CHARGING SYSTEM, CHARGING METHOD, RECORDING MEDIUM, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING CHARGING PROCESS WITH IMPROVED USER CONVENIENCE

• US 20100067046A1
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Hiroyasu, Bessho, Ichiro, Tsukada, Koji, Fujimori, Harumitsu
• Granted Patent: US 8,373,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5083 for scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5087 for receiving image data
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/266 for the use of a photocopier or printing device photocopiers H04N1/00

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.

Claims

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.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said charging list table includes a fee for use, an advance payment and charging information according to a job process.

3. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said charging list sub table includes charging information according to a job process specific to said external server.

4. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said second controller of said external server

updates said charging list sub table job by job for the job process that said external server is requested to execute,

determines whether the job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed, and

transmits, when it is determined that the job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed, the updated charging list sub table to said image forming apparatus via said second data transmission and reception device, and

said first controller of said image forming apparatus combines said updated charging list sub table received via said first data transmission and reception device with said charging list table.

5. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said second controller of said external server

updates said charging list sub table job by job for the job process that said external server is requested to execute,.

determines whether a balance included in said updated charging list sub table has been spent while the job process that said external server is requested to execute is being executed, and

transmits, when it is determined that the balance in said updated charging list sub table has been spent, said updated charging list sub table to said image forming apparatus via said second data transmission and reception device, and

said first controller of said image forming apparatus

generates another charging list sub table associated with said external server within the range of the balance in said charging list table, based on said updated charging list sub table received via said first data transmission and reception device, and

transmits said generated another charging list sub table to said external server via said first data transmission and reception device.

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:

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.

7. The charging method according to claim 6, wherein said charging list table includes a fee for use, an advance payment and charging information according to a job process.

8. The charging method according to claim 6, wherein said charging list sub table includes charging information according to a job process specific to said external server.

9. The charging method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

updating said charging list sub table job by job for the job process that said external server is requested to execute;

determining whether the job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed;

transmitting, when it is determined that the job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed, the updated charging list sub table from said external server to said image forming apparatus; and

combining said updated charging list sub table transmitted from said external server with said charging list table.

10. The charging method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

updating said charging list sub table job by job for the job process that said external server is requested to execute;

determining whether a balance included in said updated charging list sub table has been spent while the job process that said external server is requested to execute is being executed;

transmitting, when it is determined that the balance in said updated charging list sub table has been spent, said updated charging list sub table from said external server to said image forming apparatus;

generating another charging list sub table associated with said external server within the range of the balance in said charging list table, based on said updated charging list sub table transmitted from said external server; and

transmitting said generated another charging list sub table from said image forming apparatus to said external server.

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.

12. The recording medium according to claim 11, wherein

said charging list table includes a fee for use, an advance payment and charging information according to a job process.

13. The recording medium according to claim 11, wherein

said charging list sub table includes charging information according to a job process specific to said external server.

14. The recording medium according to claim 11, said charging program causing said computer to execute the process further comprising the steps of:

updating said charging list sub table job by job for the job process that said external server is requested to execute;

determining whether the job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed;

transmitting, when it is determined that the job process that said external server is requested to execute is completed, the updated charging list sub table from said external server to said image forming apparatus; and

combining said updated charging list sub table transmitted from said external server with said charging list table.

15. The recording medium according to claim 11, said charging program causing said computer to execute the process further comprising the steps of:

updating said charging list sub table job by job for the job process that said external server is requested to execute;

determining whether a balance included in said updated charging list sub table has been spent while the job process that said external server is requested to execute is being executed;

transmitting, when it is determined that the balance in said updated charging list sub table has been spent, said updated charging list sub table from said external server to said image forming apparatus;

generating another charging list sub table associated with said external server within the range of the balance in said charging list table, based on said updated charging list sub table transmitted from said external server; and

transmitting said generated another charging list sub table from said image forming apparatus to said external server.

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:

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.