# US 10,245,872 B2 · Printing amount management apparatus and method

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- Number: US 10,245,872 B2
- Document ID: US10245872B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/720,674
- Filed: 2017-09-29
- Published: 2018-09-13
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-10
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Keisuke Shimada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245872B2

## CPC

- B41M 7/0009: {Obliterating the printed matter; Non-destructive removal of the ink pattern, e.g. for repetitive use of the support}
- G03G 15/50: {Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control (sequencing control G03G21/14)}
- G03G 15/5091: {for user-identification or authorisation}
- G03G 15/6585: {by using non-standard toners, e.g. transparent toner, gloss adding devices}
- G03G 21/00: Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G06K 15/1867: {Post-processing of the composed and rasterized print image (scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents H04N1/00)}
- G06K 15/4065: {Managing print media, e.g. determining available sheet sizes (feeding means G06K15/16)}
- G03G 15/5075: {Remote control machines, e.g. by a host}
- H04N 1/00244: {with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324)}
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A printing amount management apparatus according to an embodiment communicates with an image processing apparatus which prints an image on a sheet and a decoloring apparatus which decolors an image formed on the sheet with a decolorable toner. A storage unit stores, in correspondence with each of a plurality of user records, a printing amount that sets a maximum number of times of printing in the image processing apparatus in association with the corresponding user record. A processor receives, from the decoloring apparatus via the communication interface, a number of sheets decolored by the decoloring apparatus according to an operation of a user corresponding to one of the plurality of user record. The processor increases, based on the received number of decolored sheets, the printing amount stored in the storage unit in correspondence with the one of the plurality of user record.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image processing apparatus comprising:
a user interface that receives user information and image formation execution information;
an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet;
a communication interface; and
a processor configured to:
authenticate a user based on the received user information,
control the communication interface to receive, from a server, a printing amount that indicates a number of times of printing in the image processing apparatus in association with the received user information and that is updated based on a number of sheets decolored by a decoloring apparatus,
determine whether the received printing amount is greater than zero,
if the received printing amount is greater than zero, control the image forming unit to form an image on the sheet in accordance with the input image formation execution information, and
if the received printing amount is not greater than zero, control the image forming unit to not form an image on the sheet in accordance with the received image formation execution information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a display device, wherein, if the received printing amount is not greater than zero, the processor controls the display device to display a warning that printing is not permitted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
subtract, from the printing amount, a total number of sheets printed in accordance with the received image formation execution information, and
transmit, to the server via the communication interface, the printing amount after the subtraction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor authenticates the user by determining whether the received user information corresponds to a previously stored user information record.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor authenticates the user by transmitting, to the server via the communication interface, the received user information, and receiving, from the server via the communication interface, authentication information.