Printing system, device, and control method

A device that is connected to a server, the device comprising:

• an accepting unit configured to accept printing instructions from users;
• a printing unit configured to perform printing by an inkjet printing method;
• a first counting unit configured to count an ink amount used for printing performed by the printing unit for each user;
• a second counting unit configured to count an ink amount used for purposes other than printing performed by the printing unit;
• a third counting unit configured to count the number of printed sheets for each user;
• a count information notifying unit configured to notify the server of count information including counting results, which are obtained by the first counting unit, the second counting unit, and the third counting unit, respectively;
• a first obtaining unit configured to, in a case that a billing method is a first method of billing based on a unit price for the number of printed sheets, obtain a printing fee for each user according to the number of printed sheets for each user, which has been counted by the third counting unit and is included in the count information, from the server;
• and
• a second obtaining unit configured to, in a case that the billing method is a second method of billing based on a unit price for an ink amount, obtain a printing fee for each user according to a sum of the ink amount for each user counted by the first counting unit and the ink amount used for purposes other than printing that has been counted by the second counting unit and has been allocated for each user, from the server.

A control method for a printing system that includes a server and a device, the control method comprising:

• an accepting step of accepting printing instructions from users;
• a printing step of performing printing by an inkjet printing method;
• a first counting step of counting an ink amount used for printing performed in the printing step for each user;
• a second counting step of counting an ink amount used for purposes other than printing performed in the printing step;
• a third counting step of counting the number of printed sheets for each user;
• a count information notifying step of notifying the server of count information including counting results, which are obtained in the first counting step, the second counting step, and the third counting step, respectively;
• a billing method setting step of setting a billing method to one of a first method of billing based on a unit price for the number of printed sheets and a second method of billing based on a unit price for an ink amount;
• and
• a billing step of performing a billing processing based on the count information, and
• wherein in the billing step, in a case that the billing method set in the billing method setting step is the first method, a printing fee for an expense bearer according to the number of printed sheets for each user counted in the third counting step is calculated, and
• in a case that the billing method set in the billing method setting step is the second method, the printing fee for the expense bearer according to a sum of the ink amount for each user counted in the first counting step, and the ink amount used for purposes other than printing that has been counted in the second counting step and has been allocated to the expense bearer, is calculated.