Function sharing system, shared management server, function sharing method, and program

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a function sharing system and the like enabling the reliable use of registered sharing functions.SOLUTION: There is provided a function sharing system including a plurality of image forming apparatuses having functions and a sharing management server; where the image forming apparatuses each include an information providing unit that provides, to the sharing management server, providable function information indicating functions that can be provided to the other image forming apparatus, and a use requesting unit that transmits, to the sharing management server, a request for the use of the functions of the other image forming apparatus; where the sharing management server includes a storage unit that stores the providable function information provided by each of the image forming apparatuses, and a control unit that receives the request for the use, determines the other image forming apparatus that can provide the functions indicated in the request for the use on the basis of the providable function information, inquires if the functions indicated in the request for the use can be provided to the determined image forming apparatus, and transmits a reply to the request source image forming apparatus; and where the image forming apparatuses each further include a response unit that checks the providable functions in response to the inquiry from the sharing management server and responds with a result of the checking.