Management system, management program, and printer program

Abstract

To provide a management system, a management program and a printer program for achieving both user's convenience in changing a printer with a shipping service contract and a permission to use a contracted cartridge only in the printer with a shipping service contract.SOLUTION: A control part of a management server associates identification information of a second printer with a first cartridge identification information of a first printer cartridge and stores them in a server storage part in response to a change request. A control part of the second printer transmits an inquiry to the management server (S8) if the contracted cartridge is not before a use start, permits to use the cartridge (S11) if identification information of a second printer cartridge is stored as the first cartridge identification information to be associated with device identification information in a server storage part (S9: YES), and does not permit a cartridge use (S12) if not stored (S9: NO).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a management system, a management program, and a printing device program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a fixed-price delivery service is known for an image forming device, which allows printing up to a preset number of sheets for a predetermined period of time at a fixed usage fee, and automatically delivers cartridges according to the cartridge usage status. In order to shorten the period during which the delivery service is temporarily unavailable when changing the printing device with which the delivery service is contracted, the image forming device described in Patent Document 1 executes a prohibition process for prohibiting the use of the consumables in other image forming devices by rewriting the first status information stored in the consumables memory or main body memory to an old product when the first status information indicates a new product, and an update process for updating the second status information to indicate temporary usability in other image forming devices when a contract cancellation instruction is received to cancel the contract for the image forming device with which a contract has been concluded. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-85744 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional image forming apparatus, the update process is performed to update the second status information to indicate that the image forming apparatus is temporarily usable by other image forming apparatuses, which may impair the effectiveness of the prohibition process.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a management system, management program, and printing device program that achieves both user convenience when changing printing devices for which a shipping service has been contracted and permission to use contract cartridges only in printing devices for which a shipping service has been contracted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A management system according to a first aspect of the present invention is a management system configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of printing devices in which cartridges containing coloring material are mounted, and a management server that manages the cartridges used in each of the plurality of printing devices including a first printing device and a second printing device, the management server including a server control unit and a server storage unit, the server control unit including a first reception process receiving a start request for a contract for a shipping service to ship a cartridge to be used in the first printing device, a second reception process receiving from the first printing device cartridge information including type information indicating a type of the cartridge and usage information indicating a usage status of the coloring material of the cartridge for the cartridge mounted in the first printing device that is a target of the shipping service, based on the cartridge information, when it is determined that a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge mounted in the first printing device needs to be replaced is established, a first instruction process instructing the shipping of a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within a contract period of the shipping service, and a second instruction process instructing the shipping of a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within a contract period of the shipping service, based on the cartridge information, when a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge mounted in the first printing device needs to be replaced is established ... a third receiving process for receiving a change request for requesting that the cartridge type information of the cartridge mounted on the first printing device be changed to another printing device different from the first printing device; a storage control process for storing first cartridge identification information, which is identification information of the cartridge mounted on the first printing device, and device identification information, which is identification information of the second printing device, in association with each other in the server storage unit in response to the reception of the change request; and a change process for changing the target of the delivery service from the first printing device to the second printing device in response to the reception of the change request, wherein the first printing device comprises a first device control unit, and the first device control unit executes a cartridge information sending process for sending to the management server the cartridge information of the cartridge mounted on the first printing device that is the target of the delivery service, and the second printing device comprises a second device control unit, and the second device control unit executes a cartridge determination process for determining whether usage information of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device is before use when type information of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device is the contract cartridge after the change request is received by the management server;and executing an inquiry sending process to send an inquiry to the management server, the inquiry including the device identification information of the second printing device and second cartridge identification information which is identification information of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device, when it is determined that the usage information is not before use has started, and the server control unit executes a determination result sending process to send to the second printing device a determination result as to whether the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the server storage unit as the first cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information of the second printing device in response to receiving the inquiry from the second printing device, and the second device control unit executes a cartridge management process to permit use of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device when the determination result is a positive result, and to not permit use of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device when the determination result is a negative result. The inquiry sending process, the determination result sending process, and the cartridge management process of the management system contribute to enabling a contract cartridge which has been used in the first printing device after use to continue to be used in the second printing device when the printing device subject to the shipping service is changed from the first printing device to another printing device different from the first printing device. The query transmission process, determination result transmission process, and cartridge management process of the management system contribute to restricting a contract cartridge that has been used in a first printing device from being used in a printing device that is not related to the first printing device. Therefore, the management system contributes to achieving both convenience for the user when changing printing devices for which a shipping service has been contracted and permission to use a contract cartridge only in printing devices for which a shipping service has been contracted.

[0007] A management program according to a second aspect of the present invention is a management program executed by a server control unit of a management server of a management system configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of printing devices in which cartridges containing coloring material are installed, and a management server that manages the cartridges used in each of the plurality of printing devices including a first printing device and a second printing device, the management program including: a first reception process that receives, in the server control unit, a start request for requesting the start of a contract for a shipping service for shipping cartridges to be used in the first printing device; a second reception process that receives from the first printing device cartridge information for the cartridges installed in the first printing device that is a target of the shipping service, the cartridge information including type information indicating the type of the cartridge and usage information indicating the usage status of the coloring material of the cartridge; and a first reception process that instructs the shipping of a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within a contract period of the shipping service when it is determined based on the cartridge information that a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge installed in the first printing device needs to be replaced is established. the second printing device, in response to receiving an inquiry from the second printing device, including the device identification information of the second printing device and the identification information of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device, and transmits to the second printing device a determination result as to whether the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the server memory unit as the first cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information of the second printing device.The determination result sending process of the management program contributes to sending to the second printing device the determination result used to determine whether a contract cartridge that has been used in the first printing device after it has started to be used may continue to be usable in the second printing device when the printing device subject to the shipping service is changed from the first printing device to another printing device different from the first printing device. The determination result sending process of the management program contributes to restricting the use of a contract cartridge that has been used in the first printing device after it has started to be used in a printing device unrelated to the first printing device. Thus, by being executed on the management server of the management system, the management program contributes to achieving both user convenience when changing printing devices contracted for the shipping service and permission to use the contract cartridge only in printing devices contracted for the shipping service.

[0008] A printing device program according to a third aspect of the present invention is a printing device program executed by a device control unit of a printing device in a management system configured to be capable of communicating with a printing device in which a cartridge containing a coloring material is installed and a management server that manages the cartridge used in the printing device, the printing device program including: a cartridge information transmission process that transmits to the management server, cartridge information for the cartridge installed in the printing device within a contract period of a shipping service that ships cartridges used in the printing device, the cartridge information including type information indicating the type of the cartridge and usage information indicating the usage status of the coloring material of the cartridge; and a cartridge information transmission process that transmits to the management server, when the type information of the cartridge installed in the printing device that is the target of the shipping service indicates that the cartridge is a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within the contract period. The method includes instructions to execute a cartridge determination process for determining whether the usage information of the cartridge is before use has started, a query transmission process for transmitting to the management server a query including device identification information, which is identification information of the printing device, and cartridge identification information, which is identification information of the cartridge mounted on the printing device, when it is determined that the usage information is not before use, and a cartridge management process for permitting use of the cartridge mounted on the printing device when a determination result transmitted from the management server in response to the query as to whether the cartridge identification information included in the query is stored in a server storage unit of the management server as cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information is positive, and not permitting use of the cartridge mounted on the printing device when the determination result is negative. The query transmission process and cartridge management process of the printing device program contribute to permitting continued use of a contract cartridge that has been in use at the time of a request to change the target of the shipping service, in a printing device after the target of the shipping service has been changed, based on the determination result transmitted from the management server in response to the query. The query transmission process and cartridge management process of the printing device program contribute to restricting use in a printing device that is not related to the printing device that is the target of the shipping service.Therefore, the printing device program contributes to achieving both convenience for users of the management system after the target of the shipping service has been changed and permission to use the contract cartridge only in printing devices that have contracted for the shipping service. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a management system 1 including a terminal device 2, a plurality of printing devices 3, a management server 4, and a delivery server 5. FIG. [Diagram 2] 13 is a flowchart of a management server process executed by the management server 4. [Diagram 3] 13 is a timing chart of a process executed by the management system 1 at the start of a delivery service in a specific example. [Figure 4] 11 is a flowchart of a printing device process executed by the printing device 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the transition of the mode of the printing device 3, the device identification information, and the cartridge information of the cartridges installed in the printing device 3. [Figure 6] 13 is a timing chart of the processes executed in the management system 1 in response to a change request and a registration request in a specific example. [Figure 7] 3 is a flowchart of a change process executed by the management server process of FIG. 2. [Figure 8] 3 is a flowchart of a registration change process executed by the management server process of FIG. 2; [Figure 9] 3 is a flowchart of an inquiry process executed by the management server process of FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A management system 1 and a management server 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the management system 1 includes a terminal device 2, a plurality of printing devices 3 including a first printing device 3A and a second printing device 3B, a management server 4, and a shipping server 5, which are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a WAN 6. WAN stands for Wide Area Network. The WAN 6 in this embodiment is the Internet. The management system 1 provides and manages a shipping service for the printing device 3 in response to a start request sent from the terminal device 2.

[0011] The shipping service is a service that charges according to the amount of printing within a contract period. The shipping service includes a shipping service that automatically delivers cartridges that can be used in the printing device 3, and a billing service that charges according to the number of printed sheets, which is the number of sheets of print media printed by the printing device 3. The cartridges in this embodiment are of three types: commercially available cartridges, hybrid cartridges, and contract cartridges. The commercially available cartridges are cartridges that can be purchased at regular stores. The hybrid cartridges are cartridges that are included with the printing device 3 when the printing device 3 is sold. The contract cartridges are cartridges exclusive to the shipping service that cannot be purchased at regular stores. The billing service is a service that charges a fixed amount for the number of printed sheets (hereinafter, the specified number) specified for each service plan within a service unit period (for example, one month), and charges an additional fee for printing beyond the specified number. If the number of printed sheets within a service unit period is less than the specified number, the surplus is carried over to the next service unit period. In the shipping service of this embodiment, the start time of the billing service is set according to the type of cartridge installed in the printing device 3 at the start of the shipping service contract.

[0012] The terminal device 2 of this embodiment is a personal computer. The terminal device 2 includes a control unit 11, a communication unit 12, a display unit 13, an input unit 14, and a storage unit 15. The control unit 11 includes a CPU 21 and a memory 22. The CPU 21 controls the terminal device 2 by executing a program stored in the memory 22. The memory 22 includes semiconductor memories such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. The communication unit 12 is a communication module for performing data communication with the management server 4 via the WAN 6. The display unit 13 is a liquid crystal display and can display various information. The input unit 14 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 11 in response to an input operation performed via the keyboard and the mouse. The storage unit 15 includes a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD and an SSD, and stores various data. HDD stands for Hard Disk Drive. SSD stands for Solid State Drive.

[0013] The multiple printing devices 3 each have the same configuration. In the following description, when the multiple printing devices 3 are not distinguished from one another, they are simply referred to as the printing device 3. The printing device 3 is an inkjet printer that uses four cartridges 71 to 74 to print, and includes a control unit 31, a communication unit 32, a display unit 33, an input unit 34, a printing unit 35, and a connector 36. The control unit 31 includes a CPU 41 and a memory 42. The CPU 41 controls the printing device 3 by executing a program stored in the memory 42. The memory 42 includes semiconductor memories such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory, and stores programs and various data. The communication unit 32 is a communication module that performs data communication with the management server 4 via the WAN 6. The display unit 33 is a liquid crystal display and can display various information. The input unit 34 includes a touch panel installed on the screen of the display unit 33 and switches installed around the screen of the display unit 33. The input unit 34 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 11 in response to an input operation performed by a user via the touch panel and the switches. The printing unit 35 includes a print head and is capable of printing images on a print medium using color materials contained in cartridges 71 to 74 .

[0014] The connector 36 outputs a detection signal corresponding to the type of the first cartridge 71, the second cartridge 72, the third cartridge 73, and the fourth cartridge 74 detachably mounted on the printing device 3 to the control unit 31. The coloring material in this embodiment is ink. The first cartridge 71 has a first memory 75 and contains a cyan coloring material. The second cartridge 72 has a second memory 76 and contains a magenta coloring material. The third cartridge 73 has a third memory 77 and contains a yellow coloring material. The fourth cartridge 74 has a fourth memory 78 and contains a black coloring material. Each of the memories 75 to 78 stores cartridge identification information, type information, remaining amount, and new product flag. The cartridge identification information is a unique serial number for identifying each cartridge. The cartridge identification information may include information indicating the color of the ink of the cartridge, the model number, the manufacturer, the production lot, etc. Although the cartridge identification information in this embodiment includes information specifying the expiration date, for the sake of simplicity of explanation, the cartridge identification information in this embodiment is a character string combining an alphabet and a four-digit number. For example, the cartridge identification information of the first cartridge 71 is "C0001". Type information indicates the type of cartridge. The remaining amount is information indicating the remaining amount of color material in the cartridge. As an example, the remaining amount is a value when the remaining amount of color material when unused is set to 100. The remaining amount may be an absolute amount of color material. The new product flag is information indicating whether the cartridge has not yet been used or has already been used, and if the cartridge has not yet been used, the value is "TRUE", and if the cartridge has already been used, the value is "FALSE". The initial value of the new product flag is "TRUE", and is set to "FALSE" by the process of S10 described below with reference to FIG. 4.

[0015] The management server 4 includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, and a communication unit 53. The control unit 51 includes a CPU 61 and a memory 62. The CPU 61 controls the management server 4 by executing a program stored in the memory 62. The memory 62 includes semiconductor memory such as a ROM, a RAM, and a flash memory, and stores programs including a management program 63 and data. The management program 63 is a computer program for causing the CPU 61 to realize a function of managing the delivery service. The storage unit 52 includes a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD and an SSD, and stores various data. The communication unit 53 is a communication module that performs data communication between the terminal device 2, the printer 3, and the delivery server 5 via the WAN 6.

[0016] The shipping server 5 includes a control unit, a communication unit, and a storage unit, and the control unit of the shipping server 5 executes a process of notifying a shipping worker to ship a cartridge in accordance with the contents of the cartridge shipping instruction in response to receiving a cartridge shipping instruction from the management server 4. The shipping worker ships the cartridge in response to the cartridge shipping instruction. The control unit of the shipping server 5 executes a process of notifying a shipping worker to ship a printing device 3 in accordance with the contents of the printing device shipping instruction in response to receiving a printing device shipping instruction from the management server 4. The shipping worker ships the printing device 3 in response to the printing device shipping instruction.

[0017] 2 to 9, the management server process executed by the management server 4 and the printing device process executed by the first printing device 3A and the second printing device 3B will be described in order of the process executed by the management system 1 when the delivery service is started, the process of requesting a change in the printing device 3 that is the target of the delivery service, and the process of registering the change in the printing device 3 that is the target of the delivery service. When the power is turned on, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 starts the management program 63 stored in the memory 62 and executes the management server process shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 6. When the control unit 11 of the terminal device 2 detects an instruction to access a website input by a user via the input unit 14, it starts the program stored in the memory 22 and executes the terminal process shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6. When the power is turned on, the control unit 31 of the printing devices 3A and 3B starts the program stored in the memory 42 and executes the printing device process shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 6. When the control unit of the delivery server 5 detects a delivery instruction from the management server 4, it starts the program stored in the memory and executes the delivery server process shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6.

[0018] As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 5, a process will be described in which a contract for a delivery service is started for the first printing device 3A and then the first printing device 3A breaks down during the contract period. The delivery service of this embodiment includes an exchange service that accepts the exchange of the printing device 3 when the printing device 3 that is the subject of the delivery service breaks down during the contract period. When the first printing device 3A that is the subject of the delivery service breaks down during the contract period, the user of the management system 1 requests the management server 4 to exchange the first printing device 3A via the terminal device 2. When the exchange of the first printing device 3A is requested, the management server 4 ships the second printing device 3B to the user. After receiving the second printing device 3B, the user transmits a request to the management server 4 to change the subject of the delivery service from the first printing device 3A to the second printing device 3B, and the management server 4 changes the registration of the subject of the delivery service from the first printing device 3A to the second printing device 3B. That is, in this embodiment, the printing device 3 before the registration change is the first printing device 3A, and the printing device 3 after the registration change is the second printing device 3B. In this embodiment, the first printing device 3A and the second printing device 3B are not registered as targets of the shipping service at the same time. The printing device processing described below is processing executed by each of the first printing device 3A and the second printing device 3B. Since the first printing device 3A and the second printing device 3B have the same configuration, the printing device processing will be described using the configuration of the printing device 3.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows the transition of the mode of the printing device 3, the device identification information, and the cartridge information of the cartridge installed in the printing device 3. The printing device 3 of this embodiment has a normal mode, which is a mode in which the shipping service is not contracted, and a contract mode, which is a mode within the contract period of the shipping service. When the printing device 3 is in the contract mode, the printing device 3 can use contract cartridges and also commercially available cartridges. On the other hand, when the printing device 3 is in the normal mode, the printing device 3 cannot use contract cartridges, but can use commercially available cartridges. The device identification information is a unique serial number for identifying each printing device 3. The device identification information of this embodiment includes information such as printing device information indicating the model of the printing device 3 and a serial number. For ease of explanation, the device identification information of this embodiment is a character string combining an alphabet and a four-digit number. In a specific example, the first device identification information of the first printing device 3A is "P0001", and the device identification information of the second printing device 3B is "P0011". The cartridge information includes type information indicating the type of cartridge and usage information indicating the usage status of the color material of the cartridge. The cartridge information is stored in memories 75 to 78 installed in the printing device 3, and is acquired by the printing device 3 via the connector 36. The printing device 3 can rewrite the cartridge information stored in the memories 75 to 78 via the connector 36. The cartridge information in this embodiment includes, as usage information, a remaining amount and a new product flag. The cartridge information in this embodiment further includes cartridge identification information.

[0020] 2, in the management server process, the control unit 51 determines whether access from the terminal device 2 is detected (S21). If access from the terminal device 2 is not detected (S21: NO), the control unit 51 determines whether an inquiry is received from a printing device 3 that is the target of the shipping service (S51). If an inquiry is not received (S51: NO), the control unit 51 returns the process to S21. If an inquiry is received (S51: YES), the control unit 51 executes an inquiry process (S52) similar to S58 described below, and returns the process to S21. The inquiry received in S51 is an inquiry sent in response to a change in the cartridge in the printing device 3 that is the target of the shipping service.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 11 of the terminal device 2 of the specific example accesses a website for providing a delivery service (hereinafter, a service website) that is set up in the management server 4 in response to an input operation by the user on the terminal device 2 via the input unit 14 (S101). When access from the terminal device 2 is detected (S21: YES), the control unit 51 performs an account creation / login process (S22). Specifically, the control unit 11 creates an account for using the delivery service in response to an input operation by the user on the terminal device 2, and logs in to the service website (S102). The control unit 51 of the management server 4 registers account information including the user's name, email address, and password in response to information received from the terminal device 2, creates an account, and logs in the terminal device 2 (S22).

[0022] The control unit 51 of the management server 4 waits until it receives from the terminal device 2 any one of a registration request, a change request, and a registration change request (S23: NO, S53: NO, S55: NO). The registration request requests that the printing device 3 subject to the shipping service be registered in the management server 4. The change request requests that the printing device 3 subject to the shipping service be changed within the contract period of the shipping service. The registration change request requests that the registration of the printing device 3 subject to the shipping service be changed after the change request. The control unit 11 of the terminal device 2 transmits a registration request including the device identification information of the first printing device 3A to the management server 4 (S103). When the control unit 51 of the management server 4 receives the registration request (S23: YES), it communicates with the first printing device 3A via the WAN 6 based on the device identification information of the first printing device 3A, and detects the first printing device 3A corresponding to the device identification information of the first printing device 3A (S24). When the management server 4 detects the first printing device 3A, it registers the first printing device 3A in the user's account as a printing device 3 subject to the shipping service, and sends a registration success notification to the terminal device 2 indicating that the registration was successful (S25).

[0023] In response to receiving the registration success notification, the terminal device 2 displays on the display unit 13 a screen for requesting the user to specify or input information required for applying for the shipping service of the first printing device 3A. The user operates the input unit 14 to specify or input information required for applying for the shipping service of the first printing device 3A, and inputs an instruction to transmit a start request from the terminal device 2 to the management server 4. In response to the detection signal detected by the input unit 14, the control unit 11 of the terminal device 2 transmits a start request to the management server 4 to apply for the shipping service for the first printing device 3A registered in the management server 4 in S25 (S104). The start request includes plan information indicating the type of plan for the applied shipping service, delivery destination information indicating the delivery destination of the cartridges, and payment information for deducting the usage fee for the shipping service. The payment information is, for example, a credit card number.

[0024] The control unit 51 of the management server 4 executes a first reception process to receive a start request to start a contract for a shipping service to ship cartridges used in the first printing device 3A (S26). The control unit 51 waits until the start request is received (S26: NO), and when the start request is received (S26: YES), the control unit 51 transmits to the first printing device 3A periodic information notification setting for periodically transmitting periodic information from the printing device 3 to the management server 4 (S27). When the first printing device 3A receives the periodic information notification setting, the first printing device 3A performs setting for periodically transmitting periodic information to the management server 4 according to the periodic information notification setting. The frequency of transmitting the periodic information may be set appropriately, for example, every hour. The periodic information in this embodiment includes firmware identification information, page count information, replacement count information, and cartridge information. The firmware identification information indicates the type and version of the firmware of the printing device 3. The page count information indicates the number of pages printed by the printing device 3. The replacement count information indicates the number of times each of the cartridges 71 to 74 has been replaced. In accordance with the periodic information notification setting, the first printing apparatus 3A performs processing to update the page count information, the exchange count information, and the cartridge information as needed depending on the use of the first printing apparatus 3A.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 31 of the printing device 3 judges whether a periodic information notification setting has been received from the management server 4 (S1). If the periodic information notification setting has not been received (S1: NO), the control unit 31 judges whether replacement of any of the cartridges 71 to 74 has been detected (S2). The control unit 31 may store cartridge identification information of each of the cartridges 71 to 74 mounted in the printing device 3 in the memory 42, and may judge that a cartridge has been replaced when the cartridge identification information stored in the memory 42 differs from the cartridge identification information acquired from each of the memories 75 to 78. If replacement of the cartridges 71 to 74 is not detected (S2: NO), the control unit 31 returns the process to S1. If the periodic information notification setting has been received (S1: YES) or if replacement of any of the cartridges 71 to 74 has been detected (S2: YES), the control unit 31 of the printing device 3 acquires cartridge information of each of the cartridges 71 to 74 mounted in the printing device 3 via the connector 36 (S3). In a specific example, when a periodic information notification setting is received (S1: YES), the control unit 31 of the first printing device 3A acquires cartridge information K1 for state J1 in Fig. 5. Cartridge information K1 indicates cartridge information acquired from each of memories 75 to 78. Cartridge information K1 indicates that cartridges 71 to 74 are all contracted cartridges and have not yet started to be used.

[0026] The control unit 31 acquires cartridge information of interest (S4). When a periodic information notification setting is received in S1, the control unit 31 acquires one of the cartridge information acquired in S3 in order as cartridge information of interest, and executes processing for each piece of cartridge information corresponding to the cartridge. When replacement of any of the cartridges 71 to 74 is detected in S2, the control unit 31 acquires, from the cartridge information acquired in S3, the cartridge information of the cartridge whose replacement was detected as the cartridge information of interest.

[0027] The control unit 31 judges whether the attention cartridge, which is the cartridge corresponding to the attention cartridge information, is within its expiration date based on the attention cartridge information (S5). Since the cartridge identification information in this embodiment indicates an expiration date, the control unit 31 judges whether the attention cartridge is within its expiration date based on whether the expiration date indicated in the cartridge identification information has passed. If the attention cartridge is not within its expiration date (S5: NO), the control unit 31 does not permit the attention cartridge to be used in the printing device 3 and makes it unusable (S12). The control unit 31 notifies the user of an error that a cartridge whose expiration date has passed cannot be used in the printing device 3 (S13). The control unit 31 notifies the user of the error by, for example, displaying an error message on the display unit 33.

[0028] If the cartridge 71 is the cartridge of interest, the control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A determines in the process of S5 that the cartridge of interest is within its expiration date (S5: YES), and the control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A determines whether the cartridge of interest is a contract cartridge based on the type information of the cartridge of interest (S6). If the cartridge of interest is not a contract cartridge but a normal cartridge or a hybrid cartridge (S6: NO), the control unit 31 permits the use of the cartridge of interest (S11) and performs the process of S14. Since the cartridge 71 of the specific example is a contract cartridge (S6: YES), the control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A determines whether the cartridge of interest has not yet been used based on the usage flag of the cartridge of interest information (S7). Since the usage flag of the cartridge 71 installed in the first printing apparatus 3A is TRUE, the control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A determines that the cartridge of interest has not yet been used (S7: YES), changes the usage flag of the cartridge of interest information from TRUE to FALSE, and updates the memory of the cartridge of interest (S10). The control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A permits the use of the target cartridge (S11), and performs the process of S14.

[0029] If the usage flag is FALSE, the control unit 31 determines that the target cartridge has already been used (S7: YES), and the control unit 31 sends an inquiry to the management server 4 (S8). The inquiry sent in response to the periodic information notification setting being received in S1 is received in S57 of the management server processing. The inquiry sent in response to the cartridge being replaced in S2 in the printing device 3 that is the target of the shipping service is received in S51 of the management server processing. The control unit 31 determines whether the notification sent from the management server 4 in response to the inquiry sent in S8 is an approval notification (S9). If the control unit 31 receives an approval notification (S9), it approves the use of the target cartridge (S11). If the control unit 31 receives an error notification instead of an approval notification (S9: NO), it does not approve the use of the target cartridge (S12), reports an error (S13), and executes the process of S14.

[0030] The control unit 31 judges whether all the cartridge information to be acquired as the target cartridge information has been acquired in S4 (S14). In a specific example, the control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A judges that all the cartridge information to be acquired as the target cartridge information has been acquired when each of the cartridges 71 to 74 has been acquired as the target cartridge. When replacement of any of the cartridges 71 to 74 is detected in S2, the control unit 31 judges that all the cartridge information to be acquired as the target cartridge information has been acquired when, among the cartridge information acquired in S3, the cartridge information of the cartridge whose replacement was detected is acquired in S4. If there is still cartridge information to be acquired as the target cartridge information (S14: NO), the control unit 31 returns the process to S4, acquires the next target cartridge information, and continues the process.

[0031] In a specific example, as shown in the cartridge information K2 in the state J2 of FIG. 5, the new product flags of the memories 75 to 78 are changed from TRUE to FALSE by the process of S10 that is repeatedly executed (S10), and the use of each of the cartridges 71 to 74 is permitted in S11 (S11). When all the cartridge information to be acquired as the target cartridge information is acquired in S4 (S14: YES), the control unit 31 of the first printing apparatus 3A transmits a periodic information notification including the cartridge information acquired in S3 to the management server 4 (S15). The control unit 31 executes the process of S15 as a cartridge information transmission process that transmits the cartridge information to the management server 4 within the contract period of the shipping service. It is preferable that the management server 4 determines that the cartridge determined to be unusable in S12 among the multiple cartridges installed in the printing apparatus 3 needs to be shipped. For this reason, the control unit 31 may not include the cartridge information of the cartridge determined to be unusable in S12 in the periodic information notification, and may include the determination result of S12 in the cartridge information. Based on the error notification in S13, the user may transmit a request to the management server 4 via the terminal device 2 to ship the cartridge that was disabled in S12. The control unit 31 returns the process to S1. When the power is turned off, the control unit 31 ends the printing device process.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 executes a second reception process to receive, from the printing device 3, cartridge information including type information indicating the type of cartridge and usage information indicating the usage status of the color material of the cartridge, within the contract period of the delivery service (S29). The management server 4 of this embodiment receives periodic information including cartridge information from the printing device 3. The control unit 51 waits until it receives a periodic information notification or an inquiry (S29: NO, S57: NO). When the management server 4 receives the periodic information notification (S29: YES), it sets a variable N to 1 for sequentially reading the cartridges included in the cartridge information, and initializes a flag F(N) (S30). The flag F(N) indicates whether the Nth cartridge is a commercially available cartridge, and when F(N) is set to 1, it indicates that the Nth cartridge is a commercially available cartridge, and when F(N) is set to 0, it indicates that the Nth cartridge is a service-compatible cartridge. The service-compatible cartridges are hybrid cartridges and contract cartridges. The initial value of F(N) is 0.

[0033] In S33 and S34, when it is determined based on the cartridge information that a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge mounted on the first printing device 3A needs to be replaced is satisfied, the control unit 51 executes a first instruction process to instruct the shipping of a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within the contract period of the shipping service. Specifically, the control unit 51 determines whether the Nth cartridge is a service compatible cartridge or not based on the type information included in the periodic information notification received in S29 (S31). If it is determined that the Nth cartridge is not a service compatible cartridge (S31: NO), the control unit 51 sets F(N) to 1 and transmits a shipping instruction for the Nth cartridge to the shipping server 5 (S34). As shown in FIG. 3, in response to receiving the shipping instruction, the shipping server 5 executes a process to notify the shipping operator to ship the cartridge according to the contents of the cartridge shipping instruction. The shipping operator ships the cartridge according to the cartridge shipping instruction. The shipping server 5 transmits a cartridge shipping acceptance completion notification to the management server 4 (S61). 2, the control unit 51 determines whether the variable N is the last number, that is, the number of cartridges to be installed in the printing device 3 (S35). If the variable N is less than 4 (S35: NO), the control unit 51 increments the variable N by 1 (S36) and returns the process to S31.

[0034] In a specific example, when the variable N is 1 to 4, the Nth cartridge is determined to be a service compatible cartridge (S31: YES), and the control unit 51 determines whether or not a preset Nth shortage condition is met based on the remaining amount of coloring material included in the periodic information notification received in S29 (S32). The Nth shortage condition in this embodiment is that the remaining amount of coloring material in the Nth cartridge is equal to or less than the preset Nth shortage amount. If the Nth shortage condition is met (S32: YES), the control unit 51 transmits a shipping instruction for the Nth cartridge to the shipping server 5 (S33). As shown in FIG. 3, in response to receiving the shipping instruction, the shipping server 5 executes a process of notifying the shipping operator to ship the cartridge according to the contents of the cartridge shipping instruction. The shipping operator ships the cartridge according to the cartridge shipping instruction. The shipping server 5 transmits a cartridge shipping acceptance completion notification to the management server 4 (S61). As shown in FIG. 2, if the Nth shortage condition is not met (S32: NO), or if the variable N is less than 4 after S33 (S35: NO), the control unit 51 increments the variable N by 1 (S36) and returns the process to S31.

[0035] If the variable N is 4 (S35: YES), or after S34, the control unit 51 determines whether a start condition for starting a billing service of the shipping service is met (S40). The start condition may be set appropriately. In this embodiment, the condition is that at least one of the N-th cartridges is a service target cartridge, that is, at least one of F(N) is 0. In a specific example, it is determined that the start condition is met (S40: YES), and the control unit 51 starts a billing service for billing the account of the user of the first printing device 3A (S41). If it is determined that the start condition is not met (S40: NO), or after S41, the control unit 51 transmits a service activation setting to the printing device 3 (S42). The control unit 31 of the first printing device 3A that has received the service activation setting changes the mode of the printing device 3 from the normal mode shown in state J1 of FIG. 5 to the contract mode shown in state J2 of FIG. 5.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 3, after changing the mode to the contract mode, the control unit 31 of the first printing device 3A transmits an activation completion notification to the management server 4 (S16). As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 waits until it receives the activation completion notification (S43: NO), and upon receiving the activation completion notification (S43: YES), it transmits a registration completion notification to the terminal device 2 (S44). The terminal device 2 displays the registration completion notification on the display unit 13. The user can recognize by referring to the display unit 13 that the contract application for the shipping service has been completed.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, after the contract for the delivery service is started, when the remaining amount of coloring materials in each of the cartridges 71 to 74 has decreased from the state J1 before the start of use as shown in the cartridge information K3 in the state J3 in FIG. 5, and the first printing device 3A, which is the target of the delivery service, breaks down, the control unit 11 of the terminal device 2 accesses the service website in response to a user's operation and logs in (S101, S102). When access from the terminal device 2 is detected (S21: YES), the control unit 51 of the management server 4 performs a login process (S22). In response to a user's operation, the control unit 11 of the terminal device 2 transmits a change request to the management server 4 requesting that the target of the delivery service be changed from the first printing device 3A to another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A (S106). The change request includes plan information and delivery destination information indicating the delivery destination of the other printing device 3. The other printing device 3 may be arranged by the user. In this embodiment, the management server 4 transmits a request to ship the other printing device 3 different from the printing device 3A to the delivery server 5.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 executes a third reception process to receive a change request requesting to change the target of the shipping service from the first printing device 3A to another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A during the contract period of the shipping service (S53). When the change request is received (S53: YES), the control unit 51 performs the change process (S54). As shown in FIG. 7, in the change process, the control unit 51 determines whether to ship a new contract cartridge together with the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A (S71). The method of determining whether to ship the contract cartridge together may be set appropriately. For example, the change request transmitted from the terminal device 2 in S106 may include an instruction as to whether to ship the contract cartridge together with the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A, and in that case, the control unit 51 may instruct to ship the contract cartridge together with the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A in response to the change request. In another example, when it is determined that a preset bundling condition indicating that the contract cartridge needs to be packaged with a printing device 3 other than the first printing device 3A is met based on the usage information of the cartridge information, the control unit 51 may instruct to ship the contract cartridge together with the printing device 3 other than the first printing device 3A in response to the change request. The bundling condition may be set in advance, and may be, for example, that the remaining amount of color material is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

[0039] If it is determined that the new contract cartridge should be shipped together with the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A (S71: YES), the control unit 51 sends a printing device shipping instruction to the shipping server 5 instructing the shipping of the contract cartridge together with the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A in response to the change request (S72). As shown in FIG. 6, in response to receiving the printing device shipping instruction, the shipping server 5 executes a process of notifying the shipping operator to ship the printing device 3 and the cartridge according to the contents of the printing device shipping instruction. The shipping operator ships the second printing device 3B corresponding to the printing device shipping instruction and the contract cartridge. The shipping server 5 sends a printing device shipping acceptance completion notification including the device identification number of the second printing device 3B to the management server 4 (S62).

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, when it is determined that the contract cartridge is not to be shipped together with the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A (S71: NO), the control unit 51 executes a second instruction process to send a printing device shipping instruction to the shipping server 5 instructing the shipping of the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A in response to the change request (S73). As shown in FIG. 6, the shipping server 5 executes a process to notify the shipping operator to ship the second printing device 3B as the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A according to the contents of the printing device shipping instruction. The shipping operator ships the second printing device 3B in response to the printing device shipping instruction. The shipping server 5 sends a printing device shipping acceptance completion notification to the management server 4 including a third identification number which is the identification number of the second printing device 3B (S62). The process of determining the second printing device 3B as the other printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A may be executed by either the terminal device 2 or the management server 4.

[0041] 2, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 determines whether a printing device shipment acceptance completion notice has been received from the shipping server 5 (S74), and waits until the printing device shipment acceptance completion notice is received (S74: NO). If a printing device shipment acceptance completion notice has been received (S74: YES), the control unit 51, in response to the reception of the change request, stores in the storage unit 52 of the management server 4 the first cartridge identification information, which is the identification information of the cartridges 71 to 74 mounted in the first printing device 3A, and the device identification information, which is the identification information of the second printing device 3B, in association with each other (S75). The control unit 51 acquires the first device identification information of the first printing device 3A in addition to the second device identification information and first cartridge identification information of the second printing device 3B, as in the storage unit 52 of state J4 in FIG. 5, and stores them in the storage unit 52 in association with each other. The control unit 51 may connect to the first printing device 3A in response to a change request and acquire at least one of the first device identification information and the first cartridge identification information from the first printing device 3A, or may acquire the information from a periodic information notification within the most recent or predetermined period. The control unit 51 acquires the second device identification information of the second printing device 3B from a printing device shipment acceptance completion notification. The control unit 51 sends a change acceptance completion notification to the terminal device 2 (S76). The control unit 51 then ends the change processing, and returns the processing to the management server processing in FIG. 2. After processing S54, the control unit 51 returns the processing to S1.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 6, when the second printing device 3B is shipped as another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A after the change request, the user of the management system 1 operates the terminal device 2 to access the service website and log in (S101, S102). When the access from the terminal device 2 is detected (S21: YES), the control unit 51 of the management server 4 performs a login process (S22). In response to the user's operation, the terminal device 2 transmits a registration change request to the management server 4 requesting a registration change of the target of the shipping service (S107). In the management system 1 of this embodiment, even after the acceptance of the change request is completed, the target of the shipping service remains the printing device 3 before the change request is acquired until the registration change request is received. The registration change request is transmitted to the management server 4 using the terminal device 2 after the printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A can be used. The registration change request includes the plan information and the device identification information of the second printing device 3B.

[0043] After instructing the delivery of another printer 3 different from the first printer 3A, the control unit 51 executes a fourth reception process to receive a registration change request requesting that the second printer 3B be registered as a delivery service target instead of the first printer 3A (S55). If the registration change request is received (S55: YES), the control unit 51 performs a registration change process (S56). As shown in FIG. 8, in the registration change process, the control unit 51 detects the connection of the first printer 3A (S91) and transmits a disable setting to disable the service (S92). The control unit 31 of the printer 3 that has received the service disable setting changes the mode of the first printer 3A from the contract mode in state J3 in FIG. 5 to the normal mode in state J5 in FIG. 5. After changing the mode to the normal mode, the control unit 31 of the first printer 3A transmits a disable completion notification to the management server 4 (S17). The control unit 51 of the management server 4 waits until it receives a notification of completion of invalidation (S93: NO), and when it receives the notification of completion of invalidation (S93: YES), the control unit 51 executes a measurement stop process (S94) to stop the measurement of the print volume of the first printing device 3A and temporarily suspend the billing service in response to the registration change request. By the processes from S91 to S94, the first printing device 3A is removed from the scope of the shipping service. The first printing device 3A, whose mode has been changed to normal mode, cannot use contract cartridges.

[0044] The control unit 51 detects the connection of the second printing device 3B (S95). In response to receiving the change request, the control unit 51 executes a change process to change the target of the delivery service from the first printing device 3A to the second printing device 3B detected in S95. The control unit 51 transmits to the second printing device 3B periodic information notification settings for periodically transmitting periodic information from the printing device 3 to the management server 4, similar to the process of S27 (S96). When the second printing device 3B receives the periodic information notification settings, it performs settings for periodically transmitting periodic information to the management server 4 according to the periodic information notification settings. The control unit 51 then ends the registration change process and returns the process to the management server process of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, after S56, the control unit 51 waits until it receives a periodic information notification or inquiry from the second printing device 3B (S29: NO, S57: NO).

[0045] As shown in Fig. 4, when periodic information notification setting is received in the second printing device 3B in status J6 in response to a registration change request (S1: YES), the control unit 31 of the second printing device 3B acquires cartridge information K6 for each of the cartridges 71 to 74 installed in the second printing device 3B (S3). As shown in Fig. 5, the cartridge information K6 indicates the cartridge information acquired from each of the memories 75 to 78. The cartridge information K6 indicates that the cartridges 71 to 74 are all contracted cartridges and have already started to be used.

[0046] 4, in the second printing apparatus 3B, when cartridge information of each of cartridges 71 to 74 is acquired as target cartridge information (S4), it is determined that the target cartridge is within its expiration date (S5: YES), and that the target cartridge is a contracted cartridge (S6: YES). The control unit 31 of the second printing apparatus 3B determines that the usage information of each of cartridges 71 to 74 is not before use (S6: NO) based on the usage flag of the target cartridge information, and executes an inquiry sending process to send an inquiry including the second apparatus identification information of the second printing apparatus 3B and the second cartridge identification information which is the identification information of the cartridge installed in the second printing apparatus 3B to the management server 4 (S8).

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, when the control unit 51 of the management server 4 receives an inquiry from the second printing apparatus 3B (S57: YES), it executes an inquiry process (S58). As shown in FIG. 9, in the inquiry process, the control unit 51 executes a determination result transmission process to transmit to the second printing apparatus 3B a determination result as to whether the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the storage unit 52 as the first cartridge identification information associated with the second device identification information of the second printing apparatus 3B in response to receiving the inquiry from the second printing apparatus 3B (S85, S86). Specifically, the control unit 51 acquires the inquiry received from the second printing apparatus 3B (S81). The control unit 51 determines whether the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the storage unit 52 as the first cartridge identification information associated with the second device identification information of the second printing apparatus 3B (S82). If the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is not stored in the memory unit 52 as first cartridge identification information associated with the second device identification information of the second printing device 3B (S82: NO), the control unit 51 sends an error notification to the printing device 3 that sent the inquiry (S86).

[0048] In a specific example, it is determined that the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the storage unit 52 as the first cartridge identification information associated with the second device identification information of the second printing device 3B (S82: YES), and the control unit 51 executes a benefit addition process to add a benefit to the shipping service of the second printing device 3B (S84). The benefit may be set appropriately, and for example, a discount on the shipping service fee, an extension of the contract period for the shipping service, delivery of consumables such as printing media, and an increase in the specified number of sheets for the billing service are added to the shipping service of the printing device 3, and are stored in the storage unit 52 in association with the second device identification information of the second printing device 3B. The control unit 51 transmits a permission notice to the second printing device 3B that sent the inquiry (S86). After S85 or S86, the control unit 51 ends the inquiry process and returns the process to the management server process of FIG. 2. After S58, the control unit 51 returns the process to S29.

[0049] In the printing device process of Fig. 4, the control unit 31 of the second printing device 3B of the specific example determines that the notification received in response to the inquiry sent in S8 is a permission notification (S9: YES), and permits the use of the noted cartridge (S11). If the control unit 31 determines that each of the cartridges 71 to 74 installed in the second printing device 3B is acquired as a noted cartridge (S14: YES), the control unit 31 of the second printing device 3B transmits a periodic information notification including the cartridge information K6 acquired in S3 to the management server 4 (S15). The control unit 31 returns the process to S1. If the power is turned off, the control unit 31 ends the printing device process.

[0050] In response to the registration change request, when the second printing apparatus 3B in the state J6 receives a periodic information notification after sending the periodic information notification setting (S29: YES), the control unit 51 determines that the cartridge is a service-compatible cartridge when the variable N is 1 to 4 based on the cartridge information included in the periodic information (S31: YES). Based on the remaining amount of color material included in the periodic information notification received in S29, the control unit 51 determines that the second cartridge 72 meets the second shortage condition (S32: YES) and sends a shipping instruction for the second cartridge 72 to the shipping server 5 (S33). For the cartridges 71, 73, and 74, it is determined that the Nth shortage condition is not met (S32: NO). If the variable N is 4 (S35: YES), the control unit 51 determines that the start condition for starting the charging service is met (S40: YES), and starts the charging service to charge the account of the user of the second printing apparatus 3B (S41). The control unit 51 sends the service activation setting to the second printing apparatus 3B (S42). The control unit 31 of the second printing apparatus 3B that has received the service activation setting changes the mode of the second printing apparatus 3B from the normal mode to the contract mode, as shown in state J7 in Fig. 5. Cartridge information is omitted from the illustration of state J7.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the management system 1, the printing device 3, the management server 4, the control unit 51, and the storage unit 52 are examples of the management system, the printing device, the management server, the server control unit, and the server storage unit of the present invention, respectively. The process of S26 is an example of the first reception process of the present invention. The control unit 31 of the first printing device 3A is an example of the first device control unit and the device control unit of the present invention. The control unit 31 of the second printing device 3B is an example of the second device control unit and the device control unit of the present invention. The process of S29 is an example of the second reception process of the present invention. The processes of S33 and S34 are an example of the first instruction process of the present invention. The process of S53 is an example of the third reception process of the present invention. The process of S75 is an example of the storage control process of the present invention. The process of S95 is an example of the change process of the present invention. The process of S15 is an example of the cartridge information transmission process of the present invention. The process of S7 is an example of the cartridge judgment process of the present invention. The process of S8 is an example of the inquiry transmission process of the present invention. The processes of S85 and S86 are an example of the judgment result transmission process of the present invention. The processes of S11 and S12 are an example of the cartridge management process of the present invention. The process of S55 is an example of a fourth receiving process of the present invention. The process of S94 is an example of a measurement stop process of the present invention. The process of S41 is an example of a billing restart process of the present invention. The process of S84 is an example of a bonus addition process of the present invention.

[0052] The management system 1 of the above embodiment is configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of printing apparatuses 3 in which cartridges containing coloring materials are mounted, and a management server 4 that manages the cartridges used in each of the plurality of printing apparatuses 3 including the first printing apparatus 3A and the second printing apparatus 3B. The management server 4 includes a control unit 51 and a storage unit 52. The control unit 51 executes a first reception process to receive a start request for a contract for a shipping service to ship a cartridge used in the first printing apparatus 3A (S26). The control unit 51 executes a second reception process to receive from the first printing apparatus 3A cartridge information including type information indicating the type of cartridge and usage information indicating the usage status of the coloring materials of the cartridge for the cartridge mounted in the first printing apparatus 3A that is the target of the shipping service (S29). When it is determined based on the cartridge information that a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge mounted in the first printing apparatus 3A needs to be replaced is established, the control unit 51 executes a first instruction process to instruct the shipping of a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within the contract period of the shipping service (S33, S34). The control unit 51 executes a third reception process to receive a change request to change the target of the delivery service from the first printing device 3A to another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A during the contract period (S53). In response to receiving the change request, the control unit 51 executes a storage control process to associate first cartridge identification information, which is identification information of the cartridge mounted on the first printing device 3A, with device identification information, which is identification information of the second printing device 3B, and store the associated information in the storage unit 52 (S75). In response to receiving the change request, the control unit 51 executes a change process to change the target of the delivery service from the first printing device 3A to the second printing device 3B (S95). The first printing device 3A includes a control unit 31. The control unit 31 of the first printing device 3A executes a cartridge information transmission process to transmit cartridge information of the cartridge mounted on the first printing device 3A that is the target of the delivery service to the management server 4 (S15). The second printing device 3B includes a control unit 31.After the change request is received by the management server 4, the control unit 31 of the second printing apparatus 3B executes a cartridge determination process to determine whether the usage information of the cartridge installed in the second printing apparatus 3B is before use has started, if the type information of the cartridge installed in the second printing apparatus 3B is a contract cartridge (S7). If it is determined that the usage information is not before use has started (S7: NO), the control unit 31 of the second printing apparatus 3B executes a query transmission process to send an inquiry including the device identification information of the second printing apparatus 3B and second cartridge identification information, which is identification information of the cartridge installed in the second printing apparatus 3B, to the management server 4 (S8). In response to receiving the query from the second printing apparatus 3B, the control unit 51 executes a determination result transmission process to send to the second printing apparatus 3B a determination result as to whether the second cartridge identification information included in the query is stored in the storage unit 52 as first cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information of the second printing apparatus 3B (S85, S86). The control unit 31 of the second printing apparatus 3B executes a cartridge management process to permit the use of the cartridge mounted on the second printing apparatus 3B (S11) if the judgment result is a positive result (S9: YES), and to not permit the use of the cartridge mounted on the second printing apparatus 3B (S12) if the judgment result is a negative result (S9: NO). The inquiry transmission process, judgment result transmission process, and cartridge management process of the management system 1 contribute to allowing the contracted cartridge, which has been used in the first printing apparatus 3A after it has started to be used, to continue to be usable in the second printing apparatus 3B when changing the printing apparatus 3 that is the target of the shipping service. The inquiry transmission process, judgment result transmission process, and cartridge management process of the management system 1 contribute to restricting the contracted cartridge, which has been used in the first printing apparatus 3A after it has started to be used, from being used in a printing apparatus 3 that is not related to the first printing apparatus 3A. Therefore, the management system 1 can achieve both convenience for the user when changing the printing apparatus 3 with which the shipping service is contracted and permitting the use of the contracted cartridge only in the printing apparatus 3 with which the shipping service is contracted.

[0053] The determination result transmission process of the management program 63 contributes to transmitting, to the second printing device 3B, a determination result used to determine whether a contract cartridge that has been used in the first printing device 3A after it has started to be usable in the second printing device 3B when the printing device 3 subject to the delivery service is changed from the first printing device 3A to another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A. The determination result transmission process of the management program 63 contributes to restricting a contract cartridge that has been used in the first printing device 3A after it has started to be used in a printing device 3 that is not related to the first printing device 3A. Therefore, by being executed by the management server 4 of the management system 1, the management program 63 contributes to achieving both convenience for the user when changing the printing device 3 for which the delivery service is contracted and permission to use the contract cartridge only in the printing device 3 for which the delivery service is contracted. The inquiry transmission process and cartridge management process of the printing device program 23 contribute to permitting a contract cartridge that has been used at the time of a request to change the target of the delivery service to be continuously used in the printing device 3 after the target of the delivery service is changed, based on the determination result transmitted from the management server 4 in response to the inquiry. The inquiry sending process and cartridge management process of the printing device program 23 contribute to restricting use on a printing device 3 that is not related to the printing device 3 that is the target of the shipping service. Therefore, the printing device program 23 contributes to achieving both convenience for the user of the management system 1 after the target of the shipping service is changed and permission to use the contract cartridge only on the printing device 3 that has contracted for the shipping service.

[0054] The control unit 51 executes a cartridge determination process (S6) in each of the following cases: when the shipping service is started in response to a start request (S1: YES), when the target of the shipping service is changed from the first printing device 3A to another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A in response to a change request (S1: YES), and when the contract cartridge is replaced within the contract period (S2: YES).The management system 1 can automatically execute the cartridge determination process.

[0055] The shipping service is a service that charges according to the amount of printing within a contract period. The control unit 51 executes a second instruction process to instruct the shipping of another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A in response to the change request (S72). After instructing the shipping of another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A, the control unit 51 executes a fourth reception process to receive a registration change request to request the second printing device 3B to be registered as a target of the shipping service instead of the first printing device 3A (S55). In response to the registration change request, the control unit 51 executes a measurement stop process to stop the measurement of the amount of printing of the first printing device 3A (S94). In response to the registration change request, the control unit 51 executes a billing restart process to restart the measurement of the amount of printing in each of the cases where the type information of the cartridge installed in the second printing device 3B is a contract cartridge and the usage information is before use, and where the judgment result of the second printing device 3B is a positive result (S41). In a service in which charges are made according to the amount of printing within a contract period, when changing the printing device 3 with which the shipping service is contracted, the management system 1 can make the contract cartridge used in the first printing device 3A usable in the second printing device 3B. When the contract cartridge used in the first printing device 3A is mounted in the second printing device 3B, the management system 1 can resume measuring the amount of printing.

[0056] In the second instruction process of S72, the control unit 31 instructs that the contract cartridge be shipped together with another printing device 3 different from the first printing device 3A in response to the change request. The second instruction process of the management system 1 contributes to avoiding a situation in which printing cannot be performed immediately after the second printing device 3B is shipped due to the absence of a contract cartridge, in a service that charges according to the amount of printing within a contract period.

[0057] If the type information of the cartridge installed in the second printing device 3B indicates that it is a commercially available cartridge different from the contract cartridge (S6: NO), the control unit 31 of the second printing device 3B does not execute the cartridge determination process, and in the cartridge management process, permits the use of the cartridge installed in the second printing device 3B (S11). The management system 1 can avoid executing the process that would be executed if a contract cartridge is installed, when a commercially available cartridge is installed.

[0058] If the determination result is positive, the control unit 51 further executes a bonus addition process to add a bonus to the shipping service of the second printing device 3B (S84). The management system 1 urges the user of the management system 1 to use the contract cartridges with remaining color material in the second printing device 3B, thereby preventing the cartridges from being discarded unused.

[0059] In the cartridge management process, if the expiration date of the cartridge mounted in the second printing device 3B has passed, the control unit 31 does not permit use of the cartridge mounted in the second printing device 3B (S12). The management system 1 can avoid problems caused by using a cartridge that has passed its expiration date.

[0060] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be embodied in various modifications. The present invention can be realized in various forms, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a semiconductor memory having a management program 63 recorded thereon, a management method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a semiconductor memory having a printing device program 23 recorded thereon.

[0061] The configuration of the management system 1 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the management server 4 may be configured with multiple physical servers. The management server 4 may be configured with at least one of multiple virtual servers constructed by dividing one physical server using virtualization software. The number of printing devices 3 included in the management system 1 may be changed as appropriate.

[0062] The printing device 3 of the management system 1 may be a multifunction device, a copier, or a facsimile machine with a scanner function that reads images from an original. The printing device 3 may be a printing device such as a laser printer or an LED printer. An LED printer refers to a printer in which the means for exposing a photosensitive body is an LED head. In this case, the color material is toner. The color materials, number, type, and number of types of cartridges installed in the printing device 3 may be changed as appropriate.

[0063] The management program 63, which includes instructions for executing the management server process, may be stored in the memory 62 before the control unit 51 of the management server 4 executes the management program 63. Therefore, the method of acquiring the management program 63, the acquisition path, and the device that stores the program may each be changed as appropriate. The management program 63 executed by the management server 4 may be received from another device via a cable or wireless communication and stored in the memory 62. The other device may include, for example, a PC and a server connected via a network. The same applies to the program for executing the printing device process, the program for executing the terminal process, and the program for executing the shipping server process.

[0064] Each step of the management server processing is not limited to being executed by the control unit 51, and may be executed in part or in whole by other electronic devices (e.g., ASIC). The same applies to the terminal processing, printing device processing, and shipping server processing. Each step of the management server processing, terminal processing, printing device processing, and shipping server processing may be distributed and processed by multiple electronic devices (e.g., multiple CPUs). The order of each step of the management server processing, terminal processing, printing device processing, and shipping server processing may be changed, steps may be omitted, or steps may be added, as necessary. The following modifications may be made as appropriate to the processing executed in the management system 1, including the management server processing, terminal processing, printing device processing, and shipping server processing.

[0065] A part or the whole of the terminal process may be executed by the control unit 31 of the printing device 3. For example, the printing device 3 may send the start request to the management server 4. At least a part of the information included in the periodic information notification sent to the management server 4 in the process of S15 may be sent to the management server 4 via the terminal device 2 connected to the printing device 3. The Nth shortage condition in the process of S34 may be changed as appropriate, and the control unit 51 may calculate the time until the remaining amount of the coloring material becomes 0 based on the decreasing tendency of the remaining amount of the coloring material in the Nth cartridge, and determine that the Nth shortage condition is established when the calculated time is shorter than a threshold value. The start condition in the process of S40 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the control unit 51 may determine that the start condition is satisfied when the value of the flag F(N) of a predetermined number or a predetermined ratio is 0. For example, the control unit 51 may determine whether the start condition is satisfied based on the model of the printing device 3. The shipping service may not include a billing service, in which case the processes of S40, S41, and S94 may be omitted.

[0066] The control unit 51 may request that the change request be a change to the first printing device 3A to a printing device 3 designated by the user. In this case, the change request includes device identification information of the second printing device 3B designated by the user, and in the change process of FIG. 7, the processes of S91 to S96 may be executed instead of S71 to S73.

[0067] The control unit 31 of the printing device 3 may not execute the processes of S3 to S15 when detecting replacement of a cartridge. In this case, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 may omit the processes of S51 and S52. In this case, when the target printing device 3 is changed during the contract period of the shipping service, the user can be prompted to install the contract cartridge that has started to be used into the second printing device 3B.

[0068] The control unit 51 of the management server 4 may omit S71 and execute either S72 or S73 in the change process in response to the change request. The control unit 31 of the printing device 3 may omit at least either S5 or S6. The control unit 31 may execute the process of S8 when the type information of the cartridge mounted in the printing device 3 is a commercially available cartridge different from the contract cartridge. When multiple cartridges are mounted in the printing device 3, the process of S8 may be executed collectively based on the judgment results of S7 for each of the multiple cartridges. Similarly, the process of S13 may be executed collectively based on the judgment results of S5 and S9 for each of the multiple cartridges. In S75, the control unit 51 of the management server 4 may simply store the first cartridge information of the cartridge mounted in the first printing device 3A and the device identification information of the second printing device 3B in the storage unit 52 in association with each other, and the device identification information of the first printing device 3A may not be stored in association with the first cartridge information of the cartridge mounted in the first printing device 3A and the device identification information of the second printing device 3B. The control unit 51 of the management server 4 may separately store a first table that associates the device identification information of the first printing device 3A with the device identification information of the second printing device 3B, and a second table that associates the device identification information of the first printing device 3A with first cartridge information of the cartridge installed in the first printing device 3A. In this case, the control unit 51 may use the device identification information of the first printing device 3A to associate the device identification information of the second printing device 3B in the first table with the first cartridge information of the cartridge installed in the first printing device 3A in the second table.

[0069] The control unit 51 may omit the process of S84. If the remaining amount of the cartridge installed in the first printing device 3A at the time of the change request stored in S75 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, but the cartridge having the first cartridge identification information stored in S75 as the cartridge installed in the second printing device 3B is not detected at the time of the registration change, and a brand new cartridge not yet in use is detected, the control unit 51 may execute a penalty imposition process to impose a penalty on the shipping service of the second printing device 3B, or may notify the second printing device 3B or the terminal device 2 of a message encouraging the installation of the contracted cartridge having the first cartridge identification information stored in S75. The penalty may be set as appropriate, and may be, for example, an increase in the fee for the shipping service, a shortened contract period, a decrease in the specified number of pages, etc.

[0070] The above-mentioned modified examples may be combined as appropriate within a range that does not cause any contradictions. In addition to the combinations exemplified in the claims, the applicant intends to obtain patent rights for aspects that are combined with each other within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention and does not cause any contradictions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1: management system, 3, 7: printing device, 4: management server, 11, 31, 51: control unit, 12, 32, 53: communication unit, 15, 52: storage unit, 23: printing device program, 63: management program, 71: first cartridge, 72: second cartridge, 73: third cartridge, 74: fourth cartridge

Claims

1. A management system configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of printing devices in which cartridges containing color materials are attached, and a management server that manages the cartridges used in each of the plurality of printing devices including a first printing device and a second printing device, The management server includes a server control unit and a server storage unit. The server control unit a first receiving process for receiving a start request for starting a contract for a shipping service for shipping cartridges to be used in the first printing device; a second receiving process for receiving, from the first printing device, cartridge information about the cartridge installed in the first printing device that is a target of the delivery service, the cartridge information including type information indicating a type of the cartridge and usage information indicating a usage status of the color material of the cartridge; a first instruction process for instructing the shipping of a contract cartridge that is usable within a contract period of the shipping service when it is determined based on the cartridge information that a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge installed in the first printing device needs to be replaced is established; a third receiving process for receiving, within the contract period, a change request for changing the target of the delivery service from the first printing device to another printing device different from the first printing device; a storage control process for storing, in the server storage unit, first cartridge identification information, which is identification information of the cartridge mounted in the first printing device, and device identification information, which is identification information of the second printing device, in association with each other in response to the reception of the change request; a change process for changing the target of the delivery service from the first printing device to the second printing device in response to the reception of the change request; Run the first printing device includes a first device control unit; The first device control unit is executes a cartridge information transmission process for transmitting, to the management server, cartridge information about the cartridge installed in the first printing device that is a target of the delivery service; the second printing device includes a second device control unit; The second device control unit is a cartridge determination process for determining whether or not usage information of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device is before use, when type information of the cartridge mounted on the second printing device is the contract cartridge, after the change request is received by the management server; an inquiry sending process for sending an inquiry to the management server, the inquiry including the device identification information of the second printing device and second cartridge identification information which is identification information of the cartridge mounted in the second printing device, when it is determined that the usage information is not before the start of use; Run The server control unit executes a determination result transmission process to transmit to the second printing device a determination result as to whether the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the server storage unit as the first cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information of the second printing device in response to receiving the inquiry from the second printing device; The second device control unit is A management system characterized by executing a cartridge management process that allows use of the cartridge installed in the second printing device when the judgment result is a positive result, and does not allow use of the cartridge installed in the second printing device when the judgment result is a negative result.

2. 2. The management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge determination process is executed in each of the following cases: when the shipping service is started in response to the start request; when the target of the shipping service is changed from the first printing device to the other printing device different from the first printing device in response to the change request; and when the contract cartridge is replaced within the contract period.

3. the shipping service is a service that charges according to the amount of printing within the contract period, The server control unit a second instruction process for instructing the dispatch of the other printing device different from the first printing device in response to the change request; a fourth receiving process for receiving a registration change request for requesting to register the second printing device as a target of the shipping service in place of the first printing device after instructing the shipping of the other printing device different from the first printing device; a measurement stop process for stopping the measurement of the print volume of the first printing device in response to the registration change request; a billing resumption process for resuming measurement of the printing volume in each of the cases where, in response to the registration change request, the type information of the cartridge mounted in the second printing device is the contract cartridge and the usage information is before use has started, and where the determination result of the second printing device is the positive result; The management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

4. The server control unit 4. The management system according to claim 3, wherein the second instruction process instructs that the contract cartridge be shipped together with the other printing device that is different from the first printing device in response to the change request.

5. The second device control unit is 2. The management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the type information of the cartridge installed in the second printing device indicates a commercially available cartridge different from the contract cartridge, the cartridge determination process is not executed, and the cartridge management process permits use of the cartridge installed in the second printing device.

6. The server control unit 2 . The management system according to claim 1 , further comprising a bonus adding process for adding a bonus to the shipping service of the second printing device when the determination result is a positive result.

7. The second device control unit is 2. The management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the cartridge management process, if the expiration date of the cartridge installed in the second printing device has passed, use of the cartridge installed in the second printing device is not permitted.

8. A management system is configured to be capable of communicating with a plurality of printing devices in which cartridges containing color materials are attached, and a management server that manages the cartridges used in each of the plurality of printing devices, including a first printing device and a second printing device, the management program being executed by a server control unit of the management server, The server control unit, a first receiving process for receiving a start request for starting a contract for a shipping service for shipping cartridges to be used in the first printing device; a second receiving process for receiving, from the first printing device, cartridge information about the cartridge installed in the first printing device that is a target of the delivery service, the cartridge information including type information indicating a type of the cartridge and usage information indicating a usage status of the color material of the cartridge; a first instruction process for instructing the shipping of a contract cartridge that is usable within a contract period of the shipping service when it is determined based on the cartridge information that a preset shipping condition indicating that the cartridge installed in the first printing device needs to be replaced is established; a third receiving process for receiving, within the contract period, a change request for changing the target of the delivery service from the first printing device to another printing device different from the first printing device; a storage control process for storing, in response to the reception of the change request, first cartridge identification information, which is identification information of the cartridge mounted in the first printing device, and device identification information, which is identification information of the second printing device, in association with each other in a server storage unit of the management server; a change process for changing the target of the delivery service from the first printing device to the second printing device in response to the reception of the change request; a determination result transmission process for transmitting to the second printing device a determination result as to whether the second cartridge identification information included in the inquiry is stored in the server storage unit as the first cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information of the second printing device in response to receiving from the second printing device an inquiry including the device identification information of the second printing device and second cartridge identification information which is identification information of the cartridge mounted in the second printing device; A management program comprising instructions for executing the steps of:

9. A printing device program executed by a device control unit of a printing device in a management system configured to be capable of communicating with a printing device in which a cartridge containing a color material is mounted and a management server that manages the cartridge used in the printing device, the printing device program comprising: The device control unit, a cartridge information transmission process for transmitting, to the management server, cartridge information about the cartridge mounted on the printing device during a contract period of a shipping service for shipping cartridges used in the printing device, the cartridge information including type information indicating the type of the cartridge and usage information indicating a usage status of the color material of the cartridge; a cartridge determination process for determining whether or not the usage information of the cartridge mounted on the printing device is before use when the type information of the cartridge mounted on the printing device that is the target of the delivery service is a contract cartridge that is a cartridge that can be used within the contract period; an inquiry sending process for sending an inquiry to the management server, the inquiry including device identification information that is identification information of the printing device and cartridge identification information that is identification information of the cartridge mounted on the printing device, when it is determined that the usage information is not before the start of use; a cartridge management process for permitting use of the cartridge mounted on the printing device when a determination result as to whether the cartridge identification information included in the inquiry, which is transmitted from the management server in response to the inquiry, is stored in a server storage unit of the management server as cartridge identification information associated with the device identification information, is positive, and not permitting use of the cartridge mounted on the printing device when the determination result is negative; 4. A printing device program comprising instructions for executing:

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