of a scanning device of the forming unit, a counter that counts a number of image-formed sheets, which are sheets of a recording medium on which images have been formed by the forming unit, the counter performing counting with a first count value in a case where the forming unit performs image formation in a first mode and performing counting with a second count value larger than the first count value in a case where the forming unit performs image formation in a second mode higher in image forming speed than the first mode, and a control unit that controls the cleaning mechanism to clean the transparent member in response to the number of image-formed sheets counted by the counter reaching a predetermined number of sheets.

An apparatus includes a forming unit, a cleaning mechanism that cleans a transparent member of a scanning device of the forming unit, a counter that counts a number of image-formed sheets, which are sheets of a recording medium on which images have been formed by the forming unit, the counter performing counting with a first count value in a case where the forming unit performs image formation in a first mode and performing counting with a second count value larger than the first count value in a case where the forming unit performs image formation in a second mode higher in image forming speed than the first mode, and a control unit that controls the cleaning mechanism to clean the transparent member in response to the number of image-formed sheets counted by the counter reaching a predetermined number of sheets.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing unit, a position adjustment mechanism, a number-of-printed-sheets counter, and a control unit. The image forming portion includes an image carrier, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a transfer member. The fixing unit has a heated rotary member and a pressing member and heats and presses the sheet passing through a fixing nip portion. A position adjustment mechanism adjusts the width-direction position of the sheet parallel to the scanning direction of optical scanning by the exposure unit. Every time the number of printed sheets reaches a predetermined number, the control unit makes the correction unit shift the width-direction position of the sheet by a predetermined amount and changes the start position of scanning by the exposure unit on the image carrier according to the direction and amount of shift.

Provided is an image forming apparatus including a charge processing section and an operation section that are brought closer in height to each other, thus improving the operability of a user. The image forming apparatus (100) includes a coin insertion processing section (110), an operation panel (120) and an electrophotography printer (130). The coin insertion processing section (110) is configured to accept money and then execute charge processing so as to permit image formation by the image forming apparatus (100). The operation panel (120) is configured to, when the coin insertion processing section (110) executes the charge processing, accept setting of image formation by the image forming apparatus (100). The electrophotography printer (130) is configured to form an image of the read image data based on setting at the operation panel (120). The coin insertion processing section (110) is disposed at a height equal to a height of the operation panel (120).

Provided is an image forming apparatus including a charge processing section and an operation section that are brought closer in height to each other, thus improving the operability of a user. The image forming apparatus (100) includes a coin insertion processing section (110), an operation panel (120) and an electrophotography printer (130). The coin insertion processing section (110) is configured to accept money and then execute charge processing so as to permit image formation by the image forming apparatus (100). The operation panel (120) is configured to, when the coin insertion processing section (110) executes the charge processing, accept setting of image formation by the image forming apparatus (100). The electrophotography printer (130) is configured to form an image of the read image data based on setting at the operation panel (120). The coin insertion processing section (110) is disposed at a height equal to a height of the operation panel (120).