Information broker for printing system

• US 5,956,698 A
• Filed: 07/31/1997
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lacheze, Joel, Fox, Elizabeth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARSH, PHILIP W
• Application Number:
  US08/903,695
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 705/34, 705/16
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

There is disclosed a method for use in a printing system for producing copies or prints in which billing is developed for a customer of the printing system for the produced copies or prints on a basis of a set of accounting information accumulated and stored in an accounting subsystem. The printing system includes an input/output station communicating with the accounting subsystem by way of a network, and the method facilitates the generation of a set of billing/pricing information for transmission to a selected location upon the occurrence of a selected event related to the printing system. The method includes the steps of: a) electronically receiving a subset of the accounting information at the accounting subsystem; b) electronically updating the set of accounting information in response to the electronic receiving of a); c) analyzing the updated set of accounting information to determine if the selected event related to the printing system has occurred; and d) when the selected event related to the printing system has occurred, transmitting automatically the set of billing/pricing information to the selected location.

Claims

1. In a printing system for producing copies or prints in which billing is developed for a customer of the printing system for the produced copies or prints on a basis of a first set of information accumulated and stored in an accounting subsystem, and in which billing is developed normally on the basis of a first billing plan, the printing system including an input/output station communicating with the accounting subsystem by way of a network, a method for causing a second set of information to be generated for transmission to a location selected by the customer or the printing system upon the occurrence of a selected event related to the printing system, comprising:

a) electronically receiving a subset of the first set of information at the accounting subsystem;

b) in response to said electronic receiving of (a), electronically updating the first set of information;

c) analyzing the updated first set of information to determine if the selected event related to the printing system has occurred;

d) when the selected event related to the printing system has occurred, transmitting automatically the second set of information to the selected location; and

e) wherein said analysis of said c) indicates that the customer may access a second billing plan on the basis of further usage, and wherein said d) includes providing the second set of information with a subset of information notifying the customer of an opportunity to access the second billing plan on the basis of further usage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically the second set of information to the input/output station for review by the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said d) includes transmitting pricing information regarding both the first and second billing plans to the customer for comparison thereby.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking the first billing plan with a first customer usage of the printing system and the second billing plan with a second customer usage of the printing system.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the selected event related to said printing system corresponds with an end of a preselected time period, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically an invoice to the customer with the invoice varying as a function of the copies or prints produced by the customer in said printing system.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the first set of information includes a current copy count value and the accounting subsystem stores a reference copy count break point, further comprising comparing the current copy count value with the reference copy count break point, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically a message to the customer indicating that the current copy count value is within a prespecified range of the reference copy count break point.

7. The method of claim 1, in which a bill, based on the updated first set of information, is generated in the printing system, and in which the selected event comprises said generation of the bill, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically the bill to a location disposed on the network remotely of the input/output station.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) electronically receiving an invoice projection inquiry signal at the accounting subsystem;

f) based on the updated first set of information, generating an invoice projecting what a bill in the future will be based on current usage of the printing system by the customer.

10. The method of claim 1, in which a first set of one or more cost factors is stored in the printing system and a revision is made to the first set of one or more cost factors so as to create a second set of one or more cost factors, and in which the selected event related to the printing system relates to the revision made in the first set of cost factors, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically a message to the customer informing the same of the revision made in the first set of cost factors.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically a subset of the second set of one or more cost factors to the customer.

8. The method of claim 8, wherein said d) includes transmitting automatically the bill to a payee institution along with information which allows for payment of the bill.

12. In a printing system for producing copies or prints in which billing is developed for a customer of the printing system for the produced copies or prints on a basis of a pricing structure stored with a selected one of an accounting subsystem and a billing subsystem, the pricing structure including a plurality of print rates and the customer communicating with the selected one of the accounting subsystem and the billing subsystem by way of a network, a method for adjusting the pricing structure when a selected event related to the printing system occurs, comprising:

a) electronically communicating a set of print rate related information to the selected one of the accounting subsystem and the billing subsystem;

b) in response to said (a), electronically analyzing the pricing structure with the set of print rate related information to determine if the selected event related to the printing system has occurred; and

c) when the selected event related to the printing system has occurred, electronically adjusting the pricing structure, without user intervention, to reflect an increase or decrease in at least one of the plurality of print rates of the pricing structure.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said (b) includes determining whether a billing rate is to be increased as a result of a change in monetary currency.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said (b) includes determining whether a billing rate will decrease as a result of further usage of the printing system by the customer.

15. The method of claim 12, in which the print related information includes profitability metrics of the printing system, wherein said (b) includes electronically analyzing the profitability metrics to determine whether the pricing structure should be adjusted.