Apparatus information obtaining apparatus, operation information providing apparatus, operation information providing method, operation information providing program and the recording medium

An operation information providing apparatus for providing operation information on operation status of an image output apparatus based on apparatus information including model information and print number information of the image output apparatus, comprising:

• an apparatus basic information database storing model information and cost information of the image output apparatus;
• an apparatus information inputting unit for inputting the apparatus information;
• an apparatus basic information extracting unit for extracting cost information of the image output apparatus by referring to the apparatus basic information database using the model information as a key;
• and
• an operation cost calculating unit for calculating print cost of the image output apparatus based on the cost information extracted by the apparatus basic information extracting unit and the print number information.

An apparatus information obtaining method for obtaining apparatus information including model information of an image output apparatus from the image output apparatus via a network, comprising:

• an image output apparatus list database referring step of referring to an image output apparatus list database storing a list of image output apparatuses from which the apparatus information is obtained;
• an apparatus information send instruction sending step of instructing the image output apparatus included in the image output apparatus list to send the apparatus information;
• and
• an apparatus information receiving step of receiving the apparatus information from the image output apparatus that is instructed to send the apparatus information.

An operation information providing method for providing operation information on operation status of an image output apparatus based on apparatus information including model information and print number information of the image output apparatus, comprising:

• an apparatus information inputting step of inputting the apparatus information;
• an apparatus basic information extracting step of extracting cost information of the image output apparatus by referring, using the model information as a key, to an apparatus basic information database storing model information and cost information of the image output apparatus;
• and
• an operation cost calculating step of calculating print cost of the image output apparatus based on the cost information extracted by the apparatus basic information extracting step and the print number information.

An operation information providing program for causing a computer to provide operation information on operation status of an image output apparatus based on apparatus information including model information and print number information of the image output apparatus, comprising:

• apparatus information inputting program code means for inputting the apparatus information;
• apparatus basic information extracting program code means for extracting, using the model information as a key, cost information of the image output apparatus by referring to an apparatus basic information database storing model information and cost information of the image output apparatus;
• and
• operation cost calculating program code means for calculating print cost of the image output apparatus based on the cost information extracted by the apparatus basic information extracting program code means and the print number information.

A computer readable recording medium storing an operation information providing program for causing a computer to provide operation information on operation status of an image output apparatus based on apparatus information including model information and print number information of the image output apparatus, the operation information providing program comprising:

• apparatus information inputting program code means for inputting the apparatus information;
• apparatus basic information extracting program code means for extracting, using the model information as a key, cost information of the image output apparatus by referring to an apparatus basic information database storing model information and cost information of the image output apparatus;
• and
• operation cost calculating program code means for calculating print cost of the image output apparatus based on the cost information extracted by the apparatus basic information extracting program code means and the print number information.

An operation information providing apparatus for providing operation information on operation status of an image output apparatus connected via a network, comprising:

• an apparatus basic information database storing model information and cost information of the image output apparatus;
• an apparatus information obtaining unit for obtaining apparatus information including the model information and print number information from the image output apparatus;
• an apparatus basic information extracting unit for extracting the cost information of the image output apparatus by referring to the apparatus basic information database using the model information as a key;
• and
• an operation cost calculating unit for calculating print cost of the image output apparatus based on the cost information extracted by the apparatus basic information extracting unit and print number information.