Network system, server apparatus, and network management program

• US 20040083147A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic System Networks Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5083 for scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A network system is provided that connects, on the network, a plurality of devices having document processing functions, a plurality of clients instructing the devices on necessary job executions, and a server. The server includes a collection recorder that collects information of a job executed by a device to record the information as job data, and a count processor that counts jobs according to count parameters set by a client. A browser installed to the client can select a count parameter, direct the count process, and view the count results generated by the count process.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

a plurality of processing apparatuses having document processing functions;

a plurality of client apparatuses instructing one of the processing apparatuses to execute a necessary job; and

a server apparatus, all of said apparatuses being mutually connected on a network, wherein

said server apparatus comprises a collection recorder that collects, from said processing apparatus, information about a job executed by said processing apparatus and records the information as job data, and a count processor that executes a count process according to a count condition specified by said client apparatus, based on the job data, and wherein

a browser is installed to said client apparatus in order to specify the count condition, instruct an execution of the count process, and view a count result generated by the count process.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein, the count processor of said server apparatus executes a count process by classifying job data to be counted, according to a count type chosen and specified by said client apparatus, the count type being chosen from a prearranged plurality of count types.

3. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by groups of said processing apparatuses and said client apparatuses, and wherein jobs executed by a processing apparatus of a certain group and job data related to jobs instructed by a client apparatus of the certain group are to be counted for each group.

4. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by users who operate said client apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs instructed by a certain user are to be counted for each user.

5. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by said processing apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs executed by a certain processing apparatus are to be counted for each processing apparatus.

6. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by job types, and wherein job data related to jobs within a certain job type are to be counted for each job type.

7. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the count processor of said server apparatus executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count period specified by said client apparatus.

8. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the count processor of said server apparatus executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count range selected, from a plurality of prearranged selections of count items, by said client apparatus.

9. The network system according to claim 8, wherein the count items include a group, a user, a job type, a processing apparatus, and a paper size.

10. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the count processor of said server apparatus generates a count result that includes a numeric value stored in job data, and fee information calculated based on a unit usage fee set for each job.

11. The network system according to claim 10, wherein the unit usage fee is set based on the instruction given by said client apparatus in a manager mode.

12. The network system according to claim 1, wherein, when performing a remote process where a certain job executed by using a processing apparatus within a group different from a normal group to which said client apparatus belongs, the count processor of said server apparatus executes the a count process by incorporating fee information of the job into the normal group.

13. A server apparatus connected, on a network, to a plurality of processing apparatuses having document processing functions and a plurality of client apparatuses instructing one of the processing apparatuses to execute a necessary job, the server apparatus comprising:

a collection recorder that collects, from the processing apparatus, information about a job executed by the processing apparatus and records the information as job data; and

a count processor that executes a count process according to a count condition specified by said client apparatus, based on the job data, and wherein

a browser is installed to the client apparatus in order to specify the count condition, instruct an execution of the count process, and view a count result generated by the count process.

14. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, said count processor executes a count process by classifying job data to be counted, according to a count type chosen and specified by the client apparatus, the count type being chosen from a prearranged plurality of count types.

15. The server apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by groups of the processing apparatuses and the client apparatuses, and wherein jobs executed by a processing apparatus of a certain group and job data related to jobs instructed by a client apparatus of the certain group are to be counted for each group.

16. The server apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by users who operate the client apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs instructed by a certain user are to be counted for each user.

17. The server apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by the processing apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs executed by a certain processing apparatus are to be counted for each processing apparatus.

18. The server apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by job types, and wherein job data related to jobs within a certain job type are to be counted for each job type.

19. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said count processor executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count period specified by the client apparatus.

20. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said count processor executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count range selected, from a plurality of prearranged selections of count items, by the client apparatus.

21. The server apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the count items include a group, a user, a job type, a processing apparatus, and a paper size.

22. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said count processor generates a count result that includes a numeric value stored in job data, and fee information calculated based on a unit usage fee set for each job.

23. The server apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the unit usage fee is set based on the instruction given by the client apparatus in a manager mode.

24. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, when performing a remote process where a certain job executed by using a processing apparatus within a group different from a normal group to which the client apparatus belongs, said count processor executes the a count process by incorporating fee information of the job into the normal group.

25. A network management program for a server apparatus connected, on a network, to a plurality of processing apparatuses having document processing functions, and a plurality of client apparatuses instructing one of the processing apparatuses to execute a necessary job, the program comprising:

a step for collecting and recording, from the processing apparatus, information about a job executed by the processing apparatus and records the information as job data; and

a step for executing a count process according to a count condition specified by the client apparatus, based on the job data, and wherein

a browser is installed to the client apparatus in order to specify the count condition and instruct an execution of the count process during said step for executing a count process, and view a count result generated by the count process.

26. The network management program according to claim 25, wherein, said step for executing a count process executes a count process by classifying job data to be counted, according to a count type chosen and specified by the client apparatus, the count type being chosen from a prearranged plurality of count types.

27. The network management program according to claim 26, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by groups of the processing apparatuses and the client apparatuses, and wherein jobs executed by a processing apparatus of a certain group and job data related to jobs instructed by a client apparatus of the certain group are to be counted for each group.

28. The network management program according to claim 26, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by users who operate the client apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs instructed by a certain user are to be counted for each user.

29. The network management program according to claim 26, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by the processing apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs executed by a certain processing apparatus are to be counted for each processing apparatus.

30. The network management program according to claim 26, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by job types, and wherein job data related to jobs within a certain job type are to be counted for each job type.

31. The network management program according to claim 25, wherein said step for executing a count process executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count period specified by the client apparatus.

32. The network management program according to claim 25, wherein said step for executing a count process executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count range selected, from a plurality of prearranged selections of count items, by the client apparatus.

33. The network management program according to claim 32, wherein the count items include a group, a user, a job type, a processing apparatus, and a paper size.

34. The network management program according to claim 25, wherein said step for executing a count process generates a count result that includes a numeric value stored in job data, and fee information calculated based on a unit usage fee set for each job.

35. The network management program according to claim 34, wherein the unit usage fee is set based on the instruction given by the client apparatus in a manager mode.

36. The network management program according to claim 25, wherein, when performing a remote process where a certain job executed by using a processing apparatus within a group different from a normal group to which the client apparatus belongs, said step for executing a count process executes the a count process by incorporating fee information of the job into the normal group.