Apparatus for managing a group of copying machines

An apparatus for managing a plurality of copying machines comprising:

• a plurality of terminal devices each operatively associated with one of a plurality of copying machines, each said terminal device including
• (a) first input means for receiving code signals each indicative of one of a plurality of users,
• (b) second input means for receiving a signal indicative of the copying operation of its associated copying machine,
• (c) data processing means for enabling the copying operation of said associated copying machine upon receipt of said code signals and including terminal data memory means having a plurality of distinguishable storage locations for each of said users, whereby said signal indicative of the copying operation received by said second input means is cumulatively stored in corresponding storage locations of said terminal data memory means specified by said code signals received by said first input means, and
• (d) first communication means provided in the terminal device for data transmission from and to said data processing means;
• and
• a central unit directly connected to each of said plurality of terminal devices through transmission lines, said central unit including
• (e) second communication means provided in the central unit for data transmission from and to each said first communication means of said terminal devices,
• (f) central data processing means for controlling data transmission to and from said terminal devices and including central data memory means having a plurality of distinguishable storage locations for each of said plurality of users, whereby data cumulatively stored in each of said terminal data memory means and transmitted through said first and second communication means are summed up separately for each of said users and stored in corresponding storage locations of said central data memory means specified by said code signals, and
• (g) manually operable means for generating first and second commands,
• said central data processing means being operative to effectuate the data summing-up and storing operation of said central data memory means upon receipt of said first command from said manually operable means and operative to erase said data cumulatively stored in each of the corresponding storage locations of all said terminal data memory means upon receipt of said second command from said manually operable means.