Network system, server apparatus, and network management program

• US 7,685,035 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic System Networks Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel; Vanel
• Application Number:
  US10/649,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,399 Days
• Field of Search: 705/34, 705/14, 709/203, 707/10, 707/516, 715/764
• 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 for determining billing fee usage information for document processing related jobs, comprising:

a plurality of processing apparatuses having document processing functions, each processing apparatus belonging to one of a plurality of groups;

a plurality of client apparatuses configured to instruct each of the processing apparatuses to execute a necessary document processing related job, each client apparatus belonging to one of the plurality of groups; and

a server apparatus, all of said plurality of processing apparatuses and all of said plurality of client apparatuses being mutually connected on a network,

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

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

wherein, when performing a remote process where a certain document processing related job executed by using one of the plurality of processing apparatuses within a group different from a normal group to which a client apparatus belongs, the count processor of said server apparatus executes the count process by incorporating billing fee usage information of the document processing related job into the normal group, and

wherein the normal group is a group where a processing apparatus that executes a document processing related job and a client apparatus that instructs the processing apparatus to execute the document processing related job are included in the same group.

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 a 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 processing apparatuses and 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 plurality of 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 job types by said plurality of 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 a 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 a 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 an instruction given by said client apparatus in a manager mode.

12. A server apparatus for determining billing fee usage information for document processing related jobs, connected on a network to a plurality of processing apparatuses having document processing functions and a plurality of client apparatuses instructing each of the plurality of processing apparatuses to execute a necessary document processing related job, each client apparatus and each processing apparatus belonging to one of a plurality of groups, the server apparatus comprising:

a collection recorder that collects from each of the plurality of processing apparatuses, information about a document processing related job executed by each of the processing apparatuses and records the information as job data; and

a count processor that executes a count process according to a count condition specified by each of said plurality of client apparatuses, based on the job data,

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

wherein, when performing a remote process where a certain document processing related job executed by using one of the plurality of processing apparatuses within a group different from a normal group to which the client apparatus belongs, said count processor executes the count process by incorporating fee information of the document processing related job into the normal group, and

wherein the normal group is a group where a processing apparatus that executes a document processing related job and a client apparatus that instructs the processing apparatus to execute the document processing related job are included in the same group.

13. The server apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said count processor executes a count process by classifying job data to be counted, according to a count type chosen and specified by a client apparatus, the count type being chosen from a prearranged plurality of count types.

14. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by groups of processing apparatuses and 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.

15. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by users who operate the plurality of client apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs instructed by a certain user are to be counted for each user.

16. The server apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by the plurality of processing apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs executed by a certain processing apparatus are to be counted for each processing apparatus.

17. The server apparatus according to claim 13, 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.

18. The server apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said count processor executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting, based on a count period specified by a client apparatus.

19. The server apparatus according to claim 12, 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 a client apparatus.

20. The server apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the count items include a group, a user, a job type, a processing apparatus, and a paper size.

21. The server apparatus according to claim 12, 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.

22. The server apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the unit usage fee is set based on an instruction given by the client apparatus in a manager mode.

23. A network management method for determining billing fee usage information for document processing related jobs 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 each of the plurality of processing apparatuses to execute a necessary document processing related job, each client apparatus and each processing apparatus belonging to one of a plurality of groups, the method comprising:

collecting and recording, from each of the processing apparatuses, information about a document processing related job executed by the plurality of processing apparatuses and recording the information as job data; and

executing a count process according to a count condition specified by each client apparatus, based on the job data,

wherein a browser is installed to each 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,

wherein, when performing a remote process where a certain document processing related job executed by using one of the plurality of processing apparatuses within a group different from a normal group to which a client apparatus belongs, the count process is executed by incorporating fee information of the document processing related job into the normal group, and

wherein the normal group is a group where a processing apparatus that executes a document processing related job and a client apparatus that instructs the processing apparatus to execute the document processing related job are included in the same group.

24. The network management method according to claim 23, wherein executing a count process executes a count process by classifying job data to be counted, according to a count type chosen and specified by a client apparatus, the count type being chosen from a prearranged plurality of count types.

25. The network management method according to claim 24, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by groups of processing apparatuses and 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.

26. The network management method according to claim 24, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by users who operate the plurality of client apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs instructed by a certain user are to be counted for each user.

27. The network management method according to claim 24, wherein the count type is used when counting jobs by the plurality of processing apparatuses, and wherein job data related to jobs executed by a certain processing apparatus are to be counted for each processing apparatus.

28. The network management method according to claim 24, 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.

29. The network management method according to claim 23, wherein executing a count process executes a count process by narrowing down job data for counting based on a count period specified by a client apparatus.

30. The network management method according to claim 23, wherein 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 a client apparatus.

31. The network management method according to claim 30, wherein the count items include a group, a user, a job type a processing apparatus, and a paper size.

32. The network management method according to claim 23, wherein 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.

33. The network management method according to claim 32, wherein the unit usage fee is set based on an instruction given by a client apparatus in a manager mode.