# US 12,761,841 B2 · Image forming apparatus using a different retry interval to request contract information depending on a service to which the contract information relates, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,761,841 B2 - Document ID: US12761841B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/415,734 - Filed: 2024-01-18 - Published: 2024-07-25 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-01-24 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Keisuke Niimoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12761841B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/1224: {Client or server resources management} - G06F 3/121: {Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted} - G06F 3/1288: {in client-server-printer device configuration} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes: a request unit that requests, of a server, information concerning a first service and a second service which are executable by the image forming apparatus; and a control unit that controls the request to the server in a case where the request to the server by the request unit is repeated. The control unit controls the request to the server so that the request to the server is made at a frequency determined based on information indicating a contract state concerning the first service executable by the image forming apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one memory and at least one processor which function as: a request unit configured to request, of a server, contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a service; and a control unit configured to retry the request to the server in a case where the contract information is not obtained as a result of the request to the server by the request unit, wherein the control unit controls to differentiate a retry interval between a case that the request of first contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a first service is retried and a case that the request of second contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a second service is retried. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state corresponding to the first service is a state in which a function of the image forming apparatus is restricted, and the state corresponding to the second service is a state in which the function of the image forming apparatus is not restricted. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the retry interval of the request of the first contract information is shorter than the retry interval of the request of the second contract information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit retries the request of the first contract information to the server every time a predetermined time elapses. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit retries the request of the second contract information to the server based on a fact that a user operation on the image forming apparatus is accepted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further controls to differentiate the retry interval of the request to the server between before and after the image forming apparatus is in the state corresponding to the first service. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the retry interval of the request of the first contract information to the server before the image forming apparatus is in the state corresponding to the first service is shorter than the retry interval of the request to the server after the image forming apparatus is in the state corresponding to the first service. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image forming apparatus is in a state which is initially installed before the image forming apparatus is in the state corresponding to and the first service. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image forming apparatus is in a state that the first service is started after the image forming apparatus is in the state corresponding to the first service. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein after the image forming apparatus is in the state corresponding to the first service, the request to the server is retried to monitor a change from the first service to the second service. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one processor further functions as a storage unit configured to store information indicating a state of the image forming apparatus, and the control unit retries the request to the server based on the information indicating the state of the image forming apparatus stored in the storage unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first service is a service that requires a contract by a user, and the second service is a service that does not require a contract by the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first service includes a lending service of the image forming apparatus, and the second service includes a purchase service of the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first service and the second service are subscription services. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a printer. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: requesting, of a server, contract information for causing an image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a service; and controlling to retry the request to the server in a case where the contract information is not obtained as a result of the request to the server, wherein the controlling is performed to differentiate a retry interval between a case that the request of first contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a first service is retried and a case that the request of second contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a second service is retried. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program configured to cause a computer to function to: request, of a server, contract information for causing an image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a service; and control to retry the request to the server in a case where the contract information is not obtained as a result of the request to the server, wherein the control is performed to differentiate a retry interval between a case that the request of first contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a first service is retried and a case that the request of second contract information for causing the image forming apparatus to be in a state corresponding to a second service is retried.