JP2003108896A - Settlement system, method and printer having settlement function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a settlement system simple and suitable for settlement of a small sum of money. SOLUTION: In down-loading the charged image data provided by a server device 3, point corresponding to the image to be down-loaded is subtracted from the point showing the quantity of available ink stored in a memory part 41 of an ink cartridge 4 to perform settlement for the charge of the image data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system or the like for paying a fee for a product or the like, and more particularly to a technique for operating the amount of image forming medium that can be used by a printer to make a small payment.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Internet has become widespread, and online shopping using it has been popular.
Here, there is also provided an information providing service that allows the user to download image data or various programs for a fee. There are various products and services handled, and the amount of money ranges from hundreds of yen to millions of yen.

[0003] As a method of paying a fee in online shopping, there are many methods that use a transfer such as a bank or a credit card. These payments often involve fees and are not suitable for small payments.

Attention is now paid to an image forming medium container, such as an ink cartridge or a toner cartridge, containing an image forming medium such as ink or toner used in a printer. The image forming medium container is sold at a predetermined price. For example, for a user who purchased an ink cartridge for 1000 yen, the ink cartridge has a monetary value of 1000 yen when unused. When the user prints using the ink cartridge and the remaining amount of ink decreases, the monetary value of the ink cartridge also decreases.
In other words, for the user, the monetary value of the purchased ink cartridge corresponds to the usable ink amount. It would be convenient if payment could be made using the monetary value of this image forming medium container.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a settlement system and the like which is simple and suitable for small amount settlement.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the settlement system of the first aspect of the present invention, it is mounted in an image forming medium container containing an image forming medium used in a printer, Of the image forming medium accommodated in the image forming medium container, a reading unit for reading the image forming medium information from a storage device that stores image forming medium information indicating the amount of usable image forming medium; Means for subtracting an image forming medium amount corresponding to a charge required for purchasing a product, providing a service, or providing information from the image forming medium amount indicated by the forming medium information, and an image forming indicating the image forming medium amount obtained by the subtraction. Writing means for writing the medium information to the storage device.

[0007] With this, it is possible to indirectly settle the fee for purchasing the product, providing the service, or providing the information by operating the amount of the usable image forming medium.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the printer of the second aspect of the present invention, when the image forming medium container containing the image forming medium having a storage device is attached, the storage device is From the image forming medium accommodated in the image forming medium container, the reading unit that reads out the image forming medium information indicating the usable image forming medium amount,
Means for subtracting from the image forming medium amount indicated by the image forming medium information the amount of the image forming medium corresponding to the fee required for purchasing the product, providing the service or providing the information, and an image showing the image forming medium amount obtained by the subtraction. And a writing unit that writes the formation medium information to the storage device.

Thus, the printer itself can indirectly settle the charge by operating the amount of the image forming medium that can be used in the image forming medium container mounted in the printer.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the image forming medium container of the third aspect of the present invention, an usable image forming medium among the image forming media contained in the image forming medium container can be used. A storage unit is provided for storing the image forming medium information which indicates the quantity and which can be used for the purchase of a product, the provision of a service, or the settlement of a fee required for providing information.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the terminal of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the image forming medium read from the storage device mounted in the image forming medium container containing the image forming medium. A means for receiving image forming medium information indicating the amount of usable image forming medium out of the image forming medium accommodated in the container, and product etc. information including a fee required for purchasing a product, providing a service or providing information. A means for accepting via a network, a means for accepting selection of a product to be purchased, a service to be provided, or information to be provided, among the products, services and information included in the product etc. information, and the received image forming medium An image forming medium corresponding to a charge required for purchasing the selected product, providing a service, or providing information based on the amount of the image forming medium indicated by the information. The comprises means for subtracting the image forming medium information indicating the image forming medium amount obtained by subtracting, and output means for outputting to write to the storage device.

[0012] With this, it is possible to indirectly settle the charge at the terminal connected to the printer or the like in which the image forming medium container is mounted.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a network system according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied. The host device 1 is connected to the printer 2 and a network 9 such as the Internet. The server device 3 is connected to the network 9. A user who has accessed the server device 3 from the host device 1 can apply for purchase of various products provided by the server device 3, provision of services, or provision of information such as image data. Then, the purchase of a product, the provision of a service, or the settlement of the fee required for the provision of information can be performed by the method described later.

The host device 1 and the server device 3 are both configured by a computer system. Each configuration or each function described below is realized, for example, by the CPU executing a program and operating in cooperation with predetermined hardware.

The host device 1 has a network interface 11 for accessing the server device 3 via a network, a printer face 12 for communicating with a printer, and a WWW (World) via the Internet.
It has a Web browser 13 that downloads various information (content) on the Wide Web and operates according to the downloaded content.

The printer 2 is an ink jet printer using ink as an image forming medium. Printer 2
In a state where the ink cartridge 4 is mounted in a mounting portion (not shown) provided in the printing mechanism 21, ink is ejected to form an image. In the following description, an inkjet printer using an ink cartridge will be described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be a laser printer that uses a toner cartridge that contains toner for forming an image. The ink cartridge 4 has a storage unit 41. A readable / writable semiconductor storage device such as an EEPROM can be used as the storage unit 41. The EEPROM may be a contact type or a non-contact type. In case of contact type, EEPRO
M is mounted on the outer surface of the ink cartridge 4 so that the electrodes are exposed.

The interface 24 transmits / receives print data and various other information to / from the host device 1.

The printing mechanism control circuit 23, based on the image data sent from the host device 1,
Control of the print head in 1 and paper feed control are performed. The print mechanism control circuit 23, which is not shown, is a drive circuit for the print head, a motor drive circuit, a data input / output circuit for the storage unit 41 (constituting the storage unit interface 22), and an input / output circuit for external (interface 24 And a CPU for controlling the entire printing mechanism control circuit 23. The printing mechanism control circuit 23 uses the ink cartridge 4
It manages the ink information stored in the storage unit 41.
The ink information is information indicating the usable ink amount of the remaining ink amount stored in the ink cartridge 4. This ink information may be, for example, the number of points corresponding to the usable ink amount. Printing mechanism control circuit 2
When the printing mechanism 21 prints and consumes the ink, the number 3 updates the ink information by subtracting the number of points corresponding to the consumed ink amount. On the other hand, the printing mechanism control circuit 23 can increase or decrease this point number independently of the actual ink remaining amount (however, the upper limit when increasing the point number is the point corresponding to the total ink remaining amount). Up to). That is, the printing mechanism control circuit 23 can increase or decrease the number of points even though ink is not used. Therefore, if the number of points is 0, even if ink actually remains in the cartridge,
The cartridge cannot be used.

Under the control of the printing mechanism control circuit 23, the storage interface 22 reads the information stored in the storage 41 and writes the information in the storage 41.

The server device 3 has an interface 31 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the network 9, and a product etc. database 32 storing information on products to be sold, services to be provided or information (hereinafter referred to as products).
And a web browser 1 such as the application screen 100 (see FIG. 3)
3 and a content storage unit 33 that stores content for operating the device 3. An example of the product etc. information stored in the product etc. database 32 is shown in FIG. Here, a case of providing image information will be described as an example. An image name 321 and an image description 32 are provided as data items of information such as products.
2, the charge 323, the number of points 324, the image file name 325, and the file size 326. Figure 3
In the application screen 100 shown in, the image name 102, the description 103, the number of points 104, the file size 105, and the selection area 101 included in the product etc. information are displayed. The application screen 100 is, for example, HTML (Hype
r Text Markup Language) and the like. The application screen 100 receives a selection of an image desired to be downloaded from the user, and when the OK button is pressed, after performing the charge settlement described later, the download request is transmitted to the server device 3.

The processing procedure for paying the image data fee and downloading the data in the network system will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The user uses the host device 1 to execute the Web browser 1
3 is started, the web browser 13 causes the server device 3
Download the contents of the application screen 100 including the product etc. information from. Then, the host device 1 displays the application screen 1
00 is displayed on a display device (not shown) connected to the host device 1 (S11). The user can select one of the images using an input device (not shown) connected to the host device 1. After the selection, the user presses the OK button to apply for purchasing (downloading) the image (S12). When the web browser 13 receives the input of the purchase application, the web browser 13 outputs the number of points of the selected image to the printer interface 12. The printer interface 12 notifies the printer 2 of this (S
13).

The printing mechanism control circuit 23 updates the number of points of the ink information stored in the storage unit 41 (S1).
4). The detailed procedure of the point number update process is shown in FIG. The printing mechanism control circuit 23 receives the number of points notified from the host device 1 via the interface 24 (S21). The printing mechanism control circuit 23 reads the ink information from the storage unit 41 via the storage unit interface 22 (S22). Then, the number of points notified from the host device 1 is subtracted from the number of points of the ink information (S23). If the number of remaining points as a result of the subtraction is not negative, the ink information is written in the storage unit 41 based on the number of remaining points (S24, S25).
Then, the update completion is notified to the host device 1 (S2
6). If the number of remaining points as a result of the subtraction is negative, the storage device 41 is not updated and the host device 1
An error as a processing result is notified (S24, S2
7).

Upon receiving the notification of the information indicating the processing result, the Web browser 13 requests the server device 3 to download the selected image if the update is successful (S15, S16). If the update is unsuccessful, an error display indicating that the product cannot be purchased because the remaining points are insufficient is output (S15, S17).

As described above, the settlement can be easily performed by adjusting the amount of usable ink contained in the ink cartridge. Further, in the present invention, since it is not necessary to input a credit card number, a personal identification number of a bank account, etc., these numbers are not stolen and it is safe.

In the above embodiment, the point subtraction process is performed by the print mechanism control circuit 23 of the printer 2. However, the host device 1 may perform this processing. That is, the ink information read from the storage unit 41 by the storage unit interface 22 is notified to the host device 1 via the interface 24. Printer interface 12
Receives notification of ink information. Web browser 13
Subtracts the points of the image to be purchased from the points included in the ink information notified from the printer 2 when the purchase application is received from the user. The ink information including the points after the subtraction is the printer interface 12
Is output to the printer 2 via. In the printer 2, the storage unit interface 22 updates the storage unit 41 based on the notified ink information.

As a result, the host device 1 can update the points.

[0029]

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily make a small payment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of product etc. information stored in a product etc. database 32.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a purchase application screen 100.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a detailed processing procedure of point information update processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Host device 2 ... Printer 3 ... Server device 4 ... Ink cartridge 9 ... Network 11 ... Network interface 12 ... Printer interface 13 ... Web browser 21 ... Printing mechanism 22 ... Storage interface 23 ... Printing mechanism control circuit 24 ... Interface 31 ... Interface 32 ... Product DB 33 ... Content DB 41 ... Storage unit

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Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An amount of usable image forming medium among the image forming mediums mounted in an image forming medium container that accommodates an image forming medium used in a printer and stored in the image forming medium container. A reading unit that reads out the image forming medium information from a storage device that stores the image forming medium information shown, and a charge required for purchasing a product, providing a service, or providing information based on the amount of the image forming medium indicated by the image forming medium information And a writing unit that writes the image forming medium information indicating the image forming medium amount obtained by the subtraction into the storage device. 2. When an image forming medium container containing an image forming medium, which has a storage device, is mounted, among the image forming media contained in the image forming medium container from the storage device, A reading unit that reads out image forming medium information indicating the usable image forming medium amount, and an image forming medium amount corresponding to a charge required for purchasing a product, providing a service, or providing information based on the image forming medium amount indicated by the image forming medium information. A printer having a settlement function, comprising: a means for subtracting the value of, and a writing means for writing the image forming medium information indicating the amount of the image forming medium obtained by the subtraction into the storage device. 3. An image forming medium container, showing the usable amount of the image forming medium among the image forming media contained in the image forming medium container, and purchasing a product, providing a service or information. An image forming medium container provided with a storage unit for storing image forming medium information that can be used for payment of a fee required for providing. 4. An image forming medium usable out of the image forming media contained in the image forming medium container read from a storage device mounted in the image forming medium container containing the image forming medium. Means for receiving the image forming medium information indicating the amount, means for receiving the product etc. information including the fee required for purchasing the product, providing the service or providing the information via the network, the product included in the product etc. information, Means for accepting selection of a product to be purchased, a service to be provided or information to be provided, among services and information, and purchase and service of the selected product from the image forming medium amount indicated by the received image forming medium information. Means for subtracting the amount of the image forming medium corresponding to the fee required to provide the information or the information, and the amount of the image forming medium obtained by the subtraction. Terminal for image forming medium information, and output means for outputting to write to the storage device, the settlement with the. 5. A computer program, which is an image forming medium stored in an image forming medium container read from a storage device mounted in the image forming medium container containing the image forming medium, A means for receiving image forming medium information indicating the amount of usable image forming medium, a means for receiving information such as a product including a fee required for purchasing a product, providing a service or providing information via a network, the product etc. Of the products, services and information included in the information, a unit for accepting selection of a product to be purchased, a service to be provided or information to be provided, and the image forming medium amount indicated by the received image forming medium information, the selection is made. A means for subtracting the amount of image forming medium corresponding to the fee required to purchase a product, provide a service, or provide information, and The image forming medium information indicating the image forming medium amount obtained by a computer program for causing a computer to operate as a terminal for performing an output means for outputting, settlement with a for writing into the storage device. 6. The amount of usable image forming media among the image forming media contained in the image forming medium container, which is mounted in the image forming medium container containing the image forming medium used in the printer. The image forming medium information is read out from the storage device that stores the image forming medium information shown, and the image forming corresponding to the fee required for purchasing the product, providing the service, or providing the information based on the amount of the image forming medium indicated by the image forming medium information. A settlement method in which the medium amount is subtracted, and the image forming medium information indicating the image forming medium amount obtained by the subtraction is written in the storage device.