Maintenance cost management device and user device

• US 7,827,121 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Mitsuda, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): NELSON, FREDA ANN
• Application Number:
  US10/250,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,232 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705 34- 35, 705/7, 705/400, 705/4, 705/26, 705/50, 705/1.1, 705/14.4, 358/1.18, 358/3.28, 358/1.1, 707/514
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A user of devices (1) to (3) pays a predetermined accumulated fee to a device maker through a finance company every month. For each device of each user, a server (B) of the maker converts the sum of the accumulative fee into maintenance points and stores them in a point management table (6). After maintenance, the server (B) subtracts the points corresponding to the maintenance charge from the maintenance points to settle the maintenance cost. Service points are given according to an operation record sent from the devices (1) to (3) through a communications network (5) and a discount is given corresponding to the service points when the maintenance cost is settled.

Claims

1. A maintenance cost management device, comprising:

a point storage portion that stores a device user'"'"'s deposit points for a device that receives maintenance;

a conversion means that converts an accumulative fee paid regularly by the device user to deposit points;

an addition means that adds the deposit points converted by the conversion means to the device user'"'"'s deposit points stored in the point storage portion; and

a subtracting means that, after a maintenance has been performed, subtracts a number of deposit points corresponding to a cost for the maintenance from the deposit points in the point storage portion to settle the cost for the maintenance;

wherein the point storage portion is further provided with a service point storage area that stores service points given in accordance with acts on the device user side, and the cost for the maintenance is settled taking into account the service points;

wherein an operation record of the device user'"'"'s device is received from the device via a communications network, and service points calculated on the basis of the received operation record are added to the device user'"'"'s service points stored in the point storage portion; and

wherein the operation record includes data related to the device'"'"'s consumption volume of consumables.

2. The maintenance cost management device according to claim 1, wherein the point storage portion is provided, for each device of each device user, with an area that stores the deposit points.

3. The maintenance cost management device according to claim 1, wherein the service points are added to the deposit points.

4. The maintenance cost management device according to claim 1, wherein the service points subtracted from the deposit points are calculated by discounting for a percentage corresponding to the service points.

5. A combination of a user device and a maintenance cost management device, wherein the user device is connected via a communications network to the maintenance cost management device:

the maintenance cost management device, comprising;

a point storage portion that stores a device user'"'"'s deposit points for a device that receives maintenance;

a conversion means that converts an accumulative fee paid regularly by the device user to deposit points;

an addition means that adds the deposit points converted by the conversion means to the device user'"'"'s deposit points stored in the point storage portion;

a subtracting means that, after a maintenance has been performed, subtracts a number of deposit points corresponding to a cost for the maintenance from the deposit points in the point storage portion to settle the cost for the maintenance;

wherein the point storage portion is further provided with a service point storage area that stores service points given in accordance with acts on the device user side, and the cost for the maintenance is settled taking into account the service points;

wherein an operation record of the device user'"'"'s device is received from that device via a communications network, and service points calculated on the basis of the received operation record are added to the device user'"'"'s service points stored in the point storage portion; and

wherein the operation record includes data related to the device'"'"'s consumption volume of consumables;

the user device, comprising;

an operation record storage portion that stores an operation record; and

a transmission portion that sends the operation record to the maintenance cost management device via the communications network.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable program storage medium on which a program is stored that executes processes of:

converting an accumulative fee paid regularly by a device user into deposit points;

adding the deposit points to the device user'"'"'s deposit points in a point storage portion storing the device user'"'"'s deposit points; and

settling a cost for a maintenance after the maintenance has been performed by subtracting points from the deposit points in the point storage portion in accordance with the cost for the maintenance,

wherein settling a cost for a maintenance includes taking into account service points, stored in a service point storage area of the point storage portion, the service point storage area storing service points given in accordance with acts on the device user side; and

receiving an operation record of the device user'"'"'s device from the device user'"'"'s device via a communications network, and adding service points, calculated on the basis of the received operation record, to the device user'"'"'s service points stored in the point storage portion,

wherein the operation record includes data related, to the device'"'"'s consumption volume of consumables.

7. A maintenance cost management method comprising:

converting an accumulative fee paid regularly by a device user into deposit points by a conversion means of a maintenance cost management device;

adding the deposit points to the device user'"'"'s deposit points in a point storage portion storing the device user'"'"'s deposit points by an addition means of the maintenance cost management device;

settling a cost for a maintenance after the maintenance has been performed by subtracting deposit points from the deposit points in the point storage portion in accordance with the cost for the maintenance by a subtracting means of the maintenance cost management device,

wherein settling a cost for a maintenance includes taking into account service points, stored in a service point storage area of the point storage portion, the service point storage area storing service points given in accordance with acts on the device user side; and

the maintenance cost management device receiving an operation record of the device user'"'"'s device from the device user'"'"'s device via a communications network, and adding service points, calculated on the basis of the received operation record, to the device user'"'"'s service points stored in the point storage portion,

wherein the operation record includes data related to the device'"'"'s consumption volume of consumables.