Charge calculation apparatus and method

A charge calculation apparatus comprising:

• a first determination unit configured to determine whether or not a device, which is selected from a plurality of devices to input or output data, is an accounting object, wherein the selected device is used by a user via a network;
• a first calculation unit configured to calculate a device charge for using the selected device in accordance with determination by said first determination unit;
• a second determination unit configured to determine whether or not application software, which is used to use the selected device via the network, is an accounting object;
• a second calculation unit configured to calculate a software charge for using the application software in accordance with determination by said second determination unit;
• and
• a third calculation unit configured to calculate a data processing charge of the selected device using the application software based on the respective charges calculated by said first and second calculation units.

A charge calculation method comprising:

• a first determination step of determining whether or not application software, which is selected from application software provided by another apparatus connected via a network and used via the network, is an accounting object, wherein the selected application software is used to create and/or edit data by a user operation via the network;
• a first calculation step of calculating a software charge for performing a predetermined process by using the selected application software, in accordance with determination in said first determination step;
• a second determination step of determining whether or not an output device, which is selected from a plurality of output devices to receive via the network the data created and/or edited by the selected application software and to output the data, is an accounting object;
• a second calculation step of calculating a device charge for using the selected output device, in accordance with determination in said determination step;
• and
• a third calculation step of calculating a total charge of a data output process based on the respective charges calculated in said first and second calculation step.

A charge calculation method comprising:

• a first determination step of determining whether or not a device, which is selected from a plurality of devices to input or output data, is an accounting object, wherein the selected device is used by a user via a network;
• a first calculation step of calculating a device charge for using the selected device in accordance with determination in said first determination step;
• a second determination step of determining whether or not application software, which is used to use the selected device via the network, is an accounting object;
• a second calculation step of calculating a software charge for using the application software in accordance with determination in said second determination step;
• and
• a third calculation step of calculating a data processing charge of the selected device using the application software based on the respective charges calculated in said first and second calculation step.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores program codes of a charge calculation method, comprising:

• a code of a first determination step of determining whether or not application software, which is selected from application software provided by another apparatus connected via a network and used via the network, is an accounting object, wherein the selected application software is used to create and/or edit data by a user operation via the network;
• a code of a first calculation step of calculating a software charge for performing a predetermined process by using the selected application software, in accordance with determination in said first determination step;
• a code of a second determination step of determining whether or not an output device, which is selected from a plurality of output devices to receive via the network the data created and/or edited by the selected application software and to output the data, is an accounting object;
• a code of a second calculation step of calculating a device charge for using the selected output device, in accordance with determination in said second determination step;
• and
• a code of a third calculation step of calculating a total charge of a data output process based on the respective charges calculated in said first and second calculation step.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores program codes of a charge calculation method, comprising:

• a code of a first determination step of determining whether or not a device, which is selected from a plurality of devices to input or output data, is an accounting object, wherein the selected device is used by a user via a network;
• a code of a first calculation step of calculating a device charge for using the selected device in accordance with determination in said first determination step;
• a second determination step of determining whether or not application software, which is used to use the selected device via the network, is an accounting object;
• a code of a second calculation step of calculating a software charge for using the application software in accordance with determination in said second determination step;
• and
• a code of a third calculation step of calculating a data processing charge of the selected device using the application software based on the respective charges calculated in said first and second calculation step.