# US 8,751,410 B2 · Charging system for charging for image processing conducted based on image data, image processing apparatus, and charging program embodied on computer readable medium

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- Number: US 8,751,410 B2
- Document ID: US8751410B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/954,058
- Filed: 2007-12-11
- Published: 2008-07-03
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-12-28
- Assignees: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Mitsuzo Iwaki; Masahiro Kitamura; Kenichi Takahashi; Daisuke Sakiyama
- Inventors: Mitsuzo Iwaki; Masahiro Kitamura; Kenichi Takahashi; Daisuke Sakiyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751410B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/34: for coin-freed systems {; Pay systems}
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- H04N 1/00347: {with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus (circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32)}
- H04N 1/4406: {Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity (mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08)}
- H04N 2201/0039: Connection via a network
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

In order to charge a proper amount of money to the transmitting source and the destination, an MFP accepts transmitting source specifying information for identifying a transmitting user, destination specifying information for specifying a data destination, specifying of the data, and a processing procedure defining processing executed with respect to the specified data. The MFP acquires apparatus identification information for identifying a destination apparatus corresponding to the destination and capacity information defining processing executable by the destination apparatus. The MFP then compares the processing procedure with acquired restriction information. When the processing defined by the capacity information does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, the MFP charges a processing charge for the data in a divided manner to the transmitting user and the destination user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A charging system comprising:
a transmitting source accepting portion to accept transmitting source specifying information for specifying a transmitting user;
a destination accepting portion to accept destination specifying information for specifying a user as a destination of data;
a specifying portion to accept specifying of the data;
a procedure accepting portion to accept a processing procedure defining processing executed with respect to the specified data;
an apparatus determining portion to acquire apparatus identification information for identifying a destination apparatus corresponding to the destination;
a restriction information acquiring portion to acquire capacity information defining processing executable by the destination apparatus;
a charging portion to determine a predetermined cost for the processing procedure, and to, when the processing defined by the capacity information does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, execute charging processing such that the predetermined cost is charged in a divided manner to the transmitting user and the destination user, wherein the divided manner is determined by taking into consideration both the processing procedure and the processing defined by the capacity information; and
a processor configured to control at least the foregoing portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The charging system according to claim 1, further comprising a user data storing portion to store user data including a plurality of user records, each of the user records associating user identification information for identifying a user and apparatus identification information for identifying a respective apparatus used by the user, wherein:
said transmitting source accepting portion accepts user identification information from the user records for identifying a user as the transmitting user as the transmitting source specifying information;
said destination accepting portion accepts, as the destination specifying information, another user identification information from the user records for identifying a destination user of the data; and
said apparatus determining portion extracts from the user data the user record defining the destination specifying information and acquires, as the apparatus identification information for identifying the destination apparatus, the apparatus identification information associated with the destination specifying information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The charging system according to claim 2, further comprising:
an associating data generating portion to generate associating data associating the destination specifying information, the specified data, and the processing procedure;
an input portion to accept input of the user identification information;
a data acquiring portion to acquire the data associated with the accepted user identification information by the associating data; and
an executing portion to process the acquired data in accordance with the processing procedure associated with the accepted user identification information by the associating data,
wherein said charging portion executes the charging processing after processing of the data by said executing portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The charging system according to claim 1, wherein said restriction information acquiring portion further acquires individual restriction information for restricting processing executed in the destination apparatus by the user identified with the destination specifying information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The charging system according to claim 4, further comprising a processing determining portion to determine executable processing, the executable processing being defined by the acquired capacity information and unrestricted by the acquired individual restriction information,
wherein when the determined executable processing includes all the processing defined by the processing procedure, said charging portion executes charging processing such that all processing charge for the data is charged to the destination user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The charging system according to claim 4, further comprising:
a processing determining portion to determine executable processing, the executable processing being defined by the acquired capacity information and unrestricted by the acquired individual restriction information;
a restriction-charge calculating portion to, when the determined executable processing does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, calculate a restriction charge for processing of the data in accordance with such a procedure that the processing procedure is restricted within a range of the executable processing; and
a charge difference calculating portion to calculate a charge difference between a total charge for executing the processing in accordance with the processing procedure and the restriction charge,
wherein when the determined executable processing does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, said charging portion executes charging processing such that the charge difference is charged to the transmitting user and the restriction charge is charged to the destination user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The charging system according to claim 6, further comprising a charging information display portion to display the charge difference.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The charging system according to claim 7, further comprising:
a data transmitting portion to transmit the specified data to the destination apparatus; and
a permission accepting portion to accept a transmission permission instruction after the charge difference is displayed,
wherein said data transmitting portion transmits the data on condition that the transmission permission instruction is accepted.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The charging system according to claim 1, further comprising at least two mutually communicable information processing apparatuses including a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus,
wherein said charging portion is provided in either said first information processing apparatus or said second information processing apparatus.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The charging system according to claim 1, further comprising a data transmitting portion to transmit the specified data to the destination apparatus,
wherein said charging portion executes the charging processing after transmission of the data by said data transmitting portion.

### Claim 11

An image processing apparatus comprising:
a transmitting source accepting portion to accept transmitting source specifying information for specifying a transmitting user;
a destination accepting portion to accept destination specifying information for specifying a user as a destination of data;
a specifying portion to accept specifying of the data;
a procedure accepting portion to accept a processing procedure defining processing executed with respect to the specified data;
an apparatus determining portion to acquire apparatus identification information for identifying a destination apparatus corresponding to the destination;
a restriction information acquiring portion to acquire capacity information defining processing executable by the destination apparatus;
a charging portion to determine a predetermined cost for the processing procedure, and to, when the processing defined by the capacity information does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, execute charging processing such that the predetermined cost is charged in a divided manner to the transmitting user and the destination user, wherein the divided manner is determined by taking into consideration both the processing procedure and the processing defined by the capacity information; and
a processor configured to control at least the foregoing portions.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 11, further
comprising a user data storing portion to store user data including a plurality of user records, each of the user records associating user identification information for identifying a user and apparatus identification information for identifying a respective apparatus used by the user, wherein:
said transmitting source accepting portion accepts user identification information from the user records for identifying a user as the transmitting user as the transmitting source specifying information;
said destination accepting portion accepts, as the destination specifying information, another user identification information from the user records for identifying a destination user of the data; and
said apparatus determining portion extracts from the user data the user record defining the destination specifying information and acquires, as the apparatus identification information for identifying the destination apparatus, the apparatus identification information associated with the destination specifying information.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:
an associating data generating portion to generate associating data associating the destination specifying information, the specified data, and the processing procedure;
an input portion to accept input of the user identification information;
a data acquiring portion to acquire the data associated with the accepted user identification information by the associating data; and
an executing portion to process the acquired data in accordance with the processing procedure associated with the accepted user identification information by the associating data,
wherein said charging portion executes the charging processing after processing of the data by said executing portion.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said restriction information acquiring portion further acquires individual restriction information for restricting processing executed in the destination apparatus by the user identified with the destination specifying information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a processing determining portion to determine executable processing, the executable processing being defined by the acquired capacity information and unrestricted by the acquired individual restriction information,
wherein when the determined executable processing includes all the processing defined by the processing procedure, said charging portion executes charging processing such that all processing charge for the data is charged to the destination user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:
a processing determining portion to determine executable processing, the executable processing being defined by the acquired capacity information and unrestricted by the acquired individual restriction information;
a restriction-charge calculating portion to, when the determined executable processing does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, calculate a restriction charge for processing of the data in accordance with such a procedure that the processing procedure is restricted within a range of the executable processing; and
a charge difference calculating portion to calculate a charge difference between a total charge for executing the processing in accordance with the processing procedure and the restriction charge,
wherein when the determined executable processing does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, said charging portion executes charging processing such that the charge difference is charged to the transmitting user and the restriction charge is charged to the destination user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a charging information display portion to display the charge difference.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:
a data transmitting portion to transmit the specified data to the destination apparatus; and
a permission accepting portion to accept a transmission permission instruction after the charge difference is displayed,
wherein said data transmitting portion transmits the data on condition that the transmission permission instruction is accepted.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a data transmitting portion to transmit the specified data to the destination apparatus,
wherein said charging portion executes the charging processing after transmission of the data by said data transmitting portion.

### Claim 20

An image processing apparatus comprising:
a processing procedure receiving portion to receive from a transmitting apparatus a processing procedure defining processing executed with respect to data and destination specifying information for specifying a user as a destination of the data;
a restriction information acquiring portion to acquire capacity information defining processing executable by said restriction information acquiring portion's own apparatus;
a charging portion to determine a predetermined cost for the processing procedure, and to, when the processing defined by the capacity information does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, execute charging processing such that the predetermined cost is charged in a divided manner to the transmitting user and the destination user, wherein the divided manner is determined by taking into consideration both the processing procedure and the processing defined by the capacity information; and
a processor configured to control at least the foregoing portions.

### Claim 21

A nontransitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon a charging program, said charging program causing a computer to execute the steps of:
accepting transmitting source specifying information for specifying a transmitting user;
accepting destination specifying information for specifying a user as a destination of data;
accepting specifying of the data;
accepting a processing procedure defining processing executed with respect to the specified data;
acquiring apparatus identification information for identifying a destination apparatus corresponding to the destination;
acquiring capacity information defining processing executable by the destination apparatus; and
executing charging processing for determining a predetermined cost for the processing procedure, such that when the processing defined by the capacity information does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, the predetermined cost is charged in a divided manner to the transmitting user and the destination user, wherein the divided manner is determined by taking into consideration both the processing procedure and the processing defined by the capacity information.

### Claim 22

A nontransitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon a charging program, said charging program causing a computer to execute the steps of:
receiving from a transmitting apparatus a processing procedure defining processing executed with respect to data and destination specifying information for specifying a user as a destination of the data;
acquiring capacity information defining processing executable by an apparatus provided with said computer; and
executing charging processing for determining a predetermined cost for the processing procedure, such that when the processing defined by the capacity information does not include part of the processing defined by the processing procedure, the predetermined cost is charged in a divided manner to the transmitting user and the destination user, wherein the divided manner is determined by taking into consideration both the processing procedure and the processing defined by the capacity information.