A method and a system are described where the quality of an image can be modified, using formatted information related to the defects of the appliances of the chain of appliances. The method may include compiling directories of sources of formatted information related to the said appliances, searching automatically for this formatted information related to the appliances of the said chain of appliances, modifying the said image automatically by image-processing software or components by taking into account the formatted information. Additionally, the formatted information may be modified as a function of variable characteristics of the image to be processed and of the chain of appliances. Thus, it is possible to process the images derived from appliances that may be of diverse origins and that have been commercialized gradually over time, such as photographic or video images in optical instrumentation, industrial controls, robotics, metrology, etc.

An information processing system includes: a processor configured to: acquire post-action image information that is information on a post-action image, which is an image formed by an image forming apparatus after an action is performed on the image forming apparatus by an action operator; acquire pre-action image information that is information on a pre-action image, which is an image formed by the image forming apparatus before the action is performed by the action operator; and generate state information that is information on a state of the image forming apparatus, based on the post-action image information and the pre-action image information.