JP6978191B2 - Scan transmission system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a scan transmission system, an image forming apparatus, and a scan transmission program that read an image from a document by a scanning device and transmit the image.

Conventionally, a system that has a coin vendor that enables payment of fees in cash and a copier and that the copier pays the fees in real time when the copy job is executed by the copier has been known. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-351167

However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, the execution of the copy job is stopped when the amount of cash put into the coin vendor by the user is reduced and the payment of the fee is delayed, and then the cash is sent to the coin vendor. There is a problem that it is inconvenient because the execution of the copy job is restarted when the additional input is made and the fee can be paid.

Further, in the system described in Patent Document 1, the fee stored in cash in the coin vendor needs to be collected regularly by the person who manages the copier, so that there is a problem that labor cost is required. There is.

Further, in the system described in Patent Document 1, since the charge is stored in cash in the coin vendor, the cash stored in the coin vendor may be stolen and the administrator of the copier may not receive the charge. There is a problem of having sex.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a scan transmission system, an image forming apparatus, and a scan transmission program capable of improving convenience, reducing labor costs, and safely receiving charges.

The scan transmission system of the present invention is based on an image forming apparatus including a reading device, an image storage means for storing an image read from a document by the reading device in a storage unit, and a reading result of the document by the reading device. The charge calculation means for calculating the charge, the payment code notification means for notifying the payment code issued by the online payment service for the charge calculated by the charge calculation means, and the payment code notification means notified by the payment code notification means. It is characterized by comprising an image transmission means for transmitting the image stored in the storage unit when the fee is paid via the online payment service using a payment code.

With this configuration, the scan transmission system of the present invention stores an image generated by scanning a document by a scanning device in a storage unit, and after the accurate fee is paid based on the result of this scanning, the scanning transmission system is used. Since the image is transmitted, the execution of the scan transmission job of "reading the image from the original by the scanning device and transmitting this image" is not stopped in the middle due to the delay in payment of the fee, which improves convenience. Can be realized. Further, since the scan transmission system of the present invention uses an online payment service instead of a coin vendor to pay the fee, there is no need to acquire the fee from the coin vendor, which reduces labor costs and safely receives the fee. And can be realized.

In the scan transmission system of the present invention, the image forming apparatus may include a display device, and the payment code notification means may notify the payment code by display on the display device.

With this configuration, the scan transmission system of the present invention pays the fee via the online payment service using the payment code notified by the image forming apparatus because the image forming apparatus notifies the payment code by displaying it on the display device. Even if the user terminal for the purpose and the image forming apparatus cannot communicate with each other, the payment code displayed on the display device of the image forming apparatus is used to pay the fee by the user terminal via the online payment service. Can be done.

The scan transmission system of the present invention comprises a user terminal for paying the fee via the online payment service using the payment code notified by the payment code notification means, and the user terminal is a photographing device. The payment code displayed on the display device may be obtained by photographing with the photographing device.

With this configuration, the scan transmission system of the present invention improves convenience because the user of the user terminal does not need to manually input the payment code displayed on the display device of the image forming apparatus into the user terminal. Can be done.

In the scan transmission system of the present invention, the payment code notification means may display the payment code as a two-dimensional code on the display device.

With this configuration, in the scan transmission system of the present invention, the payment code is compactly displayed as a two-dimensional code on the display device of the image forming apparatus, so that it is easy to take a picture by the taking device of the user terminal and the convenience is improved. Can be done.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is online for a reading device, an image storage means for storing an image read from a document by the reading device in a storage unit, and a fee based on the reading result of the document by the reading device. The memory when the fee is paid via the online payment service using the payment code notifying means for notifying the payment code issued by the payment service and the payment code notified by the payment code notifying means. It is characterized by comprising an image transmission means for transmitting the image stored in the unit.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention stores the image generated by scanning the original by the scanning device in the storage unit, and after the accurate fee is paid based on the reading result, the image forming apparatus is used. Since the image is transmitted, the execution of the scan transmission job of "reading the image from the original by the scanning device and transmitting this image" is not stopped in the middle due to the delay in payment of the fee, which improves convenience. Can be realized. Further, since the image forming apparatus of the present invention uses an online payment service instead of a coin vendor to pay the fee, there is no need to acquire the fee from the coin vendor, the labor cost is reduced, and the fee is safely received. And can be realized.

The scan transmission program of the present invention is based on an image storage means for storing an image read from a document by the reading device in a storage unit in an image forming apparatus including a reading device, and a reading result of the document by the reading device. The fee was paid via the online payment service using a payment code notification means that notifies the payment code issued by the online payment service for the fee and the payment code notified by the payment code notification means. In this case, it is characterized by realizing an image transmission means for transmitting the image stored in the storage unit.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus that executes the scan transmission program of the present invention stores the image generated by scanning the original by the scanning device in the storage unit, and pays an accurate fee based on the scanning result. Since this image is sent after it is sent, the execution of the scan transmission job "Read the image from the original by the scanning device and send this image" may be stopped in the middle due to the delay in payment of the fee. However, it is possible to improve convenience. Further, since the image forming apparatus that executes the scan transmission program of the present invention uses an online payment service instead of a coin vendor to pay the fee, it is not necessary to acquire the fee from the coin vendor, and the labor cost is reduced. , Safe receipt of charges and can be realized.

The scan transmission system, the image forming apparatus, and the scan transmission program of the present invention can improve convenience, reduce labor costs, and safely receive fees.

It is a block diagram of the scan transmission system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the user terminal shown in FIG. It is a block diagram of the MFP shown in FIG. It is a block diagram of the computer shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the MFP management information shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the image management information shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the payment code management information shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the information which the online payment service shown in FIG. 1 stores. It is a figure which shows an example of the payment code management information shown in FIG. It is a sequence diagram of the operation of the scan transmission system shown in FIG. 1 until the MFP in which the instruction to execute the job of scan transmission is input displays the two-dimensional code. It is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP shown in FIG. 3 when executing ScanToSMB. It is a sequence diagram of the operation of the scan transmission system shown in FIG. 1 from the time when the user terminal reads the two-dimensional code until the MFP finishes the execution of the scan transmission job. It is a figure which shows an example of the payment screen displayed on the display part of the user terminal shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of the scan transmission system according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the scan transmission system 10 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scan transmission system 10 includes a user terminal 20 used by a user, an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 30 as an image forming apparatus, a computer 40, and an online payment execution online. It includes a payment service 50 and a bank account management system 60 that manages bank accounts.

The MFP 30 can be installed in various facilities such as commercial facilities such as convenience stores and public facilities such as universities.

The computer 40 may be capable of executing not only the processing related to the charge of the MFP 30 but also the processing related to the charge of at least one MFP similar to the MFP 30.

The online payment service 50 and the bank account management system 60 are cloud services, respectively, and are systems realized by a server such as a cloud server, respectively.

The user terminal 20 and the online payment service 50 can communicate with each other via a network such as the Internet.

The MFP 30 and the computer 40 can communicate directly with each other via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet, or by wire or wirelessly without a network.

The computer 40 and the online payment service 50 can communicate with each other via a network such as the Internet.

The online payment service 50 and the bank account management system 60 can communicate with each other via a network such as the Internet.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the user terminal 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the user terminal 20 is an operation unit 21 which is an input device such as a button into which various operations are input, and a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) which displays various information. A display unit 22, a shooting unit 23 that is a shooting device such as a camera, and a communication unit 24 that is a communication device that directly communicates with an external device via a network or directly by wire or wirelessly without a network. A storage unit 25, which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory for storing various information, and a control unit 26 for controlling the entire user terminal 20 are provided. The user terminal 20 may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet.

The storage unit 25 stores a payment program 25a for payment by the online payment service 50 (see FIG. 1). The payment program 25a may be installed in the user terminal 20 at the manufacturing stage of the user terminal 20, or is additionally installed in the user terminal 20 from an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Alternatively, it may be additionally installed on the user terminal 20 from the network.

The control unit 26 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing programs and various data, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area of the CPU. There is. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 25.

The control unit 26 realizes the payment instruction means 26a for instructing the online payment service 50 to make a payment by executing the payment program 25a.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the MFP 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the MFP 30 includes an operation unit 31 which is an input device such as a button for inputting various operations, a display unit 32 which is a display device such as an LCD for displaying various information, and an image from a document. Fax communication is performed via a scanner 33, which is a reading device, a printer 34, which is a printing device that prints an image on a recording medium such as paper, and a communication line such as a public telephone line with an external facsimile device (not shown). Stores various information with the fax communication unit 35, which is a fax device, and the communication unit 36, which is a communication device that directly communicates with an external device via a network or directly by wire or wirelessly without a network. It includes a storage unit 37 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and a control unit 38 which controls the entire MFP 30.

The scanner 33 includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) that can automatically read a plurality of originals or double-sided originals.

The storage unit 37 stores a scan transmission program 37a for executing a part of a scan transmission job of transmitting an image read from a document by the scanner 33. The scan transmission program 37a may be installed in the MFP 30 at the manufacturing stage of the MFP 30, may be additionally installed in the MFP 30 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or may be additionally installed in the MFP 30 from the network. May be.

The storage unit 37 can store the scanned image file format information 37b indicating the file format of the image scanned from the document by the scanner 33. Examples of the file format of the image read from the manuscript by the scanner 33 include a PDF (Portable Document Form) format, a TIFF (Tagged Image File Form) format, and a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format. The file format of the image read from the document by the scanner 33 can be set, for example, via the operation unit 31.

The control unit 38 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM for storing programs and various data, and a RAM used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 37.

The control unit 38 transmits the image read from the document by the scanner 33 to the computer 40 (see FIG. 1) by executing the scan transmission program 37a, and the charge calculated by the computer 40. The payment code notification means 38b for notifying the payment code issued by the online payment service 50 (see FIG. 1) is realized.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the computer 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, the computer 40 stores various information with a communication unit 41 which is a communication device that directly communicates with an external device via a network or directly by wire or wirelessly without a network. It includes a storage unit 42, which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory, and a control unit 43 that controls the entire computer 40.

The storage unit 42 stores a scan transmission program 42a for executing a part of the scan transmission job. The scan transmission program 42a may be installed in the computer 40 at the manufacturing stage of the computer 40, or may be additionally installed in the computer 40 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, a CD (Compact Disk), or a DVD (Digital Versaille Disk). It may be installed, or it may be additionally installed on the computer 40 from the network.

The storage unit 42 stores the MFP management information 42b for managing the MFP.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of MFP management information 42b.

As shown in FIG. 5, the MFP management information 42b is information in which the MFP ID, which is the identification information of the MFP, and the administrator ID, which is the identification information of the administrator of the MFP, are associated with each other.

As shown in FIG. 4, the storage unit 42 can store a plurality of images 42c read from the document by the scanner 33 (see FIG. 3).

The storage unit 42 can store the image management information 42d for managing the image 42c.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of image management information 42d.

As shown in FIG. 6, the image management information 42d is information in which an image ID, which is image identification information, a job ID, which is job identification information, and an image transmission condition are associated with each other.

The image transmission conditions include the types of transmission methods such as SMB (Server Message Block), FTP (File Transfer Protocol), E-mail, and Cloud Stage, and specific destination information.

As shown in FIG. 4, the payment code management information 42e for managing the payment code issued by the online payment service 50 (see FIG. 1) can be stored.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of payment code management information 42e.

As shown in FIG. 7, the payment code management information 42e is information in which the payment code, the MFP ID, and the job ID are associated with each other.

The control unit 43 shown in FIG. 4 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM for storing a program and various data, and a RAM used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 42.

The control unit 43 stores the image read from the document by the scanner 33 (see FIG. 3) in the storage unit 42 by executing the scan transmission program 42a, and the scanning result of the document by the scanner 33. Notified by the charge calculation means 43b that calculates the charge based on the above, the payment communication means 43c that executes the communication for payment by the online payment service 50 (see FIG. 1), and the MFP 30 (see FIG. 3). The image transmission means 43d for transmitting the image stored in the storage unit 42 when the charge is paid via the online payment service 50 using the payment code is realized.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the online payment service 50.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the online payment service 50, the user bank account information 50a indicating the information of the user's bank account for each user ID which is the user's identification information, and the information of the administrator's account of the MFP 30 Is stored in the administrator account information 50b indicating for each administrator ID.

The user bank account information 50a includes information about the user's bank account, such as the name of the bank that manages the user's bank account and the account number of the bank account. For example, the user can register the information of the user's bank account in the user bank account information 50a of the online payment service 50 via the payment program 25a via the operation unit 21 of the user terminal 20. be.

For example, the administrator can register the information of the administrator's account in the administrator's account information 50b of the online payment service 50 via the Internet via an arbitrary PC (Personal Computer). The administrator's account is an account managed by the online payment service 50, not a bank account.

The online payment service 50 can store payment code management information 50c for managing payment codes.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of payment code management information 50c.

As shown in FIG. 9, the payment code management information 50c is information in which a payment code, an administrator ID, a charge, and a computer ID, which is computer identification information, are associated with each other.

Next, the operation of the scan transmission system 10 will be described.

First, the operation of the scan transmission system 10 until the MFP 30 in which the instruction to execute the scan transmission job is input displays the two-dimensional code will be described.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the scan transmission system 10 until the MFP 30 in which the instruction to execute the scan transmission job is input displays the two-dimensional code.

The user can input an instruction to execute the scan transmission job via the operation unit 31. When an instruction to execute a scan transmission job is input via the operation unit 31, the transmission means 38a of the MFP 30 "uses an image read from a document by a scanner 33 into a specific SMB of a computer 40" as shown in FIG. The operation of sending to a folder (hereinafter referred to as "ScanToSMB") is executed (S101). Here, the transmission means 38a transmits the job ID of the current job and the transmission conditions specified by the operation unit 31 for the job of the scan transmission this time to the computer 40 in S101.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP 30 when executing ScanToSMB.

As shown in FIG. 11, the transmitting means 38a reads an image from the original by the scanner 33 (S131).

Next, the transmission means 38a transmits the image read in S101 to a specific SMB folder of the computer 40 in the file format shown in the read image file format information 37b (S132), and ends the operation shown in FIG. ..

As shown in FIG. 10, the image storage means 43a of the computer 40 stores the image transmitted from the MFP 30 in S101 as the image 42c in a specific SMB folder of the storage unit 42 of the computer 40 (S102). Here, the image storage means 43a stores the image ID of the image stored in S102 in the image management information 42d in association with the job ID and the transmission condition of the current job transmitted from the MFP 30 in S101.

The payment code notification means 38b of the MFP 30 acquires the attribute of the job of this scan transmission after the processing of S101 (S103).

Here, the attributes of the scan transmission job include, for example, page number information indicating the number of image pages in an image file (hereinafter referred to as "image file") transmitted to a specific SMB folder of the computer 40 in S101. Color information indicating whether the image data in the image file is monochrome data or color data, recording medium size information indicating the size of the recording medium in the image file, and how many pages of the manuscript are for one page in the image file. It includes aggregated information indicating whether to aggregate in, and magnification information indicating the magnification of reading by the scanner 33.

The payment code notification means 38b determines the page number information based on the actual reading result of the manuscript by the scanner 33.

The payment code notification means 38b determines the color information according to the setting in the instruction for executing the scan transmission job input via the operation unit 31. However, the payment code notification means 38b may determine the color information based on the actual reading result of the document by the scanner 33. For example, the payment code notification means 38b automatically determines whether to store the image data in the image file as monochrome data or color data in the instruction to execute the scan transmission job input via the operation unit 31. If this is set, the color information is determined according to the color of the scanned document as a result of actually scanning the document by the scanner 33. Further, even if the payment code notification means 38b is set to store the image data in the image file as color data in the instruction to execute the scan transmission job input via the operation unit 31, it is actually When the original is monochrome as a result of scanning the original by the scanner 33, the image data in the image file may be set to be stored as monochrome data.

The payment code notification means 38b determines the recording medium size information according to the setting in the instruction for executing the scan transmission job input via the operation unit 31. However, the payment code notification means 38b may determine the recording medium size information based on the actual reading result of the document by the scanner 33. For example, the payment code notification means 38b actually reads the original by the scanner 33 when "automatic" is set as the size of the recording medium in the instruction to execute the scan transmission job input via the operation unit 31. As a result, appropriate recording medium size information may be automatically determined according to the size of the scanned document.

The payment code notification means 38b determines the aggregate information and the magnification information according to the settings in the instruction for executing the scan transmission job input via the operation unit 31.

After the processing of S103, the payment code notification means 38b transmits a request for calculation of the charge based on the attribute acquired in S103 to the computer 40 (S104). Here, the payment code notification means 38b transmits the MFP ID of the MFP 30 and the job ID of the current job to the computer 40 together with the request in S104.

When the charge calculation means 43b of the computer 40 receives the request transmitted from the MFP 30 in S104, it is based on the attribute transmitted from the MFP 30 together with this request, that is, the attribute acquired in S103 and a specific calculation standard. Then, the charge for the job of sending the scan this time is calculated (S105).

Next, the payment communication means 43c of the computer 40 requests the online payment service 50 for a payment code at the charge calculated in S105 (S106). Here, the payment communication means 43c includes the administrator ID associated with the MFP ID transmitted from the MFP 30 together with the request in S104 in the MFP management information 42b and the computer ID of the computer 40 in the request of S106.

Therefore, the online payment service 50 issues a payment code in response to the request of S106 and returns it to the computer 40 (S107). The online payment service 50 stores the issued payment code in the payment code management information 50c in association with the administrator ID, the charge, and the computer ID included in the request in S106.

The payment communication means 43c of the computer 40 generates a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) indicating the payment code returned from the online payment service 50 in S107 (S108). The payment communication means 43c stores the payment code returned from the online payment service 50 in S107 in the payment code management information 42e in association with the MFP ID and job ID transmitted from the MFP 30 in S104.

Next, the payment communication means 43c transmits the two-dimensional code generated in S108 to the MFP 30 (S109).

Therefore, the payment code notification means 38b of the MFP 30 displays the two-dimensional code transmitted from the computer 40 in S109 on the display unit 32 (S110).

Next, the operation of the scan transmission system 10 from the time when the user terminal 20 reads the two-dimensional code until the MFP 30 finishes the execution of the scan transmission job will be described.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the scan transmission system 10 from the time when the user terminal 20 reads the two-dimensional code until the MFP 30 finishes the execution of the scan transmission job.

The user can operate the user terminal 20 so that the two-dimensional bar code displayed on the display unit 32 of the MFP 30 in S110 is read by the photographing unit 23 of the user terminal 20. When the user terminal 20 is operated so that the two-dimensional bar code displayed on the display unit 32 is read by the photographing unit 23, the payment instruction means 26a of the user terminal 20 is displayed as shown in FIG. The two-dimensional bar code displayed on the 32 is read by the photographing unit 23 (S161).

Next, the payment instruction means 26a interprets the two-dimensional bar code read in S161 and transmits the payment code indicated by the two-dimensional bar code and the user ID to the online payment service 50 (S162).

Therefore, the online payment service 50 sets the charge associated with the payment code in the payment code management information 50c and the user ID based on the payment code and the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 20 in S162. The information of the bank account associated with the user bank account information 50a is returned to the user terminal 20 (S163).

When the charge and the bank account information are transmitted from the online payment service 50, the payment instruction means 26a of the user terminal 20 displays a payment screen 70 (see FIG. 13) for payment of the charge 22. Is displayed in (S164).

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the payment screen 70.

As shown in FIG. 13, the payment screen 70 has a text 71 indicating bank account information transmitted from the online payment service 50, a text 72 indicating the charges transmitted from the online payment service 50, and a bank account. It includes a password, i.e. a text box 73 for entering a password for allowing the bank account management system 60 to withdraw from the bank account.

In FIG. 13, the name of the bank is shown as the bank account information displayed on the payment screen 70. However, on the payment screen 70, information other than the name of the bank may be displayed as the information of the bank account in addition to the name of the bank or in place of the name of the bank. In S163, of the bank account information, only the information displayed on the payment screen 70 needs to be returned.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the password of the bank account is entered in the text box 73, the payment instruction means 26a transmits the entered password to the online payment service 50 (S165).

Therefore, the online payment service 50 is transmitted from the user terminal 20 in S162 among the bank accounts managed by the bank account management system 60 only when the password transmitted from the user terminal 20 in S165 is correct. The charge associated with the payment code sent from the user terminal 20 in S162 in the payment code management information 50c is deducted from the bank account associated with the user ID in the user bank account information 50a ( S166).

Next, the online payment service 50 transfers the charge withdrawn in S166 to the administrator ID associated with the payment code transmitted from the user terminal 20 in S162 in the payment code management information 50c in the administrator account information 50b. Transfer to the associated account (S167).

Next, the online payment service 50 associates the payment completion notification indicating that the payment of the fee has been completed with the payment code transmitted from the user terminal 20 in S162 to this payment code in the payment code management information 50c. The computer ID is transmitted to the computer 40 (S168).

When the payment completion notification is transmitted from the online payment service 50 in S168, the image transmission means 43d of the computer 40 sends the payment code to the payment code transmitted from the online payment service 50 together with the payment completion notification in S168 in the payment code management information 42e. The image 42c of the image ID associated with the associated job ID in the image management information 42d is transmitted to this job ID under the transmission conditions associated with the image management information 42d (S169).

After the processing of S169, the payment communication means 43c of the computer 40 connects to the MFP 30 of the MFP ID associated with the payment code transmitted from the online payment service 50 together with the payment completion notification in the payment code management information 42e in S168. Notify the completion of payment and the completion of the scan transmission job (S170). Therefore, the MFP 30 can display, for example, the completion of the payment and the completion of the scan transmission job on the display unit 32.

As described above, the scan transmission system 10 stores the image generated by scanning the document by the scanner 33 in the storage unit 42 (S102), and an accurate fee is paid based on the result of this scanning. Since this image is transmitted (S169) later (S165 to S167), the execution of the scan transmission job of "scanning the image from the original by the scanner 33 and transmitting this image" is due to the delay in payment of the fee. It is possible to improve convenience without being stopped on the way.

Since the scan transmission system 10 uses the online payment service 50 instead of the coin vendor to pay the charges, the charges are transferred directly from the bank account of the user of the MFP 30 to the account of the administrator of the MFP 30. There is no need to acquire the coins, and it is possible to reduce labor costs and receive fees safely.

Since the scan transmission system 10 uses the online payment service 50 instead of the coin vendor to pay the fee, it can be easily introduced even in a country where the coin vendor is not widely used.

In the scan transmission system 10, the MFP 30 notifies the payment code by displaying it on the display unit 32 (S110), so that even if the user terminal 20 and the MFP 30 cannot communicate with each other, the payment code is displayed on the display unit 32 of the MFP 30. The payment code is used to pay the fee via the online payment service 50 by the user terminal 20.

In the scan transmission system 10, since the payment code is compactly displayed on the display unit 32 of the MFP 30 as a two-dimensional code, it is easy for the image pickup unit 23 of the user terminal 20 to take a picture, and the convenience can be improved. In the scan transmission system 10, the payment code may be displayed on the display unit 32 by a method such as a character string or a one-dimensional code that is more difficult to photograph by the photographing unit 23 of the user terminal 20 than the two-dimensional bar code.

Since the scan transmission system 10 acquires the payment code displayed on the display unit 32 by photographing it by the photographing unit 23, the user of the user terminal 20 uses the payment code displayed on the display unit 32 of the MFP 30. There is no need to manually input to the terminal 20. Therefore, the scan transmission system 10 can improve convenience. When the scan transmission system 10 displays the payment code on the display unit 32 by a method that the user of the user terminal 20 can understand, such as a character string instead of a two-dimensional bar code, the scan transmission system 10 displays the payment code on the display unit 32 of the MFP 30. The payment code may be manually input to the user terminal 20 by the user of the user terminal 20.

In the present embodiment, the scan transmission system 10 uses an account managed by the online payment service 50 as the account of the administrator of the MFP 30. However, the scan transmission system 10 may be configured to use a bank account as the administrator's account of the MFP 30 instead of the account managed by the online payment service 50.

In the present embodiment, the scan transmission system 10 uses a bank account as the account of the user of the MFP 30. However, the scan transmission system 10 may be configured to use an account managed by the online payment service 50 instead of a bank account as the account of the user of the MFP 30.

The scan transmission system 10 may be configured such that the MFP 30 realizes at least a part of the above-mentioned functions of the computer 40 by executing the scan transmission program 37a. For example, the scan transmission system 10 may be configured such that the MFP 30 realizes the functions corresponding to the image storage means 43a, the charge calculation means 43b, and the image transmission means 43d of the computer 40. The scan transmission system 10 does not have to include the computer 40 when the MFP 30 realizes all the above-mentioned functions of the computer 40.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is MFP in this embodiment, it may be an image forming apparatus other than M FP.

10 Scan transmission system 20 User terminal 23 Shooting unit (shooting device)
30 MFP (Image Forming Device)
32 Display unit (display device)
33 Scanner (reading device)
37a Scan transmission program 38b Payment code notification means 42 Storage unit 42c Image 43a Image storage means 43b Charge calculation means 43d Image transmission means 50 Online payment service

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus equipped with a reading device,
Equipped with a computer
The computer comprises an image storage means for storing an image read from a document by the reading device in a storage unit.
The image forming apparatus or the computer comprises a fee calculation means for calculating a fee based on the reading result of the document by the reading device.
The image forming apparatus includes a payment code notifying means for notifying a user of the image forming apparatus of a payment code issued by an online payment service for the charge calculated by the charge calculating means.
When the fee is paid via the online payment service by the image forming apparatus or the computer when the payment code notified by the payment code notification means is transmitted to the online payment service by a user terminal. The image transmission means for transmitting the image stored in the storage unit is provided.
When the payment code for the charge calculated by the charge calculation means is requested, the online payment service issues the payment code associated with the charge.
When the payment code is transmitted from the user terminal, the online payment service receives an operation for payment of the fee associated with the transmitted payment code from the user terminal. By making payment of this fee,
When a job for transmitting the image read from the document is executed by the reading device, the image forming apparatus transmits this image and a job ID as identification information of the job to the computer.
When the image and the job ID are transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the computer, the image storage means stores the image in the storage unit, and obtains an image ID as identification information of the image. The job ID transmitted from the image forming apparatus is associated with the job ID and stored in the storage unit.
The computer sends a request for the payment code at the charge calculated by the charge calculation means to the online payment service.
When the payment code is returned from the online payment service, the computer stores the payment code in the storage unit in association with the job ID transmitted from the image forming apparatus.
The payment code notification means notifies the payment code when the payment code is returned to the computer from the online payment service.
The image transmitting means is said to be online when the payment code notified by the payment code notification means is transmitted to the online payment service by the user terminal and the online payment service receives the operation from the user terminal. When the fee is paid via the payment service, the payment code sent from the online payment service together with a notification indicating that the payment of the fee has been completed among the images stored in the storage unit. A scan transmission system comprising transmitting the image of the image ID stored by the image storage means in association with the job ID stored by the computer in association with the above. The image forming apparatus includes a display device.
The scan transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the payment code notification means notifies the payment code by display on the display device. The user terminal for transmitting the payment code notified by the payment code notification means to the online payment service and paying the fee via the online payment service is provided.
The scan transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the user terminal includes a shooting device, and obtains the payment code displayed on the display device by shooting with the shooting device. The scan transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the payment code notification means displays the payment code as a two-dimensional code on the display device.

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