JPH09160452A - Recording/outputting service charging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set up a charge corresponding to the rate of recording data to be recorded and outputted to an original or recording size. SOLUTION: The copying service charging device 1 reads out an original 7 by a picture reading part 4 in a picture reading function part 2 and executes binarization or various picture processing by a signal conversion part 5 and outputs binary data to an image forming part 6 and an image part occupation rate calculating part 9 in a charging function part 3. The image forming part 6 forms an image based upon the binary data and records and outputs a copy 8. The calculating part 9 calculates the occupation rate of the image part to the original 7 or the copy 8 based upon the binary data and a consumed toner estimation quantity calculating part 10 calculates the quantity of toner consumption from the occupation rate of the image part. A copying service charge calculating part 11 calculates a copying service charge from the quantity of toner consumption and a copying service charge presenting part 12 displays the copying service charge on a display or prints out the charge on recording paper to present it to user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording / output service charging device, and more particularly, to a recording / output service charging device capable of charging according to the recording data amount or recording color ratio of a document.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a copying service or the like using a copying machine or the like, a charging fee is conventionally set according to the number of copies and the size of a copy image (for example, A4 or A3 copy size). Also, when copying on paper brought by a person receiving the recording output service, the charging fee for the copying service is constant, and in the case of copying and outputting color images, the fee is higher than that for monochrome images. , Is set constant as a color image output fee.

Conventionally, there is a copy service billing apparatus and a copy service billing system (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-89362) for easily charging such a recording output service.

In this method, a charging device is connected to a copying machine, a usage fee is calculated based on data on the number of copies output from the copying machine, and the calculated usage fee is printed on a predetermined card-like sheet with a bar code. This facilitates the settlement of the fee.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional image output charging apparatus, only the number of output images, the size of output image paper, and whether the image is a color image or a monochrome image is used. Since the charging fee for the recording output service was set, the charging system was uniform, and it was not possible to perform detailed charging, and there was a feeling of inequality.

That is, even if the output image paper size is the same, there is a difference in the size of the output image itself, there is a difference in the output raw material cost (recording material cost) such as toner, and in the color image. However, there is a difference in the recording raw material cost required for image output of toner and the like depending on the color ratio of color. further,
Even if the user of the record output service brings the output sheet, the same charge as that when the user does not bring the output sheet will give a feeling of inequality.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, by setting the charging fee of the recording output service based on the occupancy rate of the recording data in the original data, it is possible to perform the charging according to the recording output characteristic. It is an object to provide a recording output service charging device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when recording and outputting color recording data, the charging fee for the recording and outputting service is set in accordance with the color ratio of the recording and outputting of the colors, thereby the color recording and outputting characteristics. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording output service billing device capable of billing according to the above.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the recording service, the charging fee for the recording output service is set in accordance with the consumption amount of the recording material such as toner, so that the appropriate charging setting can be performed without further feeling of inequality. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording output service charging device capable of performing the following.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when recording and outputting the recording data of the color original, the charging fee for the color recording and outputting service is set according to the consumption amount of the recording raw material of each color, thereby It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording output service charging device capable of performing appropriate charging setting without further feeling of inequality in recording service.

[0011]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording output service charging apparatus, wherein a recording fee for recording original data of a predetermined size and recording and outputting the original on a recording sheet using a predetermined recording material. A recording output service charging device for calculating, based on a calculation result of the data ratio calculating means, a data ratio calculating means for calculating a ratio of the original data to the original size of the recording data or the recording size. The above-mentioned object is achieved by including a fee calculation means for calculating the recording fee.

Here, the manuscript data may be manuscript data recorded and output on paper, or manuscript data recorded on a floppy disk or the like, or manuscript data acquired by communication such as facsimile reception / recording service. And so on. The recording of the document data includes recording by various recording systems such as an electrophotographic recording device and an inkjet recording device, and the recording material used for recording the document data differs depending on the recording system.

The data ratio calculating means calculates the ratio of the recording data portion of the original data other than white, which is actually recorded and output by the recording material, to the original size or the recording size. In this case, it is arbitrary whether to use the document size as a reference or the recording size as a reference. For example, it is set as appropriate depending on whether the record data of the document data is to be recorded at the same size, or to be enlarged or reduced. However, it is more suitable to use the recording size as a reference.

The charge calculation means calculates the recording charge based on the ratio of the print data portion to the original size or the print size calculated by the data ratio calculation means.

According to the above configuration, the recording fee can be determined based on the document size of the document data or the ratio of the recording data to the recording size, and an appropriate billing setting without feeling of inequality can be made. You can

In this case, for example, as described in claim 2, when the recording data of the original data is color recording data, the data ratio calculating means is the original size or the original size of each color data of the recording data. The charge calculation means may calculate a ratio to the recording size, and the charge calculation means may calculate the recording charge based on the ratio of each color data calculated by the data ratio calculation means.

Here, the data ratio calculating means calculates the ratio of the print data to the original size or the print size and the ratio of each color data to the print data, and the charge calculating means occupies each color data. Calculate the recording fee according to the ratio.

With the above arrangement, when recording and outputting color recording data, the recording fee can be determined based on the document size of each color data of the recording data or the ratio of the recording data to the recording size, which causes a sense of inequality. Not appropriate billing settings can be made.

A recording / output service charging apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is a recording / output service for calculating a recording fee for taking in original data of a predetermined size and recording and outputting the same on a recording sheet using a predetermined recording material. A billing device, comprising a data ratio calculating unit for calculating a ratio of the read document data to the document size or the recording size in the fetched document data, and a recording ratio of the recording raw material based on a calculation result of the data ratio calculating unit. The above object is achieved by including a raw material consumption calculating means for calculating the consumption amount and a fee calculating means for calculating the recording fee based on the calculation result of the raw material consumption calculating means.

Here, the raw material consumption amount calculating means calculates the consumption amount of the recording raw material (for example, toner) used when recording the recording data in the recording service from the recording data, the recording size, or the document size.

The charge calculation means calculates a recording charge corresponding to the consumption amount of the recording raw material.

According to the above construction, it is possible to determine the recording fee corresponding to the consumption amount of the recording raw material such as the toner, and it is possible to make an appropriate charging setting without further feeling of inequality.

In this case, for example, as described in claim 4, when the recording data of the original data is color recording data, the data ratio calculating means determines the original size or the original size of each color data of the recording data. The ratio to the recording size is calculated, the raw material consumption amount calculating means calculates the consumption amount of the recording raw material of each color based on the calculation result of the data ratio calculating means, and the charge calculating means calculates the raw material consumption amount. The recording fee may be calculated based on the consumption amount of the recording raw material for each color calculated by the amount calculating means.

According to the above construction, when the print data of the color original is printed out, it is possible to determine the print fee corresponding to the consumption amount of the printing material of each color, and it becomes more unequal in the color printing service. Appropriate charging settings can be set without feeling.

[0025]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Since the embodiment described below is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, various technically preferable limitations are given, but the scope of the present invention is particularly limited in the following description. Unless specifically stated to limit the present invention, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a recording output service charging device of the present invention, which is applied to a copying service charging device.

In FIG. 1, a copying service charging device (recording output service charging device) 1 includes an image reading / output function unit 2.
And a charging function unit 3.

The image reading / output function unit 2 is an ordinary copying apparatus and includes an image reading unit 4, a signal conversion unit 5, an image forming unit 6, and the like.

The image reading unit 4 includes a light source, an optical system, a photoelectric conversion unit, etc., scans the original 7, reads the image of the original 7, and outputs a multi-value gradation signal to the signal converter 5.

The signal converting section 5 converts the gradation signal input from the image reading section 4 into a binary image signal by comparing it with a predetermined threshold value when the image of the original 7 is a simple binary image. Then, the image is output to the image forming unit 6 and the charging function unit 3. Also,
When the original 7 is a halftone image such as a photograph, the signal conversion unit 5 converts it into a binary halftone image signal of a predetermined gradation and outputs it to the image forming unit 6 and the charging function unit 3 to output the original. When 7 is a color image, CMYK (cyan, magenta,
Yellow and black) each color image signal or R
The image forming unit 6 converts each color image signal of GB (red, green and black) into a binarized image signal for each color.
And output to the charging function unit 3. Furthermore, the signal conversion unit 5
Performs various signal processing such as enlargement and reduction, and outputs it to the image forming unit 6 and the charging function unit 3.

The image forming section 6 is provided with a recording section such as an electronic recording apparatus, and outputs a copy 8 by recording and outputting an image on a recording sheet based on an image signal input from the signal converting section 5. Is generated and output. That is, the image forming unit 6
When an electronic recording apparatus is used, the electrostatic latent image of the image information is formed on the photoconductor by the light modulated based on the image signal input from the signal conversion unit 5, and the electrostatic latent image Toner, which is a recording material, is attached to the formed photoconductor to develop it. The image forming unit 6 transfers the toner attached to the photoconductor onto the recording paper conveyed from the paper feeding unit by the transfer roller, and the recording paper attached with the toner is transferred to the fixing roller heated by the fixing heater. The image is recorded on the recording paper by conveying and fixing the toner on the recording paper by the fixing roller.

The billing function section 3 includes an image section occupation rate calculation section 9,
An estimated toner consumption amount calculation unit 10, a copy service charge calculation unit 11 and a copy service charge presentation unit 12 are provided.
The image reading / output function unit 2 is added to the image unit occupation ratio calculation unit 9.
The binarized image signal output from the signal conversion unit 5 is input.

The image portion occupancy ratio calculation unit (data ratio calculation unit) 9 outputs the copy 8 or the size of the original 7 based on the image signal input from the signal conversion unit 5.
For example, A4 size, A3 size, B4 size, B5 size, etc. are discriminated, and the ratio (occupancy ratio) of the image in the output copy 8 or the original 7 is calculated, and the calculated occupation ratio is calculated. The estimated toner consumption amount is output to the calculation unit 10.

The image area occupancy rate calculation section 9 calculates this occupancy rate as
It is calculated from the binarized image signal as the ratio of the number of pixels of the image to the number of pixels of the entire original 7 or copy 8.
Further, when the color binarized image data is input, the image portion occupancy calculation unit 9 outputs the binarized data of each color for each binarized data of each color.
The ratio (occupancy ratio) of the digitized data in the copy 8 or the original 7 is calculated in the same manner.

An estimated toner consumption amount calculation unit (raw material consumption amount calculation means) 10 calculates and calculates an estimated amount of toner consumed in the image forming unit 6 from the occupation ratio calculated by the image portion occupation ratio calculation unit 9. The estimated amount of toner is output to the copy service charge calculator 11 as the amount of toner consumed. The estimated toner consumption amount calculation unit 10 has, for example, a data table of the number of pixels and the amount of toner consumption, calculates the number of pixels from the image occupancy rate, and calculates the data table based on the calculated number of pixels. By referring to this, the estimated amount of toner consumed is calculated.

When outputting a color image, the toner consumption estimated amount calculation unit 10 refers to the data table of the number of pixels and the toner consumption amount for each RGB or CMY to determine the toner consumption amount for each color. The calculated toner consumption amount for each color is output to the copy service charge calculation unit 11.

Copying service charge calculation unit (charge calculation means)
Reference numeral 11 stores a data table of the toner consumption amount and the copy service charge in a predetermined internal memory. When the toner consumption amount is input from the estimated toner consumption amount calculation unit 10, data is stored based on the toner consumption amount. The copy service charge is presented by referring to the table and the copy service charge is presented.
Output to

The data table of the copying service charge and the toner consumption amount can be set arbitrarily. For example, a service provider or the like who provides the copying service inputs the copying service charge for each toner consumption amount. It can be set appropriately. In addition to the charge for toner consumption, this copying service charge is, for example,
It is possible to appropriately set a fee slide system corresponding to the number of copies, a copying service fee depending on the type of copying paper, or a copying service fee depending on whether or not the copying paper is brought in.

The copy service charge calculation unit 11 has a paper charge table for not only the toner consumption but also the size of the copy 8 and the recording paper charge, and calculates the paper charge for each size of the copy 8, The charge added to the copy service charge based on the toner consumption is calculated as the final copy service charge and output to the copy service charge presentation unit 12.
Then, this paper fee can be appropriately set as in the case of the copying service fee based on the toner consumption amount. For example, in the case of bringing in paper, it is possible to make settings such as making the paper charge free.

The copy service charge presenting unit 12 includes a display, a recording device, etc., and the copy service charge calculating unit 11
The copy service charge calculated by is printed out on a display or a recording paper, and the copy service charge is presented to the user of the copy service.

Next, the operation will be described.

When a copying service is provided by using the copying service charging device 1, the original 7 is read by the image reading unit 4 of the image reading function unit 2, and the signal conversion unit 5 causes the image reading unit 4 to read.
The binarized data of the scanned original 7 is subjected to simple binarization, halftone binarization or color binarization, and necessary image processing such as image enlargement / reduction is performed to convert the binarized data into the image forming unit 6. And output to the image portion occupation rate calculation unit 9 of the charging function unit 3.

The image forming section 6 forms an image on a copy sheet based on the binarized data input from the signal converting section 5,
The copy 8 is recorded and output.

The image occupancy calculation unit 9 of the billing function unit 3 determines the image portion occupied in the original 7 or the copy 8 based on the binarized data input from the signal conversion unit 5 of the image reading function unit 2. The occupancy rate is calculated, and the calculated occupancy rate is output to the consumed toner estimated amount calculation unit 10. That is, the image occupancy calculation unit 9 calculates the occupancy ratio of the image portion in the original 7 when the image conversion is not performed in the signal conversion unit 5, and the image enlargement / reduction is performed. When you are
The occupancy rate of the image portion in the copy 8 is calculated.

The estimated toner consumption amount calculation unit 10 calculates the toner consumption amount by referring to the data table of the number of pixels and the toner consumption amount from the image occupation ratio calculated by the image occupation ratio calculation unit 9. The calculated toner consumption amount is output to the copy service charge calculation unit 11.

The copy service charge calculation unit 11 calculates the copy service charge from the toner consumption amount calculated by the estimated toner consumption amount calculation unit 10 by referring to the data table of the copy service charge and the toner consumption amount. The copy service charge obtained by adding the paper charge to the calculation result is output to the copy service charge presenting unit 12 as the final copy service charge.

The copy service charge presenting unit 12 displays the copy service charge calculated by the copy service charge calculating unit 11 on a display or prints it on a recording sheet to present the copy service charge to the user of the copy service. To do.

Therefore, in the copying service, it is possible to set a copying service fee corresponding to the amount of toner consumed when outputting a copy, and it is possible to set a fair copying service fee.

Further, in outputting a color image, the image portion occupation ratio calculation unit 9 makes a copy 8 of the binarized image data of each color or an original document for each binarized image data of each color such as RGB or CMY. The toner consumption amount calculation unit 10 calculates the ratio (occupation ratio) in 7 and refers to the data table of the number of pixels and the amount of toner consumption for each RGB or CMY to calculate the toner consumption for each color. The amount is calculated, and the calculated toner consumption amount for each color is output to the copy service charge calculation unit 11.

When the toner consumption amount for each color is input, the copy service charge calculation unit 11 calculates the copy service charge by referring to the data table of the toner consumption amount for each color and the copy service charge. The copy service charge obtained by adding the paper charge to the calculation result is output to the copy service charge presentation unit 12.

The copying service fee presenting section 12 displays the service fee of the color copying service calculated by the copying service fee calculating section 11 on a display or prints it on a recording paper to provide the copying service to the user of the copying service. Show the price.

Therefore, in the color original copy service, the charge amount (copy service charge) corresponding to the toner consumption amount for each color can be calculated and billed, and the copy service charge with fairness can be set. be able to.
In addition, the paper fee can be added depending on the paper size, or the paper fee can be made free in the case of bringing in the paper, and the charge setting of the recording output service can be made more evenly.

Although the invention made by the inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the copying service is provided has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the copying service, and for example, an output for recording and outputting image data and character data in a floppy disk by a printer or the like. Even in the case of services and facsimile recording / recording output services, the ratio of image data, character data, etc. in the original document or recorded size
The same applies as above.

[0056]

According to the recording / output service charging apparatus of the present invention, the recording fee can be determined based on the original size of the original data or the ratio of the original data to the original size. Appropriate billing settings can be set without inequality.

According to the recording / output service charging apparatus of the present invention, when recording and outputting color recording data, the recording fee is charged based on the original size of each color data of the recording data or the ratio of the recording data to the recording size. It is possible to make a decision, and it is possible to make an appropriate billing setting without feeling of inequality.

According to the billing apparatus for recording output service of the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to determine the recording fee corresponding to the consumption amount of the recording raw material such as the toner, and to set the appropriate billing setting without further feeling of inequality. It can be performed.

According to the recording / output service charging apparatus of the invention described in claim 4, when the recording data of the color original is recorded and outputted, the recording fee corresponding to the consumption amount of the recording raw material of each color can be determined. It is possible to make an appropriate charging setting without further feeling of inequality in the recording service.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a copy service charging apparatus to which a recording output service charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Copying service charging device 2 Image reading / output function unit 3 Charging function unit 4 Image reading unit 5 Signal conversion unit 6 Image forming unit 7 Original document 8 Copy 9 Image unit occupation rate calculation unit 10 Estimated toner consumption calculation unit 11 Copying service charge Calculation section 12 Copying service fee presentation section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location G03G 15/01 G03G 15/01 Z

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A recording output service charging apparatus for calculating a recording fee for capturing original data of a predetermined size and recording and outputting the same on a recording sheet by using a predetermined recording material, wherein the recording data of the original data is recorded. A data ratio calculating means for calculating a ratio of the data to the original size or the recording size; and a charge calculating means for calculating the recording charge based on the calculation result of the data ratio calculating means. Record output service billing device. 2. The data ratio calculating means calculates, when the print data of the original data is color print data, a ratio of each color data of the print data to the original size or the print size, 2. The recording output service charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charge calculation unit calculates the recording charge based on a ratio of each color data calculated by the data ratio calculation unit. 3. A recording output service billing apparatus for calculating a recording fee for capturing original data of a predetermined size and recording and outputting the same on a recording sheet by using a predetermined recording material, Of these, a data ratio calculating means for calculating the document size of the recording data or a ratio to the recording size, and a raw material consumption calculating means for calculating the consumption amount of the recording raw material based on the calculation result of the data ratio calculating means, A recording output service charging device, comprising: a charge calculating unit that calculates the recording charge based on a calculation result of the raw material consumption calculating unit. 4. When the print data of the document data is color print data, the data ratio calculating means calculates a ratio of each color data of the print data to the document size or the print size, and the raw material consumption. The amount calculation means calculates the consumption amount of the recording raw material of each color based on the calculation result of the data ratio calculation means, and the charge calculation means calculates the recording raw material of each color calculated by the raw material consumption amount calculation means. The recording output service charging device according to claim 3, wherein the recording fee is calculated based on the consumption amount of the recording output service.