JP2004206297A - Information management device and information management method for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently manage printing using templates by a plurality of printers. <P>SOLUTION: The templates drawn with character images are received from computers 70a, 70b of managers A, B of the templates by an information management device 30 to be distributed to the respective printers 50a, 50b. Data about the templates used for the printing are input from the printers 50a, 50b by the information management device 30, charges for the use of the templates are calculated to be informed to printer 50a, 50b sides, and compensations for the use of the templates are calculated to be notified to manager A, B sides of the templates. The charges and compensations for the printing using the templates by the plurality of printers 50a, 50b are efficiently managed thereby. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information management apparatus and an information management method for a printing apparatus, and a program used for the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to information related to printing by a plurality of printing apparatuses installed at different places where images can be printed using a predetermined template. The present invention relates to an information management device for managing information, a method for managing such information, and a program used for the information management device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of printing apparatus, there has been proposed an apparatus that processes billing for use of a template when an image input into a template is printed. In this apparatus, a template to be used is selected from a plurality of templates stored in advance, an image is input, the image is inserted into the selected template, and the template is printed. Thereafter, a charge is made for the use of the template used in the printing. Processing is in progress.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-232914 (FIG. 6)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since such a printing apparatus functions as a single apparatus, it is necessary to perform all operations such as storing a template, setting a charging unit price, and managing charging processing for each printing apparatus, which is not efficient. Further, in the case where an image related to copyright is used as a template, protection of a copyrighted work is also required. However, the above-described apparatus does not consider these matters.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide an information management apparatus and an information management method for a printing apparatus that efficiently perform management of printing using a template by a plurality of printing apparatuses. Another object of the present invention is to provide an information management apparatus and an information management method for a printing apparatus that perform appropriate processing for use of a template using an image related to copyright. A program for an information management apparatus according to the present invention, and a printing apparatus that efficiently manages a computer for printing using a template by a plurality of printing apparatuses and performs appropriate processing for use of a template using an image related to copyright. It is intended to function as an information management device.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems and Their Functions and Effects]
An information management apparatus and an information management method for a printing apparatus according to the present invention and a program used therein employ the following means in order to achieve at least a part of the above object.
[0007]
An information management device for a printing apparatus according to the present invention includes:
An information management device that is connected via a communication line to a plurality of printing devices installed at different places where images can be printed using a predetermined template and manages information related to printing by the plurality of printing devices,
Information acquisition means for acquiring at least printing-related information relating to printing including printing using the predetermined template from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
Charge calculation means for calculating a charge for use of the predetermined template to a corresponding printing device based on the print-related information;
Reward calculating means for calculating a reward for using the predetermined template to an administrator of the predetermined template based on the printing related information,
The gist is to provide
[0008]
In the information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, printing-related information relating to printing including printing using a predetermined template is obtained from a plurality of printing apparatuses, and based on the obtained printing-related information, a corresponding printing apparatus is sent to the corresponding printing apparatus. Since the charge for the use of the predetermined template is calculated, the charge management for the use of the predetermined template in a plurality of printing apparatuses can be efficiently and appropriately performed. Further, in the information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, a reward for using the predetermined template to the administrator of the predetermined template is calculated based on the acquired printing-related information. Can be efficiently and appropriately performed to the administrator of the predetermined template for the use of. Here, the “manager of the predetermined template” includes a copyright holder of the predetermined template, a person entrusted with the management by the copyright holder, and the like.
[0009]
In the information management device for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, the charge calculation unit may be a unit that calculates a charge based on the number of times the predetermined template is used. In this case, billing processing can be performed according to the number of times a predetermined template is used.
[0010]
Further, the information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to the present invention may be provided with a charging notifying means for notifying the corresponding printing apparatus of the charging result calculated by the charging calculating means. In this case, the accounting result for the use of the predetermined template can be notified to the printing apparatus using the predetermined template.
[0011]
Further, in the information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, the reward calculation means may be means for calculating a reward based on the number of times the predetermined template is used. In this way, a reward process can be performed according to the number of times a predetermined template is used.
[0012]
Alternatively, the information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to the present invention may include a reward notifying unit that notifies the corresponding administrator of the reward result calculated by the reward calculating unit. In this case, the reward result for the use of the predetermined template can be notified to the administrator of the predetermined template.
[0013]
The information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to the present invention may include a template delivery unit that delivers a template as the predetermined template to the plurality of printing apparatuses. This makes it possible to efficiently store the template in the printing apparatus.
[0014]
In the information management device for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, the predetermined template may be created using a character image, and an administrator of the predetermined template may be a copyright holder of the character image. In this case, the billing process and the reward process for the use of the template using the character image can be efficiently and appropriately performed.
[0015]
In the information management device for a printing apparatus according to the present invention, a second information acquisition unit that acquires consumables consumption information regarding consumables consumed by the printing apparatus; and a corresponding printing apparatus based on the acquired consumables consumption information. And a replenishment instruction information output means for outputting information relating to the instruction for replenishment of the consumables. This makes it possible to efficiently and appropriately manage the replenishment of consumables in each printing apparatus.
[0016]
A program for an information management apparatus according to the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium storing an information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to any one of the above-described embodiments, that is, a computer capable of printing an image using a predetermined template. An information management device that is connected to a plurality of printing devices installed at a place via a communication line and manages information related to printing by the plurality of printing devices, and relates to printing including at least printing using the predetermined template. Information acquisition means for acquiring print-related information from the plurality of printing apparatuses; billing calculation means for calculating a charge for use of the predetermined template to the corresponding printing apparatus based on the print-related information; Reward calculating means for calculating a reward for using the predetermined template to an administrator of the predetermined template based on the information, Function as an information management apparatus for a printing apparatus including a gist.
[0017]
Since the program for the information management device of the present invention causes a computer to function as the information management device of the printing device of any one of the above-described aspects, the effects exhibited by the information management device of the printing device of the present invention, for example, The effect that the billing management for the use of the predetermined template in the plurality of printing apparatuses can be efficiently and appropriately performed, and the reward processing to the administrator of the predetermined template for the use of the predetermined template in the plurality of printing apparatuses can be efficiently performed. Various effects such as an effect that can be properly performed can be achieved.
[0018]
The information management method of the present invention comprises:
An information management method for managing information related to printing by a plurality of printing devices installed in different places where images can be printed using a predetermined template,
(A) acquiring print-related information related to printing including printing using at least the predetermined template from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
(B) calculating a charge for the use of the predetermined template to a corresponding printing device based on the printing-related information;
(C) Notifying the calculated printing result to the corresponding printing device side,
(D) calculating a reward for an administrator of the predetermined template for using the predetermined template based on the print-related information;
(E) Notifying the corresponding manager of the calculated reward result
That is the gist.
[0019]
According to the information management method of the present invention, print-related information relating to printing including printing using a predetermined template is obtained from a plurality of printing devices, and based on the obtained printing-related information, a corresponding printing device is sent to a corresponding printing device. Since the accounting for the use of the predetermined template is calculated and the calculated accounting result is notified to the corresponding printing apparatus, it is possible to efficiently and appropriately manage the accounting for the usage of the predetermined template in a plurality of printing apparatuses. it can. In addition, since a reward for using the predetermined template to the administrator of the predetermined template is calculated based on the acquired print-related information, and the calculated reward result is notified to the corresponding administrator side, a plurality of printings are performed. Reward processing for the administrator of the predetermined template for use of the predetermined template in the device can be efficiently and appropriately performed. Here, the “manager of the predetermined template” includes a copyright holder of the predetermined template, a person entrusted with the management by the copyright holder, and the like.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described using examples. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of a printing system 20 including an information management device 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the information management device 30 according to the embodiment includes data (hereinafter, referred to as print-related data) related to image printing from a plurality of printing devices 50a and 50b connected via a network 22 such as the Internet and installed in a photo studio. ) And data on consumables such as printing paper and ink consumed by the printing devices 50a and 50b (hereinafter referred to as consumables consumption data) are regularly acquired by each of the printing devices 50a and 50b based on printing-related data. It is configured as an information management server that performs accounting processing for printing and transfers expendable supply data to a jurisdiction management server 40 that manages replenishment of expendable supplies in each of the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b. A print management database 32 and consumables consumption data in a database. It comprises a consumable management database 34, the printing device 50a, and a template management database 36 for storing template data database to about the template for use in 50b printing. Further, the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment is connected via the network 22 to the computers 70a and 70b of the template managers A and B that manage the copyright of the template used for printing by the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b. It accepts and distributes templates used for printing by the printing devices 50a and 50b, calculates a reward for the use of the templates based on the print-related data, and notifies the computers 70a and 70b of the managers A and B of the templates. ing.
[0021]
The jurisdiction management server 40 functions as a server that manages, for each geographical block (block A and block B in the figure), replenishment of consumables to the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b installed in the photo studios in the block. A computer 42 of a consumable supply company that supplies consumables such as printing paper and printing ink in each photo studio to a predetermined inventory based on the consumables consumption data transferred from the information management device 30. Output a replenishment instruction. Note that the processing by the jurisdiction management server 40 does not form a core of the present invention, and therefore, a more detailed description will be omitted.
[0022]
The printing apparatuses 50a and 50b include two high-performance inkjet printers 51a and 51b, and manage consumption amounts of consumables such as printing paper and ink consumed in printing by the inkjet printers 51a and 51b, and perform image management. Computers 52a and 52b for managing execution of a print job and the like are built in. Further, client computers 60a and 60b for instructing a print job are connected to the printing devices 50a and 50b via a LAN or the like.
[0023]
Next, an operation of the printing system 20 according to the embodiment configured as described above will be described. First, a description will be given of a process in which the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment receives a template used for printing by the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b from the computers 70a and 70b of the template managers A and B and distributes the template to the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b. . FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the template reception / delivery process performed by the information management device 30. This process is executed when a request for accepting a template is made from the computers 70a and 70b of the template managers A and B. In the template reception distribution process, first, the template reception screen is displayed and output to the computers 70a and 70b of the template managers A and B, and the template received from the manager and the unit price for use of the template are received. Execute (step S100). FIG. 3 shows an example of the template reception screen. In the example of FIG. 3, when the administrator inputs the file name of the template stored in a predetermined folder on the hard disk of the computer, the thumbnail of the template is displayed, so that the template to be registered can be confirmed. It has become. As the reward unit price, a unit price when the template is used is displayed in a pull-down menu, from which a manager can select a desired unit price. The reward unit price means a unit price for one use of the template. For example, when a template including a character image is registered, it is possible to select a template including a reward for the copyright of the character image. I have. Then, when the [accept] button is pressed on the template reception screen, the templates and the remuneration unit price are transmitted from the computers 70a and 70b of the template managers A and B to the information management device 30 and received by the information management device 30.
[0024]
When the template and the remuneration unit price are received, an ID is assigned to the received template, and a conversion coefficient (for example, a value such as 1.2) for converting the remuneration unit price into the charging unit price is multiplied by the received remuneration unit price to calculate the charging unit price. The charge unit price, the template ID, the manager ID, the reward unit price, and the like are registered as template data in the template management database 36 (step S110). FIG. 4 shows an example of the data structure of the template data. In the example of FIG. 4, the template data includes a template ID, an ID of an administrator who manages the template, a selected remuneration unit price, a charging unit price, a reception date when the template was received, and the like. When the registration of the data in the template management database 36 is completed in this way, the template and the template ID are distributed to each of the printing devices 50a and 50b (step S120), and the template receiving process ends. The printing apparatuses 50a and 50b that have received the distribution of the template and the template ID store the received template and the ID in association with each other on a hard disk (not shown) of the computers 52a and 52b, and when the client computers 60a and 60b instruct a print job. Make it available for use.
[0025]
Next, a print instruction by the client computers 60a and 60b will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print instruction process executed by the client computers 60a and 60b. When the print instruction process is started, the client computers 60a and 60b display and output the layout edit screen 80 illustrated in FIG. 6, and execute a process of setting an image, a template, print conditions, and the like (step S200). As shown in FIG. 6, the layout editing screen 80 includes a folder column 81 for displaying a folder on a hard disk (not shown) of the client computers 60a and 60b, and thumbnails 82a for images stored in the folder selected in the folder column 81. And a layout field 83 including a layout image 83a that is displayed by pasting the thumbnail 82a selected in the thumbnail field 82 on each photo frame of a predetermined layout 83b. The layout field 83 includes a size selection field 85 for selecting the size of the printing paper from a pop-up menu, and a paper type selection field 84 including a paper type selection field 86 for selecting the type of printing paper from the pop-up menu. A printer selection column 87 for selecting a printer, a template selection column 88 for selecting a desired template from a group of templates stored in hard disks (not shown) of the computers 52a and 52b of the printing devices 50a and 50b, A print button 89 for instructing printing of the layout image 83a is provided. When a desired template is selected in the template selection field 88, a layout image 83a using the selected template is displayed. In the embodiment, the image data for the layout image 83a is output from the computers 52a and 52b of the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b to the client computers 60a and 60b by being selected in the template selection field 88 in the embodiment, and is output to the layout field 83. Is displayed.
[0026]
Using the layout editing screen 80, an image to be printed, a template, and printing conditions are set. When the print button 89 is operated to give a print instruction (step S210), the layout is selected according to the conditions when the layout image 83a was created. A print job for printing the resulting image is created and output to the printing devices 50a and 50b (step S220), and the print instruction process ends. The printing devices 50a and 50b that have received the print job store the contents of the received print job as print-related data in hard disks (not shown) of the computers 52a and 52b and execute the received print job. FIG. 7 shows an example of the data structure of print-related data registered in the print management database 32. In the example of FIG. 7, the print-related data includes the IDs of the printing devices 50a and 50b, the ID of the jurisdiction management server 40 that controls the printing devices 50a and 50b, the printing date when the image was printed using the template, and the printer that printed the image. , The type and size of the printing paper, the ID of the template used for printing, the ID of the image used for printing, and the like.
[0027]
Next, an operation at the time of information input processing of printing-related data and consumables consumption data by the information management apparatus 30 and an operation at the time of billing processing will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an information input process performed by the information management device 30. This information input process is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 24 hours). In the information input process, the information management device 30 of the embodiment first executes a process of inputting print-related data and consumables consumption data from all the printing devices 50a and 50b of all blocks connected via the network 22. (Step S300). The print-related data is illustrated in FIG. FIG. 9 shows an example of the consumables consumption data. As shown in FIG. 9, in the embodiment, the consumables consumption data includes the IDs of the printing devices 50a and 50b, the ID of the jurisdiction management server 40, the data acquisition date as the date when information was input from the printing devices 50a and 50b, and the printing device. The printer ID includes printer IDs incorporated in the printers 50a and 50b, consumption amount for each type and size of printing paper, stock of ink cartridges for each color, and the like.
[0028]
When the print-related data and the consumable supply data are read in this way, the read print-related data is registered in the print management database 32, and the consumable supply data is registered in the consumable supply management database 34 (step S310). Then, the registered consumables consumption data is output to the jurisdiction management server 40 corresponding to the jurisdiction management server ID (Step S340), and the information input process ends. The jurisdiction management server 40 that has obtained the consumables consumption data from the information management device 30 uses the consumables replenishing company to supply the consumables supply company to the photo studio where the printing device in the controlled block is installed based on the obtained consumables consumption data. Manage replenishment.
[0029]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the accounting calculation notification process executed by the information management device 30. This process is executed every predetermined period (for example, on the first day of every month). In the charge calculation notification process, the information management device 30 of the embodiment first extracts, from the print management database 32, print-related data whose print date is the previous month (step S400). Then, a printing fee is calculated for each type and size of printing paper for each printing device (step S410), and the number of times of use for each template used for each printing device is totaled to calculate a template usage fee (step S420). . The print charge can be calculated by multiplying a print unit price by a charge unit price set in advance for each type and size of print paper. The template usage fee can be calculated by, for example, multiplying the charging unit price registered in the template management database 36 by the number of times the template is used. When the print charge and the template use charge are calculated in this way, a charge notice is displayed which lists the calculated print charge and template use charge, and is notified to the corresponding printing apparatus (step S430). FIG. 11 shows an example of the billing notice. In this example, the number of prints, the charging unit price, and the charging amount are displayed for each type and size of printing paper, and the number of uses, the charging unit price, and the charging amount are displayed for each template ID. Is displayed. As described above, since the charge unit price of the template is set based on the reward unit price when using the template on which the character image is drawn, the fee (reward) for the copyright of the character image in using the template is also set. It will be included in the template usage fee.
[0030]
Subsequently, the number of times of use is calculated for each template based on the ID of the template to calculate a template usage fee (step S440). The template usage fee is a fee (reward) for using the template to the manager of the template used (for example, a copyright owner of the character image drawn on the template or a person entrusted with the management by the copyright owner). This is set to be paid, and can be calculated by multiplying the reward unit price of the corresponding template stored in the template management database 36 by the number of uses. Then, a remuneration notice for displaying a list of the calculated template usage remuneration is created and notified to an administrator managing the corresponding template (step S450), and the accounting calculation notification process ends. FIG. 12 shows an example of the reward notice. In this example, the number of times of use, the reward unit price, and the reward amount are displayed for each template.
[0031]
According to the printing system 20 of the embodiment described above, it is possible to efficiently and appropriately perform the billing process for the use of the template by the plurality of printing apparatuses 50a and 50b and the reward process for the template administrator. In addition, the information management device 30 accepts the template input from the computers 70a and 70b of the template managers A and B via the network 22, and distributes the template to the printing devices 50a and 50b via the network 22. Therefore, the setting of the template for the plurality of printing devices 50a and 50b can be performed efficiently. Of course, billing processing for printing in each of the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b can be efficiently and appropriately performed, and replenishment of consumables consumed in each of the printing apparatuses 50a and 50b can be efficiently and appropriately performed.
[0032]
Here, in the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment, execution of the information input processing illustrated in FIG. 8 corresponds to execution by the information acquisition unit, and execution of the processing of steps S410 and S420 of the accounting calculation notification processing illustrated in FIG. Corresponds to execution of processing by the charge calculation means, and similarly, execution of the processing of step S440 of the charge calculation notification processing corresponds to execution of processing by the reward calculation means.
[0033]
In the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment, the printing fee for printing by the printing devices 50a and 50b and the template usage fee for using the template by the printing devices 50a and 50b are separately calculated. The printing fee for printing may be calculated including the fee for using the template by the printing devices 50a and 50b. Alternatively, only the template usage charge for the use of the template by the printing devices 50a and 50b may be calculated.
[0034]
The information management device 30 of the embodiment notifies the printing devices 50a and 50b of the printing fee for printing by the printing devices 50a and 50b and the template usage fee for the use of the template by the printing devices 50a and 50b, and notifies the template usage fee of the template. Although the computers 70a and 70b of the managers A and B are notified, such notifications may not be provided.
[0035]
In the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment, the billing calculation notification processing is performed once / monthly. However, the frequency of executing such processing is not limited to once / month, and may be performed at any frequency. In the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment, the information input process is performed every 24 hours. However, the frequency of the information input process is not limited to every 24 hours, and may be performed at any frequency.
[0036]
In the information management apparatus 30 of the embodiment, the accounting notice is notified to the corresponding printing apparatuses 50a and 50b and the computers 70a and 70b of the managers A and B of the template via the network 22. May be used to notify the accounting notice to the printing apparatus side and the template managers A and B.
[0037]
In the printing system 20 of the embodiment, the printing devices 50a and 50b and the photographing devices 60a and 60b are installed in the photo studio, but may be installed in a place other than the photo studio.
[0038]
In the embodiment, as an embodiment of the present invention, the information management device 30 that manages the accounting process and the reward process for the use of the template by the printing devices 50a and 50b has been described. An information management method including input processing and charge calculation notification processing may be used. Further, the present invention may be in the form of a program that causes a computer to function as the information management device 30 of the embodiment. In this case, each step of the information input process illustrated in FIG. 8 and the accounting calculation notification process illustrated in FIG. 10 may be programmed in an appropriate program language.
[0039]
As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described using the examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples, and may be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. Obviously you can get it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration of a printing system.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a template reception distribution process.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a template reception screen.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a data structure of template data.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print instruction process.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a layout editing screen 80.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of print-related data.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an information input process.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a data structure of consumables consumption data.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a charge calculation notification process.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a billing notice.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a reward notice.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 20 printing system, 22 network, 30 information management device, 32 print management database, 34 consumables management database, 36 template management database, 40 jurisdiction management server, 42 computer of consumables supply company, 50a, 50b printing device, 51a, 51b Inkjet printers, 52a and 52b computers, 60a and 60b client computers, 70a and 70b Template managers A and B computers, 80 layout editing screen, 81 folder field, 82 thumbnail field, 82a thumbnail, 83 layout field, 83a layout image , 83b layout, 84 paper type selection field, 85 size selection field, 86 paper type selection field, 87 printer selection field, 88 template selection field, 89 print button.

Claims (10)

An information management device that is connected via a communication line to a plurality of printing devices installed at different places where images can be printed using a predetermined template and manages information related to printing by the plurality of printing devices,
Information acquisition means for acquiring at least printing-related information relating to printing including printing using the predetermined template from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
Charge calculation means for calculating a charge for use of the predetermined template to a corresponding printing device based on the print-related information;
Reward calculating means for calculating a reward for using the predetermined template to an administrator of the predetermined template based on the printing related information,
An information management device for a printing device comprising: 2. The information management device for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charge calculation unit calculates a charge based on the number of times the predetermined template is used. 3. The information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a charge notifying unit configured to notify a corresponding printing apparatus of a charging result calculated by the charging calculation unit. 4. The information management device for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reward calculation unit is a unit that calculates a reward based on the number of times the predetermined template is used. The information management device for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reward notifying unit configured to notify a corresponding administrator of the reward result calculated by the reward calculating unit. 6. The information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a template delivery unit that delivers a template as the predetermined template to the plurality of printing apparatuses. An information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The predetermined template is created using a character image,
An information management device for a printing device, wherein an administrator of the predetermined template is a copyright holder of the character image. An information management apparatus for a printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
Second information acquisition means for acquiring consumable consumption information on consumables consumed by the printing apparatus;
A replenishment instruction information output unit that outputs information on an instruction to replenish consumables to a corresponding printing apparatus based on the acquired consumables consumption information,
An information management device for a printing device comprising: A program for causing a computer to function as an information management device for a printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. An information management method for managing information related to printing by a plurality of printing devices installed in different places where images can be printed using a predetermined template,
(A) acquiring print-related information related to printing including printing using at least the predetermined template from the plurality of printing apparatuses;
(B) calculating a charge for the use of the predetermined template to a corresponding printing device based on the printing-related information;
(C) Notifying the calculated printing result to the corresponding printing device side,
(D) calculating a reward for an administrator of the predetermined template for using the predetermined template based on the print-related information;
(E) An information management method for notifying the corresponding manager of the calculated reward result.

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