JP7181498B2 - Image forming device and service providing program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus to which a coin vendor is connected and a service providing program.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus to which a coin vendor is connected is known (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-100003).

JP 2013-167709 A

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, since the usage fee is collected by the coin vendor, there is a problem that the usage fee cannot be collected by a method other than the coin vendor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and a service providing program capable of collecting usage fees in a plurality of ways.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention provides a first service in which usage fees are collected by a fee collection device that collects fees, and a second service in which usage fees are collected according to a usage log rather than by the fee collection device. service providing means for providing a service; fee collection device control means for causing the fee collection device to collect a usage fee for the first service provided by the service providing means; and log transmission means for transmitting the log of the use of the second service to a specific destination.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention causes the fee collection device to collect the usage fee when the first service is provided, and collects the usage fee when the second service is provided, not by the fee collection device. 2, the usage fee can be collected in a plurality of ways.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the log transmission means calculates a usage fee according to the log of usage of the second service provided by the service providing means, and adds the calculated usage fee to the log. and may be transmitted to the destination.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can reduce the burden on the external system compared to the configuration in which the usage fee is calculated by the external system.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the first service may be a copy service in which an image read from a document by the image forming apparatus is printed by the image forming apparatus.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention allows users who can pay the usage fee with the fee collection device to use the copying service, thereby improving convenience.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the second service may be a network print service for printing by the image forming apparatus based on data managed by a system external to the image forming apparatus.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can collect the usage fee for the network print service according to the usage log of the network print service. There is no need to make the user pay, and convenience can be improved.

The service providing program of the present invention provides a first service in which usage fees are collected by a fee collection device that collects fees, and a second service in which usage fees are collected according to usage logs rather than by the fee collection device. service providing means for providing a service; fee collection device control means for causing the fee collection device to collect a usage fee for the first service provided by the service providing means; The image forming apparatus is characterized by realizing log transmission means for transmitting the log of the use of the second service to a specific destination.

With this configuration, the image forming apparatus executing the service providing program of the present invention causes the charge collection device to collect the usage fee when the first service is provided, and collects the usage fee when the second service is provided. Since the fee is collected according to the log of the use of the second service rather than by the collection device, the usage fee can be collected in a plurality of ways.

The image forming apparatus and service providing program of the present invention can collect usage fees by a plurality of methods.

1 is a block diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the operation of the network print server shown in FIG. 1 when managing data sent by a network print service user; 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP shown in FIG. 2; 5 is a diagram showing an example of a main menu screen displayed in the operation shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of operations of the image forming system shown in FIG. 1 when a job of a network print service is executed; FIG.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of an image forming system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming system 10 according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 10 includes a multi-copier 30 located at a university 20. As shown in FIG.

The multi-copier 30 includes an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 40 as an image forming apparatus, and a coin vendor 50 as a fee collection apparatus connected to the MFP 40 to collect usage fees for the MFP 40 .

The coin vendor 50 is a device capable of accepting inserted currency, collecting fees, paying out change, issuing receipts, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of MFP 40. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the MFP 40 includes an operation unit 41, which is an operation device such as a button for inputting various operations, and a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for displaying various information. A unit 42, a printer 43 which is a printing device for printing images on recording media such as paper, a scanner 44 which is a reading device for reading images from originals, and communication with an external facsimile device (not shown) and a public telephone line. A facsimile communication unit 45, which is a facsimile device that performs facsimile communication via a line, communicates with an external device via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet, or directly by wire or wirelessly without a network. a communication unit 46 that is a communication device that performs the above operations, a storage unit 47 that is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) that stores various information, and a control unit 48 that controls the entire MFP 40 It has

At least part of the operation unit 41 constitutes a touch panel together with the display unit 42 .

The storage unit 47 stores firmware 47a including a Java (registered trademark) platform and a Java application program 47b that runs on the Java platform.

The storage unit 47 stores authentication information for a guest user (hereinafter referred to as "guest authentication information") 47c.

The storage unit 47 stores unit price information 47d for calculating usage charges for the network print service. For example, in the unit price information 47d, the unit price may differ depending on whether the printing is color printing or monochrome printing, or the unit price may differ depending on the size of the recording medium.

The control unit 48 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing programs and various data, and a RAM (Random Memory) as a memory used as a work area for the CPU of the control unit 48. Access Memory). The CPU of the control unit 48 executes programs stored in the storage unit 47 or the ROM of the control unit 48 .

By executing a Java application program 47b as a service providing program of the present invention, the control unit 48 provides service providing means 48a for providing services, and pays the usage fee for the services provided by the service providing means 48a to a coin vendor 50 ( 1), and log transmission means 48c for transmitting a log of use of the service provided by the service providing means 48a to a specific destination.

The MFP 40 can provide various services according to operations from the operation unit 41 . For example, the MFP 40 provides a copy service for printing an image read from a document by the scanner 44 using the printer 43, and a service for executing printing based on data managed by a data management system described later (hereinafter referred to as a "network print service"). ), etc., can be provided.

The MFP 40 can be set to enable or disable the user authentication function. When the user authentication function is enabled, the MFP 40 can set available functions for each user among the functions of the MFP 40 . When the user authentication function of the MFP 40 is disabled, anyone can use the functions of the MFP 40 . In the present embodiment, the MFP 40 is enabled with a user authentication function.

When the MFP 40 is instructed to log in as a guest user when the user authentication function is enabled, the MFP 40 uses the guest authentication information 47c stored in the storage unit 47 to log in. , among the functions of the MFP 40, the functions that are set to be available to the guest user are made available.

The university 20 shown in FIG. 1 can have one or more multi-copiers similar to the multi-copier 30 in addition to the multi-copier 30 .

Imaging system 10 may include one or more colleges in addition to college 20 . Universities included in image forming system 10, like universities 20, are equipped with multi-copiers.

All MFPs included in imaging system 10 are provided by one manufacturer.

The image forming system 10 includes a data management system 60 that manages data for universities. Data management system 60 is managed by the manufacturer of the MFPs included in image forming system 10 .

The data management system 60 includes a network print server 70 that cooperates with the multi-copier to allow the multi-copier to provide network print services, and a billing log server 80 that manages sales of the multi-copier included in the image forming system 10. It has

The network print server 70 manages network print service users. The network print server 70 receives data transmitted via the Internet from a computer (not shown) of a user of the network print service (hereinafter referred to as "user computer"), and transfers the received data to the network print service. Manage by associating with users. Therefore, a user of the network print service can receive the network print service based on the data managed by the network print server 70 by logging into the multi-copier included in the image forming system 10, for example. can.

The billing log server 80 collects service usage logs from the multi-copiers included in the image forming system 10, records sales of the multi-copier based on the collected logs, and records the recorded sales. Notify a specific recipient.

The image forming system 10 includes a remote management system 90 that remotely manages the MFPs included in the image forming system 10 . The remote management system 90 is managed by the manufacturer of the MFPs included in the image forming system 10, and manages MFPs used in various industries other than the MFPs included in the image forming system 10, that is, fleet management. Able to perform management services. The remote management system 90 is composed of at least one computer.

The remote management system 90 collects logs related to management of the MFPs included in the image forming system 10 from the MFPs, and manages the MFPs based on the collected logs. For example, the remote management system 90 predicts when consumables such as toner will run out in the MFP and when a failure will occur in the MFP based on logs collected from the MFP, and notifies the predicted time to a specific destination. be able to. Since the remote management system 90 notifies when the consumables will run out, the MFP users do not need to purchase the consumables unnecessarily, thereby improving the efficiency of physical distribution and reducing costs. Since the remote management system 90 notifies the time when the failure occurs in the MFP, it is possible to prevent the failure in the MFP, thereby reducing the downtime in the MFP and stabilizing the service by the MFP. can be provided. The log collected by the remote management system 90 includes, for example, information on the number of printed sheets in the MFP, information on the amount of toner consumed in the MFP, and information on the timing of jam occurrence in the MFP.

Remote management system 90 can update the firmware and Java application programs of MFPs included in image forming system 10 .

Next, operations of the image forming system 10 will be described.

First, the operation of the network print server 70 when managing data sent by a network print service user will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the operation of the network print server 70 when managing data sent by users of the network print service.

The network print server 70 performs the operations shown in FIG. 3 when accessed from a user computer via a network such as the Internet.

As shown in FIG. 3, the network print server 70 requests the user computer to transmit information for logging in the user of the network print service (hereinafter referred to as "login information") (S101). When the login information is requested to be sent, the user computer displays a request to enter the login information on the display of the user computer. stand by. Therefore, the user of the network print service can input his/her login information from the operation section of the user's computer. When the login information is input from the operation unit of the user computer, the user computer transmits the input login information to the network print server 70 .

After the process of S101, the network print server 70 determines whether the login information has been sent from the user computer until it determines that the login information has been sent from the user computer (S102).

When the network print server 70 determines in S102 that the login information has been sent from the user computer, it determines whether login is possible based on the login information sent from the user computer (S103).

When the network print server 70 determines in S103 that the login has failed, the operation shown in FIG. 3 ends.

When the network print server 70 determines in S103 that the login was successful, it requests the user computer to send data (S104). When the data transmission is requested, the user computer displays a data input request on the display section of the user computer, and continues until the data to be transmitted to the network print server 70 is instructed from the operation section of the user computer. ,stand by. Therefore, a user of the network print service can specify data to be transmitted to the network print server 70 from the operation section of the user's computer. The user computer transmits the instructed data to the network print server 70 when the data to be sent to the network print server 70 is instructed from the operation unit of the user computer.

After the process of S104, the network print server 70 determines whether data has been transmitted from the user computer until it determines that data has been transmitted from the user computer (S105).

When the network print server 70 determines in S105 that data has been sent from the user computer, it issues a PIN (Personal Identification Number) code (S106).

Next, the network print server 70 associates and manages the data sent from the user computer, the ID of the user who sent the data, that is, the logged-in user's ID, and the PIN code issued in S106. (S107).

Next, the network print server 70 transmits the PIN code issued in S106 to the user computer (S108), and terminates the operation shown in FIG. When the user computer receives the PIN code from the network print server 70, the received PIN code is displayed on the display section of the user computer. Therefore, the network print service user can grasp the PIN code issued by the network print server 70 .

Next, the operation of MFP 40 will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operation of the MFP 40. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the service providing means 48a displays the main menu screen 200 shown in FIG. 5 on the display section 42 (S121).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the main menu screen 200. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the main menu screen 200 includes a copy button 201 for providing copy services and a network print button 202 for providing network print services.

As shown in FIG. 4, after the process of S121, the service providing unit 48a keeps pressing either the copy button 201 or the network print button 202 until it determines that either the copy button 201 or the network print button 202 has been pressed. It is determined whether or not any button has been pressed (S122).

When the service providing unit 48a determines that either the copy button 201 or the network print button 202 has been pressed, it determines which of the copy button 201 and the network print button 202 has been pressed (S123).

When the fee collection device control means 48b determines in S123 that the copy button 201 has been pressed, it determines whether or not currency is accumulated in the coin vendor 50 (S131).

When it is determined in S131 that no currency is accumulated in the coin vendor 50, the service providing means 48a displays on the display unit 42 a message prompting the user to insert currency into the coin vendor 50 (S132), and performs the processing of S121. to run.

When it is determined in S131 that the coin vendor 50 has accumulated currency, the service providing means 48a generates temporary user authentication information (hereinafter referred to as "temporary user authentication information"). (S133), and the temporary user authentication information generated in S133 is stored in the storage unit 47 (S134).

Next, the service providing means 48a logs in using the temporary user authentication information generated in S133 and the temporary user authentication information stored in the storage unit 47 in S134 (S135). Here, if the temporary user authentication information generated in S133 matches the temporary user authentication information stored in the storage unit 47 in S134, the service providing means 48a determines that the login has succeeded. to decide. The temporary user authentication information generated in S133 and the temporary user authentication information stored in the storage unit 47 in S134 are the same information. Therefore, the service providing means 48a always succeeds in the login performed in S135.

After logging in at S135, the service providing unit 48a executes a copy service job according to an instruction via the operation unit 41 (S136).

Next, the charge collection device control means 48b causes the coin vendor 50 to collect the usage charge for the copy service executed in S136 (S137).

Next, the log transmission unit 48c generates a log of the use of the copy service job executed in S136, that is, a copy job log (S138), and transmits the job log generated in S138 to the billing log server 80. (S139).

Next, the service providing means 48a executes the process of S121.

When the service providing unit 48a determines in S123 that the network print button 202 has been pressed, it performs login using the guest authentication information 47c stored in the storage unit 47 (S141), , the job of the network print service is executed (S142).

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of operations of the image forming system 10 when a job of the network print service is executed.

A user of the network print service can input the PIN code issued by the network print server 70 via the operation unit 41 .

As shown in FIG. 6, when the PIN code is input via the operation unit 41, the service providing unit 48a of the MFP 40 transmits the input PIN code to the network print server 70 (S161).

When the PIN code is transmitted from MFP 40, network print server 70 transmits to MFP 40 the data managed in association with the PIN code transmitted from MFP 40 (S162).

When the data is transmitted from the network print server 70, the service providing means 48a of the MFP 40 prints the data with the printer 43 based on the data transmitted from the network print server 70 (S163).

As shown in FIG. 4, after the process of S142, the log transmission unit 48c generates a log of use of the network print service job executed in S142, that is, a network print job log (S143).

Next, the log transmission unit 48c calculates the usage fee for the network print service executed in S142 based on the job log generated in S143 and the unit price information 47d stored in the storage unit 47 (S144).

Next, the log transmission unit 48c adds the usage fee calculated in S144 to the job log generated in S143 (S145), and transmits the job log to which the usage fee is added in S145 to the billing log server 80 (S146). . Therefore, the service person of the MFP 40 collects the usage fee added to the job log managed by the billing log server 80 from the university 20 all at once, for example, at the end of the month.

The service providing means 48a executes the process of S121 after the process of S146.

As described above, the MFP 40 causes the coin vendor 50 to collect the usage fee for the copy service (S136) (S137), and collects the usage fee for the network print service (S142) from the coin vendor. Usage fees can be collected in a number of ways, as they are collected according to logs of network print service usage rather than by 50 .

The MFP 40 calculates the usage fee according to the job log for using the network print service provided in S142 (S144), adds the calculated usage fee to the job log (S145), and transmits it to the billing log server 80 (S146). ). Therefore, the MFP 40 can reduce the burden on the billing log server 80 compared to a configuration in which the usage fee is calculated by the billing log server 80, which is an external system. Note that the image forming system 10 may calculate the usage fee for the network print service using the billing log server 80 instead of using the MFP 40 .

The MFP 40 is a copy service for which a usage fee is collected by the coin vendor 50. Therefore, if the user is able to pay the usage fee from the coin vendor 50, the user can use the copy service. Therefore, MFP 40 can improve convenience. Note that the service for which the coin vendor 50 collects usage fees may be a service other than the copying service.

The MFP 40 collects the usage fee of the network print service according to the usage log of the network print service, because the service for which the usage fee is collected according to the usage log rather than the coin vendor 50 is the network print service. can be done. Therefore, the MFP 40 does not require the user to pay the usage fee for the network print service through the coin vendor 50, thereby improving convenience. Note that the service for which the usage fee is collected according to the usage log, not by the coin vendor 50, may be a service other than the network print service.

In the present embodiment, when copy button 201 is pressed and MFP 40 determines in S131 that no currency is accumulated in coin vendor 50, MFP 40 displays main menu screen 200 on display unit 42 (S121). However, if the MFP 40 determines in S131 that no currency is accumulated in the coin vendor 50 when the copy button 201 is pressed, the MFP 40 waits until it determines that currency is accumulated in the coin vendor 50 and If it is determined that the currency is accumulated in the vendor 50, the process of S133 may be executed.

In the present embodiment, MFP 40 accepts a PIN code via operation unit 41 when network print button 202 is pressed. However, when the network print button 202 is pressed, the MFP 40 accepts the ID of the user of the network print service, for example, by means of the operation unit 41 or an IC (Integrated Circuit) card reader (not shown). data managed in the network print server 70 in association with the .

The toll collection device of the present invention is a coin vendor that accumulates inserted currency in this embodiment. However, the toll collection device of the present invention may collect money other than the inserted currency. For example, the fee collection device of the present invention may collect usage fees from prepaid cards. In the image forming system 10, if the coin vendor that accumulates the inserted currency is the fee collection device, the purchase and management of the prepaid card is easier than in the case where the fee collection device collects the usage fee from the prepaid card. cost can be reduced. In the image forming system 10, if the coin vendor that accumulates the inserted currency is a fee collection device, the image forming system 10 collects usage fees from a magnetic prepaid card in which a value is magnetically recorded on the prepaid card itself. If it is a fee collection device, or if it is a fee collection device that collects usage fees from an IC-type prepaid card in which the value is recorded in the IC chip inside the prepaid card, to a server outside the prepaid card Compared to a configuration in which a fee collection device collects usage fees from server-type prepaid cards in which values are recorded, it is not necessary to install a server for prepaid cards, so costs can be reduced. can.

The image forming system 10 supports a plurality of universities by providing databases in the network print server 70 and the accounting log server 80 for each university and preparing a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for accessing the database for each university. It is possible.

The image forming system 10 is a university system. However, each module included in the image forming system 10 can be reused for systems for industries other than universities, such as convenience store chains, pharmacies, government offices, and the like.

Although the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an MFP in this embodiment, it may be an image forming apparatus other than an MFP, such as a dedicated printer, a dedicated copy machine, a dedicated fax machine, or a dedicated scanner.

40 MFP (image forming device)
47b Java application program (service providing program)
48a Service providing means 48b Toll collection device control means 48c Log transmission means 50 Coin vendor (toll collection device)

Claims (5)

a first service for which usage fees are collected by a fee collection device for collecting fees;
a service providing means for providing a second service in which a usage fee is collected according to a usage log rather than by the fee collection device;
a fee collection device control means for causing the fee collection device to collect a usage fee for the first service provided by the service providing means;
an image forming apparatus comprising: log transmission means for transmitting the log of use of the second service provided by the service providing means to a specific destination,
the first service is a copy service in which an image read from a document by the image forming apparatus is printed by the image forming apparatus;
the second service is a network print service for printing by the image forming apparatus based on data managed by a system external to the image forming apparatus;
The service providing means can provide the second service without collecting a usage fee for the second service each time the second service is provided;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the log transmission means transmits the log of use of the first service provided by the service providing means to the specific destination. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said external system is provided with a database for bases where said image forming apparatuses are arranged, and a URL for said bases for accessing this database is prepared. Image forming device. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said destination system is provided with a database for bases where said image forming apparatuses are arranged, and a URL for said bases for accessing this database is prepared. Image forming device. The log transmission means calculates a usage fee according to the log of use of the second service provided by the service providing means, adds the calculated usage fee to the log, and transmits the log to the destination. 4. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by: a first service for which usage fees are collected by a fee collection device for collecting fees;
a second service in which usage fees are collected according to usage logs rather than by the fee collection device;
a service providing means for providing
a fee collection device control means for causing the fee collection device to collect a usage fee for the first service provided by the service providing means;
log sending means for sending the log of the use of the second service provided by the service providing means to a specific destination;
is realized in the image forming apparatus,
the first service is a copy service in which an image read from a document by the image forming apparatus is printed by the image forming apparatus;
the second service is a network print service for printing by the image forming apparatus based on data managed by a system external to the image forming apparatus;
The service providing means is capable of providing the second service even if the usage fee for the second service is not collected each time the second service is provided;
The service providing program, wherein the log transmitting means transmits the log of the use of the first service provided by the service providing means to the specific destination.

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