CHARGING SYSTEM, CHARGING METHOD, RECORDING MEDIUM, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING CHARGING PROCESS WITH IMPROVED USER CONVENIENCE
First Claim
1. A charging system including an image forming apparatus having a charging list table necessary for a charging process, and an external server connected with said image forming apparatus via a network for executing a job process in cooperation with said image forming apparatus,said image forming apparatus including:
- a first controller for executing a job process while executing a charging process job by job within a range of a balance included in said charging list table; and
a first data transmission and reception device for transmitting and receiving data to and from said external server, whereinsaid first controllerdetermines whether an instruction to execute a job process that said external server is to be requested to execute is given,generates, when the instruction to execute is given, a charging list sub table associated with said external server within the range of the balance in said charging list table,updates the balance in said charging list table according to the generation of said charging list sub table, andtransmits said generated charging list sub table together with the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute, to said external server via said first data transmission and reception device, andsaid external server including;
a second data transmission and reception device for transmitting and receiving data to and from said image forming apparatus; and
a second controller for executing the job process that said external server is requested to execute, independently of said first controller within a range of a balance included in said charging list sub table received by said second data transmission and reception device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A charging management server is informed of an ED number stored in an IC card, and a user charging table of the charging management server is read. A new user charging list is transmitted to an MFP. In the case where the MFP receives a cooperative job to be executed by a cooperative server, a sub charging list is generated. The generated new sub charging list is transmitted together with image data to the cooperative server. The cooperative server executes the job on the basis of charging a fee for the job. As the job is executed on the basis of charging, the sub charging list is updated. In parallel with the execution of the cooperative job by the cooperative server, the WP can perform a normal job according to the charging list.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A charging system including an image forming apparatus having a charging list table necessary for a charging process, and an external server connected with said image forming apparatus via a network for executing a job process in cooperation with said image forming apparatus,
said image forming apparatus including: -
a first controller for executing a job process while executing a charging process job by job within a range of a balance included in said charging list table; and a first data transmission and reception device for transmitting and receiving data to and from said external server, wherein said first controller determines whether an instruction to execute a job process that said external server is to be requested to execute is given, generates, when the instruction to execute is given, a charging list sub table associated with said external server within the range of the balance in said charging list table, updates the balance in said charging list table according to the generation of said charging list sub table, and transmits said generated charging list sub table together with the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute, to said external server via said first data transmission and reception device, and said external server including; a second data transmission and reception device for transmitting and receiving data to and from said image forming apparatus; and a second controller for executing the job process that said external server is requested to execute, independently of said first controller within a range of a balance included in said charging list sub table received by said second data transmission and reception device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A charging method for a charging system including an image forming apparatus having a charging list table necessary for a charging process, and an external server connected with said image forming apparatus via a network for executing a job process in cooperation with said image forming apparatus, said charging method comprising the steps of:
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receiving input of an instruction to execute a job process that the external server is to be requested to execute; generating, when the input of the instruction to execute the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute is received, a charging list sub table associated with said external server within a range of a balance in said charging list table; updating said charging list table according to the generation of said charging list sub table; transmitting, to said external server, said generated charging list sub table together with the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute; and executing the job process that said external server is requested to execute, independently of said image forming apparatus, within a range of a balance included in said charging list sub table as received. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A recording medium having a charging program recorded to be executed by a computer included in a charging system including:
- an image forming apparatus having a charging list table necessary for a charging process; and
an external server connected with said image forming apparatus via a network for executing a job process in cooperation with said image forming apparatus, said charging program causing said computer to execute a process comprising the steps of;receiving input of an instruction to execute a job process that the external server is to be requested to execute; generating, when the input of the instruction to execute the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute is received, a charging list sub table associated with said external server within a range of a balance in said charging list table; updating said charging list table according to the generation of said charging list sub table; transmitting, to said external server, said generated charging list sub table together with the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute; and executing the job process that said external server is requested to execute, independently of said image forming apparatus, within a range of a balance included in said charging list sub table as received. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
- an image forming apparatus having a charging list table necessary for a charging process; and
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16. An image forming apparatus having a charging list table necessary for a charging process and connected via a network with an external server executing a job process in cooperation with said image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a controller for executing a job process while executing a charging process job by job within a range of a balance included in said charging list table; and a data transmission and reception device for transmitting and receiving data to and from said external server, wherein said controller determines whether an instruction to execute a job process that said external server is to be requested to execute is given, generates, when the instruction to execute is given, a charging list sub table associated with said external server within the range of the balance in said charging list table, updates the balance in said charging list table according to the generation of said charging list sub table, transmits said generated charging list sub table together with the job process that said external server is to be requested to execute, to said external server via said data transmission and reception device, receives, when said job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed, said charging list sub table updated job by job via said data transmission and reception device, and combines said updated charging list sub table received via said data transmission and reception device with said charging list table.
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Specification