US 7,627,485 B2Granted

Client computer having software including a plurality of functions, server computer, system including both, control method of them, record medium storing program readably by computer for implementing control method

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorToshiaki Iizuka

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Abstract

A client computer installs a plurality of functions in advance, and the client computer accesses a server computer to inform a function desired to be used to the server computer. The server computer charges the price of the informed function to a user, and transmits the fact to the client computer. By removing the function limitation of the charged function, the client computer becomes possible to use the function. Consequently, because the user can use a necessary function by paying only the price of the function, the user can save the costs of the use. Moreover, because the user is not required to download a new function, the user can save time.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A client terminal in which a software including a plurality of functions is installed and which is capable of communicating with a server apparatus, the terminal comprising:

a setting unit, which sets for each the plurality of functions an enabled-state flag indicating that the function is usable or a disabled-state flag indicating that the function is unusable, wherein the function with the enabled-state flag is to be subjected to charging;
a payment unit, which executes, every first predetermined period, payment processing of a predetermined price of the function with the enabled-state flag set by said setting unit;
a time count unit, which counts a period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused;
a prohibition request unit, which automatically requests the server apparatus to prohibit use of the function with the enabled-state flag which remains unused if the period counted by said time count unit exceeds a second predetermined period;
a changing unit, which changes the enabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request by said prohibition request unit;
an icon display unit, which displays icons respectively corresponding to the plurality of functions such that each icon distinguishably shows whether the corresponding function is usable or unusable, in accordance with the enabled-state flag or the disabled-state flag set by said setting unit;
and
a permission request unit, which, in response to a user instruction, requests the server apparatus to permit use of the function with the flag changed from the enabled-state flag to the disabled-state flag by said changing unit,
wherein, if said changing unit changes the enabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag, said icon display unit changes a display status of the icon for that function,
wherein said changing unit changes the disabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the enabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request by said permission request unit, and said payment unit executes the payment processing of the predetermined price of that function, and
wherein said time count unit resets the period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused when that function is used.

8 more elements

A control method of client terminal in which a software including a plurality of functions is installed and which is capable of communicating with a server apparatus, said method comprising the step of:

setting for each the plurality of functions an enabled-state flag indicating that the function is usable or a disabled-state flag indicating that the function is unusable, wherein the function with the enabled-state flag is to be subjected to charging;
executing, every first predetermined period, payment processing of a predetermined price of the function with the enabled-state flag set in said setting step;
counting a period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused;
automatically requesting the server apparatus to prohibit use of the function with the enabled-state flag which remains unused if the period counted in said counting step exceeds a second predetermined period;
changing the enabled-state flag with the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request in said prohibition request step;
displaying icons respectively corresponding to the plurality of functions such that each icon distinguishably shows whether the corresponding function is usable or unusable, in accordance with the enabled-state flag or the disabled-state flag set in said setting step;
and
requesting, in response to a user instruction, the server apparatus to permit use of the function with the flag changed from the enabled-state flag to the disabled-state flag in said changing step,
wherein, if said changing step changes the enabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag, said displaying step changes a display status of the icon for that function,
wherein said changing step changes the disabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the enabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request in said requesting step, and said executing step executes the payment processing of the predetermined price of that function, and
wherein said counting step resets the period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused when that function is used.

8 more elements

A record medium storing a program readably by a computer for implementing a control method of client terminal in which a software including a plurality of functions is installed and which is capable of communicating with a server apparatus, said method comprising the step of:

setting for each the plurality of functions an enabled-state flag indicating that the function is usable or a disabled-state flag indicating that the function is unusable, wherein the function with the enabled-state flag is to be subjected to charging;
executing, every first predetermined period, payment processing of a predetermined price of the function with the enabled-state flag set in said setting step;
counting a period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused;
automatically requesting the server apparatus to prohibit use of the function with the enabled-state flag which remains unused if the period counted in said counting step exceeds a second predetermined period;
changing the enabled-state flag with the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request in said prohibition request step;
displaying icons respectively corresponding to the plurality of functions such that each icon distinguishably shows whether the corresponding function is usable or unusable, in accordance with the enabled-state flag or the disabled-state flag set in said setting step;
and
requesting, in response to a user instruction, the server apparatus to permit use of the function with the flag changed from the enabled-state flag to the disabled-state flag in said changing step,
wherein, if said changing step changes the enabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag, said displaying step changes a display status of the icon for that function,
wherein said changing step changes the disabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the enabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request in said requesting step, and said executing step executes the payment processing of the predetermined price of that function, and
wherein said counting step resets the period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused when that function is used.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/017,027Filed 14 Dec 2001
Priority: JP 2000-40326628 Dec 2000
Published: US 2002/0087489 A14 Jul 2002
Granted: 1 Dec 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06Q 30/06
Commerce: buying, selling or leasing transactions
G06Q 30/0283
Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising: price estimation or determination
G07F 17/16
Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services: for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the…
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial