Image formation management system which manages image formations performed by a plurality of image forming apparatus
AssigneeMinolta Co., Ltd.
InventorTomoyuki Atsumi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The management apparatus is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network and manages the amount of image formations made by separate users using the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The management apparatus includes the amount of image formations distribution unit which distributes the amount of image formations allocated to each user among the plurality of image forming apparatuses in accordance with the first ratio and the distributed amount transmission control unit which transmits a respective amount of image formations associated with the user together with the identification information of the user to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses.
Claims22
A management apparatus which is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a communication line and manages an amount of image formations performed by at least one of users using the plurality of image forming apparatuses, the management apparatus comprising:
- an amount of image formations distribution unit for distributing an amount of image formations allocated to a specific user among the plurality of image forming apparatuses in accordance with a first ratio;
- and
- a distributed amount transmission unit for transmitting a respective distributed amount of image formations to each image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus which is connected to a management apparatus via a communication line, comprising:
- a storage unit for storing a distributed amount of image formations associated with a specific user, with the distributed amount of image formations being transmitted from the management apparatus;
- an amount of image formations counting unit for counting an amount of image formations made by the specific user using the image forming apparatus;
- a prohibiting unit for prohibiting the specific user from using the image forming apparatus when an amount of image formations counted by the amount of image formations counting unit reaches the distributed amount of image formations stored in the storage unit;
- a redistribution request transmission unit for transmitting a redistribution request together with identification information of the specific user to the management apparatus when the amount of image formations counted by the amount of image formations counting unit reaches the distributed amount of image formations;
- and
- an updating unit for updating the distributed amount of image formations stored in the storage unit to a redistributed amount of image formations transmitted from the management terminal in response to the redistribution request.
A management system where a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected to a management apparatus via a communication line, for managing an amount of image formations made by a specific user,
- wherein the management apparatus comprises:
- an amount of image formations distribution unit for distributing an amount of image formations allocated to a specific user among the plurality of image forming apparatuses in accordance with a first ratio;
- and
- a distributed amount transmission unit for transmitting a respective distributed amount of image formations to each image forming apparatus, and
- wherein each image forming apparatus comprises:
- a storage unit for storing a distributed amount of image formations associated with a specific user, with the distributed amount of image formations being transmitted from the management apparatus;
- an amount of image formations counting unit for counting an amount of image formations made by the specific user using the image forming apparatus;
- and
- a prohibiting unit for prohibiting the specific user from using the image forming apparatus when an amount of image formations counted by the amount of image formations counting unit reaches the distributed amount of image formations stored in the storage unit.
A management method for a management apparatus which is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a communication line and manages an amount of image formations performed by at least one of users using the plurality of image forming apparatuses, the management method including:
- an amount of image formations distribution step for distributing an amount of image formations allocated to a specific user among the plurality of image forming apparatuses in accordance with a first ratio;
- and
- a distributed amount transmission step for transmitting a respective distributed amount of image formations to each image forming apparatus.
A storage medium which stores a control program executed by a management apparatus which is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a communication line and manages an amount of image formations performed by at least one of users using the plurality of image forming apparatuses, the control program including:
- an amount of image formations distribution step for distributing an amount of image formations allocated to a specific user among the plurality of image forming apparatuses in accordance with a first ratio;
- and
- a distributed amount transmission step for transmitting a respective distributed amount of image formations to each image forming apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.