Image processing system and image processing apparatus utilizing trial mode

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image processor;
• a user interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a computer,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a special function, the memory storing setting indicating that the special function is to be activated or inactivated, the special function being inactivated when the image processing apparatus is shipped from a factory,
• wherein the computer is configured to, when receiving an input of a start command indicating start of a trial mode, execute a start process of starting the trial mode, the trial mode being a mode in which the special function is activated to be tried, an effective period being set to the trial mode, the special function becoming activated during the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the computer is configured to perform
• a determining process of determining, at a first timing after receipt of the start command, whether a current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, and
• a termination process of terminating the trial mode at a second timing after determining that the current time is not within the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the computer is configured to execute the first notification indicating termination of the trial mode and restart of the image processing apparatus, and
• wherein, when a job using the image processor is remains in the memory, the first notification includes notification indicating that the job is to be erased by the restart.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image processor;
• a user interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a computer,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a special function, the memory storing setting indicating that the special function is to be activated or inactivated, the special function being inactivated when the image processing apparatus is shipped from a factory,
• wherein the computer is configured to, when receiving an input of a start command indicating start of a trial mode, execute a start process of starting the trial mode, the trial mode being a mode in which the special function is activated to be tried, an effective period being set to the trial mode, the special function becoming activated during the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the computer is configured to perform a determining process of determining, at a first timing after receipt of the start command, whether a current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, and
• a termination process of terminating the trial mode at a second timing after determining that the current time is not within the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein, in the determining process, the computer is configured to transmit a checking command to a server at the first timing, the checking command including identification information of the image processing apparatus, the server being configured to determine whether the current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, the server being configured to respond by
• transmitting status information indicating a determination result of determining whether the current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, and
• determine whether the current time is within the trial mode based on the status information received from the server, and
• wherein the computer is further configured to perform a first notification process of executing first notification to notify termination of the trial mode after determining that the current time is not within the effective period of the trial mode and before the second timing,
• a second notification process of executing a second notification which is different from the first notification in a case where the status information is not received from the server,
• wherein the computer is further configured to
• in the determining process, store unknown information in the memory in a case where the computer does not receive the status information from the server, and
• perform a second notification process of executing a second notification which is different from the first notification in a case where the unknown information is stored in the memory.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image processor;
• a user interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a computer,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a special function, the memory storing setting indicating that the special function is to be activated or inactivated, the special function being inactivated when the image processing apparatus is shipped from a factory,
• wherein the computer is configured to, when receiving an input of a start command indicating start of a trial mode, execute a start process of starting the trial mode, the trial mode being a mode in which the special function is activated to be tried, an effective period being set to the trial mode, the special function becoming activated during the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the computer is configured to perform
• a determining process of determining, at a first timing after receipt of the start command, whether a current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, and
• a termination process of terminating the trial mode at a second timing after determining that the current time is not within the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a plurality of the special functions including a first sharing special function and a second sharing special function which share the setting information used for the first sharing special function and the second sharing special function,
• wherein the memory stores function information indicating whether each of the first sharing special function and the second sharing special function is activated, and
• wherein, when the memory stores the function information indicating that one of the first sharing special function and the second sharing special function is inactivated, the computer is configured to
• in a case where the memory stores the function information indicating that an other of the first sharing special function and the second sharing special function is disabled, perform initialization process of initializing the setting information stored in the memory, and
• in a case where the memory stores the function information indicating that an other of the first sharing special function and the second sharing special function is activated, not execute the initialization process and hold the setting information when the trial mode is terminated.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image processor;
• a user interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a computer,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a special function, the memory storing setting indicating that the special function is to be activated or inactivated, the special function being inactivated when the image processing apparatus is shipped from a factory,
• wherein the computer is configured to, when receiving an input of a start command indicating start of a trial mode, execute a start process of starting the trial mode, the trial mode being a mode in which the special function is activated to be tried, an effective period being set to the trial mode, the special function becoming activated during the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the computer is configured to perform
• a determining process of determining, at a first timing after receipt of the start command, whether a current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, and
• a termination process of terminating the trial mode at a second timing after determining that the current time is not within the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein a number of the special function of the image processing apparatus is a plural number, the plural number of the special functions including a first exclusive special function and a second exclusive special function each of which becomes activated exclusively for each other, and
• wherein the computer is further configured to
• receive a selection to activate one of the first exclusive special function and the second exclusive special function through the user interface during the effective period of the trial mode,
• when receiving the selection to activate the first exclusive special function, activate the first exclusive special function and inactivate the second exclusive special function,
• when receiving the selection to activate the second exclusive special function, activate the second exclusive special function and inactivate the first exclusive special function, and
• not initialize setting information of the inactivated one of the first exclusive special function and the second exclusive special function.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image processor;
• a user interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a computer,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a special function, the memory storing setting indicating that the special function is to be activated or inactivated, the special function being inactivated when the image processing apparatus is shipped from a factory,
• wherein the computer is configured to, when receiving an input of a start command indicating start of a trial mode, execute a start process of starting the trial mode, the trial mode being a mode in which the special function is activated to be tried, an effective period being set to the trial mode, the special function becoming activated during the effective period of the trial mode, and
• wherein the computer is configured to perform
• a determining process of determining, at a first timing after receipt of the start command, whether a current time is within the effective period of the trial mode, and
• a termination process of terminating the trial mode at a second timing after determining that the current time is not within the effective period of the trial mode,
• wherein the image processing apparatus has a particular function which is activated when the image processing apparatus is shipped from a factory, the particular function is a function activated exclusively for the special function, and
• wherein the computer is further configured to
• activate the special function and inactivate the particular function when starting the trial mode,
• in a case where the memory stores function information indicating that the special function is inactivated, activate the particular function, and
• in a case where the memory stores function information indicating that the special function is activated, maintain the particular function inactivated.