Image processing apparatus, server, and image processing system

An image processing system including an image processing apparatus which includes an image processing device configured to execute an image process;

• and a server which is configured to communicate with the image processing apparatus, the server is configured to store an upper limit for a processing amount of an image process, and to manage a processing amount of an image process so as not to exceed the upper limit, the image processing system comprising:
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing system to perform a request process comprising:
• determining a reservation request amount which is a processing amount of an image process to be requested to the server, based on execution information of the image process, the execution information including information of an image processing speed of the image processing apparatus;
• transmitting a permission request for a processing amount corresponding to the determined reservation request amount to the server, before executing the image process;
• and
• receiving a reservation amount which is a processing amount permitted by the server or unnecessity information indicating that reservation is not necessary, wherein the server is configured to permit the reservation amount so as not to exceed the upper limit of the processing amount in response to the permission request from the image processing apparatus;
• when the reservation amount is received, the image processing system executes the image process within the received reservation amount;
• and
• when the unnecessity information is received, the image processing system executes image process without a permission for a predetermined time period,
• when the predetermined time period elapses, the image processing system determines whether a job by the image processing device is completed;
• and
• when the job is determined to not be completed, the image processing system performs the request process.

An image processing system comprising:

• an image processing apparatus;
• and
• a server which is configured to communicate with the image processing apparatus,
• wherein the image processing apparatus comprises:
• an image processing device configured to execute an image process;
• a first communication unit;
• and
• a first controller configured to perform a request process comprising:
• determining a reservation request amount which is a processing amount of the image process where the reservation request amount becomes larger as image processing capability of the image processing device is larger;
• receiving a print instruction;
• and
• transmitting user information of the print instruction and the determined reservation request amount to the server via the first communication unit,
• wherein the server comprises:
• a second communication unit;
• a storage device configured to store an upper limit for a processing amount of an image process by the image processing device for each user information of a plurality of user information;
• a second controller configured to:
• receive the user information and the reservation request amount transmitted from the image processing apparatus via the second communication unit;
• determine if a reservation for executing the image process is necessary;
• transmit, via the second communication unit, to the image processing apparatus, the reservation request amount received as a reservation amount permitted when it is determined that the reservation is necessary and, when the received reservation request amount does not exceed the upper limit stored in the storage device for the received user information;
• and
• transmit, via the second communication unit, to the image processing apparatus, an amount, which is within the upper limit and within the reservation request amount received, as the reservation amount permitted when it is determined that the reservation is necessary and, when the received reservation request amount exceeds the upper limit stored in the storage device for the received user information,
• transmit, via the second communication unit, unnecessity information indicating that a reservation is not necessary, when it is determined that the reservation is not necessary;
• wherein the request process further comprises
• receiving the reservation amount or the unnecessity information via the first communication unit from the server;
• wherein the first controller is further configured to instruct the image processing device to execute the image process within the received reservation amount when the reservation amount is received,
• wherein the first controller is further configured to instruct the image processing device to execute the image process without a permission for a predetermined time period when the unnecessity information is received,
• when the predetermined time period elapses, the first controller is configured to determine whether a job by the image processing device is completed;
• and
• when the job is determined to not be completed, the first controller is configured to perform the request process.