JPH03255466A - Recording sheet number limiting system for recorder management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the recording sheet number limiting processing such as warning and copy inhibition at the time when the used quantity exceeds a set upper limit number by totalizing the number of all recording sheets and the number of recording sheets in each department by a host computer to check the number of used recording sheets in each department. CONSTITUTION:A repeating installation 2 transmits a polling signal or the like at a preliminarily set time to connect communication lines and successively gathers and holes totalization data from managing devices 3-1 to 3-N to transfer them to a host computer 1. The host computer directly takes in totalization data from the repeating installation 2 and takes in totalization data from another repeating installation 9 connected to a public line through a MODEM 6. Daily totalization, monthly totalization, etc., are performed to calculate the charge in each department and to generate statistical data for analysis of the operating ratio and other use conditions, and the number of usable recording sheets in each department is set. Thus, the recording sheet number limiting processing is executed when the used quantity exceeds the usable upper limit number.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention provides a number-limiting system for a recording device management system that manages recording devices such as copying machines for multiple users by classifying them for each user. Regarding.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, recording devices such as fax machines, copying machines, and printers are shared by multiple departments in order to increase usage efficiency. The cost of using a recording device is usually budgeted for each department, so if the device is shared by multiple departments, the usage status of the recording device must be managed separately for each department. There is a need. To deal with this, a copying machine management device has already been proposed, taking a copying machine as an example, which can aggregate and manage the number of copies for each paper size for each department (for example, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-35343). ) has been done. This device grants permission to use the copier based on the reading operation of a recording medium such as a magnetic card that records information including department information, and receives data on the number of copies from the copier and records the accumulated number of copies for each department. is stored, the storage area corresponding to the department information is made selectable, the stored number of copies data is displayed, the received number of copies data is added to the number of stored copies data, and a command signal for erasing the number of stored copies data is sent. Either the accumulated copy number data after the addition process or the zero data based on the erase command signal is written into the generated and selected storage area. According to this device, by distributing a recording medium that records information on each department and making it possible to use the recording medium on the condition that the recording medium is read when using a copying machine, data on the number of copies accumulated for each department is stored. It becomes possible to manage copying machines in this way.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Incidentally, it may be necessary to monitor the usage status within a predetermined period such as daily or monthly for each department, and to limit the number of copies if the number of copies exceeds the planned amount. However, conventional copier management devices do not collectively manage the number of copies and remaining copies for each department, and even if you try to limit the number of sheets for each department, it is difficult to understand the usage amount for each department. Therefore, the remaining number of copies cannot be managed all at once, resulting in the problem that the number of copies that can be made must be set for each card owned by each department.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problem.The host computer is provided with a means for limiting the number of copies used, collects the number of copies for each department, and issues a warning, prohibits copying, etc. when the number of copies used exceeds the set upper limit. An object of the present invention is to provide a number-limiting method for a recording device management system that can perform number-limiting processing.

[Means to solve the problem]

The number limiting method of the recording device management system of the present invention is such that a host computer manages recording devices through a plurality of relay devices connected to a plurality of management devices.
The host computer aggregates the total number of recorded sheets and the number of recorded sheets for each department, calculates the total fee including indirect costs in the fee pond corresponding to the number of recorded sheets, and calculates the total fee according to the number of recorded sheets for each department. The present invention is characterized in that it has a means for performing a proportional division calculation, and a means for checking the number of sheets used in each department and limiting the number of sheets.

Each management device is attached to a recording device, reads the registered hood recorded on a recording medium such as a card, collates the registration code to enable the recording device to perform recording operations, and counts the management data for each registration code. Storage management and relay equipment
A plurality of management devices are connected, and management data is collected and retained from each management device based on a set time. The host computer controls the management device and relay device, collects management data held in the relay device, performs total calculations, charge calculations, and other processes, and also collects data on the number of sheets used by department at the set execution time. If the maximum number of sheets that can be used is exceeded, the number of sheets is limited.

[Effect]

The number-limiting method of the recording device management system of the present invention is such that a relay device aggregates and holds the management data of a plurality of management devices, and a host computer collects the data held by each relay device to determine the registration code for each management device. In addition to separately tabulating and calculating charges and other processing, the usable number of sheets is set for each department, and when the preset execution time comes, the amount of usage for each department is collected, and when the number of used sheets reaches the set usable number. The number of sheets to be used can be limited by sending a warning, copy prohibition, etc. to each management device.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a recording device management system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a data transfer method between a host computer, a relay device, and a management device. In the figure, recording devices 4-1 to 4-N are recording devices that copy/print out documents, images, photographs, etc. on paper such as copying machines and printers, and management devices 3-1 to 3-N are The recording device 4-1 reads the registration number (registration code) of the department information etc. of the recording medium such as a card as described above.
~Enable 4-N and register its usage information B NC1
It is classified and aggregated for each item and stored. For example, if the recording device is a copying machine, the usage information includes: ■ Type of copy mode, such as brain color printing, single color printing, monochrome tracing paper copy, monochrome, single color, full color, etc., ■ paper size ,■Double-sided/
There is data that counts the amount used for optional functions such as multiplexing, printing press plate making, reduced copies, enlarged copies, editing/combining copies, etc.In addition, there is data on pilling meter values, toner replenishment times, alarm occurrences, and jam occurrences. There are the number of times, daily usage start time, usage end time, number of operations, usage details for each job, etc. Of course, these are selected depending on what kind of information is required depending on the management purpose, but they are also limited by the data storage capacity of the management devices 3-1 to 3-N.

During! The lt device 2 has communication functions, data collection, calculation functions,
It has a clock function, is connected to the host computer 1, and relays management data between a plurality of subordinate management devices 3-1 to 3-N. This relay bag W2 connects a communication line by issuing a polling signal or the like at a preset time or when instructed, and sequentially collects and stores aggregated data from each of the management devices 3-1 to 3-N. and transfer it to the host computer 1. Each of the management devices 3-1 to 3-N has a terminal number, and each of the management devices 3-1 to 3-N stores total data for each registration N (L). Therefore, in the relay device 2, there is collected data for each terminal number and also for each registration Nα.

However, as the relay device 2, usually each management device 3-1
It is sufficient to hold the data of the first rank of terminal &j compiled for each ~3-N and the registration N [1 unit of data], which is the total of the data of the same registration Nα for each terminal Nα. That is,
In this system, each of the management devices 3-1 to 3-N can be accessed using one recording medium, and data of the same registration Nα is aggregated by a relay device.

Relay device 9 is similar to relay device 2, and is under its control. jl number management device, 1 with 8 modems, 5 PBXs, etc.
The iR is connected to the host computer 1 through a certain public line.

The host computer 1 is connected to the middle computer 1 via a communication line.
1 device 2 directly, and also imports aggregate data from another relay device 9 connected to the public line through the modem 6, and further communicates with other systems via the public line through the modem 6. It is composed of This host computer 1 performs daily aggregation, monthly aggregation, etc., calculates charges for each department, issues invoices, and provides statistics for analyzing operating rates and other usage status for each department and each terminal. Create data, etc.

In addition, it has a reading means such as a keyboard, floppy disk, memory card, etc., and inputs data regarding departments and terminals where online data collection is not possible as described above from an FD, memory card, tape, keyboard, etc. The data is processed in the same way.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a data transfer method between the host computer, the intermediate J1 device, and the management device.

As shown in FIG. 2, management data is first transferred between the relay device and the management device multiple times a day.
Management data for one day is accumulated in the relay device. and,
Data transfer is performed between the host combiner and the relay device every day.

Basically, a data transfer request is issued sequentially from a higher-level device to a lower-level device, and in response, data is transferred from the lower-level device to the higher-level device. Then, for each stored data, the higher-level device issues a clear instruction after confirming the reception of the data, and upon receiving the clear instruction, the clearing process is executed. In this case, if a special situation occurs in the lower-level device, such as a device error or repair, the lower-level device issues an interrupt request to the higher-level device to perform an emergency data transfer. Bye.

This will be explained in more detail using the example shown in FIG.

The relay device presets the data collection time, for example, six times a day, and issues a data transfer request to the management device at that time. Thereby, the management device transfers the management data stored in the storage means at that time to the relay device. The relay device adds the data transferred from the management device to the previous data and stores the added data, and issues a clear instruction to the management device. The management device clears the contents of the storage means to zero based on this clear instruction. This completes one data transfer. In this way, the storage means of the management device is cleared every time data is transferred, and the management data is sequentially added and accumulated in the storage means of the relay device.

In response, the host computer issues a data transfer request to the relay device at the end of each day. As a result, the medium i1 device transfers the management data stored in the storage means at that time to the host computer. Then, at the end of the month, when the host computer receives the management data from the relay device, it issues a clear instruction to the relay device for the first time. The relay device is
This clear instruction clears the contents of the storage means to zero.

That is, management data for one month is accumulated in the storage means of the relay device, and is cleared every month.

Therefore, the host computer stores the previous management data received from the relay device, and the daily total value can be obtained by subtracting the previous management data from the management data received from the relay device. However, for the monthly total value, the management data received from the relay device at the end of the month can be used as is. Note that if the host computer does not collect data for one day due to some circumstances, the management data for that day becomes the previous management data, so the daily management data is set to zero.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the management data is accumulated for each paper size, mode, and option for the registration code department N [l r 001-999'' and is stored in the storage means of the management device. For example, in the management device, department NO, r OD
When the registration code of IJ is read and operation permission is given to the recording device, and in response, the recording device sends usage information for 10 sheets of paper size A4, monochrome, and reduced, the management device registers the department Na V 001. '' is added to the data in the corresponding storage area to update the contents of the storage area. Then, when there is a data transfer request from the relay device, these contents are transferred, and when there is a clear instruction, clear processing is performed by writing zero in these areas. On the other hand, in the relay device as well, management data for each department Na as shown in Figure 3(a) and terminal N as shown in Figure 3(b)
a Stores separate management data. This management data for each terminal Na is shown in the same figure (a) in the management data of the management device.
This is the number of sheets in the total column shown in .

Next, aggregation processing in the host computer will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the aggregation processing system.
1 is the communication area, I2 is the monthly data processing unit, 13 is the monthly summary file, 14 is the daily data processing unit, 15 is the daily summary file, 16 is the period summary processing unit, 17 is the period summary file, 18 is offline input 19 is a key human power section, 20 is a correction input processing section, 21 is a charge calculation table,
22 is a monthly data processing unit, 23 is a billing processing unit, 2
4 shows the annual summary file.

The communication area 11 is an area where the management data collected by communicating with the intermediate devices is written.As explained earlier, the host computer stores the management data accumulated from the beginning of the month in the storage means of the relay device. Since the data is collected daily, the management data is written into the communication area 11. The monthly data processing section 12 performs a process of rewriting the monthly total file 13 with the management data written to the communication area 11, and the daily data processing section 14 performs processing to rewrite the previous management data from the management data written to the communication area 11. The daily total file 15 is obtained by calculation. Therefore, the monthly summary file 13 is updated with management data of the communication area 11 every day until the end of the month, and the daily summary file 15 stores data for each day from the 1st to the last day of each month, that is, for 31 days. . Then, when a period is specified, for example, one week from day 17. The monthly data processing unit 22 processes the month's data at the end of the month, calculates charges, and uses the annual total file 2.
The charge calculation table 21 stores parameters, etc. for charge calculation. Since the charge may vary depending on each item of the management data shown in FIG. 3 or depending on the terminal (copy machine), the unit price for each terminal and each item is set in the charge calculation table 21. Furthermore, if a proportionate rate or other rate coefficient is to be reflected depending on the department, that rate coefficient is set.

The offline input processing unit 18 inputs management data from a management device that is not online connected to this system, and for example, performs input processing on an FD, memory card, or tape on which management data is read and recorded from the management device. It is. Since such management data is processed on a monthly basis, it is input into the monthly data processing unit 22 and is aggregated together with the monthly aggregate file 13 collected online.

In addition, the key human power section 19 and the correction input processing section 20 are used to manually process data that needs to be corrected in the monthly data processing B22.For example, in the management device, mechanical,
Management data is automatically aggregated according to usage, so in the case of maintenance, trouble, special use, etc., it can be used to record it in a ledger or the like and try to correct it when the monthly aggregation is not completed. Ru.

Next, the number-of-sheets limiting process of the present invention will be explained.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the number-of-sheets restriction process.

The host computer is equipped with a number limit processing module 30, and refers to the setup information file 32 to check whether there is a limit on the number of sheets. This setup information file can be viewed by selecting the screen, and is displayed as shown in FIG. 7, for example. The setup information file is managed by a setup information processing module that the host computer has separately.
As you can see from the figure, password information, first month information, automatic processing information (execution time, monthly totals, automatic totals, automatic printing,
(Is there a limit on the number of sheets?), fee calculation method, and printing method are registered. The number limit processing module 30 determines whether the number limit information registered in this setup information file is "none" or
It is checked whether it is "warning" or "copying prohibited", and if the number restriction information is "none", the number restriction processing is not executed.

If "warning" or "copying prohibited" is registered, the number limit processing module 30 refers to the daily total file 34 at the execution time set as automatic processing information to determine the number of pages used for the current month by department. is read out, and the remaining number of sheets in the department information file 33 is updated. Department information file 33
is managed by a separate department information processing module provided in the host computer, and the registered information can be displayed on the screen as shown in FIG. As can be seen from Figure 8, the department registration information is mode (1, II), card N.
α, attributes (department, project), issue, company name, division name, division name, division code, person in charge, location, version,
The maximum number of sheets, remaining number of sheets, previous month's number, current month's number, and warning status are registered. The remaining number of sheets is determined by subtracting the number of sheets used in the current month from the upper limit number, and it is determined whether the remaining number of sheets reaches Ol, that is, the number of sheets used in the current month has reached the upper limit, and information of non-warning/warning is set in the departmental warning status table 31. do. This process is performed for all registered departments. In this way, during the automatic process of aggregation, if the number limit is registered as warning/copying prohibited in the setup information file, the card numbers for non-warning and warning are determined from the department warning status table, and for example, "0 ” = No warning, “1” - Copying prohibited, “2”
=This signal is sent only to the terminal needle connected to the target CC5 as a warning. Note that if there is any aggregated data whose addition target is unknown, that data is stored in the error journal file. The flow of this number-limiting process is shown in FIG. 6. As a result of the number restriction process, a warning, copy prohibition, etc. are displayed on the display screen of the terminal. It is also possible to print and view the information regarding the number of sheets on the host computer side or each terminal side.

Note that various methods are possible for notifying each terminal of a warning/copying prohibition, etc., such as when the number of remaining sheets reaches 0, when the remaining number of sheets falls below a predetermined value, etc. Although an example has been described in which the number-of-sheets restriction process is automatically performed by specifying an execution time, it is also possible to execute the number-of-sheets restriction process at an appropriate timing based on an operator's instruction using a key operation or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to set the number of copies that can be made for each department on the host computer, and also to set the execution time for limiting the number of copies. It is possible to select the type such as warning or copy prohibition, and when the execution time comes, it automatically collects data from the management device and determines whether the number of copies for each department has reached the maximum number of copies. death,
If the limit has been reached, the number of sheets can be limited, so that management for each department can be performed all at once.

Further, the number of sheets can be limited by an operator's instruction, and furthermore, it is also possible to print out the number of sheets limit information and understand its status.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of a period aggregation method of a recording device management system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a data transfer method between a host computer, a relay device, and a management device. , Figure 3 shows an example of the structure of management data, Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the aggregation process, Figures 5 and 6.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the number-limiting process, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a setup information registration screen, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a department information registration screen. 1... host computer, 2.9... relay device,
3-1 to 3-N...management device, 4-1 to 4-N...
Recording device, 5...PBX, 6-8...Modem, 10
... Screen processing module, 30... Number of sheets limit processing module, 31... Departmental warning status table, 32.
...Setup information file, 33...Department information file, 34...Daily total file.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of management devices that are attached to the recording device and enable the operation of the recording device by collating the registration code, and store and manage management data including the number of sheets recorded by the recording device and other usage information by counting the number of sheets recorded by the recording device, according to the registration code; management devices are connected, and a relay device collects, aggregates, and holds management data from each management device based on a set time, controls the management device and relay device, collects management data held in the relay device,
The host computer is equipped with a host computer that calculates charges and performs other processing by calculating fees by management device and registration code. A number-limiting method for a recording device management system characterized by executing processing. (2) A method for limiting the number of sheets for a recording device management system according to claim 1, wherein the number of sheets is restricted automatically or by key operation from a host computer.