Processing apparatus, processing system, and non-transitory computer readable medium

• US 8,953,184 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsutsumi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Guillermety, Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIFERAW, HENOK ASRES
• Application Number:
  US13/625,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00225 details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32523 a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32529 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3255 Hybrid jobs, i.e. performing different parts of the same job on different devices, e.g. colour and B/W pages on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/346 Accounting or charging based on a number representative of the service used, e.g. number of operations or copies produced
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 : of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A processing apparatus includes a provision unit that is connected to a communication unit used to communicate with plural actual apparatuses and a manipulation unit which is used to manipulate the actual apparatuses, that forms virtual image processing functions which control operations of the actual apparatuses based on manipulation of the manipulation unit, and that provides services using the virtual image processing functions, and a control unit that, when an operation execution instruction of the actual apparatuses is given using the manipulation unit, limits the processes which exceed an amount of licenses indicating a previously contracted number of actual apparatuses, throughputs of the previously contracted number of actual apparatuses, or a previously contracted number of virtual image processing functions, and that controls the provision unit such that the services are provided based on the operation execution instruction.

Claims

1. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a provision unit that is connected to a communication unit used to communicate with a plurality of actual apparatuses which perform previously determined processes requiring a license and a manipulation unit which is used to manipulate the actual apparatuses, that forms virtual image processing functions which control operations of the actual apparatuses based on manipulation of the manipulation unit, and that provides services using the virtual image processing functions, wherein the provision unit is stored on a server that is communicable with the actual apparatuses over a network so that the provision unit is separate from the actual apparatuses; and

a control unit on the server that, when an operation execution instruction of the actual apparatuses is given using the manipulation unit via the communication unit, allows the processes requiring a license to be executed but limits the processes which exceed an amount of licenses indicating a previously contracted number of actual apparatuses which may be executed at a same time, throughputs of the previously contracted number of actual apparatuses which may be executed at the same time, or a previously contracted number of virtual image processing functions which may be executed at the same time, and that controls the provision unit such that the services are provided based on the operation execution instruction.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the provision unit forms the plurality of virtual image processing functions, and provides the services using the respective virtual image processing functions, and

wherein, when the operation execution instruction is given, the control unit searches for a use state of a use target actual apparatus, and, when the actual apparatus corresponding to the use target is being used by another virtual image processing function, performs control such that the provision unit makes a use reservation, waits until the another processing apparatus terminates the use of the actual apparatus corresponding to the user target, and provides the services.

3. A processing system, comprising:

the processing apparatus according to claim 1,

the actual apparatuses that are connected to the communication unit, and that perform previously determined processes based on the control of the provision unit; and

the manipulation unit that is connected to the communication unit and used to manipulate the actual apparatuses.

4. A processing system, comprising:

the processing apparatus according to claim 2,

the actual apparatuses that are connected to the communication unit, and that perform previously determined processes based on the control of the provision unit; and

the manipulation unit that is connected to the communication unit and used to manipulate the actual apparatuses.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to function as the control unit of the processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to function as the control unit of the processing apparatus according to claim 2.