JP4643194B2 - Printing system using portable information terminal and billing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a charging method in a printing system using a portable information terminal, and more specifically, printing that enables printing of image information such as content retrieved using a portable information terminal such as a cellular phone using a printing machine. The present invention relates to a system and a charging method thereof.

  The spread of portable information terminals represented by cellular phones is remarkable. As a recent movement of portable information terminals, support for the Internet has been promoted. For example, e-mail can be performed in real time anywhere by mobile phone, and information on the Internet can be directly retrieved and data can be retrieved by a web browser. In addition to accessing the Internet, it also provides applications that support gateway services. For example, there are banking services that allow you to check bank account balances and transfer procedures, ticket services that allow you to make ticket reservations without going to the play guide, and services that allow you to buy and sell stock and investment trust products.

  As a service using a portable information device such as a mobile phone, for example, there is a content distribution service. For example, there is i-mode as a service for connecting to a network such as the Internet from a mobile phone provided by NTT Docomo, which is provided by the NTT Docomo mobile phone network. In order to view the contents of NTT DOCOMO's official website, connect to a content server (gateway server) operated by NTT DOCOMO from a mobile phone with i-mode functionality, Can browse content.

  As the functions of mobile information terminals have become more sophisticated and diversified as described above, the user wants to view image information such as content referenced on the mobile information terminal in a large display state, or leave it as a printed matter. There is a strong demand to immediately make a printed material as a material to be set up or used for presentation of business talks or as a material to be provided to customers.

  Copiers installed in convenience stores and general offices are now almost digitized and converted into MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals), and some have a printing function that responds to printing requests from PCs and other devices. In most cases, it is often connected to a network and shared on an intranet / Internet. Therefore, a printing system has been proposed in which an MFP installed in such a convenience store or office is connected to a portable electronic device to print image information such as contents.

  In such a printing system, a printing apparatus inputs a URL for designating a site of image information such as content selected by a user from a portable information terminal, connects to a content server using the URL, and has a high resolution. Image information can be acquired, and the acquired information can be printed and provided to the user.

  The printing system as described above has great potential as a business because it is highly convenient and a high-performance printing system can be easily used. In the printing system, the printing consideration is collected from the user.

  In addition to paid content viewing fees paid to content providers, the user must pay for using this printing system, as well as managing function usage fees and printing devices paid to providers (printing function providers) that provide printing systems. It is considered that billing such as a performance charge to be paid to a store or the like to be generated. Of course, various models can be considered as the form of expense paid by the user.

  Regarding the fee paid to the above content provider, for example, NTT DOCOMO, Inc. collects charges from users on behalf of the official paid content that can be viewed with the above-mentioned i-Mode, collects it from the user, and deducts a predetermined fee. To pay.

  However, the usage fee for the printing system function and the charging method for the performance charge as described above are not actually constructed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and for a printing system in which a printing apparatus acquires high-resolution information for printing in response to print request information from a portable information terminal and performs printout for a user. It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient and rational charging method and printing system.

The invention of claim 1 is a printing system capable of data communication between a portable information terminal and a content server and realized by a printing apparatus connected to a network and an apparatus in an operator of the portable information terminal. The printing apparatus receives print request information including user ID information, password information, and URL information of the portable information terminal from the portable information terminal, and the URL information based on the URL information included in the received print request information. in connecting to the content server identified, means for receiving the print content information corresponding result of printing of the print content information thus received is transmitted from the previous SL content server, the print content information means for setting a money amount calculated by the print unit price data corresponding as a print compensation amount The print compensation amount obtained by the set, before and means to send to the device in the operating company of Ki携 zone information terminal apparatus in the operating company, based on the print compensation amount received the print instrumentation placed al Collecting the printing consideration amount together with the communication fee from the user, and paying the collected printing consideration amount by subtracting a predetermined fee to a predetermined payee, wherein the printing apparatus includes the content server together with the user ID information and password information of the mobile information terminal as the print compensation amount to Rukin amount transmitted from, and stored in memory of the said printing device, said print compensation amount to the apparatus in the operating company of the portable information terminal when sending, when printing the print content information thus received has been completed, the user ID information and the password stored in the memory And distribution is obtained by and transmits the print compensation amounts corresponding.

The invention of claim 2 is applied to a printing system that is capable of data communication between a portable information terminal and a content server and is realized by a printing apparatus connected to a network and an apparatus in an operator of the portable information terminal. URL information included in the print request information received from the portable information terminal when the printing apparatus receives print request information including user ID information, password information, and URL information of the portable information terminal. connected to the content server identified by the URL information based on the steps of receiving a print content information corresponding, the printing apparatus, the result of printing the print content information thus received, before Symbol content server sent from, which is calculated by the print unit price data corresponding to the print content information And the step of setting the amount as a print consideration amount of money, the printing device, the print consideration amount of money you have the set, said a step to send to the device in the operating company of the portable information terminal, an apparatus in the management company, the printing instrumentation based on the print compensation amount received et placed, a step of paying by subtracting the prescribed fee collected from the user, the print compensation amounts levied for a given payee on behalf of the print compensation amount together with the communication fee, has the printing apparatus, together with the user ID information and password information of the mobile information terminal as the print compensation amount to Rukin amount transmitted from the content server, stored in the memory of the printing device comprises the portable information when sending the print compensation amount to the apparatus in the operating company of the terminus, when printing the print content information thus received it has been completed, before And the user ID information and the password information stored in the memory is obtained by and transmits the print compensation amounts corresponding.

  According to the present invention, in a system in which content information provided by a content provider referred using a mobile information device such as a mobile phone can be printed using an MFP printer, a fee is paid after settlement by software, A mobile phone company collects the printing price for printing services on behalf of the user, making it very convenient for the user, a printer or software provider, a store where a printing device is installed, or a mobile phone that collects the service It is possible to build a business that can generate profits for the operating company.

  A charging method in a printing system using a portable information terminal according to the present invention includes a portable information terminal, a printing apparatus capable of data communication between the portable information terminal and connected to a network, and the network Is a charging method applied to a printing system realized by a content server capable of data communication with a printing apparatus via the printer. As shown in FIG. 2, first, the portable information terminal refers to the content information from the content server (step S1), and transmits print request information related to the content information to the printing apparatus (step S2). When the apparatus receives the print request information, the printing apparatus connects to the content server via the Internet (step S3), transmits information requesting the corresponding print content (step S4), and the content server Is to transmit information on the printing content in response to the received information requesting the printing content (step S5), and print the printing content received by the printing apparatus (step S6). The printing apparatus holds the print consideration calculation data for calculating the print consideration, and refers to the print consideration calculation data when the print content received from the content server is printed. (Step S7), and the calculated printing consideration amount is displayed on the display means provided in the printing apparatus (step S8), and the user attaches the amount corresponding to the display on the display means to the printing apparatus. Alternatively, by putting the money into the money input device incorporated in the printing device (step S9), the printing consideration is collected after the printing is completed.

  Further, charging method 2 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of the present invention includes a portable information terminal, a printing apparatus capable of data communication between the portable information terminal and connected to a network, This is a charging method applied to a printing system realized by a content server capable of data communication with a printing apparatus via a network. As shown in FIG. 3, the portable information terminal refers to the content information from the content server (step S11), transmits print request information regarding the content information to the printing apparatus (step S12), and the printing apparatus When the print request information is received, the printing apparatus connects to the content server via the Internet (step S13), transmits information requesting the corresponding print content (step S14), and the content server receives the print request information. The printing content information is transmitted according to the information requesting the printing content (step S15), and the printing content received by the printing apparatus is printed (step S16). The printing apparatus holds the print consideration calculation data for calculating the print consideration, and refers to the print consideration calculation data when the print content received from the content server is printed. Is calculated (step S17), and the calculated print consideration amount information is transmitted to the portable information terminal (step S18), and the portable information terminal holds the received print consideration amount information at a predetermined timing. The information on the printing consideration amount is transmitted to the operating company of the portable information terminal (step S19), and the operating company of the portable information terminal collects the printing consideration amount together with the communication fee from the user (step S20), The collected printing consideration amount is paid to a predetermined payee by subtracting a predetermined fee (step S21).

  According to the third aspect of the charging method in the printing system using the portable information terminal of the present invention, a portable information terminal, a printing apparatus capable of data communication between the portable information terminal and connected to a network, This is a charging method applied to a printing system realized by a content server capable of data communication with a printing apparatus via a network. As shown in FIG. 4, the portable information terminal refers to the content server (step S31), and transmits print request information related to the content information to the printing device (step S32). When the request information is received, the printing apparatus connects to the content server via the Internet (step S33), transmits information requesting the corresponding print content (step S34), and the content server receives the request information. The printing content information is transmitted according to the information requesting the printing content, and the printing content received by the printing apparatus is printed (step S37). Here, the content server holds the print consideration calculation data for calculating the print consideration after step S34, and refers to the print consideration calculation data based on the transmitted information requesting the print content. The printing consideration amount is calculated (step S35), and the printing consideration amount information is transmitted to the printing apparatus together with the printing content information (step S36). After step S37, the printing apparatus transmits the information on the printing consideration amount to the operating company of the portable information terminal (step S38), and the operating company of the portable information terminal substitutes the printing consideration amount together with the communication fee. Then, it is collected from the user (step S39), and the collected printing consideration amount is paid to a predetermined payee by subtracting a predetermined fee (step S40).

  The charging method 4 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of the present invention includes: a portable information terminal; a printing apparatus capable of data communication between the portable information terminal and connected to a network; This is a charging method applied to a printing system realized by a content server capable of data communication with a printing apparatus via a network. As shown in FIG. 5, the portable information terminal refers to content information from the content server (step S51), and transmits print request information related to the content information to the printing device (S52). When receiving the print request information, the printing apparatus connects to the content server via the Internet (step S53), transmits information requesting the corresponding print content (step S54), and the content server receives the print request information. This is a charging method in a printing system in which printing content information is transmitted in response to the requested information for printing content and the printing device receives the printing content. The content server holds print consideration calculation data for calculating the print consideration, and refers to the print consideration calculation data based on the transmitted information requesting the print content. Is calculated (step S55), and the information of the printing consideration amount is transmitted to the printing apparatus together with the information of the printing content (step S56), and the printing apparatus prints the printing content information (step S57). The received information on the print consideration amount is transmitted to the portable information terminal (step S58), the portable information terminal holds the received information on the print consideration amount and stores the information on the print consideration amount at a predetermined timing. The information is transmitted to the mobile information terminal operating company (step S59), and the mobile information terminal operating company acts as a proxy for the print price together with the communication fee. Collected from the user Te (step S60), pay by subtracting the prescribed fee for printing the consideration amount of money was collected for a given payee (step S61).

  The charging method 5 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of the present invention includes a portable information terminal, a printing apparatus capable of data communication between the portable information terminal and connected to a network, This is a charging method applied to a printing system realized by a content server capable of data communication with a printing apparatus via a network. As shown in FIG. 6, the portable information terminal refers to the content information from the content server (step S71), and transmits print request information related to the content information to the printing device (step S72). When the print request information is received, the printing apparatus connects to the content server via the Internet (step S73), transmits information requesting the corresponding print content (step S74), and the content server receives the print request information. In response to the information requesting the print content, the print content information is transmitted (step S75), and the print content received by the printing apparatus is printed (step S76). The printing apparatus holds the print consideration calculation data for calculating the print consideration, and refers to the print consideration calculation data when the print content received from the content server is printed. Is calculated (step S77), and the information on the printing consideration amount is transmitted to the operating company of the portable information terminal (step S78), and the operating company of the portable information terminal substitutes the printing consideration amount together with the communication fee. Then, it is collected from the user (step S79), and the collected printing consideration amount is paid to a predetermined payee by subtracting a predetermined fee (step S80).

Further, in the charging method 6 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of the present invention, the user refers to the content information of the content server using the portable information terminal as shown in FIG. upon authentication information for requesting to obtain the desired content, and user I D information, and transmits the password information (step S81), the content server receiving these information, the user based on the received information (Step S82), the content requested by the user is searched according to the authentication result (Step S83), the searched content is transmitted to the portable information terminal (Step S84), and the portable information terminal receives the received content information. Is displayed on the screen of the portable information terminal (step S85), and the user confirms the displayed screen and The printing request information including URL information of the target content is transmitted to the printing apparatus (step S87), and the printing apparatus receives the received print. In response to the request information, information requesting the print content including user ID information and password information is transmitted to the content server (step S88), and the content server receives the information requesting the print content. Then, the user authentication operation is performed again (step S89), the printing content information is retrieved according to the authentication result and transmitted to the printing apparatus (step S90), and the printing apparatus selects the printing content according to the received information. Printing is performed (step S91).

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the accounting method according to the present invention will be described in more detail.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, 10 is a mobile phone as an example of the portable information terminal of the present invention, 20 is an MFP printer, 30 is a content server ( (Or gateway server), 40 is a content provider, and 50 is the Internet.

  The MFP printer 20 includes an interface capable of communicating with other devices connected to the network, and can be connected to the Internet 50. In addition, an interface capable of communicating with a portable information terminal such as a cellular phone is provided, and connection with the cellular phone 10 is possible. The connection between the MFP printer 20 and the Internet 50 and the connection between the MFP printer 20 and the mobile phone 10 may be either wired or wireless, and the means is not limited.

  First, the operation of the printing system to which the present invention is applied will be described. The user calls and connects to a predetermined content server 30 via the mobile phone communication line network using the mobile phone 10 and browses the content held by the content server 30. At this time, the mobile phone 10 has a function (for example, the above-described i-mode (registered trademark) function) that can be downloaded by referring to the content information from the content server 30. For example, in i-mode (registered trademark), content distributed by the content server 30 is included in an official site certified by NTT DoCoMo. The content information held by the content server 30 is, for example, created by the content provider 40 and transferred to the content server 30 after being certified as an official site by NTT DoCoMo.

  When a user tries to access the official site as described above from the mobile phone 10 and refer to the content, generally, the user needs to make a subscription contract to the official site in advance. For example, when a user accesses an official site using i-mode (registered trademark), the content server 30 performs authentication related to information download. That is, when information is downloaded from the official site as described above, the content server 30 always receives authentication of the ID and password transmitted from the mobile phone.

  The content provider processes image data of content that can be viewed with i-mode (registered trademark), and creates a content image that can be viewed on the Web in advance. In fact, both can be accessed even if they are the same data, but i-mode (registered trademark) has a limited capacity for display, color display is impossible on a monochrome screen, and the screen size is small. Since there are many restrictions depending on the model, the content provider basically creates and distributes i-mode (registered trademark) content and Web content separately.

  When the user wants to print the cellular phone content referred to by the cellular phone 10, the print request information is transmitted to the MFP printer 20 having the function of this printing system. The MFP printer 20 connects to the content server 30 via the Internet, downloads corresponding web content information, and performs printing.

  In the above printing system, a mobile phone (personal digital assistant) 10 having a function such as i-mode (registered trademark) capable of browsing content, an MFP printer 20 connected to a network, and a content server 30 are mutually connected. The MFP printer 20 is configured to be communicable using a public line or a dedicated line, and software for realizing the function of the printing system is installed in the MFP printer 20. Must be prepared to be distributed as Web content. In addition, by creating a menu for enabling the user to instruct a print request using this system for the mobile phone content distributed by the content provider 40, the user simply gives a print instruction using the mobile phone. be able to.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a charging method applied to the printing system as described above will be described. In the printing service business, every time a user prints, the charge is charged as a print charge fee. The print charge is paid to the store where the MFP printer is installed. The print charge is received by the store and a part of it is used for the management fee. A store that collects the print charge fee pays a performance charge (P / C) to, for example, an MFP printer sales company. P / C is paid as, for example, 3.5 yen / sheet for monochrome and 25 yen / sheet for color.

  In addition, when a provider (printing function provider) that provides a printing function by installing software in a printing apparatus intends to use the printing system using, for example, i-mode (registered trademark), the predetermined system as described above. Revenue is secured by collecting basic charges from users. Alternatively, a pay-as-you-go system that collects a predetermined charge according to the print fee without taking the form of a predetermined basic charge may be used, or a combination method of a relatively low basic charge and a pay-per-use charge may be used.

  The charging method shown below can be applied without being limited to any of the above-mentioned charging systems. In each embodiment, when the printing function provider adopts the basic fee system, the basic fee is When a conventional method such as account debiting or a proxy collection method by a telephone company is adopted, and the above-mentioned method related to charging only for print charges is executed, and when the print function provider adopts a pay-as-you-go fee Realizes the above-mentioned charge method of print charge + metered charge. In the latter case, it is necessary to further distribute the fees collected from the user for each printing to a plurality of payees. This should be reasonably determined in advance among each person. To do. Note that, in the embodiments described below, repetitive description is omitted for portions that perform operations common to the other embodiments.

Example 1
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the first embodiment of the accounting method according to the present invention. When browsing the desired content, the user calls the desired mobile phone content site of the content server 30 using the mobile phone 10 (step S101), and at this time, sends the ID and password for authentication. The content server 30 distributes the content after authentication (step S102). Distribution of the content at this time is performed using the route a shown in FIG. 1 through the mobile phone network of the mobile phone company.

  In the mobile phone 10 that has received the content, the content is displayed on the display screen. The user refers to the content while viewing the display screen. At this time, if there is a screen to be printed, the mobile phone 10 is brought into a state where it can communicate with the MFP printer 20 (for example, the mobile phone 10 and the MFP printer 20 are visited by going to a convenience store where the MFP printer 20 is installed). (If the wireless communication is possible, the mobile phone 10 is brought to a communicable area) (step S103), a predetermined operation using the input button or the like of the mobile phone 10 is performed, and a print request is made. The information shown is transmitted to the MFP printer 20 (step S104).

  The print request information transmitted from the mobile phone 10 to the MFP printer 20 includes URL information indicating the content that the user wants to search by the mobile phone 10 to print, and the MFP that has received the print request information The printer 20 is newly connected to the Internet 50 using the communication means of the MFP printer, and the user held by the content server 30 is connected to a desired content site (step S105). The content server 30 is requested to download a Web content image according to the print request information.

The request of the download as described above, the user I D information and password information of the mobile phone is included, the content server 30, permission of the download go again authentication upon receipt of a request for download as described above Is performed (step S106). The MFP printer 20 receives the downloaded content image and prints it (step S107). Depending on the page to be downloaded, the number of prints may be multiple. When the user wants to print a plurality of pages, the content selection by the mobile phone and the operation of transmitting print request information to the printing apparatus are repeated.

  The software installed in the MFP printer 20 refers to the print consideration calculation data stored in the storage unit of the MFP printer 20 based on the print information (print type, used paper size, etc.). (Print consideration amount) is calculated (step S108), and the calculated fee information is displayed on the display screen of the MFP printer 20 (step S109). The fee display may be added and displayed each time printing is performed, or the total settlement amount may be displayed after printing is completed in response to a predetermined settlement instruction input by the user.

  The MFP printer 20 is provided with a box in which coins and bills (or only coins) can be inserted, and after the printing is completed, the user inserts a settlement amount and settles it (step S110). Conventionally, in a copying machine or the like, there is a type in which a user inputs an amount corresponding to a scheduled amount in advance and settles after the completion of copying. In the present invention, the user inputs an amount necessary after the end of printing. Therefore, it can be said that this is a billing method considering user convenience.

(Example 2)
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second embodiment of the accounting method according to the present invention. In this embodiment, until the software of the MFP printer 20 calculates the printing fee (steps S121 to S128), the same operation as that of the first embodiment is performed. The MFP printer 20 displays the printing fee calculated here on the display screen of the MFP printer 20 (step S129), but the fee display in the MFP printer 20 is not essential here. The MFP printer 20 transmits printing fee information to the mobile phone 10 every time printing is completed or printing is performed (step S130). The cellular phone 10 holds the received printing fee information, and transmits the printing fee information to the cellular phone company under predetermined conditions, for example, every predetermined time or every time printing information is input. (Step S131). The mobile phone company holds the printing fee information for each user, collects the printing fee in addition to the communication fee at a later date, collects the agency fee (step S132), deducts a predetermined fee, and pays the printing fee to the corresponding payee Pay (step 133). Further, when the mobile phone 10 receives the print fee information, the charge information is displayed on the display screen of the mobile phone, so that the user can be notified of the usage fee, and the system becomes highly convenient.

(Example 3)
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the third embodiment of the accounting method according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, operations similar to those in the first embodiment are performed until the MPF printer 20 connects to the content server 30 using the URL (steps S141 to S145). The content server 30 holds the print unit price data for each print type as basic charge data for calculating the charge amount of the print consideration, and the corresponding print unit price is based on the information requesting the content from the MFP printer 20. Information is extracted and the number of prints is totaled, and an amount to be charged as a print fee is calculated from the print unit price information and the print number information (step S146). Then, the charge information indicating the calculated charge amount is transmitted to the MFP printer 20 together with the requested Web content information (step S147).

MFP printer 20 performs printing by receiving content downloaded images (step S148), the price information transmitted from the content server 30 in this case, the mobile phone user I D information and password information are both MFP printer The data is stored in the RAM included in 20 (step S149). When the printing is finished, and connect to the call server of the mobile operator, user I D information and password information are stored in the RAM relative to the server, and the price information corresponding thereto Transmit (step S150). The accounting information for the telephone company is transmitted to the telephone company when the MFP printer 20 calls and connects to the telephone company server using the communication means of the MFP printer 20.

  Based on the transmitted billing information, the mobile phone company collects the billing amount together with the telephone fee (step S151), subtracts a predetermined fee from the billing amount, and installs a printer to receive a print charge, for example Pay to a store or the like (step S152).

Example 4
FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fourth embodiment of the accounting method according to the present invention. In the third embodiment, the billing information acquired from the content server by the MFP printer 20 is transmitted to the mobile phone company using the communication means of the MFP printer 20, but in the present embodiment, the billing information is sent to the MFP. The information is displayed on the display screen of the printer 20 (steps S161 to S170), and transmitted from the MFP printer 20 to the mobile phone 10 (step S171). The cellular phone 10 holds the printing fee information, and transmits the printing fee information to the cellular phone company under a predetermined condition, for example, every predetermined time or every time the printing information is inputted (step) S172). The mobile phone company collects a printing fee in addition to the communication fee (step S173) and deducts a predetermined fee to pay the printing fee to the corresponding payee (step S174).

(Example 5)
FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fifth embodiment of the accounting method according to the present invention. In this embodiment, charging basic data for calculating the charging amount is held in the memory of the printing apparatus, and the software installed in the MFP printer 20 controls the data so that the charging amount is calculated on the MFP printer 20 side.

That is, after the user transmits a print request from the mobile phone 10 to the MFP printer 20, the MFP printer 20 newly accesses the content server 30, requests download of the content image, and prints the transmitted content image. (Steps S181 to S187), the MFP printer 20 calculates the charge amount by referring to the charge basic data (Step S188), connects to the telephone company server using the communication means of the MFP printer 20, and calculates the charge amount along with the user I D information and password information of the billing information that shows to the mobile phone company (step S189). The mobile phone company collects the charge amount together with the telephone fee from the user (step S190), deducts the fee and transfers it to a predetermined account (step S191).

It is a figure for demonstrating the structural example of the printing system to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart of the charging method in 1 of the charging methods in the printing system using the portable information terminal of this invention. It is a flowchart of the charging method in the charging method 2 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of this invention. It is a flowchart of the charging method in the charging method 3 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of this invention. It is a flowchart of the charging method in the charging method 4 in the printing system using the portable information terminal of this invention. It is a flowchart of the charging method in 5 of the charging methods in the printing system using the portable information terminal of this invention. It is a flowchart of the charging method in 6 of the charging methods in the printing system using the portable information terminal of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the 1st Example of the accounting method by this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the 2nd Example of the accounting method by this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the 3rd Example of the accounting method by this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the 4th Example of the accounting method by this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the 5th Example of the charging method by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Mobile phone, 20 ... MFP printer (printing apparatus), 30 ... Content server, 40 ... Content provider, 50 ... Internet.

Claims (2)

A printing system capable of data communication between a portable information terminal and a content server and realized by a printing apparatus connected to a network and an apparatus in an operator of the portable information terminal,
The printing apparatus includes:
The content server that receives print request information including user ID information, password information, and URL information of the portable information terminal from the portable information terminal, and is identified by the URL information based on the URL information included in the received print request information Means for connecting to and receiving corresponding print content information;
Result of the printing of the print content information thus received, means for setting sent from the previous SL content server, the money amount calculated by the print unit price data corresponding to the print content information as the print compensation amount,
Print consideration amount of money that was the setting, before and a means to send to the device in the operating company of Ki携 zone information terminal,
The equipment in the operating company is
Based on the print compensation amount received the print instrumentation placed al, collected from the user on the behalf of the print compensation amount together with the communication fee, paid by subtracting the prescribed fee print compensation amounts levied for a given payee Having means,
The printing apparatus, the user ID information and password information of the portable information terminal Rukin amount transmitted from the content server as said print compensation amount, stored in the memory of the printing device comprises the portable information terminal operating company of when sending the print compensation amount to the apparatus in the transmission when printing the print content information thus received has been completed, the user ID information and the password information stored in the memory, the print compensation amount corresponding A printing system characterized by A billing method applied to a printing system capable of data communication between a portable information terminal and a content server and realized by a printing apparatus connected to a network and an apparatus in an operator of the portable information terminal. ,
The printing apparatus receives print request information including user ID information, password information, and URL information of the portable information terminal , and is identified by the URL information based on the URL information included in the print request information received from the portable information terminal. Connected to the content server and receiving corresponding print content information;
The printing apparatus, the result of printing the print content information thus received is transmitted from the previous SL content server, setting the gold amount calculated by the print unit price data corresponding to the print content information as the print compensation amount Process,
And process the printing device, the print consideration amounts to the setting, to send to the device in the operating company of the portable information terminal,
Wherein the operating company in the device, based on the print compensation amount received the print instrumentation placed al, collected from the user on the behalf of the print compensation amount together with the communication fee, printing fee amounts levied for a given payee A process of deducting a predetermined fee and paying,
Have
Steering the printing apparatus, together with the user ID information and password information of the portable information terminal Rukin amount transmitted from the content server as said print compensation amount, stored in the memory of the printing apparatus comprises, in the portable information terminal end when sending the print compensation amount to the apparatus in the company, when the printing of the print content information thus received has been completed, the user ID information and the password information stored in the memory, the print compensation amount corresponding A billing method in a printing system, characterized by comprising: