JP2013056515A - Use amount limiting device, apparatus system, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a use amount limiting device capable of limiting the use amount when performing apparatus cooperation without using a server.SOLUTION: This use amount limiting device 100 limits the use amount of an apparatus for obtaining an output by using a processing result by another apparatus. The device includes: a user information storage means 31 in which a usable amount is registered in association with identification information of a user; a usable amount transmission means 36 for transmitting the usable amount of the user using the apparatus to the apparatus; a transmission recording means 38 generating a transmission record indicating the effect that the usable amount is transmitted to the apparatus; a reception recording means 39 for recording the effect that the usable amount is received in the transmission record, when a usable amount obtained by subtracting the used amount is received from the apparatus; and an update means 37 for updating the usable amount of the user information storage means.

Description

  The present invention relates to a usage amount limiting device that limits the usage amount of a device that obtains an output using a processing result of another device.

  Multifunction machines such as copiers and printers are shared by many people in the office. Some of these multifunction devices have a function of setting an upper limit number (upper limit usage amount) for each user such as copying and printing so that a specific person does not copy or print out indefinitely (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

  In Patent Document 1, a usage request for requesting the usage authority for authentication information and a scheduled number of pages to be used is transmitted to the server, and the scheduled number of pages to be used when the scheduled number of pages requested by the server is less than or equal to the number that can be used by the user. A service execution apparatus that executes a job based on a user's instruction is set as an upper limit value.

  By the way, in recent multifunction devices, there is a case where a function called device cooperation in which a plurality of multifunction devices cooperate to execute one job may be installed. Even in such device cooperation, it is required to limit the usage amount for each user. In device linkage, multiple multifunction devices are involved in the execution of one job. Therefore, it is more manageable that a single device (for example, a server) performs centralized management than each multifunction device manages the number of copies and printouts. Will be easier.

  However, in order for the server to perform centralized management, it is necessary to introduce the server into the cooperation system, and there is a problem that the cost for introduction and management becomes a burden on the user.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a usage amount limiting device that can limit the usage amount at the time of device cooperation without using a server.

  The present invention is a usage amount limiting device that limits the usage amount of a device that obtains an output by using a processing result by another device, and the user information in which the usable amount is registered in association with user identification information A storage unit; an available amount transmitting unit that transmits an available amount of a user who uses the device to the device; a transmission recording unit that generates a transmission record indicating that the available amount has been transmitted to the device; and the device When the available amount obtained by subtracting the used amount for the received amount is received, the reception recording means for recording that the available amount is received in the transmission record and the available amount in the user information storage means are updated. And updating means.

  It is possible to provide a usage amount limiting device capable of limiting the usage amount during device cooperation without using a server.

It is an example of the figure which illustrates typically the procedure in which a cooperation system restrict | limits the usage-amount. It is an example of the menu of the cooperation job displayed on an operation panel. It is an example of the figure which illustrates an example of apparatus function information typically. FIG. 2 is an example of a hardware configuration diagram of a multifunction machine. 2 is an example of a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting conditions of a cooperation job. It is a figure which shows an example of the user information memorize | stored in the user information storage part. It is an example of the figure which illustrates operation | movement of a cooperation system typically. It is an example of the figure which illustrates typically operation | movement of a cooperation system when a failure arises in communication of a main | base station and a subunit | mobile_unit. It is an example of the figure which illustrates typically operation | movement of a cooperation system when a failure arises in communication of a main | base station and a subunit | mobile_unit. It is an example of the figure explaining transitions, such as transmission recording. FIG. 10 is an example of a diagram for explaining a transition of transmission records or the like when a parent device multiplex lends to the same child device. An example of the flowchart figure of the operation | movement procedure of a main | base station and a subunit | mobile_unit is shown.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an example of a diagram schematically illustrating a procedure in which the cooperation system of the present embodiment limits the usage amount. First, in the cooperation system 200, the multifunction device 100 that stores the available amount for each user is determined in advance, and in the present embodiment, the multifunction device 100 is referred to as a parent device.

  If a single copying machine executes a job alone, the usage amount may be counted for each slave. However, when a plurality of multifunction peripherals execute a device cooperation job (hereinafter referred to as a cooperation job), one user uses the functions of the plurality of multifunction peripherals 100. It is preferable to manage. For this reason, the master unit manages the usage amount of the user in the entire linkage system. The user can use each multifunction device 100 in a range where the total usage amount of the entire linkage system (for example, three in the figure) does not exceed the upper limit usage amount.

However, if only one master unit manages the usage, if there is an error in the communication between the master unit and the slave units 1 or 2 due to a network failure or a malfunction in the master unit In addition, the slave units 1 and 2 cannot use the usage limit function by the master unit. In order to explain this, management of the usage amount in the cooperative job will be described with reference to FIG. For example, a case where the user operates the slave unit 1 and executes a job through device cooperation will be described.
(1) The user operates the child device 1 to set an execution condition for a cooperative job using the parent device or the child device 2.
(2) When the user operates the slave unit 1 to execute a linked job, the slave unit 1 requests the master unit from the user's available amount (how many pages can be printed).
(3) In response to this request, the parent device transmits the user's available amount to the child device 1.
(4) The slave unit 1 executes a cooperative job such as copying or printer. The subunit | mobile_unit 1 subtracts the usable quantity page by page at the time of execution of a cooperation job, and when it becomes zero (for example, it is zero, but it does not need to be zero), it notifies a warning or interrupts the job.
(5) The slave unit 1 returns the usable amount to the master unit after executing the cooperation job.
(6) The master unit receives the available amount and updates the available amount.

  In order for the slave unit 1 to limit the usage amount by comparing the available amount with the threshold value zero, it is necessary for the slave unit 1 and the master unit to communicate at the beginning and end of the cooperation job.

  Here, if the slave units 1 and 2 cannot communicate with the master unit before the linked job is executed and the slave units 1 and 2 cannot use the usage amount, the slave units 1 and 2 count the user usage amount temporarily. In addition, when communication with the master unit is restored, transmission to the master unit can prevent the omission of count (in this case, the usage limit may be exceeded, so the use of slave units 1 and 2 is prohibited) May be.)

  However, if the slave unit 1 cannot communicate with the master unit after the slave unit 1 receives the usable amount and returns the usable amount, the master unit records the available amount recorded last. There is a case where the consistency with the available amount counted by the slave unit 1 is not achieved. For example, if the same user executes a cooperation job from the child device 2 before the child device 1 returns the available amount, the child device 2 acquires the available amount before update from the parent device, and therefore the child device 1 The available amount counted by may not be reflected in the parent device. Further, even when the same user executes the cooperation job from the child device 1 again, the available amount counted by the child device 1 in the previous cooperation job may not be reflected in the parent device.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1B, the multi-function device 100 of this embodiment prevents the occurrence of inconsistencies by the following procedure.
(1) The user operates the child device 1 to set an execution condition for a cooperative job using the parent device or the child device 2.
(2) When the user operates the slave unit 1 to execute a linked job, the slave unit 1 requests the available amount of the user from the master unit.
(3) In response to this request, the parent device transmits the user's available usage amount to the child device 1.
(3 ′) Here, the master unit records that the usable amount has been transmitted (hereinafter, this record is transmitted and recorded, and recording is referred to as generation of a transmission record).
(4) The slave unit 1 executes a cooperative job such as copying or printer. The subunit | mobile_unit 1 subtracts the usage-amount possible quantity at the time of execution of a cooperation job.
(5) The slave unit 1 returns the usable amount to the master unit after executing the cooperation job.
(6) The master unit receives the available amount and updates the available amount.
(6 ′) The master unit records that the usable amount has been received in association with the transmission record (hereinafter, this record is referred to as a reception record).

  In this way, when the parent device generates the transmission record, the child device can count the usable amount separately from the parent device. For example, after (3 ′), even if the network is shut down and the slave unit 2 starts a cooperative job, the master unit can detect that the reception record is not associated with the transmission record of the slave unit 1. Therefore, when the available amount transmitted from the child device 1 is received, the usage amount of the child device 1 can be reflected in the available amount stored in the parent device.

  Therefore, even when a situation in which the parent device and the child device cannot communicate due to a network interruption or the like occurs, it is possible to prevent inconsistency in the available amount due to multiple lending.

[About device linkage]
The multifunction peripheral 100 of the present embodiment may be a printer, a copier, a scanner, a facsimile, or a device equipped with two or more of these functions. Moreover, what is called MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) is included.

  Device cooperation is a function (or a series of processes from input to output) shared by one or more other MFPs 100 that are communicably connected to each other via a network (or a series of processes from input to output) (or Distributed) and executing a job. For example, when a plurality of multifunction devices 100 perform color copying in cooperation, the multifunction device 1 reads a document and transmits it to the multifunction device 2, and the multifunction device 2 performs special editing and image processing and returns it to the multifunction device 1. The machine 1 performs color printing. As described above, when the multifunction machines cooperate to execute one job, the user can obtain a desired output by comprehensively using the functions of the plurality of multifunction machines 100.

  FIGS. 2A to 2D are examples of linked job menus displayed on the operation panel. Various methods have been proposed for the user to set the job conditions of the linked job, and the figure is merely an example. Hereinafter, the multifunction peripheral 100 operated by the user is referred to as the slave unit 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, when the user executes copying by a cooperation job, the user presses the copy button on the side of the operation panel and calls a setting screen for the cooperation job. “Device search” and “Function search” are displayed on the operation panel. “Device search” is a button for searching for one or more multi-function peripherals 100 with which the handset 1 can communicate. “Function search” is a function set by the user. It is a button for searching.

  FIG. 2B is an example of a “cooperation job-device list” screen displayed when the user presses “device search”. The subunit | mobile_unit 1 requests | requires responding to the multi-function device 100 which can provide a resource for a cooperation job by broadcast via a network. The slave device 1 displays a list of the multifunction devices 100 that have responded on the “cooperative job-device list” screen. The responding multifunction device 100 transmits the device name, IP address, and device function information to the child device 1. The device function information will be described later. Thereby, the subunit | mobile_unit 1 can display an apparatus name and an IP address. The user confirms that the target multifunction peripheral 100 having a desired function is listed, and presses “condition setting”.

  FIG. 2D is an example of a “cooperation job-reading setting” screen displayed when the user presses “condition setting”. On this screen, a menu for reading settings is displayed for each MFP 100. As shown in the figure, device names “own device (child device 1)”, “Imagics”, and “Ipx” are displayed on the tab, and the user can select the multifunction device 100 to be read and set on the tab. When the user selects a tab, handset 1 displays only menus that are valid (selectable) in selected multi-function device 100 based on the device function information.

  The user can set reading conditions such as color selection, document type, density, and the like from a menu effective in the multifunction peripheral 100. When the user sets the MFP 100 for reading a document and reading conditions, the user selects “editing settings” and “print settings” in order, and sets the editing conditions and printing conditions. Finally, the linked job starts by pressing “execute”.

  FIG. 2C is an example of a “cooperative job-function search” screen displayed when the user presses “function search” in FIG. The subunit | mobile_unit 1 displays the setting conditions which can be provided in a cooperation job from the apparatus function information acquired in the past. In the figure, each condition such as “reading condition”, “editing condition”, and “printing condition” is divided into tabs. The user can select tabs as appropriate and set “reading conditions”, “editing conditions”, and “printing conditions”.

  When the user presses “Search” after setting the conditions, the slave unit 1 collects device function information in a broadcast manner via the network, and determines the MFP 100 that can be copied under the conditions set by the user. When there are a plurality of multi-function peripherals 100 in which conditions set by the user can be set, there are various methods for determining logic to be narrowed down to one. For example, a) a method of reducing the number of MFPs 100 to be linked, b) a method of selecting the MFP 100 so that the usage frequency is uniform, and c) selecting a MFP 100 with a reduced resource load. D) a method of selecting the multi-function peripheral 100 having a short distance (physical distance or communication distance).

  The subunit | mobile_unit 1 determines a cooperation apparatus with a predetermined logic, and displays the screen similar to FIG.2 (d). That is, the screen is displayed in a state in which the MFP 100 in charge for each of “reading setting”, “editing setting”, and “printing setting” and “reading conditions”, “editing conditions”, and “printing conditions” are determined. The user presses “execute” after confirming the multifunction device 100 and the conditions, whereby the slave device 1 starts a linked job.

  FIG. 3 is an example of a diagram that schematically illustrates an example of device function information. The device function information includes a “function” of the multifunction peripheral 100 and a “settable value” for each function. The “function” is divided into three stages of input, editing (processing), and output, thereby facilitating cooperation between multifunction devices.

  Input “functions” include double-sided scanning, single-sided scanning, document type, resolution, color, and the like. Examples of the “function” of editing include various image conversion functions (for example, “aggregation” and “magnification”) for input data. As the output “function”, “print” for outputting (printing) the edited (processed) data to the printing unit, “accumulation” for storing the edited (processed) data in the HDD 24, and editing (processing) There is “FAX transmission” for transmitting data by FAX.

  The “settable value” is a value (parameter) that can be set when executing each “function” of input, editing, and output. For example, the settable values for “double-sided scanning” and “single-sided scanning” are “Yes / No”, the settable values for “original type” are “text, photo, text / photo”, and the settable values for “resolution” are “100”. The settable values for “˜600 dpi” and “color” are “color, monochrome” and the like. The settable value for “aggregation” is, for example, “2 in 1/4 in 1/8 in 1”, and the settable value for “magnification” is, for example, “25 to 400%”. Also, “monochrome” and “color” can be set to “Yes / No”, “paper type” can be set to “Auto” and “A4”, and “HDD” can be set to “Yes / No”. is there.

  The subunit | mobile_unit 1 can comprise the various screens demonstrated in FIG. 2 from the apparatus function information of an own machine and the other multifunction peripheral 100, and can perform a cooperation job.

[Configuration example]
FIG. 4 shows an example of a hardware configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral 100. The multi function device 100 includes an operation panel 11, a controller 12, a scanner engine 13, a plotter engine 14, a FAX engine 15, a network interface 16, and an IC card interface 17. Although the hardware configuration of the master unit, the slave units 1 and 2 is almost the same, there is a case where any two of the scanner engine 13, the plotter engine 14, and the FAX engine 15 are not mounted by the multi-function device 100. In some cases, the IC card interface 17 is not installed.

  The operation panel 11 mainly includes hard keys and a touch panel, and is used for the multifunction peripheral 100 to display various screens and to accept user operations.

  The scanner engine 13 illuminates a document through a contact glass with a light source, and converts the reflected light into digital data by a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD via a mirror and lens optical system. The digitized document image data is subjected to image processing by a hardware process executed by the controller 12 or a software process executed by the CPU 21.

  The plotter engine 14 uses a drum-shaped photosensitive drum as an image carrier, a charging device that charges the photosensitive drum, an exposure device that exposes the photosensitive drum, a developing device, and a cleaning device, from image data. The formed toner image is transferred to a sheet. Further, the image is printed by fixing it on a sheet with a fixing device. The plotter engine 14 may be mounted with an ink ejection system that ejects ink droplets instead of such an electrophotographic system.

  The FAX engine 15 demodulates facsimile data from the telephone line to generate image data and stores it in the HDD 24, or processes the image data read by the scanner engine 13 for facsimile and outputs it from the telephone line. It is also possible to send and receive faxes using an IP network instead of a telephone line.

  The network interface 16 is, for example, an Ethernet (registered trademark) card, and manages a physical layer that controls electrical signals and a data link layer that controls communication using a MAC address, and communicates with other multifunction devices 100. The network layer that conforms mainly to IP and the transport layer that conforms to TCP / UDP are handled by the software protocol stack, and the application layer that complies with, for example, HTTP, is handled by various applications. The multi-function device 100 further supports various protocols.

  The IC card interface 17 is an interface that communicates with an IC card carried by the user. The authentication unit to be described later can determine whether authentication is established based on the ID code stored in the user's IC card read by the IC card interface 17.

  The controller 12 includes a CPU 21, a RAM 22, a ROM 23, and an HDD 24. The CPU 21 reads the program 25 stored in the HDD 24 and controls the entire multifunction peripheral 100. The ROM 23 stores a program for starting the OS and static data. The RAM 22 is a working memory for the CPU 21 to execute the OS and programs, and is used as a temporary storage location.

  The HDD 24 stores various programs. The program 25 includes applications such as a FAX application, a scanner application, a copy application, a platform including an OS, a device driver, and the like. The program 25 includes a function for limiting the usage amount and a function for executing a linked job. In addition, the HDD 24 stores data and font data constituting a UI (screen such as FIG. 2).

  The program 25 may be distributed in a form of being received from a server (not shown) via a network and installed in the HDD 24, or may be installed in the MFP 100 while being stored in a portable storage medium (not shown). It may be distributed in the form of being installed.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a functional block diagram of the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment. Each function is realized by the CPU 21 executing the program 25 and cooperating with the controller 12 and other hardware. Such functions include a UI 41, a FAX application 42, a scanner application 43, a copy application 44, and a counter-related functional block 45.

  The UI 41 generates a screen according to the user's operation and the state of the multifunction device 100, and accepts the user's settings. Each application generates a job based on the setting accepted by the UI 41. As described above, since the MFP 100 according to the present embodiment can perform device cooperation, each application can generate a cooperation job. That is, the FAX application 42 generates a cooperation job using a FAX modem, the scanner application 43 generates a cooperation job using the scanner engine 13, and the copy application 44 generates a cooperation job using the scanner engine 13 and the plotter engine 14.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting conditions for a cooperative job. 6A shows a cooperation job of the FAX application 42, FIG. 6B shows a cooperation job of the scanner application 43, and FIG. 6C shows a cooperation job of the copy application 44. All the linked jobs are executed in the order of “1. input → 2. Edit → 3. Output”. A “device in charge” is registered for each step, and input conditions, editing conditions, and output conditions are registered.

  Each application controls the execution of the job based on such a setting condition of the cooperative job.

<Fax application linked job>
1. The FAX application 42 detects that the device in charge of input is the child device 1, sets the input condition in the scanner engine 13 of the own device, and acquires the image data of the document placed on the document placement table (not shown). .
2. The FAX application 42 detects that the device in charge of editing is the child device 2 and transmits image data and editing conditions to the child device 2. The subunit | mobile_unit 2 expands image data to 120%, and transmits to the subunit | mobile_unit 1.
3. The FAX application 42 performs FAX image processing (binarization, G3 / G4 compression, etc.) on the image data, sets the set destination in the FAX engine 15 and transmits it by FAX. If necessary, print the transmission result.

<Linked job of scanner application>
1. The scanner application 43 detects that the device in charge of input is the child device 1, sets the input condition in the scanner engine 13 of the own device, and acquires the image data of the document placed on the document placement table (not shown). .
2. The scanner application 43 detects that the device in charge of editing is a parent device, and transmits image data and editing conditions to the parent device. The parent device converts the image data into PDF and transmits it to the child device 1.
3. The scanner application 43 stores the image data converted to PDF in the HDD 24 that is an output condition.

<Copy application linked job>
1. The copy application 44 detects that the device in charge of input is the child device 1, sets the input condition in the scanner engine 13 of the own device, and acquires the image data of the document placed on the document placement table (not shown). .
2. The copy application 44 detects that the device in charge of editing is the child device 2 and transmits the image data and editing conditions to the parent device. The slave unit 2 performs 8 in 1 processing (collecting eight pages into one sheet) on the image data and transmits the processed data to the slave unit 1.
3. The copy application 44 controls the plotter engine 14 to print five copies of the image data that has been subjected to the 8-in-1 process on A4 paper.

  Returning to FIG. 5, the counter-related functional block 45 of the slave unit includes an authentication unit 32, a counter acquisition unit 33, a counter management unit 34, a counter return unit 35, and a user information storage unit 31. The function block of the counter related 45 of the master unit has a function common to the slave unit. This is because the parent device may be directly operated by the user as a child device. The master unit includes a counter transmission unit 36, a counter update unit 37, a reception recording unit 39, and a transmission recording unit 38 in addition to the functional block unit of the slave unit.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of user information stored in the user information storage unit 31. FIG. 7A shows user information of the child device, and FIG. 7B shows user information of the parent device.

  Only user information is registered in the user information of the slave unit. The user information is a user name and a password. The user name is identification information for uniquely identifying the user. As described above, an IC card ID code may be registered instead of the user name. In this case, there is no need for a password.

  In the user information of the parent machine, in addition to the user name and password, information on “upper limit usage amount”, “usage amount”, “usable amount”, “transmission record”, and “reception record” is registered.

  The upper limit usage amount is an upper limit usage amount (number of pages) for a predetermined period (for example, one month) permitted for the user. The upper limit usage amount can be set for each function such as copy, print, scan, and fax. For example, the administrator sets the job according to the job type and class of the user.

  The usage amount is the current usage amount of the user during a predetermined period. The master unit returns the usage amount to zero each time a predetermined period elapses (for example, at the beginning of the month). The available amount is “upper limit usage amount−usage amount”, which is the remaining usage amount that can be used by the user in a predetermined period. As shown in the figure, the usable amount is registered based on the classification of the usable amount such as copy, print, scan, FAX, color, and monochrome. “Transmission record” and “reception record” will be described later.

  Returning to FIG. 5, the authentication unit 32 determines whether or not user authentication is established. Whether the authentication unit 32 has a user name and password pair registered in the user information because the user does not carry the IC card or the MFP 100 does not include the IC card interface 17. It is determined whether or not user authentication is established based on whether or not. Further, whether or not the user authentication is established is determined based on whether or not the ID code received by the IC card interface 17 from the IC card carried by the user matches the ID code registered in the user information.

  The counter acquisition unit 33 acquires the available amount from the user information storage unit 31 of the parent device. Although the upper limit usage amount and the usage amount may be acquired, the amount of information to be acquired is smaller when the usage amount is acquired. Each multifunction device 100 is set to determine whether the own device is a child device or a parent device. Alternatively, the parent device and the child device can determine whether the own device is the child device or the parent device based on whether or not the upper limit usage amount or the like is registered in the user information storage unit 31. The counter acquisition unit 33 of the slave unit transmits the user name and the application to be executed (separate color or monochrome if necessary) to the master unit, and acquires the usable amount.

  The counter management unit 34 determines whether or not the user's available amount is subtracted every time one page is output. When zero, this user cannot obtain any more output, and the counter management unit 34 displays an error message on the operation panel 11 to notify the running application. This causes the app to cancel the job.

  Note that the counter management unit 34 may count the number of output pages before executing the job, and determine whether or not it is equal to or less than the usable amount. The number of output pages is, for example, 5 pages if there are 5 pages of originals and no integrated printing, and 15 pages if 5 copies of originals are printed and 3 copies are not printed. Thus, it can be easily calculated. By determining before the execution of the job, output can be prevented from being interrupted in the middle of the job. For example, it is possible to prevent only a part of the document from being transmitted to the other party by FAX transmission or the like.

  The counter return unit 35 transmits the usable amount after the end of the job to the parent device. The available amount is zero or more and less than the upper limit utilization amount.

  The counter transmission unit 36 specific to the parent device reads the available amount from the user information storage unit 31 and transmits it to the child device in response to a request from the child device. Since the counter transmission unit 36 notifies the transmission recording unit 38 that the transmission has been performed, the transmission recording unit 38 generates a transmission record. The reception recording unit 39 unique to the master unit records the reception record in association with the transmission record. Further, when the available amount is returned from the child device, the counter update unit 37 updates the available amount in the user information storage unit 31 with the available amount returned from the child device.

The transmission record and the reception record are as follows, for example. Note that transmission records and reception records are stored in the RAM 22 or the HDD 14.
Transmission record: IP address of slave unit 1 (identification information of transmission destination)
Reception record: OK when returned, no record until returned. Also, the received record can be regarded as a record by deleting the transmission record when it is returned. Further, transmission recording and reception recording may be performed as follows.
Transmission record: IP address of slave unit 1 and transmission time reception record: OK or reception time when returned, no record until return In this case, when the master unit has passed a predetermined time from the transmission time The omission of the count can be solved by requesting the handset 1 that has transmitted the available amount to return the available amount.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of sets of transmission records and reception records can be provided for the usable amount of one classification. This makes it possible to rent out an available amount. Further, since the lending destination is made clear by using the transmission record as the identification information of the transmission destination, it is possible to specify which transmission record the return has been made.

[Operation example]
FIG. 8 is an example of a diagram for schematically explaining the operation of the cooperation system 200.
(1) The user operates the child device 1 to set an execution condition for a cooperative job using the parent device or the child device 2.
(2) When the user operates the slave unit 1 to execute a linked job, the slave unit 1 requests the available amount of the user from the master unit.
(3) In response to this request, the parent device transmits the user's available amount to the child device 1. For example, the available amount at this time is 39 pages. Further, the master unit generates a transmission record for this user.
(4) The slave unit 1 executes a cooperative job such as copying or printer. The subunit | mobile_unit 1 subtracts available amount at the time of execution of a cooperation job. For example, if 9 pages are printed, the usable amount is 30 pages.
(5) The slave unit 1 returns the usable amount to the master unit after executing the cooperation job.
(6) The master unit receives the available amount and records the reception record in association with the transmission record. Further, the master unit updates the usable amount in the user information storage unit 31. As a result, the usable amount of user information is 30 pages.

FIG. 9 is an example of a diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the cooperation system 200 when a failure occurs in communication between the parent device and the child device.
(1) The user operates the child device 1 to set an execution condition for a cooperative job using the parent device or the child device 2.
(2) When the user operates the slave unit 1 to execute a linked job, the slave unit 1 requests the available amount of the user from the master unit.
(3) In response to this request, the parent device transmits the user's available amount to the child device 1. For example, the available amount at this time is 39 pages. Further, the master unit generates a transmission record for this user.
<A> After this, it is assumed that a failure has occurred in communication between the parent device and the child device. The reason for the failure may be any reason such as network interruption or parent machine maintenance.
(4) The subunit | mobile_unit 1 performs cooperation jobs, such as a copy and a print. That is, even if communication with the parent device is interrupted, the child device 1 has already acquired the available amount, and thus can execute a cooperative job. When the usable amount is subtracted by the cooperation job for printing 9 pages, the usable amount becomes 30 pages.
(5) The slave unit 1 returns the usable amount to the master unit after executing the cooperation job. While the communication failure continues, transmission may be performed as soon as the communication failure is completed. For example, the child device periodically tries to communicate with the parent device until the available amount is returned. When the transmission record is the transmission time, the parent device also requests the child device to return a usable amount that is not returned for a long time.
(6) The master unit receives the available amount and records the reception record in association with the transmission record. Further, the parent device updates the usable amount of user information. As a result, the usable amount of user information is 30 pages.

[In the case of multiple lending]
FIG. 10 is an example of a diagram for schematically explaining the operation of the cooperation system 200 when a failure occurs in communication between the parent device and the child device, and FIG. 11 is an example of a diagram for explaining transitions of transmission records and the like. It is. The procedure up to <A> is the same as in FIG.

When multiple lending occurs, the base unit records the available amount stored in the user information storage unit 31 (the last updated available amount) in association with the transmission record (from the user information storage unit 31). Copy it). The available amount associated with the transmission record is the available amount transmitted to the slave unit. By recording the usable amount transmitted (rented) for each child device by the parent device, the utilization amount for each child device at the time of multiple lending can be calculated.
(4) The slave unit 1 executes a cooperative job such as copying or printer. When the usable amount is subtracted by the cooperation job for printing 9 pages, the usable amount becomes 30 pages.
(4-1) If the same user operates the child device 2 to execute a cooperative job before the child device 1 returns the available amount, the child device 2 requests the user's available amount from the parent device. . If the communication failure is resolved at this next point, the master unit transmits the user's usable amount to the slave unit 2 and generates a transmission record. The usable amount at this time is still 39 pages.
(4-2) The slave unit 2 returns the available amount to the master unit after executing the cooperation job. It is assumed that the usable amount at this time is 35 pages.
(4-3) The master unit receives the available amount from the slave unit 2, and records the reception record in association with the transmission record of the slave unit 2.

Further, when there is a transmission record with no reception record, the master unit only calculates the usage amount and does not update the usable amount in the user information storage unit 31. Therefore, “usage (difference) = 4 pages (= 39−35)” is associated with the transmission record as the usage.
(5) The slave unit 1 returns the usable amount of 30 pages to the master unit after executing the cooperation job.
(6) The master unit receives the available amount from the slave unit 1, and records the reception record in association with the transmission record of the slave unit 1.

At this next point, since there is no transmission record with no reception record, the master unit updates the usable amount in the user information storage unit 31. The available amount is a value obtained by subtracting the already used usage amount (difference) from the available amount received from the slave unit 1. This is the amount that can be used, for example, in copying (color) by this user.
Usable amount = 30-4 = 26
Thus, by calculating the difference with reference to the reception record, the usable amount at the time of multiple lending can be accurately calculated. The parent device updates the available amount in the user information storage unit 31 with this available amount.

  Note that multiple lending is performed not only when there is a failure in communication, but also when the same user executes a linked job on another slave unit while the slave unit 1 is executing a linked job that prints a large number of pages. Also occurs. Therefore, a communication failure is not indispensable for achieving the effect of the cooperation system 200 of the present embodiment.

  FIG. 12 is an example of a diagram for explaining transitions of transmission records and the like when the parent device lents out to the same child device. This case can also be considered in the same manner as in FIG. The situation in which the parent device lends to the same child device, for example, occurs when the same user acquires the available amount from the same child device while the child device does not return the available amount due to a communication failure.

  At the next point when the master unit transmits the usable amount again to the slave unit 1, the transmission record and the reception record are in the state of “send again to the slave unit 1” in FIG.

  The slave unit 1 returns the available amount to the master unit after executing the cooperation job. It is assumed that the usable amount at this time is 35 pages. Since there are two transmission records in the user information whose transmission destination is the slave unit 1, it is unknown which of the transmission records can be used, but for example, the reception record is recorded for the older transmission record without discrimination. Record it. Similarly, the parent device associates the calculated usage (difference) with the transmission record of the child device 1. Alternatively, the transmission record may be identified by assigning a unique ID to the transmission record and always transmitting and receiving the available amount together with the ID between the parent device and the child device.

  When the handset 1 returns the usable amount of 30 pages to the base unit for the second time, the base unit registers the reception record for the remaining transmission records. As a result, there is no other transmission record that is not associated with the reception record, so the master unit calculates the available amount (page 26) and updates the available amount in the user information storage unit 31.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a flowchart of the operation procedure of the parent device and the child device. Since the user has already logged in to the slave unit, the slave unit has acquired the user identification information of the user.

  This procedure starts, for example, when the child device 1 starts executing the cooperation job (S10).

  The counter acquisition unit 33 requests an available amount from the parent device (S20). The master unit receives the request (S110). The counter transmission unit 36 of the parent device reads the last updated usable amount of the user from the user information storage unit 31 and transmits it to the child device (S120). The transmission recording unit 38 generates a transmission record (S130). When multiple lending occurs, the transmission recording unit 38 records the usable amount transmitted to the transmission record in association with each other.

  The counter management unit 34 of the slave unit receives the available amount (S30). The slave unit executes the cooperative job, but determines whether or not the available amount is greater than zero for each output of one page (S40). If the available amount is less than or equal to zero (No in S40), the user cannot output any more, so the counter management unit 34 of the slave unit displays an error message and cancels the job (S90).

  When the available amount is greater than zero (S40 Yes), the slave unit outputs one page at a time (S50). The counter management unit 34 of the slave unit decrements the available amount by one for each page output (S60).

  The application of the slave unit determines whether or not the job has ended (S70), and repeats the processing from S40 onward until the job ends.

  When the job is finished (Yes in S70), the counter return unit 35 transmits the current available amount to the parent device (S80).

  The reception recording unit 39 of the parent device receives the available amount (S140), and registers OK in the reception record associated with the transmission record of the child device that has transmitted the available amount (S150).

  The counter update unit 37 determines whether there is another transmission record with no reception record (S160). If there is another transmission record with no reception record (Yes in S160), the usable amount of this user cannot be updated, so the counter update unit 37 calculates the difference between the transmitted usable amount and the received usable amount ( S170).

  If there is no other transmission record with no reception record (No in S160), if there is a transmission record for which the difference is calculated, the difference is subtracted from the received usable amount (S180). Then, the counter updating unit 37 updates the usable amount of user information (S190).

  As described above, the cooperation system 200 can limit the usage amount without using a server when executing a cooperation job, and can cope with multiple lending.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Operation panel 12 Controller 13 Scanner engine 14 Plotter engine 15 FAX modem 16 Network interface 17 IC card interface 31 User information storage part 32 Authentication part 33 Counter acquisition part 34 Counter management part 35 Counter return part 36 Counter transmission part 37 Counter update part 38 Transmission recording unit 100 MFP 200 Cooperation system

JP 2008-186101A

Claims (6)

A usage amount limiting device that limits the usage amount of a device that obtains output using processing results by other devices,
User information storage means in which the available amount is registered in association with the user identification information;
Usable amount transmitting means for transmitting the usable amount of a user who uses the device to the device;
Transmission recording means for generating a transmission record indicating that the available amount has been transmitted to the device;
When receiving the usable amount obtained by subtracting the used amount of the amount used from the device, reception recording means for recording that the usable amount is received in the transmission record;
Updating means for updating the available amount of the user information storage means;
A usage restriction device. The transmission recording means generates the individual transmission record each time an available amount is transmitted to the device,
The reception recording means records that the available amount has been received only in the transmission record of the device that has returned the available amount,
The use amount limiting device according to claim 1. When there is the transmission record in which the fact that the available amount has been received is not recorded, the update unit is returned as the available amount transmitted by the available amount transmitting unit to the device that has returned the available amount Calculate the difference in available amount,
When there is no transmission record that does not record that the usable amount has been received, the user information storage means can be used with a value obtained by subtracting the difference from the usable amount transmitted by the device that has returned the usable amount. Update quantity,
The use amount limiting device according to claim 2, wherein: The transmission recording means records time information of the time when the available amount is transmitted to the device in the transmission record,
The usage amount restriction device requests a return to the device that has transmitted the available amount when a predetermined time or more has elapsed from the time of transmission.
The usage amount limiting device according to claim 1, wherein the usage amount is limited. A device system having a device that obtains an output using a processing result by another device, and a usage amount limiting device that limits a usage amount of the device,
The usage limit device is:
User information storage means in which the available amount is registered in association with the user identification information;
Usable amount transmitting means for transmitting the usable amount of a user who uses the device to the device;
Transmission recording means for generating a transmission record indicating that the available amount has been transmitted to the device;
When receiving the usable amount obtained by subtracting the used amount of the amount used from the device, reception recording means for recording that the usable amount is received in the transmission record;
Updating means for updating the available amount of the user information storage means,
The equipment is
Usable amount acquisition means for requesting transmission of a usable amount together with user identification information;
An apparatus system comprising: a transmission unit that permits output within a range permitted by the usable amount and transmits the usable amount obtained by subtracting the usable amount to the utilization amount limiting device. To the usage limit device that limits the usage of devices that obtain output using processing results from other devices,
An available amount transmitting step of reading out an available amount of a user who uses the device from the user information storage means in which the available amount is registered in association with the identification information of the user and transmitting it to the device;
A transmission recording step for generating a transmission record indicating that the available amount has been transmitted to the device;
When receiving the available amount obtained by subtracting the used amount of the device used from the device, a reception recording step for recording that the available amount is received in the transmission record;
An update step of updating the available amount of the user information storage means;
A program that executes

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