JP6589828B2 - Image forming system and usage fee collection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system and a usage fee collection method.

  In general, an image forming system is known that can collect a usage fee according to a job such as copy processing executed by the image forming apparatus by a coin vendor connected to the image forming apparatus (for example, a patent). Reference 1).

JP 2005-62647 A

  However, it is expensive to install the coin vendor. Further, when the coin vendor is installed, there is a risk of being stolen by targeting the money in the coin vendor.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system and a usage fee collection method capable of collecting a usage fee at a low cost without the possibility of money being stolen.

  An image forming system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus and a mobile terminal. The image forming apparatus includes a job execution unit, a usage fee calculation unit, and a transmission processing unit, and the portable terminal includes a reception processing unit and a billing processing unit. The job execution unit executes a job according to a user operation. The usage fee calculation unit calculates a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to a job executed by the job execution unit. The transmission processing unit transmits usage fee information indicating the usage fee to the mobile terminal. The reception processing unit receives the usage fee information from the image forming apparatus. The charge processing unit executes a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to the use charge indicated by the use charge information is charged as the usage amount of the mobile terminal.

  A usage fee collection method according to one aspect of the present invention is a usage fee collection method for collecting a usage fee for an image forming apparatus in an image forming system including an image forming apparatus and a portable terminal. The usage fee collection method includes a job execution step, a usage fee calculation step, and a charging processing step. In the job execution step, a job is executed in the image forming apparatus according to a user operation. In the usage fee calculating step, a usage fee for the image forming apparatus is calculated in accordance with the job in the image forming apparatus. In the billing process step, a specific process is performed in which the mobile terminal charges a call charge or communication charge corresponding to the usage charge as the usage amount of the mobile terminal.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming system and a usage fee collection method capable of collecting a usage fee at a low cost without fear of money being stolen.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of usage fee collection processing executed in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a job setting screen displayed in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a telephone number input screen displayed on the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a short message used in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a confirmation screen displayed in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a short message used in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a short message used in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modification of the configuration of the mobile terminal in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention. The following embodiment is an example embodying the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[Configuration of image forming system]
As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus 10 and a mobile terminal 20. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 is installed in a store, and the mobile terminal 20 is carried by a user who visits the store.

  The image forming apparatus 10 and the portable terminal 20 can transmit and receive a short text message (hereinafter referred to as “short message”) through the telephone network 30 using a short message service (SMS). The short message may be referred to as “text message” or simply “text”.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an operation display unit 11, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 12, an image reading unit 13, an image forming unit 14, a communication I / F 15, a storage unit 16, and a control unit 17. Etc. Specifically, the image forming apparatus 10 is a multifunction machine having a printer function, a scanner function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and the like. The present invention is not limited to a multi-function machine, and can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile machine.

  The operation display unit 11 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display that displays information, and an operation unit such as a touch panel and operation buttons that accept user operations.

  The ADF 12 is an automatic document conveyance device that includes a document setting unit, a conveyance roller, a document pressing unit, and a paper discharge unit, and conveys a document to be read by the image reading unit 13.

  The image reading unit 13 includes a document table, a light source, a mirror, an optical lens, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), and can read an image of the document and output it as image data.

  The image forming unit 14 can execute a printing process based on image data by an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method, and forms an image on a sheet based on the image data. For example, when the image forming unit 14 is an electrophotographic image forming unit, the image forming unit 14 includes a photosensitive drum, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing device.

  The communication I / F 15 is a call process or a communication process according to a predetermined communication protocol with an external facsimile apparatus or an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer via a communication network such as a telephone line, the Internet, or a LAN. It is a communication interface capable of executing.

  The storage unit 16 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a hard disk or an EEPROM (registered trademark). The storage unit 16 stores various control programs executed by the control unit 17, various data, and the like.

  The control unit 17 includes control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or nonvolatile storage unit used as a temporary storage memory (working area) for various processes executed by the CPU.

  By the way, it is conceivable to connect a coin vendor to the image forming apparatus 10 and collect a usage fee according to a job such as copy processing executed in the image forming apparatus 10. However, it is expensive to install the coin vendor. Further, when the coin vendor is installed, there is a risk of being stolen by targeting the money in the coin vendor. On the other hand, in the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment, there is no risk of money being stolen, and the usage fee can be collected at a low cost.

  Specifically, the control unit 17 includes a job setting unit 171, a usage fee calculation unit 172, an input reception unit 173, a confirmation processing unit 174, a job execution unit 175, and a transmission processing unit 176. The control unit 17 functions as each of these processing units by executing various processes according to the control program. Moreover, the control part 17 may be provided with the electronic circuit which implement | achieves a part or some processing function of each of these process parts.

  The job setting unit 171 sets job contents such as copy processing to be executed in the image forming apparatus 10 in accordance with a user operation on the operation display unit 11. For example, the job setting unit 171 sets an operation condition (for example, paper size, color / monochrome, number of sheets, etc.) for copy processing in response to a user operation on the job setting screen P1 shown in FIG.

  The usage fee calculation unit 172 calculates the usage fee of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the job set by the job setting unit 171 (that is, the job executed by the job execution unit 175). For example, the usage fee calculation unit 172 calculates the usage fee according to the copy processing operation conditions set by the job setting unit 171.

  The input reception unit 173 receives an input of the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 before the job is executed by the job execution unit 175. For example, the input receiving unit 173 receives an input of the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 through the telephone number input screen P2 shown in FIG.

  The confirmation processing unit 174 transmits confirmation information to the portable terminal 20 before the job is executed by the job execution unit 175. The confirmation information is information transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 in order to confirm with the user whether or not the usage fee may be charged. The confirmation information may be information that can be recognized at least on the mobile terminal 20 side as information transmitted from the image forming apparatus 10. For example, the confirmation processing unit 174 may transmit the confirmation information to the portable terminal 20 by a short message using the telephone number received by the input reception unit 173. In the present embodiment, the confirmation processing unit 174 transmits a short message M1 as shown in FIG. 5 to the mobile terminal 20 as an example of the confirmation information. The short message M1 shown in FIG. 5 includes a character string “#MFP Count Kyocera #” indicating that the short message M1 is transmitted from the image forming apparatus 10. The short message M1 includes a character string “Amount = 150” indicating that the usage fee is 150 yen, “Size = A4”, “Color = Color”, and “Num = 3” indicating the job contents. "And a character string of" ".

  Note that the confirmation processing unit 174 is not limited to the short message service. You may transmit to the terminal 20. For example, when the confirmation information is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 using an e-mail, instead of accepting the input of the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 by the input receiving unit 173, the e-mail address of the mobile terminal 20 is input. Accept it. In addition, when the confirmation information is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 using short-range wireless communication, a communication cable, infrared communication, or a two-dimensional code, the input receiving unit 173 may be omitted.

  The image forming apparatus 10 normally has a function of performing facsimile communication through the telephone network 30. Therefore, by adopting a configuration in which the confirmation processing unit 174 transmits the confirmation information to the portable terminal 20 through the telephone network 30 by a short message, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of the image forming apparatus 10.

  The job execution unit 175 executes a job according to a user operation. For example, the job execution unit 175 controls the image reading unit 13 and the image forming unit 14 based on the operation conditions of the copy process set by the job setting unit 171 according to the user operation, and executes the copy process.

  The transmission processing unit 176 transmits usage fee information indicating the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculation unit 172 to the mobile terminal 20. In the present embodiment, the transmission processing unit 176 transmits a short message M3 as shown in FIG. 8 to the mobile terminal 20 after the job execution unit 175 completes the job. The short message M3 shown in FIG. 8 includes a character string “Amount = 150” indicating that the usage fee is 150 yen as the usage fee information.

  Note that the transmission processing unit 176 is not limited to the short message service. You may transmit to the portable terminal 20. The image forming apparatus 10 normally has a function of performing facsimile communication through the telephone network 30. Therefore, by adopting a configuration in which the transmission processing unit 176 transmits the usage fee information to the portable terminal 20 through the telephone network 30 by a short message, an increase in cost of the image forming apparatus 10 can be suppressed.

[Configuration of mobile terminal]
As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 20 includes an operation display unit 21, a communication I / F 22, a storage unit 23, a control unit 24, and the like. The mobile terminal 20 is, for example, a smartphone having a call function.

  The operation display unit 21 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display that displays information, and an operation unit such as a touch panel and operation buttons that accept user operations.

  The communication I / F 22 is in accordance with call processing or a predetermined communication protocol with an information processing apparatus such as an external smartphone, a web server, or a personal computer via a communication network such as a telephone line, the Internet, or a LAN. It is a communication interface capable of executing communication processing.

  The storage unit 23 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a flash memory. The storage unit 23 stores various control programs executed by the control unit 24, various data, and the like.

  The control unit 24 includes control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or nonvolatile storage unit used as a temporary storage memory (working area) for various processes executed by the CPU.

  Specifically, the control unit 24 includes a display control unit 241, an approval processing unit 242, a reception processing unit 243, and a charging processing unit 244. The control unit 24 functions as each of these processing units by executing various processes according to the control program. Further, the control unit 24 may include an electronic circuit that realizes a part or a plurality of processing functions of each of these processing units.

  The display control unit 241 displays a confirmation screen P3 in response to receiving the confirmation information from the image forming apparatus 10. For example, when the short message M 1 as shown in FIG. 5 is received as the confirmation information from the image forming apparatus 10, the display control unit 241 displays a confirmation screen P 3 as shown in FIG. 6 on the operation display unit 21. To do. On the confirmation screen P3 shown in FIG. 6, information on the usage fee and job content included in the received short message M1 is displayed. The confirmation screen P3 includes an OK key for approving that the usage fee is charged and a cancel key for refusing to charge the usage fee.

  The approval processing unit 242 transmits approval information to the image forming apparatus 10 in response to a user's approval operation on the confirmation screen P3 (for example, an OK key operation on the confirmation screen P3 shown in FIG. 6). The approval information is information transmitted to the image forming apparatus 10 to notify that the user has approved that the usage fee is charged. The approval information may be at least information that allows the image forming apparatus 10 to recognize that the user has approved that the usage fee is charged. For example, the approval processing unit 242 may transmit the approval information to the mobile terminal 20 by a short message. In the present embodiment, the approval processing unit 242 transmits a short message M2 as illustrated in FIG. 7 to the image forming apparatus 10 as an example of the approval information. The short message M2 shown in FIG. 7 includes a character string “User = Approved” indicating that the user has approved that the usage fee is charged. Further, the short message M2 includes the same information as the information included in the short message M1 shown in FIG.

  Note that the approval processing unit 242 is not limited to the short message service, and for example, the approval information is imaged using an arbitrary transmission method such as e-mail, short-range wireless communication, communication cable, infrared communication, or two-dimensional code. It may be transmitted to the forming apparatus 10.

  When the approval information transmitted by the approval processing unit 242 is received by the image forming apparatus 10, the job execution unit 175 of the image forming apparatus 10 sets a job corresponding to the approval information (that is, set by the job setting unit 171). Job) is executed. Thereafter, the usage fee information indicating the usage fee corresponding to the job is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 by the transmission processing unit 176 of the image forming apparatus 10.

  The reception processing unit 243 receives the usage fee information from the image forming apparatus 10 (that is, the usage fee information transmitted by the transmission processing unit 176 of the image forming apparatus 10). For example, the reception processing unit 243 receives a short message M3 as illustrated in FIG. 8 from the image forming apparatus 10. The short message M3 shown in FIG. 8 includes a character string “Job = Success.” Indicating that the job has been successfully executed. The short message M3 includes a character string “Amount = 150” indicating that the usage fee for the execution of the job is 150 yen as the usage fee information.

  The billing processing unit 244 executes a specific process in which a call charge or communication charge corresponding to the use fee indicated by the use fee information received by the reception processing unit 243 is charged as the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20. That is, when the specific processing is executed by the billing processing unit 244, the amount corresponding to the usage fee is collected in the form of the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20. For example, when the payment method of the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20 is a post-payment (post-pay) method, a call charge or communication charge corresponding to the specific processing is collected by a communication service provider at a later date. On the other hand, when the payment method of the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20 is a prepaid method, an amount corresponding to the usage fee is subtracted from a prepaid balance charged in advance.

  The specific process is, for example, a process of transmitting a short message of the number or amount corresponding to the usage fee indicated by the usage fee information for a predetermined specific telephone number (for example, the telephone number of the image forming apparatus 10). May be. For example, when the usage fee is 150 yen and the short message transmission fee is 3 yen per message, the billing processing unit 244 performs 50 short message transmission processes as the specific process. Thereby, the amount corresponding to the usage fee of the image forming apparatus 10 is collected by the communication service provider as a transmission fee for the transmission processing of the short message. The short message transmitted in the specific process is not transmitted to convey any information, but is a short message transmitted for charging the usage fee (hereinafter referred to as a charging short message). . Therefore, the content of the billing short message is arbitrary, and may be, for example, an empty short message. Note that the information related to the short message transmission fee (for example, information of 3 yen per message) may be included in, for example, a control program executed on the mobile terminal 20 or stored in the storage unit 23 in advance. It may be.

  In another example, the specific process is a call process for a predetermined telephone number (for example, the telephone number of the image forming apparatus 10) for a time corresponding to a usage fee indicated by the usage fee information. Also good. For example, when the usage fee is 150 yen and the call charge for the call process is 30 yen per minute, the billing processing unit 244 performs a call process for 5 minutes as the specific process. As a result, the amount corresponding to the usage fee of the image forming apparatus 10 is collected by the communication service provider as a call charge for the call processing. Note that the user cannot use the call function of the mobile terminal 20 during the period (for example, 5 minutes) during which the call processing is performed by the billing processing unit 244, which is inconvenient. Therefore, the billing processing unit 244 may execute the call processing in a predetermined time zone (for example, at night). In this case, the user may be able to arbitrarily set the time zone during which the call process is executed. Note that the call process executed in the specific process is not for transmitting any information, but for charging the usage fee. Therefore, the content of the audio signal transmitted by the call process is arbitrary, and may be a silent audio signal, for example. The information related to the call charge (for example, information of 30 yen per minute) may be included in, for example, a control program executed on the mobile terminal 20 or may be stored in the storage unit 23 in advance. Good.

  The server device (not shown) of the communication service provider has a telephone number used in the specific process (that is, the telephone number of the destination of the billing short message or the telephone number of the other party of the call process) ) Is recorded as call history information or communication history information. Therefore, the call history having the specific telephone number (for example, the telephone number of the image forming apparatus 10) as a transmission partner or a call partner from the call history information or the communication history information recorded in the server device. By extracting the information or the communication history information, it is possible to easily determine a call process or a communication process performed for charging the usage fee of the image forming apparatus 10. Therefore, it is possible to collect a usage fee for the image forming apparatus 10 without making a major change to the server apparatus.

[Usage fee collection processing]
Next, an example of the procedure of the usage fee collection process executed in cooperation by the control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 10 and the control unit 24 of the portable terminal 20 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, steps S11, S12,... Represent the numbers of processing procedures (steps) executed by the control unit 17 or the control unit 24. The usage fee collection process is started in response to, for example, a predetermined user operation (for example, a copy key operation) on the image forming apparatus 10.

<Step S11>
First, in step S <b> 11, the control unit 17 (job setting unit 171) of the image forming apparatus 10 sets job contents such as copy processing to be executed in the image forming apparatus 10 in accordance with a user operation on the operation display unit 11. To do. For example, the control unit 17 sets an operation condition (for example, paper size, color / monochrome, number of sheets, etc.) for copy processing in response to a user operation on the job setting screen P1 shown in FIG.

<Step S12>
In step S12, the control unit 17 (use fee calculation unit 172) of the image forming apparatus 10 calculates the use fee of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the job set in step S11. The usage fee may be displayed on a job setting screen P1, for example, as shown in FIG. Step S12 is an example of the “use fee calculation step” in the present invention. When a predetermined setting end operation (for example, an OK key operation on the job setting screen P1 shown in FIG. 3) is detected, the process proceeds to step S13.

<Step S13>
In step S <b> 13, the control unit 17 (input reception unit 173) of the image forming apparatus 10 receives input of the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 through the operation display unit 11. For example, the control unit 17 receives an input of the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 through the telephone number input screen P2 shown in FIG. When a predetermined input end operation (for example, an OK key operation on the telephone number input screen P2 shown in FIG. 4) is detected, the process proceeds to step S14.

<Step S14>
In step S <b> 14, the control unit 17 (confirmation processing unit 174) of the image forming apparatus 10 transmits the confirmation information to the mobile terminal 20. For example, the control unit 17 transmits the short message M1 shown in FIG. 5 to the portable terminal 20 as the confirmation information using the telephone number input in step S13. The short message M1 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 through the communication I / F 15 and the telephone network 30.

<Step S15>
In step S15, the control unit 24 of the portable terminal 20 receives the confirmation information (for example, the short message M1 shown in FIG. 5) transmitted from the image forming apparatus 10 in step S14 through the communication I / F 22.

<Step S16>
In step S16, the control unit 24 (display control unit 241) of the mobile terminal 20 displays a confirmation screen P3 on the operation display unit 21 based on the confirmation information received in step S15. For example, the control unit 24 displays the confirmation screen P3 shown in FIG. 6 on the operation display unit 21 based on the content of the short message M1 shown in FIG. 5 received in step S15.

<Step S17>
In step S <b> 17, the control unit 24 (approval processing unit 242) of the mobile terminal 20 responds to the user's approval operation on the confirmation screen P <b> 3 (for example, the operation of the OK key on the confirmation screen P <b> 3 shown in FIG. 6). The approval information is transmitted to 10. For example, the control unit 24 transmits a short message M2 shown in FIG. 7 to the image forming apparatus 10 as the approval information. The short message M2 is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 10 through the communication I / F 22 and the telephone network 30.

  When the cancel key on the confirmation screen P3 shown in FIG. 6 is operated, for example, a signal indicating that fact is transmitted from the portable terminal 20 to the image forming apparatus 10, and the execution of the job is cancelled. .

<Step S18>
In step S18, the control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 10 receives the approval information (for example, the short message M2 shown in FIG. 7) transmitted from the portable terminal 20 in the step S17 through the communication I / F 15.

<Step S19>
In step S19, the control unit 17 (job execution unit 175) of the image forming apparatus 10 executes the job according to the content set in step S11. Step S19 is an example of a job execution step of the present invention.

<Step S20>
In step S20, the control unit 17 (transmission processing unit 176) of the image forming apparatus 10 transmits the usage fee information indicating the usage fee corresponding to the job executed in step S19 to the portable terminal 20. For example, the control unit 17 transmits the short message M3 shown in FIG. The short message M3 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 through the communication I / F 15 and the telephone network 30.

  The usage fee indicated by the usage fee information transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 in step S20 is basically the same as the usage fee calculated in step S12. However, if the job is canceled halfway due to an error or a user instruction in the step S19, the control unit 17 (utilization fee calculation unit 172) determines the usage fee based on the actually output number. May be recalculated. In this case, in step S20, the usage fee information indicating the usage fee after recalculation is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20.

<Step S21>
In step S <b> 21, the control unit 24 (reception processing unit 243) of the portable terminal 20 receives the usage fee information transmitted from the image forming apparatus 10 in step S <b> 20 through the communication I / F 22. For example, the control unit 24 receives the short message M3 shown in FIG.

<Step S22>
In step S <b> 22, the control unit 24 (billing processing unit 244) of the mobile terminal 20 uses the call charge or communication charge corresponding to the use charge indicated by the use charge information received in step S <b> 21 as the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20. The specific process is executed so that the user is charged. Here, the control unit 24 transmits the charging short message in the number or amount corresponding to the usage fee to the image forming apparatus 10. The accounting short message is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 10 through the communication I / F 22 and the telephone network 30. Step S22 is an example of the “billing process step” in the present invention.

<Step S23>
In step S23, the control unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 10 receives the accounting short message transmitted from the portable terminal 20 in step S22 through the communication I / F 15. The received billing short message may be discarded as it is. Or you may memorize | store in the memory | storage part 16 grade | etc., As a log as needed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the specific process is executed in the mobile terminal 20 according to the usage fee of the image forming apparatus 10. As a result, the usage fee for the image forming apparatus 10 is charged as the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20. Therefore, there is no possibility that money is stolen, and it is possible to collect a usage fee at low cost.

  In the present embodiment, the confirmation information (for example, the short message M1 shown in FIG. 5) is stored in the mobile terminal 20 based on the phone number of the mobile terminal 20 input through the phone number input screen P2 shown in FIG. Sent to. Then, the job is started in response to a user operation (the approval operation) on the confirmation screen P3 displayed on the mobile terminal 20. That is, when the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 input through the telephone number input screen P2 is not a correct telephone number (that is, the telephone number of the mobile terminal 20 carried by the user), the job is not executed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image forming apparatus 10 from being used illegally by inputting a fake telephone number on the telephone number input screen P2.

[Modification]
By the way, when the payment method of the usage amount of the mobile terminal 20 is a prepaid method, if the prepaid balance is insufficient, the specific processing according to the usage fee of the image forming apparatus 10 may not be executed. Therefore, in another embodiment, the mobile terminal 20 may check whether or not the prepaid balance is sufficient before transmitting the approval information to the image forming apparatus 10. Hereinafter, the modification will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of the configuration of the mobile terminal 20 according to this modification. The image forming apparatus 10 is the same as that shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a balance confirmation unit 245 is provided in the mobile terminal 20 of the present modification. Whether the balance confirmation unit 245 has a prepaid balance used for payment of a call charge or a communication charge in the mobile terminal 20 with respect to the usage fee included in the confirmation information (for example, the short message M1 shown in FIG. 5). Confirm whether or not. This process is performed immediately after step S15 in the flowchart shown in FIG. As a method for confirming whether or not the prepaid balance is sufficient, for example, a method of referring to the prepaid balance stored in the storage unit 23 of the mobile terminal 20 is conceivable. Further, as another method for checking whether or not the prepaid balance is sufficient, for example, a predetermined short message for inquiring the prepaid balance is transmitted to the server device (not shown) of the communication service provider, and the prepaid balance is transmitted. A method for inquiring the balance can be considered.

  When the balance confirmation unit 245 confirms that the prepaid balance is sufficient, the approval operation is performed after the display control unit 241 displays the confirmation screen (for example, the confirmation screen P3 shown in FIG. 6). In response, the approval processing unit 242 transmits the approval information to the image forming apparatus 10. On the other hand, when the balance confirmation unit 245 confirms that the prepaid balance is insufficient, for example, a message indicating that fact is displayed on the operation display unit 21 of the portable terminal 20 and the execution of the job is performed. Canceled.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming system 10 Image forming apparatus 171 Job setting part 172 Usage fee calculation part 173 Input reception part 174 Confirmation process part 175 Job execution part 176 Transmission process part 20 Portable terminal 241 Display control part 242 Approval process part 243 Reception process part 244 Charge Processing unit 245 Balance confirmation unit 30 Telephone network M1 Short message M2 Short message M3 Short message P1 Job setting screen P2 Telephone number input screen P3 Confirmation screen

Claims (9)

An image forming apparatus and a mobile terminal;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A job execution unit that executes jobs in response to user operations;
A usage fee calculation unit that calculates a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to a job executed by the job execution unit;
A transmission processing unit that transmits usage fee information indicating the usage fee to the mobile terminal,
The portable terminal is
A reception processing unit that receives the usage fee information from the image forming apparatus;
A charge processing unit that executes a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to the use charge indicated by the use charge information is charged as a usage amount of the mobile terminal,
The specific process is a process of transmitting a short message of a number or amount corresponding to a usage fee indicated by the usage fee information for a predetermined specific telephone number.
Image forming system. An image forming apparatus and a mobile terminal;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A job execution unit that executes jobs in response to user operations;
A usage fee calculation unit that calculates a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to a job executed by the job execution unit;
A transmission processing unit that transmits usage fee information indicating the usage fee to the mobile terminal,
The portable terminal is
A reception processing unit that receives the usage fee information from the image forming apparatus;
A charge processing unit that executes a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to the use charge indicated by the use charge information is charged as a usage amount of the mobile terminal,
The specific process is a call process for a time corresponding to a usage fee indicated by the usage fee information for a predetermined specific telephone number,
The billing processing unit executes the call processing in a predetermined specific time zone.
Image forming system. The specific telephone number is a telephone number of the image forming apparatus;
The image forming system according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus includes:
A confirmation processing unit that transmits confirmation information to the mobile terminal before the job is executed by the job execution unit;
The portable terminal is
A display control unit that displays a confirmation screen in response to receiving the confirmation information from the image forming apparatus;
An approval processing unit that transmits approval information to the image forming apparatus in response to a user's approval operation for the confirmation screen,
The job execution unit executes the job in response to receiving the approval information from the mobile terminal;
The image forming system according to claim 1. An image forming apparatus and a mobile terminal;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A job execution unit that executes jobs in response to user operations;
A usage fee calculation unit that calculates a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to a job executed by the job execution unit;
A confirmation processing unit that transmits confirmation information including the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculation unit to the job before the job is executed by the job execution unit;
A transmission processing unit that transmits usage fee information indicating the usage fee to the mobile terminal,
The portable terminal is
A reception processing unit that receives the usage fee information from the image forming apparatus;
A charge processing unit that executes a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to the use charge indicated by the use charge information is charged as a usage amount of the mobile terminal;
A display control unit that displays a confirmation screen in response to receiving the confirmation information from the image forming apparatus;
An approval processing unit that transmits approval information to the image forming apparatus in accordance with a user's approval operation on the confirmation screen;
A balance confirmation unit for confirming whether a prepaid balance used for payment of a call charge or a communication charge in the mobile terminal is sufficient for a usage fee included in the confirmation information, and
The job execution unit executes the job in response to receiving the approval information from the mobile terminal,
The approval processing unit transmits the approval information to the image forming apparatus according to the approval operation when the balance confirmation unit confirms that the prepaid balance is sufficient.
Image forming system. The image forming apparatus further includes an input receiving unit that receives an input of a telephone number of the mobile terminal,
The confirmation processing unit transmits the confirmation information to the portable terminal by a short message using the telephone number received by the input receiving unit.
The image forming system according to claim 5. A usage fee collection method for collecting a usage fee for the image forming apparatus in an image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus and a portable terminal,
A job execution step of executing a job in response to a user operation in the image forming apparatus;
A usage fee calculating step of calculating a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to the job in the image forming apparatus;
A charging process step of executing a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to the usage charge is charged as a usage amount of the mobile terminal in the mobile terminal;
Including
The specific process for a specific telephone number predetermined a transmission processing of the number or amount of short message according to the prior cut for fees,
Usage fee collection method. A usage fee collection method for collecting a usage fee for the image forming apparatus in an image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus and a portable terminal,
A job execution step of executing a job in response to a user operation in the image forming apparatus;
A usage fee calculating step of calculating a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to the job in the image forming apparatus;
A billing process step of executing a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to the usage fee is charged as a usage amount of the portable terminal in the portable terminal;
Including
The specific process for a specific telephone number predetermined a call processing time duration in accordance with the prior cut for fees,
The billing processing step executes the call processing in a predetermined specific time zone.
Usage fee collection method. A usage fee collection method for collecting a usage fee for the image forming apparatus in an image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus and a portable terminal,
A job execution step of executing a job in response to a user operation in the image forming apparatus;
A usage fee calculating step of calculating a usage fee of the image forming apparatus according to the job in the image forming apparatus;
A confirmation step of transmitting confirmation information including the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculation step to the job before the job is executed by the job execution step;
A reception processing step of receiving usage fee information indicating the usage fee from the image forming apparatus in the portable terminal;
A billing process step of executing a specific process in which a call charge or a communication charge corresponding to a use fee indicated by the use fee information is charged as a usage amount of the portable terminal in the portable terminal;
A display control step for displaying a confirmation screen in response to receiving the confirmation information from the image forming apparatus in the portable terminal;
An approval processing step of transmitting approval information to the image forming apparatus in response to a user's approval operation for the confirmation screen in the mobile terminal;
A balance confirmation step for confirming whether or not a prepaid balance used for payment of a call charge or a communication charge in the portable terminal is sufficient for the usage fee included in the confirmation information in the portable terminal;
Including
The job execution step executes the job in response to receiving the approval information from the mobile terminal,
The approval processing step transmits the approval information to the image forming apparatus according to the approval operation when it is confirmed that the prepaid balance is sufficient in the balance confirmation step.
Usage fee collection method.

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