Service switching management device and printing service switching system

Abstract

To continue a cost-bearing mode preferred by a user until the timing of switching by performing switching at the timing desired by the user when switching printing services.SOLUTION: A printing service providing system 1 is configured to be able to execute a prepaid printing service in which the printable number of sheets which serves as an upper limit when a printer 200 prints an image on a sheet can be increased according to a charge quantity guaranteed by purchase printing rights purchased based on a user's purchase request, and a subscription printing service in which the printable number of sheets which serves as an upper limit when the printer 200 prints an image on a sheet can be set according to a contract plan quantity guaranteed by subscription printing rights granted for a predetermined period based on a user's subscription payment contract. A mobile terminal 300 executes a step S45 of accepting an application for service switching from provision of the subscription printing service to provision of the prepaid printing service and accepting the timing of the switching.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a service switching management device and a print service switching system that perform switching management when switching between a plurality of print services to provide them. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a printing service in which a user who uses a printing device pays a fee to a service provider according to the print content. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technology that provides a delivery service that delivers ink, which is a consumable item for a printer, based on a fee plan selected by the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-082178 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The delivery service of the above-mentioned prior art is a service in which the user of the delivery service pays a usage fee for using the delivery service for a certain period of time, and is a so-called subscription-based printing service. In this subscription-based printing service, the user can print for free until a certain amount of printing is reached during the certain period. On the other hand, a so-called prepaid printing service is also known in which the user purchases printing rights for a fee and can print up to the amount of printing guaranteed by the purchased printing rights.

[0005] As users' printing environments become more diverse, it is expected that users will have a need to switch between multiple print services, including the subscription and prepaid print services described above. However, since the financial burden of each of the multiple print services may differ, users may wish to continue using their current print service without switching to a new print service until a certain point in time.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a printing service control device and printing system that can improve convenience for users by switching printing services at the timing desired by the user, thereby continuing the user's desired cost burden pattern until that time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the service switching management device of the present invention is a service switching management device that manages the switching of printing services for a printing system having a service providing server and a printing device, wherein the printing system is configured to execute a first service in which a first allowable printing volume, which is the upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, can be increased according to a first guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a purchased printing authority purchased based on a user's purchase request, and a second service in which a second allowable printing volume, which is the upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, can be set according to a second guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a fixed-rate printing authority granted for a predetermined period based on a fixed-rate contract of the user, and the service switching management device is configured to execute a switching reservation acceptance process that accepts an application for switching from providing the first service to providing the second service, or from providing the second service to providing the first service, and the timing of the switching.

[0008] In the present invention, it is possible to selectively implement a so-called prepaid type first service in which a first allowable printing volume can be increased according to a first guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by purchased printing authority, and a so-called subscription type second service in which a second allowable printing volume can be set according to a second guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by fixed-rate printing authority.

[0009] When switching between the two services, a switching reservation acceptance process is executed in the service switching management device. In the switching reservation acceptance process, an application for switching to the first service or the second service and a designation of the switching time by the user are accepted, and the service switching is executed at the designated switching time.

[0010] According to the present invention, the first service provision switching and the second service provision switching are performed at the switching time designated by the user, so that the current service before the switching is provided until the switching time. As a result, the user can continue the cost burden mode corresponding to the current service until the switching time, and convenience can be improved.

[0011] In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the printing service switching system of the present invention is equipped with a service providing server and a printing device, and is configured to be able to execute a first service in which a first allowable printing volume, which is the upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, can be increased in accordance with a first guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a purchased printing authority purchased based on a user's purchase request, and a second service in which a second allowable printing volume, which is the upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, can be set in accordance with a second guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a fixed-rate printing authority granted for a specified period based on a fixed-rate contract by the user, and the printing service switching system has a switching reservation receiving unit that accepts applications for switching from providing the first service to providing the second service, or from providing the second service to providing the first service, and the timing of the switching. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, when switching print services, the switching can be performed at a timing desired by the user, so that the cost burden desired by the user can be continued until that timing, thereby improving convenience for the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a server. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a printer. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a mobile terminal. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an overview of a prepaid printing service provided by a printing service providing system. [Figure 6] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an overview of a subscription printing service provided by a printing service providing system. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a reservation sequence when switching from a subscription print service to a prepaid print service. [Figure 8] 13 is an example of a display screen of a mobile terminal in a subscription execution state. [Figure 9] 13 is an example of a display screen of the mobile terminal when a service transition time is set. [Figure 10] 13 is an example of a display screen of the mobile terminal in a prepaid transition state. [Figure 11] 13 is an example of a display screen of the mobile terminal in a prepaid execution state. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing in detail a procedure executed by the CPU of the mobile terminal when displaying a print service information screen or the like. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of a mobile terminal when two print service information screens are switched and displayed during a prepaid transition state. [Figure 14] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print service information screen of a mobile terminal when displaying content conforming to a prepaid print service during a prepaid transition state. [Figure 15] 13 is an example of a print service information screen of a mobile terminal when displaying content conforming to a prepaid print service in a subscription transition state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] <Outline of network connection configuration in print service provision system> FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a print service system 1 according to an embodiment. The print service system 1 is configured to be able to selectively provide a plurality of print services with different billing methods for the number of prints. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the print service system 1 provides, for example, a prepaid print service and a subscription print service. In FIG. 1, the print service system 1 has a first server 100A, a second server 100B, a printer 200, a mobile terminal 300, and a transaction server 400. The first server 100A, the second server 100B, the printer 200, the mobile terminal 300, and the transaction server 400 are connected to a network NT and can communicate with each other.

[0016] The network NT includes, for example, the Internet and mobile phone communication lines. In particular, the mobile terminal 300 and the printer operating in close proximity on the same premises may directly transmit and receive information via wireless communication such as Wi-fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). Note that the first server 100A and the second server 100B are examples of service providing servers, the printer 200 is an example of a printing device, the mobile terminal 300 in this embodiment is an example of a service switching management device, and the printing service providing system 1 is an example of a printing system and a printing service switching system.

[0017] <Server> The first server 100A and the second server 100B have almost the same configuration as a server 100 equipped with a communication function for transmitting and receiving data and an information processing function for processing data, and the common configuration is shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the server 100 has a processor 110, a storage device 115, and a communication interface 190. The processor 110, the storage device 115, and the communication interface 190 are connected to each other via a bus 105 so as to be able to transmit and receive data to and from each other.

[0018] The storage device 115 includes a volatile storage device 120 and a non-volatile storage device 130. The volatile storage device 120 is, for example, a DRAM, and stores various programs and data to be processed. The non-volatile storage device 130 is, for example, a hard disk drive or a solid state drive, and has a program storage area 131 and a data storage area 132. The program storage area 131 stores various programs that perform processing for providing a print service. The data storage area 132 stores various data generated by the processing programs.

[0019] The processor 110 is a device for performing data processing, such as a CPU, and executes various programs stored in the program storage area 131. The processor 110 performs various processes including data communication with the printer 200 and the mobile terminal 300.

[0020] The communication interface 190 is a network interface for connecting to the network NT and transmitting and receiving information.

[0021] In addition, the storage device 115 is not limited to being configured with the above-mentioned device elements, but may be configured with, for example, a RAM, a ROM, an EEPROM, a HDD, a portable recording medium such as a USB memory that is detachably attached to the server 100, a buffer provided in the processor 110, or a combination of these.

[0022] Furthermore, the storage device 115 may be a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory medium. In addition to the above examples, non-transitory media also include recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. A non-transitory medium is also a tangible medium. The same applies to the storage device 215 of the printer 200 described later.

[0023] <Printer> 3, the printer 200 has a processor 210, a storage device 215, a touch panel 240, operation keys 250, a transport mechanism 260, a communication interface 270, and a printing unit 290. The processor 210, the storage device 215, the touch panel 240, the operation keys 250, the transport mechanism 260, the communication interface 270, and the printing unit 290 are connected to each other via a bus 205 so as to be able to transmit and receive data therebetween.

[0024] The storage device 215 includes a volatile storage device 220 and a non-volatile storage device 230. The volatile storage device 220 includes an image data storage area 222 that stores image data to be printed. The volatile storage device 220 is, for example, a DRAM. The non-volatile storage device 230 includes a program storage area 231 and a data storage area 232. The non-volatile storage device 230 is, for example, an NVRAM, a flash memory, or the like. The program storage area 231 stores various programs. The various programs include firmware such as a print processing program. The data storage area 232 stores various data generated by the processing programs.

[0025] The processor 210 is a device that performs data processing. The processor 210 is, for example, a CPU. The processor 210 executes various programs stored in the program storage area 231.

[0026] The touch panel 240 is capable of displaying various information and accepts user operations at coordinates on the display screen. The touch panel 240 is, for example, a device that integrally combines a liquid crystal display and a transparent touch pad. The operation keys 250 are devices that mechanically accept user depression operations. The communication interface 270 is a network interface for connecting to the network NW and transmitting or receiving information.

[0027] The conveying mechanism 260 conveys a sheet supplied from a tray capable of holding multiple sheets. The printing unit 290 is provided on a path along which the sheet is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 260, and forms an image corresponding to a print job on the sheet conveyed by the conveying mechanism 260 using a predetermined method. The predetermined method is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an inkjet method or a laser method. The printing unit 290 prints on the sheet according to a print job transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 or a print job that the printing unit 290 itself generates based on operations on the touch panel 240 and the operation keys 250.

[0028] <Mobile devices> The mobile terminal 300 is configured as a portable terminal such as a smartphone that has a function for displaying image information, a function for inputting operations, a communication function for sending and receiving data, and a function for processing data. FIG. 4 shows the common configuration of the mobile terminal 300.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the mobile terminal 300 includes a CPU 310, a memory 320, a communication control unit 330, a touch panel 340, and a large-capacity storage device 370.

[0030] The large-capacity storage device 370 includes a program storage area 371 and a data storage area 372. The large-capacity storage device 370 is, for example, a flash memory. Various programs are stored in the program storage area 371 as, for example, firmware. The various programs include processing programs based on the flowchart of FIG. 12, which will be described later. The CPU 310 executes the various programs stored in the program storage area 371. The CPU 310 executes various processes including data communication with the server 100 and the printer 200 via the communication control unit 330 and wireless communication such as a network NW, a mobile phone communication line, or a wireless LAN.

[0031] The mobile terminal 300 displays various information and accepts various operations by the user on a touch panel 340 that is, for example, an integral combination of a liquid crystal display and a transparent touch pad. The user can input various instructions to the mobile terminal 300 by operating the touch panel 340.

[0032] The mobile terminal 300 may be another information terminal such as a general-purpose personal computer or a tablet computer, etc. The mobile terminal 300 is an example of a terminal device.

[0033] <Trade Server> 1, the transaction server 400 is a server for performing online settlement via a network NT. The transaction server 400 has a processor, a storage device, and a communication interface for connecting to the network NT (not shown).

[0034] <Prepaid and subscription printing services> 5 and 6 respectively show an overview of the prepaid printing service and the subscription printing service provided by the printing service providing system 1. First, as shown in FIG. 5, the first server 100A provides the prepaid printing service. The prepaid printing service is a printing service in which the upper limit of the number of printable sheets when printing an image on a sheet can be increased according to the charge number guaranteed by the prepaid printing authority purchased based on the user's purchase request. Note that the prepaid printing service is an example of a first service, the number of printable sheets in the prepaid printing service is an example of a first allowable printing amount, the prepaid printing authority is an example of a purchased printing authority, and the charge number is an example of the first guaranteed printing amount.

[0035] In the prepaid printing service, a user purchases a charge amount by paying a fee in order to print. That is, the user purchases a charge amount by paying a financial burden in a so-called prepaid method. When the user performs an operation to request the purchase of a charge amount on the mobile terminal 300, the identification information of the printer 200 and a purchase request for the charge amount are sent to the first server 100A. When the processor 110A of the first server 100A accepts the purchase request, the transaction server 400 performs a settlement process for the charge amount for the user, and adds the value of the charge amount newly purchased by the user to the printable number corresponding to the specified printer 200. The printable number is stored in the data storage area 132A of the nonvolatile storage device 130A of the first server 100A in correspondence with each individual printer 200. The added printable number is sent from the first server 100A to the printer 200, and the printable number stored in the data storage area 232 of the nonvolatile storage device 230 of the printer 200 is also updated.

[0036] The processor 210 of the printer 200 executes printing when it receives a print job from the mobile terminal 300 of the user. The print job is not limited to being received from the mobile terminal 300, but may be received from another terminal such as a PC, or may be accepted through the touch panel 240 or operation key 250 of the printer 200 based on the user's operation. The processor 210 of the printer 200 subtracts the number of printable sheets stored in the data storage area 232 of the non-volatile storage device 230 by the number of sheets printed, and updates the number. The subtracted number of printable sheets is transmitted from the printer 200 to the first server 100A, and the number of printable sheets stored in the data storage area 132A for each individual printer 200 is also updated. That is, the number of printable sheets is managed synchronously in both the first server 100A and the printer 200. When the processor 210 of the printer 200 receives a print job, it executes printing by consuming the number of printable sheets, and printing becomes impossible when the number of printable sheets becomes zero.

[0037] Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the second server 100B executes the provision of a subscription printing service. The subscription printing service is a printing service in which the upper limit of the number of printable sheets when printing an image on a sheet can be set according to the contract plan number guaranteed by the subscription printing authority granted for a predetermined period based on the user's flat-rate contract. When printing is performed in excess of the upper limit of the contract plan number, the subscription printing service may charge the user an additional charge corresponding to the number of sheets exceeding the upper limit of the contract plan number in addition to the flat-rate charge. Note that the subscription printing service is an example of a second service, the printable number in the subscription printing service is an example of a second allowable printing amount, the subscription printing authority is an example of a flat-rate printing authority, and the contract plan number is an example of a second guaranteed printing amount.

[0038] In a subscription printing service, a contract is automatically renewed periodically at a subscription contract period of a predetermined period in order for the user to print, and the usage fee for the printing service for each subscription contract period is billed to the user in arrears after the contract period. A number of contract plans are available, each of which defines the contract plan number, which is the maximum number of pages that can be printed in a predetermined period, and the contract period, and the user selects one of the contract plans to enter into a contract. If the actual number of pages printed by the user within the predetermined period is within the range of the contract plan number, printing can be performed without additional charges. If the actual number of pages printed in the predetermined period exceeds the contract plan number, the user is charged an additional fee for the number of pages exceeded. In addition, if the actual number of pages printed during the subscription contract period does not reach the contract plan number, the remaining number of pages, which is the contract plan number minus the actual number of pages printed, is carried over to the following month with a validity period.

[0039] For this reason, as shown in the figure, the second server 100B and the printer 200 each synchronously store two parameters, the period print count and the carryover print count, and also store the contract plan count set to the same value as a fixed value. That is, when a user selects a contract plan to use a subscription printing service via the second server 100B, the contract plan count corresponding to that contract plan is transmitted from the second server 100B to the printer 200 and is stored as a fixed value. Note that if synchronization between the second server 100B and the printer 200 is not particularly necessary, it may be omitted.

[0040] For example, if the subscription contract period is one month from the beginning to the end of the month, at the beginning of each month, the parameters for the number of sheets printed during the period are reset to 0 for both the second server 100B and the printer 200. After that, the number of sheets actually printed during the subscription contract period is counted up by the printer 200 as the number of sheets printed during the period, and this value is sent to the second server 100B every time printing is performed by the printer 200, or periodically, and stored so as to be synchronized.

[0041] In addition, at the beginning of each month, the second server 100B calculates the number of pages to be printed over, and stores this in synchronization with the printer 200. That is, if the number of pages printed over the period during the subscription contract cycle of the previous month does not reach the number of pages in the contract plan, the remaining number obtained by subtracting the number of pages printed over the period from the number of pages in the contract plan is calculated as the number of pages to be printed over for the current month. Although not shown, if the number of pages printed over the period during the subscription contract cycle exceeds the number of pages in the contract plan, the excess number may be counted up as the additional number of pages to be printed over for the current month for the user, and stored in synchronization with the second server 100B.

[0042] The processor 210 of the printer 200 can continue printing during the subscription contract period of the current month as long as the number of pages printed during the period does not exceed the total number of pages in the contract plan and the number of pages printed over the period. Even if the number of pages is exceeded, the excess number of pages may be counted up as an additional number of pages printed and synchronously stored, and the corresponding additional fee may be charged the following month.

[0043] In both the prepaid and subscription printing services, the cost of consumables such as ink and toner is included in the fee for the printing service. Therefore, even if a consumable runs out, the user can request the manufacturer or operating company to ship the consumables and have them replenished without incurring any additional costs.

[0044] In the printing service providing system of this embodiment, the user can selectively switch between the prepaid printing service and the subscription printing service described above. Although not shown in the figure, the printer 200 and the mobile terminal 300 share and store information on which printing service is being used at the time.

[0045] <Switching from subscription printing service to prepaid printing service> The difference in contract form is that in the above-mentioned prepaid printing service, the contract is renewed based on the charged number of printable pages, whereas in the subscription printing service, the contract is renewed based on a period called the subscription contract cycle. In response to the diversification and changes in the printing environment, a user may wish to switch to one printing service while using the other.

[0046] For example, consider the case where a user wishes to switch to a prepaid printing service while using a subscription printing service. First, assume that the user switches to the prepaid printing service immediately when the user decides to switch to the prepaid printing service during the subscription contract period. In this case, the remaining number of pages that could have been printed from that point until the end of the subscription contract period, that is, the difference between the number of pages in the contract plan and the number of pages printed during the period at the time of the switch, will be lost unused, and depending on the usage situation, this may result in a large economic loss for the user. Note that switching from a subscription printing service to a prepaid printing service in this way is an example of switching to the first service.

[0047] In order to minimize such losses, a possible procedure would be to continue the subscription printing service until the end of the subscription contract period, and then apply to switch to the prepaid printing service just before the contract is renewed. However, the procedure, which must be scheduled for a time several days or more in the future, is often forgotten by the user, making it very cumbersome. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the user wants to switch to the prepaid printing service during the subscription contract period, the user can apply for the reservation procedure at that time, and the system will automatically switch to the prepaid printing service at the next contract renewal.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows an example of a reservation sequence for switching from a subscription print service to a prepaid print service. In FIG. 7, the subscription print service is continuously used by periodically and automatically updating the contract at the subscription contract cycle. The contract state at this time is a subscription execution state. When a user performs a service switching reservation procedure during a subscription contract cycle, the contract state becomes a prepaid transition state, but the subscription print service continues to be used until the subscription contract cycle ends. After the subscription contract cycle ends, the system automatically switches to the prepaid print service, and the contract state becomes a prepaid execution state. This allows the user to effectively use the number of sheets in the contract plan during the subscription contract cycle from that point on, even if the user performs a switching reservation procedure to the prepaid print service during the subscription contract cycle, improving the user's convenience both economically and procedurally. The above-mentioned period of the prepaid transition state is an example of a switching reservation period.

[0049] <Displaying printing service information corresponding to each contract status> In the printing service providing system 1 in which a plurality of printing services can be selectively switched and used as described above, it is necessary for the user to be able to easily check the printing service currently being applied and its usage status. For this reason, in the example of this embodiment, when the user performs a predetermined operation on the mobile terminal 300, screens of printing service information such as those shown in Fig. 8 to Fig. 11 are displayed on the touch panel 340 according to the contract status at that time when the user performs a predetermined operation on the mobile terminal 300.

[0050] For example, when the contract status is a subscription execution status, a print service information screen 340A shown in Fig. 8 is displayed. This print service information screen 340A displays 341 the model number and serial number of the printer 200 to be checked at that time, a display 342 indicating that the contract status at that time is a subscription execution status, a circular gauge 343 and a numerical value 344 indicating the number of prints during the period of the subscription contract cycle at that time, a display 345 of the number of contract plans and the number of carried-over prints, and a button 346 for carrying out a procedure for setting a service switch. Note that, to switch the printer 200 to be checked, the icon button of the display 341 is pressed to display a list of other printers 200 in a pull-down menu and a selection operation is performed, and illustration and description thereof are omitted here.

[0051] An indication 342 showing the contract status indicates that the print service currently being used is a subscription.

[0052] The number of sheets printed during the period at that time is displayed by a circular gauge 343 having an approximately circular ring shape and a numerical value 344. In the print service information screen 340A in the subscription print service, the number of sheets printed during the period is displayed in an increasing display mode. In the increasing display mode, the progress of the print amount is represented by an increase in the length of the circular gauge 343 as the numerical value 344 increases. The length of the circular gauge 343 refers to the part that represents the contents of the circular gauge 343, that is, the length of the black part that extends in an arc shape clockwise from the left end of the circular gauge 343 in FIG. 8. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the user has signed up for a contract plan for 100 sheets per month, and the number of sheets printed during the period at this time is 90 sheets. If further printing is performed from this state, the numerical value 344 of the number of sheets printed during the period increases and the length of the circular gauge 343 increases clockwise.

[0053] When the user presses button 346, the screen transitions to a procedure screen (not shown), where the user can proceed with the contract procedures for switching to the prepaid printing service, including applying for contract processing at each server 100A, 100B, setting the switching time, and settlement processing at transaction server 400. Note that the circular gauge 343 is an example of a second print amount display object, the display mode of this circular gauge 343 is an example of the second mode, and the printing service information screen 340A is an example of a second screen.

[0054] In setting the switching time, a service switching time setting screen 340C shown in Fig. 9 is displayed. In the illustrated example, the service switching time setting screen 340C displays a message 348 prompting the user to specify the date on which the system actually wants to switch the print service, as well as four options 349, 350, 352, 354 as the manner of specifying the switching date, parameter entry fields 351, 353, and a setting button 355.

[0055] In this example, the four options are an automatic option 349, an option 350 for specifying a date, an option 352 for specifying the number of remaining printable sheets, and an option 354 for immediate transition, each of which is displayed with a radio box, and the user is allowed to select only one of them.

[0056] When the user selects the "automatic" option 349, the operator of the printing service providing system 1 is left to select the most suitable date as the time to switch services, such as a date that is convenient for administrative procedures based on the calendar, such as the beginning of the next month, a date that is based on the user's convenience, such as the date on which the usage fee is paid, or a date that is based on the system's convenience, such as the scheduled end date of system maintenance. In this case, a specified discount may be applied to the usage fee, etc.

[0057] In the case of the option 350 for specifying a date, the user can enter any specific date in the parameter entry field 351. In the case of the option 352 for specifying the remaining number of printable sheets, the user can arbitrarily specify in the parameter entry field 353 when the service should be switched at the remaining number of printable sheets, calculated by subtracting the number of printable sheets for the period from the number of sheets in the contract plan. The date specification is limited to the scheduled service switching date, and the specification of the number of printable sheets becomes invalid after the scheduled service switching date has passed. In addition, in the case of the option 354 for immediate transition, it can be specified to skip the prepaid transition state and immediately switch to the prepaid printing service. Then, the option selected when the setting button 355 is pressed is applied, and the specific service transition time is set. This completes the acceptance of the service switching application and the switching time, i.e., the acceptance of the switching reservation. Note that the display of the four options 349, 350, 352, and 354 are examples of designation displays, option 350 and parameter entry field 351 are examples of date and time designation fields, option 352 and parameter entry field 353 are examples of print volume designation fields, option 354 is an example of an immediate designation field, and option 349 is an example of an entrusted designation field.

[0058] Also, when the acceptance of the switching reservation is completed and the contract status becomes the prepaid transition status, the printing service information screen 340B shown in FIG. 10 is displayed. The display of the printing service information screen 340B is an example of a screen display after reservation. This printing service information screen 340B displays a display 341 of the printer 200 to be confirmed, a display 342B of the contract status at that time corresponding to the prepaid transition status, a circular gauge 343 and a numerical value 344 indicating the number of prints during the period, a display 345 of the number of contract plans and the number of carried-over prints, and a setting button 347 for carrying out the procedure of setting the service transition time. The setting button 347 of the service transition time is for making it possible to change the service transition time for which the service switching reservation has been made. When the setting button 347 is pressed, the service transition time setting screen 340C shown in FIG. 9 is displayed, and the service transition time can be re-set as described above.

[0059] The contract status display 342B indicates that the print service being used at that time is a subscription, and also shows a description of the prepaid transition status (in the figure, it says "Prepaid switching reservation completed").

[0060] When the contract status is the prepaid execution status, a print service information screen 340D shown in Fig. 11 is displayed. This print service information screen 340D displays 341 of the printer 200 to be checked, a display 342D indicating that the contract status at that time corresponds to the prepaid execution status, a circular gauge 356 and a numerical value 357 indicating the number of printable sheets, and a button 358 for charging.

[0061] Contract status display 342D indicates that the printing service currently being used is prepaid.

[0062] The number of printable sheets at that time is displayed by a circular gauge 356 having an approximately circular ring shape and a numerical value 357. In the print service information screen 340D in the prepaid print service, the number of printable sheets is displayed in a decreasing display mode. In the decreasing display mode, the progress of the print amount is represented by a decrease in the length of the circular gauge 356 along with a decrease in the numerical value 357. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the user has not yet performed a charge by purchasing a print authority, and the number of printable sheets at this time is in a state of 0 sheets. When the user presses the button 358 at any timing, the screen transitions to a procedure screen not shown in particular, and the charge process including the charge process in the first server 100A and the settlement process in the transaction server 400 can be performed. After the charge is performed, the number of printable sheets increases by the number of charged sheets of the applied charge plan, and is represented by the length of the circular gauge 356 together with the numerical value 357. When printing is further performed, the numerical value 357 of the number of printable sheets decreases and the length of the circular gauge 356 decreases counterclockwise. Print service information screen 340D is also an example of the first screen when transitioning services.

[0063] In this embodiment, the print service information screen 340B (see FIG. 10) displayed when the contract status is in the prepaid transition status does not display the button 358 for charging, meaning that charging the printable number of sheets is not possible during the prepaid transition status. Therefore, charging is only possible after the service has actually switched to the prepaid print service.

[0064] As described above, in this embodiment, depending on each contract state of the subscription execution state, the prepaid transition state, and the prepaid execution state, the corresponding print service information screens 340A, 340B, and 340D can be switched and displayed on the mobile terminal 300. This allows the user to clearly check the contract state at that time without confusion, and to carry out the necessary processing and procedures.

[0065] <Control procedure> An example of a control procedure executed by the CPU 310 of the mobile terminal 300 to realize the above-described processing in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 12. When a user performs an operation on the mobile terminal 300 to display a print service information screen, the flow in Fig. 12 is repeatedly executed.

[0066] First, in step S5, information on the contract status at that time is obtained, and in the next step S10, various information on each print service at that time is obtained from the first server 100A, the second server 100B, and the printer 200. Then, in step S15, based on the obtained information, only basic information from the print service information screen is displayed on the touch panel 340. Note that the basic information is information common to each contract status, such as the display 341 of the printer 200 to be confirmed.

[0067] Next, the process proceeds to step S20, where it is determined whether the contract state at that time is the subscription execution state shown in Fig. 7, and if it is the subscription execution state, the determination is satisfied (S20: YES), and the print service information screen 340A shown in Fig. 8 is displayed in steps S25 to S35. In step S25, content corresponding to the subscription execution state is displayed 342 as the contract state at that time, and in step S30, a circular gauge 343 and a numerical value 344 relating to the number of sheets printed during the period are displayed, and in step S35, a service switching setting button 346 is displayed.

[0068] Next, the process proceeds to step S40, and when the service switching setting button 346 is pressed, the process proceeds to step S43. In step S43, the service transition time setting screen 340C shown in FIG. 9 is displayed to accept the service switching time. In step S45, the printing service is switched and the associated reservation is set, and the resulting information is registered in each of the servers 100A, 100B, the printer 200, and the mobile terminal 300. Then, this flow ends. If the service switching setting button 346 is not pressed in step S40 (step S40: No), this flow ends.

[0069] On the other hand, in the determination in step S20 above, if the subscription is not in progress, the determination is not satisfied (S20: NO), and the process proceeds to step S50. In step S50, it is determined whether the contract state at that time is the prepaid transition state shown in Fig. 7, and if it is the prepaid transition state, the determination is satisfied (S50: YES), and in steps S55 to S65, a print service information screen 340B that is displayed when the contract state is the prepaid transition state shown in Fig. 10 is displayed. In step S55, a display 342B of contents corresponding to the prepaid transition state as the contract state at that time is performed, and in step S60, a circular gauge 343 and a numerical value 344 relating to the number of printed sheets for a period are displayed, and in step S65, a setting button 347 for the service transition time is displayed.

[0070] Next, the process proceeds to step S70, and if the service transition time setting button 347 is pressed, the process proceeds to step S75. In step S75, the service transition time setting screen 340C is displayed to change (reset) the service transition time, and the resulting information is registered in each of the servers 100A, 100B, the printer 200, and the mobile terminal 300. Then, this flow ends. If the setting button 347 is not pressed in step S70, the setting to change the service transition time is not performed, and this flow ends.

[0071] On the other hand, if the determination in step S50 above is that the card is not in the prepaid transition state, the condition is not satisfied (S50: NO), and printing service information screen 340D shown in Fig. 11 is displayed in steps S80 to S90. In step S80, content 342D corresponding to the prepaid execution state as the contract state at that time is displayed, and in step S85, a circular gauge 356 and a numerical value 357 relating to the number of printable sheets are displayed, and in step S90, a charge button 358 is displayed.

[0072] Next, the flow proceeds to step S95, and when the charge button 358 is pressed, the flow proceeds to step S100. In step S100, the charge procedure is performed, and the information resulting from this is registered in each of the servers 100A, 100B, the printer 200, and the mobile terminal 300. Then, this flow ends. If the charge button 358 is not pressed in step S95, the charge procedure is not performed, and this flow ends.

[0073] In the above, steps S40, S43, and S45 are examples of switching reservation acceptance processing and a switching reservation acceptance section, step S30 is an example of in-service display processing, steps S55, S60, and S65 are an example of post-reservation display processing, and steps 95 and S100 are an example of purchase acceptance processing.

[0074] <Advantages of the First Embodiment> As described above, the mobile terminal 300 provided in the printing service providing system 1 of this embodiment can selectively execute a so-called prepaid printing service, which allows the number of printable sheets to be increased according to the charged number of sheets guaranteed by the purchased printing authority, and a so-called subscription printing service, which allows the number of printable sheets to be set according to the contract plan number of sheets guaranteed by the fixed-rate printing authority.

[0075] When switching between these two services, steps S40, S43, and S45 are executed in the mobile terminal 300. Through these steps, an application by the user to switch from the subscription printing service to the prepaid printing service and a designation of the time of the switch are accepted, and the service switch is executed at the designated switching time.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the subscription printing service is switched to the prepaid printing service at the time designated by the user, and the current service before the switch is provided until the time of the switch. As a result, the user can continue to pay the costs for the current service until the time of the switch, improving convenience.

[0077] Particularly in this embodiment, when the subscription print service is provided, the mobile terminal 300 executes step S30 to display a print service information screen 340A including a circular gauge 343 and a numerical value 344. During the prepaid transition state, steps S55, S60, and S65 are executed to display a print service information screen 340B.

[0078] According to this embodiment, even if the current service before the switch is being provided before the switch time specified by the user, the user can be notified and made aware that a reservation for a service switch has been made.

[0079] Furthermore, particularly in this embodiment, the display contents including the circular gauge 343 and the numerical values ​​344 before the switching are maintained on the display of the print service information screen 340B. Since there is little difference from the display corresponding to the current service provision status before the switching reservation was made, the user feels less uncomfortable visually.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the user can specify the date and time or the number of printable sheets desired by the user in the parameter entry fields 351, 353, so that the service switching can be performed reliably at the timing desired by the user.

[0081] Furthermore, in particular in this embodiment, option 354 allows for instantaneous switching to be specified, thereby meeting the needs of users who desire quick switching, and option 349 allows the timing of switching to be left to the discretion of the administrator, thereby eliminating the need for users to specify the timing of switching.

[0082] <Modification> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and technical concept of the present invention. Such modifications will be described below in order.

[0083] (1) Modification 1 of the printing service information screen in the prepaid transition state In the first embodiment described above, the print service information screen 340B displayed on the mobile terminal 300 in the prepaid transition state was only a screen with display content similar to that of the print service information screen 340A in the subscription execution state. In contrast, in the prepaid transition state, for example, a print service information screen 340E corresponding to the subscription execution state as shown in Fig. 13(a) and a print service information screen 340F corresponding to the prepaid execution state as shown in Fig. 13(b) may be displayed in a switchable manner.

[0084] Specifically, the print service information screen 340E and the print service information screen 340F each display a display 341 of the printer 200 to be checked, a display 342B indicating that the contract status at that time corresponds to the prepaid transition status, and a newly provided switching button 359. The print service information screen 340E displays a circular gauge 343 and a numerical value 344 indicating the number of prints during the period, a display 345 of the number of contract plans and the number of carried-over prints, and a setting button 347 for setting the service transition time. The print service information screen 340F displays a circular gauge 356 and a numerical value 357 indicating the number of printable sheets, and a button 358 for charging. Each time the user presses the switching button 359, the print service information screen 340E and the print service information screen 340F are alternately displayed.

[0085] In this example, the charge button 358 displayed on the print service information screen 340F can be pressed, and the charge procedure for the printable number of sheets, including the payment process, can be performed even in the prepaid transition state before switching to the prepaid print service. The printable number added by this charge procedure can be used from the scheduled service switching date onwards.

[0086] As described above, in this modified example, the printing service information screen displayed in the prepaid transition state displays both display contents including a circular gauge 343 indicating the number of sheets printed during the period before the switch and numerical value 344, and display contents including a circular gauge 356 indicating the number of sheets that can be printed after the switch and numerical value 357. Since both a display corresponding to the current service provision state before the switch reservation is made and a display of the new service provision state to which the transition will occur after the switch are made are displayed, it is possible to provide the user with information both before and after the switch.

[0087] In addition, in this modification, the print service information screen 340F allows the user to purchase the print authorization required when switching from the subscription print service to the prepaid print service before switching, which also improves convenience. Also, the payment process associated with the purchase can be completed.

[0088] Furthermore, in this modified example in particular, the printing service information screen 340F displays a circular gauge 356 and a numerical value 357 indicating the number of prints that can be made according to the purchase of printing rights when switching to the prepaid printing service, thereby making it possible to notify the user in advance of the upper limit of printing that will be realized after the switch.

[0089] (2) Modification of the print service information screen in the prepaid transition state, part 2 Also, in the prepaid transition state, only the print service information screen 340G corresponding to the prepaid execution state may be displayed as shown in FIG. 14. In this example, a setting button 347 for carrying out the procedure for setting the service transition time is also displayed. In this example, the charge button 360 displayed on the print service information screen 340G is displayed as a grayed-out button that cannot be pressed, so that charging cannot be performed. In addition, the charge button 360 displays that charging is possible from the date of the service transition time ("2023 / 9 / 15" in the illustrated example).

[0090] 14, a circular gauge 356 and a numerical value 357 showing the number of printable sheets, which is increased by 10 sheets by carrying over the number of prints carried over when switching from the subscription print service to the prepaid print service, are displayed. The print service information screen 340G described above is an example of the third screen. According to the above-described present modified example, in the prepaid transition state, a new information screen 340G dedicated to the prepaid transition state is displayed, which is different from the information screen 340A for the subscription execution state or the information screen 340D in the prepaid execution state. This allows the user to be sure that the service switching reservation has been made.

[0091] In particular, in this modified example, the purchase of print authorization, which is required when switching from a subscription print service to a prepaid print service, is not permitted before the switch, so that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of separate financial burdens for the service after the switch before the switch. Note that the charge button 360 displayed on the print service information screen 340G in such a prepaid transition state may also be made pressable to permit charging.

[0092] In particular, in this modified example, the time when the purchase of purchase printing authority becomes possible is displayed during the charge button 360. In this way, when the user is prohibited from purchasing purchase printing authority before switching to the prepaid printing service, it is possible to clearly indicate to the user the time from which such purchase will become possible.

[0093] In particular, in this modified example, the number of printable pages in the subscription printing service before the switch is subtracted, and the number of printable pages corresponding to the subtracted number is added to the number of printable pages in the prepaid printing service after the switch. According to this modified example, even when the printing service is switched, the remaining number of printable pages used in the service before the switch can be carried over and used in the next service after the switch.

[0094] <Second embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0095] In this embodiment, a case where a reservation for switching from a prepaid print service to a subscription print service is made will be described, and a description of the same configuration and processing as in the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate. In this embodiment, a reservation for switching to a subscription print service can be made in a prepaid execution state. Note that such switching from a prepaid print service to a subscription print service is an example of switching to the second service.

[0096] In this case, in the previous prepaid execution state, an information screen (not shown) in which a service switching setting button 346 is additionally displayed on the printing service information screen 340D shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the mobile terminal 300. Then, after the switching reservation and before the switching time, the subscription transition state is entered, and at this time, for example, a printing service information screen 340H as shown in FIG. 15 is displayed. On this printing service information screen 340H, a display 341 of the printer 200 to be confirmed, a display 342H in which the contract state at that time corresponds to the subscription transition state, a circular gauge 356 and a numerical value 357 for displaying the number of printable sheets, a button 358 for charging, and a setting button 347 for the service transition time are displayed. Note that the circular gauge 356 of the number of printable sheets is an example of a first printing amount display object, the display mode of this circular gauge 356 is an example of a first mode, and the printing service information screen 340H is an example of a first screen.

[0097] In this example, the charge button 358 displayed on the print service information screen 340H can be pressed, and the charge procedure for the number of printable sheets, including the payment process, is possible even in the subscription transition state before switching to the subscription print service. However, it may also be made inoperable by displaying the charge button as grayed out, like the charge button 360 in Fig. 14 above. In particular, when there is more than a predetermined number of printable sheets remaining, this layout display can prevent the remaining number of printable sheets from becoming excessive when the service transitions.

[0098] As described above, according to this embodiment, the prepaid printing service is switched to the subscription printing service at the time designated by the user, and the current service before the switch is provided until the time of the switch. As a result, the user can continue to pay the fees for the current service until the time of the switch, improving convenience.

[0099] In the above embodiments, the display of the print service information screen, the service switching reservation, and the setting of the switching time are performed by the mobile terminal 300. In addition, similar display and processing may be performed by each of the servers 100A, 100B or the printer 200. In that case, the device that executes the processing may obtain the information necessary for the processing, generate and transmit / receive the print service information screen, and perform various procedural processing. In this case, each of the servers 100A, 100B and the printer 200 is an example of a service switching management device.

[0100] When each of the servers 100A, 100B is operated as an example of a service switching management device, for example, page data is transmitted from each of the servers 100A, 100B to the mobile terminal 300 for each processing step. The mobile terminal 300 displays the page data on the touch panel 340 via the browser. The contents of the user operation on the touch panel 340 are transmitted to each of the servers 100A, 100B via the browser.

[0101] When the printer 200 is operated as an example of a service switching management device, for example, the printer 200 is equipped with an embedded web server (EWS) and is controlled using the browser of the mobile terminal 300 in the same manner as when each of the servers 100A, 100B is operated as an example of a service switching management device.

[0102] Furthermore, a single device does not necessarily have to operate as the service switching management device, and the print service switching system may be configured by a plurality of devices among the servers 100A, 100B, the printer 200, the mobile terminal 300, and other devices.

[0103] In addition, in the above, the flowchart shown in FIG. 12 does not limit the present invention to the procedures shown in the flowchart, and procedures may be added or deleted, or the order of procedures may be changed, etc., within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit and technical concept of the invention.

[0104] In addition to the above, the methods according to the above embodiments and their modifications may be used in appropriate combination.

[0105] Although not specifically illustrated, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1. Print service provision system (an example of a print service switching system) 100A First server (an example of a service providing server or service switching management device) 100B Second server (an example of a service providing server or service switching management device) 200 Printer (printing device, an example of a service switching management device) 300 Mobile terminal (an example of a service switching management device) 340A Printing service information screen (example of the second screen) 340B Printing service information screen (example of post-reservation screen) 340D Printing service information screen (example of the first screen) 340E Printing service information screen (example of post-reservation screen) 340F Printing service information screen (example of post-reservation screen) 340G Printing service information screen (example of post-reservation screen) 340H Printing service information screen (example of the screen after reservation) 343 Circular gauge (an example of a second print volume display object) 356 Circular gauge (an example of the first print volume display object) 400 Trade Server NT Network

Claims

1. A service switching management device that manages switching of a printing service in a printing system including a service providing server and a printing device, The printing system includes: a first service that can increase a first allowable print volume, which is an upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, according to a first guaranteed print volume guaranteed by a purchase print authority purchased based on a purchase request from a user; a second service that allows a second allowable printing volume, which is an upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, to be set according to a second guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a fixed-rate printing authority granted for a predetermined period based on a fixed-rate contract of a user; is configured to be executable, The service switching management device, A switching reservation acceptance process for accepting an application for switching from the provision of the first service to the provision of the second service, or from the provision of the second service to the provision of the first service, and the timing of the switching. A service switching management device configured to execute the following:

2. The service switching management device further comprises: a service-in-progress display process for displaying a first screen including a first print amount display object that displays the progress of the print amount in a first manner when the first service is provided, and displaying a second screen including a second print amount display object that displays the progress of the print amount in a second manner different from the first manner when the second service is provided, when the first service is provided, when the switching reservation acceptance process for the first service or the second service is not performed; a post-reservation display process for performing a post-reservation screen display during a switching reservation period until the switching time after the switching reservation acceptance process for the first service provision switching or the second service provision switching; 2. A service switching management device according to claim 1, configured to execute the following:

3. The screen display after reservation is as follows: A service switching management device as described in claim 2, which is a display including the second printing volume display object before the switching in the first service switching before the switching reservation acceptance processing, or a display including the first printing volume display object before the switching in the second service switching before the switching reservation acceptance processing.

4. The screen display after reservation is as follows:

3. The service switching management device according to claim 2, wherein a display including said second print amount display object and a display including said first print amount display object are used in combination.

5. The screen display after reservation is as follows:

3. The service switching management device according to claim 2, wherein a third screen is displayed which is different from the first screen and the second screen and is dedicated to a switching reservation period.

6. In the switching reservation acceptance process, a designation display for designating the switching time is displayed, A service switching management device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the designation display includes at least one of a date and time designation field for designating the desired switching time based on a date and time, and a printing volume designation field for designating the desired switching time based on the value of the first allowable printing volume or the second allowable printing volume.

7. The designation indication is:

7. The service switching management device according to claim 6, further comprising at least one of an immediate specification field for requesting immediate switching and a discretionary specification field for leaving the timing of switching up to the discretion of a manager of the printing service.

8. The service switching management device further comprises: when the switching reservation acceptance process for the switching to the first service is performed, a purchase acceptance process is executed to accept the purchase of the purchasing and printing authority on the post-reservation screen display. The service switching management device according to claim 2, configured to:

9. The service switching management device, after accepting the purchase of the purchased printing authority in the purchase acceptance process, the first allowed printing amount to which the corresponding first guaranteed printing amount has been added is displayed on the post-reservation screen display. The service switching management device according to claim 8, configured to:

10. The service switching management device, 3. The service switching management device according to claim 2, wherein when the switching reservation acceptance process for the switching to the first service is performed, the device is configured not to accept purchases of the purchase printing authority during the switching reservation period.

11. The service switching management device, 11. The service switching management device according to claim 10, wherein the post-reservation screen display is configured to display a time when the purchase of the purchase and printing authority becomes possible.

12. The service switching management device further comprises: The service switching management device of claim 1 is configured to execute a printing volume handover process in which, when the second service switching is executed due to the arrival of the switching period, the first permissible printing volume is subtracted and an additional amount corresponding to the subtracted amount is added to the second permissible printing volume, or, when the first service switching is executed due to the arrival of the switching period, the second permissible printing volume is subtracted and an additional amount corresponding to the subtracted amount is added to the first permissible printing volume.

13. A printing service switching system including a service providing server and a printing device, the printing service switching system being configured to execute a first service that can increase a first allowable printing volume, which is an upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, according to a first guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a purchased printing authority purchased based on a user's purchase request, and a second service that can set a second allowable printing volume, which is an upper limit when the printing device prints an image on a sheet, according to a second guaranteed printing volume guaranteed by a fixed-rate printing authority granted for a predetermined period based on a fixed-rate contract of the user, a switching reservation receiving unit that receives an application for switching from the provision of the first service to the provision of the second service, or from the provision of the second service to the provision of the first service, and a switching time for the switching; A print service switching system having the above configuration.

Images