Image forming apparatus, method for controlling image forming apparatus, and storage medium

Abstract

To provide a mechanism capable of suppressing stagnation of work in an image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a fixed number of sheets in a fixed period according to a plan included in a contract.SOLUTION: The image forming device 101 capable of printing up to 500 sheets per month in accordance with the plan A included in the flat-rate contract has a CPU201 for performing printing of the received print job. The CPU201 refers to the setting value 500 stored in the EEPROM205, and in a case where printing exceeding 500 sheets per month is performed by the print job, the plan A is switched to the "pay-for-use billing mode" of the after-upper-limit plan mode 505 when printing exceeding 500 sheets per month is performed on condition that the after-upper-limit plan mode switching 504 is "automatic" and the job type of the print job is "FAX" of the automatic switching job type 506.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method for an image forming apparatus, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, subscription services for image forming devices have sometimes adopted a flat-rate printing method as their billing method. With an image forming device that adopts a flat-rate printing method, a user can print up to a certain number of pages (hereinafter referred to as the "printable number of pages") by paying a fixed amount every certain period of time. In the following description, the term "reaching the limit" may be used to refer to the image forming device printing up to the printable number of pages. Conventional techniques for dealing with the limit when it is reached include, for example, preventing the image forming device from printing or inquiring about printing permission from the image forming device's administrator. Patent Document 1 also describes a technique in which the printable number of pages is set for each user, and if a user wishes to print more than the printable number, the user's printable number can be changed by inquiring about the administrator's approval. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-349702 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, if a user wants to continue printing after the limit has been reached, they must contact an administrator and wait for approval, resulting in a waiting time for approval. Also, if the print job is a fax from a customer, the user may want to print the fax immediately without waiting for approval from the administrator. However, after the limit has been reached, the image forming device will not print any faxes received, so the user may not even notice that a fax has been received. Therefore, the technology described in Patent Document 1 may ultimately cause business to slow down.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a mechanism for preventing stagnation of work using an image forming device that is capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that is capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period of time in accordance with a plan included in a contract, and is equipped with an acceptance means for accepting print jobs and a printing means for printing the print jobs, and is characterized in that when the print job results in printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period of time, the printing means switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or a predetermined mode when printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period of time, provided that the device operation setting is a predetermined operation and the job type of the print job is a predetermined job type. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent business stagnation at an image forming apparatus that is capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an image forming system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating the overall hardware configuration of an image forming system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing user data, plan data, and contract data in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing setting values ​​of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a setting screen for determining device operation after the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment has printed up to the upper limit of the number of printable sheets (that is, after the upper limit has been reached). [Figure 7] 5 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing setting values ​​of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing setting values ​​of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing setting values ​​of an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the configurations described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the embodiments. For example, each component constituting the present invention can be replaced with any configuration that can perform the same function. Also, any component may be added. Furthermore, any two or more configurations (features) of each embodiment can be combined.

[0010] First Embodiment A first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an image forming system 100. In the image forming system 100, multiple image forming apparatuses, including image forming apparatuses 101 and 102, information processing terminals 103 and 104, and a contract management server 105, are connected via a network, LAN / WAN 106. The image forming system 100 includes two image forming apparatuses 101 and 102, two information processing terminals 103 and 104, and one contract management server 105, but there is no particular limit to the number of these apparatuses. Although the image forming apparatuses 101 and 102 and the contract management server 105 are shown as separate devices in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatuses 101 and 102 may also function as the contract management server 105. In the following description of the image forming apparatuses, the image forming apparatus 101 will be used as a representative. In the following description of the information processing terminals, the information processing terminal 103 will be used as a representative.

[0011] 2 is a diagram showing the overall hardware configuration of the image forming system 100. The image forming apparatus 101 will be described in detail later; however, the image forming apparatus 101 is capable of communicating with a contract management server 105 via a network, LAN / WAN 106. The contract management server 105 manages the contract information of multiple image forming apparatuses. The information processing terminal 103 updates the contract information managed by the contract management server 105 through user operations via a web browser. Note that the contract information managed by the contract management server 105 may be updated by a dedicated application on the information processing terminal 103, or may be updated on the image forming apparatus 101.

[0012] Next, the image forming apparatus 101 will be described in detail. The image forming apparatus 101 has a controller unit 200. The controller unit 200 has a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, a HDD 204, an EEPROM 205, an operation unit I / F 206, a printer I / F 207, a scanner I / F 208, and a USB-HOSTI / F 209. The controller unit 200 also has a MODEM 210, an NCU 211, and a network I / F 212. The image forming apparatus 101 also has an operation unit 213, a printer unit 214, and a scanner unit 215.

[0013] The operation unit 213 is provided with a liquid crystal display with touch panel functionality, a keyboard, and the like. This allows the operation unit 213 to display the status of the image forming apparatus 101 and operation menus, and to accept user instructions. The printer unit 214 accepts print instructions from the controller unit 200 and prints image data sent from the controller unit 200 on paper. The scanner unit 215 accepts read instructions from the controller unit 200, performs a read operation, and sends the image data acquired by the read operation to the controller unit 200. The scanner unit 215 has two read operation modes: a pressure plate mode in which a document placed on a glass platen is read, and an ADF mode in which a document is read while being transported by an automatic document feeder (ADF).

[0014] The CPU 201 of the controller unit 200 is an execution medium for a control program built into the image forming apparatus 101, and controls the operation of devices connected to the controller unit 200 via various I / Fs such as the network I / F 212 and memory of storage media. The ROM 202 is a read-only memory. The ROM 202 stores a boot program required for system startup and the like. The RAM 203 is a volatile memory and serves as work memory required when the control program is executed. The HDD 204 is a storage medium such as a magnetic disk. The HDD 204 stores the control program, image data, and the like. The EEPROM 205 is a non-volatile memory. The EEPROM 205 stores setting values ​​and the like required when the control program is executed. The EEPROM 205 also stores information about the contract plan (described below) transmitted from the contract management server 105.

[0015] The operation unit I / F 206 receives processing content for switching the content displayed on the operation unit 213 from the CPU 201 and transmits the processing content to the operation unit 213. The printer I / F 207 controls printing processing by the printer unit 214. The scanner I / F 208 controls document reading by the scanner unit 215. The USB-Host I / F 209 is an interface for connecting the controller unit 200 to an external USB device 216. An example of the external USB device 216 is a FAX unit. In this case, the FAX unit sends a FAX based on image data transferred from the HDD 204 via the USB-Host I / F 209. Furthermore, the FAX unit generates image data based on the received data and transfers the image data to the HDD 204 via the USB-Host I / F 209. The image data stored in the HDD 204 is printed on paper by the printer unit 214 as described above.

[0016] Other examples of the external USB device 216 include a USB memory stick and a USB keyboard. In the case of a USB memory stick, the USB-Host I / F 209 can also transfer update files required for firmware updates from the USB memory stick. The MODEM 210 demodulates modulated signals received from a telephone line 217, and conversely, modulates signals from devices and sends them to the telephone line 217. The NCU 211 is the interface between the telephone line 217 and a FAX machine, and performs line control such as detecting signals coming from the telephone line 217 and transmitting them to the MODEM 210, and switching the telephone line 217 to a FAX machine or telephone 218.

[0017] Next, the contract management server 105 will be described in detail. The contract management server has a CPU 231, a ROM 232, a RAM 233, a HDD 234, and a network I / F 235. The CPU 231 is an execution medium for the server function of the contract management server 105. The ROM 233 is a read-only memory. The ROM 233 stores a boot program required for system startup and the like. The RAM 233 is a volatile memory and serves as work memory required when the server function program is executed. The HDD 234 is a storage medium such as a magnetic disk. In addition to the server function program, the HDD 234 stores user data, plan data, contract data, and the like (described below). The contract management server 105 can communicate with the image forming apparatus 101 and the information processing terminal 103 via the network I / F 235 and the LAN / WAN 106, and provides the information processing terminal 103 with a contract information update service for the image forming apparatus.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a software configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 101. Note that each software module shown in FIG. 3 is realized by the CPU 201 reading out the corresponding program from the ROM 202, expanding it in the RAM 203, and executing it. The startup control unit 301 is a software module for controlling the startup processing of the image forming apparatus 101. The startup control unit 301 starts up the OS (operating system) of the controller unit 200 and launches the basic system for running various programs. The operation unit control unit 302 is a software module for controlling the operation unit 213 via the operation unit I / F 206. The printer control unit 303 is a software module for controlling printing by the printer unit 214 via the printer I / F 207.

[0019] Scanner control unit 304 is a software module for executing functions such as reading an original document using scanner unit 215 via scanner I / F 208. User data management unit 305 is a software module for managing data on users who are allowed to use image forming apparatus 101. Authentication control unit 306 is a software module for controlling authentication of users who have been authenticated by image forming apparatus 101, based on user information registered by user data management unit 305. Error notification control unit 307 is a software module for receiving notification of an abnormal state that occurs mainly in printer unit 214, scanner unit 215, etc., and for executing control to stop the entire system or instruct a degenerate operation.

[0020] The communication control unit 308 is a software module for controlling multiple communication protocols supported by the image forming apparatus 101 via the network I / F 212. The function application platform 309 is a software module for converting hardware input from the operation unit I / F 206 into button instructions on an operation screen controlled by the function application 310, and notifying the function application 310. The function application platform 309 also switches the operation screen display from each of the multiple function applications 310 present for each function described below, and displays the screen on the operation unit 213 via the operation unit I / F 206.

[0021] The function application 310 is a software module for operating functions such as copying, printing, and email transmission. As described above, multiple function applications 310 exist for each function. Software for the multiple function applications 310 can be added externally. Functions such as copying, printing, and email transmission are triggered by user instructions via the operation unit 213 or data reception via the LAN / WAN 106. The history setting storage unit 311 is a software module for managing non-volatile information such as operation history and various setting values ​​within the image forming apparatus 101. In other words, the history setting storage unit 311 stores settings necessary for controlling the image forming apparatus 101 and job execution, as well as user operation history, job execution results, and error occurrences. The substance of this non-volatile information is stored in the HDD 204. The USB control unit 312 is a software module for controlling the external USB device 216 connected to it via the USB-Host I / F 209.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing user data, plan data, and contract data stored in the HDD 234 of the contract management server 105. As shown in FIG. 4(a), each piece of user data 401 includes a user ID 402, a password 403, an address 404, and a payment method 405. The user ID 402 and password 403 are used to identify users when the contract management server 105 provides the information processing terminal 103 with a contract information update service for the image forming device. The address 404 is the user's address and is used when issuing invoices and receipts. The payment method 405 is the payment method for the fee paid by the user when using the image forming device. Examples of payment methods for the fee include credit card payment and bank withdrawal. In the first embodiment, the information constituting the user data 401 is the information indicated by the user ID 402, password 403, address 404, and payment method 405, but this is not limited to these and may be any information related to the user.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4(b), each piece of plan data 411 includes a plan 412, a printable number of sheets 413, and a fee 414. In the first embodiment, all information indicated by the plan 412 is a monthly contract plan. Therefore, the information indicated by the fee 414 is a fixed amount to be paid per month, and the information indicated by the printable number of sheets 413 is a fixed number of sheets that can be printed in that month for the fixed amount paid per month (hereinafter also referred to as the "maximum number of printable sheets"). Note that, in the first embodiment, the information constituting the plan data 411 is the information indicated by the plan 412, the printable number of sheets 413, and the fee 414, respectively, but is not limited to these, and may be any information related to the contract plan.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4(c), each piece of contract data 421 has a serial number 422, a user ID 423, and a plan 424. The information indicated by the serial number 422 is an ID for uniquely identifying the image forming apparatus, and is used for managing contract information on a serial number basis. The information indicated by the user ID 423 is the ID of the user who has concluded a contract for the image forming apparatus uniquely identified by the serial number 422, and is information indicated by one of the user IDs 402 in the user data 401. The information indicated by the plan 424 is a contract plan for the image forming apparatus uniquely identified by the serial number 422, and is information indicated by one of the plans 412 in the plan data 411.

[0025] Each contract data 421 further includes a contract expiration period 425, a device administrator 426, a plan / mode switching method after reaching the upper limit 427, a plan / mode setting after reaching the upper limit 428, and an automatic switching job type 429. The information indicated by the contract expiration period 425 is the expiration date of a fixed-price printing contract (hereinafter referred to as a "fixed-price contract") such as a subscription service concluded for an image forming apparatus uniquely identified by a serial number 422. The information indicated by the device administrator 426 is the name of an administrator who has administrative authority for an image forming apparatus uniquely identified by a serial number 422, and the administrator's email address.

[0026] The information indicated by the plan mode switching method after reaching the upper limit 427 is information for determining device operation after printing has been performed up to the print upper limit number on the image forming apparatus uniquely identified by the serial number 422, that is, after the upper limit has been reached. The information indicated by the plan mode switching method after reaching the upper limit 427 includes "automatic" and "approval by administrator." If the information indicated by the plan mode switching method after reaching the upper limit 427 is "automatic," it becomes possible to set the plan mode setting after reaching the upper limit 428 and the automatic switching job type 429.

[0027] The information indicated by the plan / mode setting 428 after reaching the upper limit is the plan or mode indicated in (1) or (2) below. (1) A plan or mode to which the image forming apparatus uniquely identified by the serial number 422 automatically switches when it receives a print job of the job type indicated by the automatic switching job type 429 after reaching the upper limit. (2) A plan or mode to which the image forming apparatus uniquely identified by the serial number 422 automatically switches when it has printed up to the upper limit of print pages when executing a print job of the job type indicated by the automatic switching job type 429, which would result in printing exceeding the upper limit of print pages. The plans or modes indicated in (1) and (2) above include a contract plan higher than the contract plan indicated by the plan 424 and a pay-as-you-go mode. The information indicated by the automatic switching job type 429 is a job type that the image forming apparatus uniquely identified by the serial number 422 can print without requiring administrator approval even after reaching the upper limit, and one or more of these types may exist. The information indicated by the automatic switching job type 429 includes fax, print, and copy.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing setting values ​​500 of the image forming apparatus 101. The setting values ​​500 include a print limit 501, a print permission period 502, a device administrator 503, a plan / mode switch after reaching the limit 504, a plan / mode after reaching the limit 505, and an automatic job type switch 506. The print limit 501 indicates the maximum number of pages that can be printed. If a flat-rate contract has not been concluded, the value of the print limit 501 is none (=unlimited). When a flat-rate contract has been concluded, the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 receives the value of the printable number 413, which is determined according to the contract plan (i.e., plan 412), from the contract management server 105 and stores it in the EEPROM 205 as the value of the print limit 501.

[0029] The information indicated by the print permission period 502 is the expiration date of the flat-rate contract concluded for the image forming apparatus 101. The information indicated by the device administrator 503 is the name of the administrator who has administrative authority for the image forming apparatus 101 and the email address of that administrator. The information indicated by the plan mode switch after reaching limit 504 (device operation settings) is information for determining the device operation after the image forming apparatus 101 has printed up to the print limit number.

[0030] The information indicated by the post-limit-reach plan / mode 505 is a plan (predetermined plan) or mode (predetermined mode) shown in (1) or (2) below. (1) A plan or mode to which the image forming apparatus 100 automatically switches when it receives a print job of the job type indicated by the automatic switching job type 506 after the limit has been reached. (2) A plan or mode to which the image forming apparatus 100 automatically switches when printing up to the print limit has been completed if executing a print job of the job type indicated by the automatic switching job type 506 would result in printing exceeding the print limit. The information indicated by the automatic switching job type 506 is a job type (predetermined job type) that the image forming apparatus 101 can print without requiring administrator approval even after printing up to the print limit has been completed in the image forming apparatus 101, and one or more of these types may exist.

[0031] The CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 receives information on the contract expiration period 425 and the device administrator 426 from the contract management server 105, and stores this information in the EEPROM 205 as information on the print permission period 502 and the device administrator 503. Similarly, information on the plan / mode switching method after the upper limit number of sheets is reached 427 and information on the plan / mode setting after the upper limit is reached 428 is stored in the EEPROM 205 as information on the plan / mode switching after the upper limit is reached 504 and information on the plan / mode after the upper limit is reached 505. Furthermore, information on the automatic switching job type 429 is stored in the EEPROM 205 as information on the automatic switching job type 506. These pieces of information (including the value of the print upper limit number 501) cannot be changed except by the user updating the contract information.

[0032] 5, the setting value 500 has the plan mode switching after reaching the upper limit 504 set to "automatic," the plan mode after reaching the upper limit 505 set to "pay-per-use mode," and the automatic switching job type 506 set to "fax." This combination means that when the image forming apparatus 101 receives a fax print job in a state where printing is not possible after printing up to the upper limit, the image forming apparatus 101 automatically switches to pay-per-use mode and continues printing. This combination also means that when the image forming apparatus 101 executes the received fax print job, printing will exceed the upper limit, and the image forming apparatus 101 automatically switches to pay-per-use mode and continues printing after printing up to the upper limit.

[0033] 6 is a diagram showing a setting screen 600 (UI screen) for setting device operation after the image forming apparatus 101 has printed up to the print limit (i.e., after the limit has been reached). The setting screen 600 is displayed, for example, when contract information for the image forming apparatus 101 managed by the contract management server 105 is updated by a user operation via a web browser on the information processing terminal 103. According to the setting screen 600, the current plan included in the flat-rate contract concluded for the image forming apparatus 101 is Plan A, and the print limit for the image forming apparatus 101 is 500 sheets.

[0034] The setting screen 600 has items 601 to 604 and buttons 610 and 611. Items 601 and 602 are items for setting device operation after the upper limit is reached. Item 601 is selected when the plan mode is to be automatically switched as device operation after the upper limit is reached. When item 601 is selected, settings can be made in items 603 and 604. Item 603 is an item for setting the job type that can automatically switch the plan mode without administrator approval even after the upper limit is reached, and one or more job types can be selected. Item 604 is an item for setting the plan mode at the time of automatic switching.

[0035] 6 is confirmed, if the image forming device 101 receives a fax in a state where printing is not possible after the upper limit has been reached, the image forming device 101 will automatically switch to the pay-per-use mode without obtaining approval from the administrator. Also, if the image forming device 101 receives a fax and printing exceeds the upper limit, the image forming device 101 will continue printing in the pay-per-use mode without obtaining approval from the administrator after printing up to the upper limit.

[0036] On the other hand, if administrator approval is required for device operation after the upper limit has been reached, item 602 is selected. If the selection of item 602 is confirmed, when the image forming apparatus 101 accepts a print job in a printing-disabled state after the upper limit has been reached, the image forming apparatus 101 cannot print without obtaining administrator approval. Furthermore, if the print job involves printing more than the upper limit of printable pages, the image forming apparatus 101 cannot print without obtaining administrator approval for at least the number of pages exceeding the upper limit of printable pages.

[0037] Button 610 is an OK button, and when pressed, the contract data 421 registered in the contract management server 105 is updated in accordance with the user's selection on the setting screen 600. This updates the device operation settings after the upper limit is reached for the image forming apparatus 101. Button 611 is a cancel button, and when pressed, the setting screen 600 is closed without updating the device operation settings after the upper limit is reached.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the image forming apparatus 101. Each process (control method of the image forming apparatus) shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 is realized in the image forming apparatus 101 by the CPU 201 (computer) reading a program from the ROM 202, loading it into the RAM 203, and executing it. In step S701, the CPU 201 (acceptance means) accepts a print job (acceptance step). At this time, the user sends print data of the print job from the information processing terminal 103 or the like to the image forming apparatus 101 via the network of the LAN / WAN 106. Note that the PDL (Page Description Language) of the print data may be any, and is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the job type of the print job accepted at this time includes fax, print, copy, etc.

[0039] In step S702, CPU 201 determines whether the planned number of pages to be printed for the print job accepted in step S701 is greater than the remaining number of pages that can be printed. At this time, CPU 201 reads, from EEPROM 205, the total number of pages printed by image forming apparatus 101 (total count) and the value of print limit number 501 via printer control unit 303. CPU 201 then subtracts the total number of pages (total count) from the value of print limit number 501 to obtain the remaining number of pages that can be printed. The total number of pages (total count) is reset every month. If CPU 201 determines that the planned number of pages to be printed for the print job accepted in step S701 is greater than the remaining number of pages that can be printed, the process proceeds to step S703. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that the planned number of pages to be printed for the print job accepted in step S701 is not greater than the remaining number of pages that can be printed, the process proceeds to step S709, which will be described later.

[0040] In step S703, the CPU 201 (first determination means) refers to the after-limit-reach plan / mode switch 504 via the printer control unit 303 and determines whether the after-limit-reach plan / mode switch 504 is set to "automatic" (predetermined operation). If the CPU 201 determines that the after-limit-reach plan / mode switch 504 is set to "automatic," the process proceeds to step S704. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the after-limit-reach plan / mode switch 504 is not set to "automatic," that is, if the CPU 201 determines that the after-limit-reach plan / mode switch 504 is set to "approved by administrator," the process proceeds to step S706, which will be described later.

[0041] In step S704, the CPU 201 (second determination means) refers to the automatic switching job type 506 via the printer control unit 303 and determines whether the job type of the print job accepted in step S701 matches the job type of the automatic switching job type 506. If the CPU 201 determines that the job type of the print job accepted in step S701 matches the job type of the automatic switching job type 506, the process proceeds to step S705. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the job type of the print job accepted in step S701 does not match the job type of the automatic switching job type 506, the process proceeds to step S706, which will be described later. In step S705, the CPU 201 refers to the post-limit plan mode 505 via the printer control unit 303 and notifies the contract management server 105 that the plan or mode will be switched to the post-limit plan mode 505.

[0042] In step S706, the CPU 201 notifies the device administrator 503 of information that the planned number of pages to be printed for the print job is greater than the remaining number of pages that can be printed, and a request for approval to switch the plan mode after the limit has been reached. The notification to the administrator may be sent by email using the email address specified by the device administrator 503, or may be sent by display on the operation unit 213 by the operation unit control unit 302; there are no particular restrictions on how this notification is sent. In the following description, the information that the planned number of pages to be printed for the print job is greater than the remaining number of pages that can be printed is referred to as "limit reached information." In step S707, the CPU 201 causes the operation unit control unit 302 to display on the operation unit 213 a message indicating that the administrator is being asked for approval to switch the plan mode after the limit has been reached, along with the limit reached information.

[0043] In step S708, the CPU 201 determines whether a plan mode switching notification has been received from the contract management server 105. Note that when the contract management server 105 receives a notification of consent to the plan mode switching after the upper limit has been reached from the administrator who was notified of the inquiry in step S706, the contract management server 105 transmits a plan mode switching notification to the image forming apparatus 101. If the CPU 201 determines that a plan mode switching notification has been received from the contract management server 105, the process proceeds to step S709. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that a plan mode switching notification has not been received from the contract management server 105, the process returns to step S708. As a result, the CPU 201 repeatedly performs the determination process of step S708 until a plan mode switching notification is received from the contract management server 105. In step S709, the CPU 201 (printing means) executes printing (printing step) as described above for the print job received in step S701 using the printer control unit 303. Thereafter, the flowchart in FIG.

[0044] In the image forming apparatus 101 of the first embodiment, the CPU 201 stores print data for all pages of the print job in order to estimate the number of pages to be printed in step S702, and then executes printing in step S709. However, the CPU 201 may start printing the accepted print job without estimating the number of pages to be printed, and perform the processes from step 703 onwards when the remaining number of pages to be printed is used up during printing. This also applies to the embodiments described below.

[0045] As described above, according to the setting screen 600, the image forming apparatus 101 of the first embodiment can print up to the number of printable sheets 413 (i.e., the number of sheets in the print limit 501 / 500 sheets per month) in accordance with the current plan A included in the concluded flat-rate contract. When the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 with such a printing restriction accepts a print job, it references the setting value 500 stored in the EEPROM 205 and checks the following conditions of the first embodiment. That is, if the print job will result in printing more than "500 sheets" in the print limit 501, the CPU 201 checks that the plan mode switching after limit is reached 504 is "automatic" and that the job type of the print job is "FAX" in the automatic switching job type 506.

[0046] Furthermore, if these conditions are met, when printing more than the "500 sheets" of the print limit 501, the CPU 201 executes the print job by switching from Plan A included in the flat-rate contract to the "pay-as-you-go mode" of the post-limit-reached plan mode 505. Therefore, for example, if the print job is a fax from a customer, the fax image is immediately printed without waiting for approval from an administrator after the limit has been reached, which is beneficial for business purposes. Furthermore, if the user selects a desired job type in item 603 of the setting screen 600, the image forming apparatus 101 can immediately execute a print job of that job type even after the limit has been reached. As a result, the first embodiment can prevent business stagnation in the image forming apparatus 101 that can print up to the printable number 413 (i.e., the number of sheets of the print limit 501 / 500 sheets per month) according to Plan A included in the flat-rate contract.

[0047] Second Embodiment A second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. In the first embodiment, the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 determines, based on the job type, whether to inquire of the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101 about consent to switching the plan mode after the upper limit is reached (hereinafter referred to as "approval after the upper limit is reached"). However, for example, in a case where the end of the month is approaching and a few more days are needed to release the printing impossibility state due to the print upper limit, the administrator may wish to be inquired about consent after the upper limit is reached, even for a job type of automatic switching job type 506. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a method will be described in which the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 determines, based on the date and time in addition to the job type, whether to inquire of consent after the upper limit is reached from the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101. Note that parts not described in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0048] FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing setting values ​​800 of the image forming apparatus 101. The setting values ​​800 include a date and time setting 801 and an automatic plan / mode switching permission period 802. The information indicated by the date and time setting 801 indicates whether or not to enable date and time setting. The information indicated by the date and time setting 801 can be "ON" (ON setting) or "OFF." When the information indicated by the date and time setting 801 is "ON," the determination of whether to query the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101 for consent after the upper limit is reached can be made based not only on the job type of the automatic switching job type 506 but also on the date and time setting. The information indicated by the automatic plan / mode switching permission period 802 indicates the automatic plan / mode switching permission period (predetermined period) of the image forming apparatus 101 for which a flat-rate contract has been concluded. The CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 stores each piece of information (not shown in the second embodiment) received from the contract management server 105 in the EEPROM 205 as information such as date and time settings 801 and automatic plan / mode switching permission period 802. These pieces of information cannot be changed except by the user updating the contract information via a setting screen (UI screen) similar to the setting screen 600 of the first embodiment.

[0049] In the setting value 800 shown in FIG. 8 , the information indicated by the automatic plan mode switching permission period 802 is "up to three days remaining." In this case, for example, if the flat-rate contract is a monthly contract, the automatic plan mode switching permission period for the image forming apparatus 101 with which the flat-rate contract is concluded is from the end of the month until three days remaining. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 101 can print if a print job of a job type that can automatically switch the plan mode is submitted, even after the upper limit has been reached, until three days remaining from the end of the month. In contrast, the image forming apparatus 101 cannot automatically switch the plan mode after two days remaining from the end of the month, even if a print job of a job type that can automatically switch the plan mode is submitted, and approval by an administrator is required. Note that the information indicated by the automatic plan mode switching permission period 802 is not limited to the above-mentioned "up to three days remaining."

[0050] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the image forming apparatus 101. Each process shown in the flowchart in FIG. 9 is realized by the CPU 201 in the image forming apparatus 101 loading a program read from the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and executing it. Steps S901 to S904 are similar to steps S701 to S704 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. However, in step S901, the CPU 201 stores the date and time of reception of the print job in the EEPROM 205. In step S905, the CPU 201 (third determination means) refers to the date and time setting 801 by the printer control unit 303 and determines whether the date and time setting 801 is "ON." If the CPU 201 determines that the date and time setting 801 is "ON," the process proceeds to step S906. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the date and time setting 801 is not "ON," that is, if the CPU 201 determines that the date and time setting 801 is "OFF," the process proceeds to step S907.

[0051] In step S906, the CPU 201 (fourth determination means) refers to the automatic plan mode switching permission period 802 via the printer control unit 303. The CPU 201 then determines whether the date and time at which the print job was received is within the automatic plan mode switching permission period (within a predetermined period) of the image forming apparatus 101. If the CPU 201 determines that the date and time at which the print job was received is within the automatic plan mode switching permission period of the image forming apparatus 101, the process proceeds to step S907. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the date and time at which the print job was received is not within the automatic plan mode switching permission period of the image forming apparatus 101, the process proceeds to step S908. Steps S907 to S911 are similar to steps S705 to S709 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0052] As described above, when the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 of the second embodiment accepts a print job, in addition to checking the conditions of the first embodiment, it also checks the following conditions of the second embodiment by referencing the setting value 800 stored in the EEPROM 205. That is, the CPU 201 checks whether the date and time setting 801 is "ON" and whether the date and time the print job was accepted is within the automatic plan / mode switching permission period indicated by the automatic plan / mode switching permission period 802. Furthermore, if these conditions are met, when printing more than the "500 sheets" in the print limit 501, the CPU 201 executes the print job by switching from Plan A included in the flat-rate contract to the "pay-as-you-go mode" in the post-limit-reach plan / mode 505.

[0053] As a result, in the second embodiment, the CPU 201 can determine whether to switch the plan mode after the upper limit is reached based on the date and time the print job is received, in addition to the job type of the print job. As a result, if the print job can be released from the print-disabled state due to the print upper limit 501 by waiting two more days, the CPU 201 can make an inquiry to the administrator about approval after the upper limit is reached, even if the job type of the print job is the automatic switching job type 506.

[0054] <Third embodiment> A third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. In the image forming apparatus 101 of the first embodiment, anyone could print a print job after the upper limit was reached, as long as the job type matched the job type in the automatic switching job type 506, without inquiring about approval from the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101. However, if anyone could print, the number of printed sheets in the image forming apparatus 101 could increase even after the upper limit was reached, resulting in printing costs unintended by the administrator. Therefore, in the third embodiment, a method will be described in which the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 determines whether printing without approval from the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101 after the upper limit has been reached, based on not only the job type but also whether automatic switching is permitted for the user. Note that parts not described in the third embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0055] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a setting value 1000 of the image forming apparatus 101. The setting value 1000 is a setting value for managing whether or not automatic switching of plan modes is permitted in association with a user ID. The setting value 1000 includes a user ID 1001 and a plan / mode automatic switching permission 1002. The information indicated by the user ID 1001 is the ID of a user who has signed a flat-rate contract with the image forming apparatus, and is information indicated by one of the user IDs 402 in the user data 401. The information indicated by the plan / mode automatic switching permission 1002 indicates whether or not automatic switching of plan modes is permitted. The information indicated by the plan / mode automatic switching permission 1002 includes "OK" (permission value) and "NG." The CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 stores each piece of information (not shown in the third embodiment) received from the contract management server 105 as the user ID 1001 and the plan / mode automatic switching permission 1002 in the EEPROM 205. These pieces of information cannot be changed except by the user updating the contract information via a setting screen (UI screen) similar to the setting screen 600 of the first embodiment.

[0056] 10, for example, "user01" of user ID 1001 is associated with "OK" of plan mode automatic switching permission 1002. Therefore, the user identified by "user01" can print even after the upper limit has been reached by submitting a print job of a job type that allows automatic plan mode switching to the image forming apparatus 101. Furthermore, even if submitting a print job of a job type that allows automatic plan mode switching to the image forming apparatus 101 results in printing exceeding the upper limit of print pages, the user can still print the print job.

[0057] 10, for example, "user02" of user ID 1001 is associated with "NG" in automatic plan mode switching permission 1002. Therefore, the user identified by "user02" is restricted from printing even if he or she submits a print job of a job type that can automatically switch the plan mode to the image forming apparatus 101 after the upper limit has been reached. Furthermore, if submitting a print job of a job type that can automatically switch the plan mode to the image forming apparatus 101 would result in printing exceeding the upper limit, printing of at least the number of pages of the print job that exceeds the upper limit is restricted.

[0058] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the image forming apparatus 101. Each process shown in the flowchart in Fig. 11 is realized by the CPU 201 in the image forming apparatus 101 loading a program read from the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and executing it. Steps S1101 and S1102 are similar to steps S701 and S702 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. In step S1103, the CPU 201 acquires the user ID set for the print job accepted in step S1101.

[0059] In step S1104, the CPU 201 (fifth determination means) references the setting value 1000 via the printer control unit 303 and determines whether the user ID acquired in step S1103 is associated with "OK" in the plan mode automatic switching permission 1002. If the CPU 201 determines that the user ID acquired in step S1103 is associated with "OK" in the plan mode automatic switching permission 1002, the process proceeds to step S1105. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the user ID acquired in step S1103 is not associated with "OK" in the plan mode automatic switching permission 1002, that is, if it determines that "NG" is associated, the process proceeds to step S1108. Steps S1105 to S1111 are similar to steps S703 to S709 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0060] As described above, when the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 of the third embodiment accepts a print job, in addition to checking the conditions of the first embodiment, it also checks the following conditions of the third embodiment by referencing the setting value 1000 stored in the EEPROM 205. That is, the CPU 201 checks whether "OK" is associated with the user ID of the print job in the automatic plan / mode switching permission 1002. Furthermore, if these conditions are met, when printing more than "500 sheets" in the print limit 501, the CPU 201 executes the print job by switching from Plan A included in the flat-rate contract to the "pay-as-you-go mode" in the post-limit plan mode 505. As a result, in the third embodiment, the CPU 201 can determine whether to switch the plan / mode after the limit is reached based on the user ID of the print job in addition to the job type of the print job. As a result, the image forming apparatus 101 limits users who print more than the "500" limit 501, thereby preventing the administrator from incurring printing costs that he or she does not intend.

[0061] <Fourth embodiment> A fourth embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 12 and 13. In the image forming apparatus 101 of the first embodiment, even a print job after the upper limit has been reached could be printed immediately if the job type matched the job type in the automatic switching job type 506. However, from the user's perspective, there may be cases where a user wants to print immediately, regardless of the job type, even after the upper limit has been reached, depending on the attributes of the print job (including related information about the print job). Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, a method will be described in which the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 determines, based on the attributes of the print job, whether printing is possible without obtaining consent from the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101 after the upper limit has been reached.

[0062] In the fourth embodiment, the input source of the print job is described as an attribute of the print job, but there is no particular limitation, and it may be, for example, the presence or absence of confidential information, or a combination of these pieces of information. Also, in the fourth embodiment, a case where the attributes of the print job are included in the header information of the print data of the print job is described, but the same applies to a case where the attributes of the print job are included in the footer information of the print data of the print job. Note that parts not described in the fourth embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0063] FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing a setting value 1200 of the image forming apparatus 101. The setting value 1200 is a setting value for managing automatic switching of the plan mode when the upper limit is reached at the input source of the print job. The setting value 1200 includes a setting 1201 based on PDL header information and a print permission input source 1202. The information indicated by the setting 1201 based on PDL header information (setting related to the attributes of the print job) indicates whether or not to set it based on the header information of the print data. The information indicated by the setting 1201 based on PDL header information includes "ON" (ON setting) and "OFF." When the setting 1201 based on PDL header information is "ON," it becomes possible to determine whether or not to query the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101 for approval after the upper limit is reached, based on the setting in the header information of the print data.

[0064] The information indicated by the print permission input source 1202 indicates the input source (predetermined attribute) (predetermined input source) of a print job that can be printed without the consent of the administrator of the image forming apparatus 101 after the upper limit has been reached. The information indicated by the print permission input source 1202 includes the user's name and the user's email address. The CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 stores each piece of information received from the contract management server 105 (not shown in the fourth embodiment) in the EEPROM 205 as the PDL header information setting 1201 and each piece of information in the print permission input source 1202. These pieces of information cannot be changed except by the user updating the contract information via a setting screen (UI screen) similar to the setting screen 600 of the first embodiment.

[0065] 12 means that even after the upper limit has been reached, if a print job is input to the image forming apparatus 101 from the input source indicated by the print permission input source 1202, printing will be performed in the automatically switched plan or mode without obtaining approval from an administrator. It also means that if the image forming apparatus 101 executes a print job from the input source indicated by the print permission input source 1202 and printing exceeds the upper limit of printing pages, printing will continue in the automatically switched plan or mode after printing up to the upper limit of printing pages.

[0066] 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the image forming apparatus 101. Each process (control method of the image forming apparatus) shown in the flowchart in FIG. 13 is realized in the image forming apparatus 101 by the CPU 201 (computer) reading a program from the ROM 202, loading it into the RAM 203, and executing it. Steps S1301 and S1302 are similar to steps S701 and S702 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. In step S1303, the CPU 201 (sixth determination means) refers to the PDL header information setting 1201 via the printer control unit 303, and determines whether the PDL header information setting 1201 is "ON." If the CPU 201 determines that the PDL header information setting 1201 is "ON," the process proceeds to step S1304. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the setting 1201 based on the PDL header information is not "ON," that is, if the CPU 201 determines that the setting 1201 based on the PDL header information is "OFF," the process proceeds to step S1307.

[0067] In step S1304, CPU 201 acquires the input source of the print job from the header information of the print data of the print job accepted in step S1301. In step S1305, CPU 201 (seventh determination means) references print permission input source 1202 via printer control unit 303 and determines whether the input source acquired in step S1304 matches the input source of print permission input source 1202. If CPU 201 determines that the input source acquired in step S1304 matches the input source of print permission input source 1202, processing proceeds to step S1306. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that the input source acquired in step S1304 does not match the input source of print permission input source 1202, processing proceeds to step S1307. Steps S1306 to S1310 are similar to steps S705 to S709 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0068] As described above, according to the setting screen 600, the image forming apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment can print up to the number of printable sheets 413 (i.e., the number of sheets in the print limit 501 / 500 sheets per month) in accordance with the current plan A included in the concluded flat-rate contract. When the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 with such a printing restriction accepts a print job, it references the setting value 1200 stored in the EEPROM 205 and checks the conditions of the fourth embodiment below. In other words, if the print job will result in printing more than "500 sheets" in the print limit 501, the CPU 201 checks whether the setting 1201 based on the PDL header information is "ON" and whether the input source of the print job is the input source of the print permission input source 1202.

[0069] Furthermore, if these conditions are met, when printing more than "500 sheets" in print limit 501, CPU 201 switches from plan A included in the flat-rate contract to "pay-as-you-go mode" in post-limit plan mode 505, thereby completing the print job. As a result, in the fourth embodiment, CPU 201 can determine whether to switch plan modes after the limit is reached based on the attributes of the print job (here, the input source of the print job). As a result, in image forming apparatus 101, even after the limit has been reached, the print job is immediately completed regardless of the job type, depending on the attributes of the print job (including related information about the print job).

[0070] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, when a print job is received, the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 of the third embodiment may check the conditions of the first and second embodiments in addition to checking the conditions of the third embodiment. Furthermore, when a print job is received, the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 101 of the fourth embodiment may check at least one of the conditions of the first, second, and third embodiments in addition to checking the conditions of the fourth embodiment.

[0071] Furthermore, in each embodiment, the image forming apparatus 101 described as an example of the present invention is a multifunction peripheral having functions such as copying, printing, scanning, faxing, and emailing, but is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to an apparatus having at least a printing function among these functions. The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more of the functions of each of the above embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or storage medium, and having one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0072] The disclosure of each embodiment includes the following configurations, methods, and programs. (Configuration 1) An image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, Acceptance means for accepting a print job; a printing unit for printing the print job, The image forming device is characterized in that, when the print job results in printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, the printing means switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or a predetermined mode when printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, provided that the device operation setting is a predetermined operation and the job type of the print job is a predetermined job type. (Configuration 2) A first determination means for determining whether the device operation setting is the predetermined operation; a second determination means for determining whether the job type of the print job is the predetermined job type; The image forming apparatus according to configuration 1, wherein the first determination means and the second determination means refer to setting values ​​indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen to determine the device operation settings and the job type of the print job. (Configuration 3) The image forming device described in configuration 1 or 2, wherein the printing means further switches from the plan to the specified plan or the specified mode when printing more than the specified number of sheets in the specified period, provided that the date and time setting is set to ON and the date and time of receipt of the print job is within a specified period. (Configuration 4) A third determination means for determining whether the setting based on the date and time is ON; a fourth determination means for determining whether the date and time of receipt of the print job is within the predetermined period; The image forming apparatus according to configuration 3, wherein the third determination means and the fourth determination means refer to the setting values ​​indicated by the user's selection on the UI screen to determine the date and time setting and the date and time of receipt of the print job. (Configuration 5) An image forming apparatus described in any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the printing means further switches from the plan to the specified plan or the specified mode when printing more than the specified number of sheets in the specified period, on the condition that an authorization value is linked to the user ID of the print job. (Configuration 6) A fifth determination means is provided to determine whether the permission value is associated with the user ID of the print job, The image forming apparatus according to configuration 5, wherein the fifth determination unit makes a determination about the user ID of the print job by referring to a setting value indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen. (Configuration 7) An image forming apparatus described in any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that the printing means further switches from the plan to the specified plan or the specified mode when printing more than the specified number of sheets in the specified period, provided that a setting related to the attributes of the print job is set to ON and the attributes of the print job are specified attributes. (Configuration 8) The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the predetermined job type is a FAX. (Configuration 9) An image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, Acceptance means for accepting a print job; a printing unit for printing the print job, The image forming device is characterized in that, when the print job results in printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, the printing means switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or mode when printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, provided that the setting related to the attributes of the print job is set to ON and the attributes of the print job are predetermined attributes. (Configuration 10) A sixth determination means for determining whether a setting related to the attribute of the print job is ON; a seventh determination means for determining whether the attribute of the print job is the predetermined attribute; The image forming apparatus according to configuration 7 or 9, wherein the sixth determination means and the seventh determination means refer to setting values ​​indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen to set attributes of the print job and determine the attributes of the print job. (Configuration 11) The image forming apparatus according to configuration 7 or 9, wherein the predetermined attribute is that the input source of the print job is a predetermined input source. (Configuration 12) The image forming apparatus according to configuration 7 or 9, wherein the predetermined attribute is that the print job includes confidential information. (Configuration 13) The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, characterized in that the printing means acquires the specified plan or the specified mode by referring to a setting value indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen. (Method 1) A method for controlling an image forming apparatus that can print up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, a receiving step for receiving a print job; a printing step of printing the print job, A control method for an image forming device, characterized in that the printing process switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or a predetermined mode when printing more than the predetermined number of sheets in the predetermined period due to the print job, provided that the device operation setting is a predetermined operation and the job type of the print job is a predetermined job type. (Method 2) A method for controlling an image forming apparatus that can print up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, a receiving step for receiving a print job; a printing step of printing the print job, A control method for an image forming device, characterized in that the printing process switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or a predetermined mode when printing more than the predetermined number of sheets in the predetermined period due to the print job, provided that a setting related to the attributes of the print job is set to ON and the attributes of the print job are predetermined attributes. (Program 1) A program for causing a computer to execute each means of the image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 13. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 101 Image forming device 201 CPU (reception means) (printing means)

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, Acceptance means for accepting a print job; a printing unit for printing the print job, The image forming device is characterized in that, when the print job results in printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, the printing means switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or a predetermined mode when printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, provided that the device operation setting is a predetermined operation and the job type of the print job is a predetermined job type.

2. a first determination means for determining whether the device operation setting is the predetermined operation; a second determination unit that determines whether the job type of the print job is the predetermined job type; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first determination unit and the second determination unit determine the device operation settings and the job type of the print job by referring to setting values ​​indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing means further switches from the plan to the specified plan or the specified mode when printing more than the specified number of sheets in the specified period, provided that the date and time setting is set to ON and the date and time of receipt of the print job is within a specified period.

4. a third determination means for determining whether the setting based on the date and time is ON; a fourth determination means for determining whether the date and time of receipt of the print job is within the predetermined period; The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the third determination means and the fourth determination means refer to the setting values ​​indicated by the user's selection on the UI screen to determine the date and time setting and the date and time of receipt of the print job.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing means further switches from the plan to the specified plan or the specified mode when printing more than the specified number of sheets in the specified period, on the condition that an authorization value is linked to the user ID of the print job.

6. a fifth determination means for determining whether the permission value is associated with the user ID of the print job; 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the fifth determination unit determines the user ID of the print job by referring to a setting value indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing means further switches from the plan to the specified plan or the specified mode when printing more than the specified number of sheets in the specified period, provided that a setting related to the attributes of the print job is set to ON and the attributes of the print job are specified attributes.

8. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined job type is a FAX job.

9. An image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, Acceptance means for accepting a print job; a printing unit for printing the print job, The image forming device is characterized in that, when the print job results in printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, the printing means switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or mode when printing more than the certain number of sheets in the certain period, provided that the setting related to the attributes of the print job is set to ON and the attributes of the print job are predetermined attributes.

10. a sixth determination means for determining whether a setting related to the attribute of the print job is ON; a seventh determination means for determining whether the attribute of the print job is the predetermined attribute; The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 or 9, characterized in that the sixth determination means and the seventh determination means refer to setting values ​​indicated by a user's selection on a UI screen to set attributes of the print job and determine the attributes of the print job.

11. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined attribute is that the input source of the print job is a predetermined input source.

12. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined attribute includes confidential information included in the print job.

13. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit acquires the predetermined plan or the predetermined mode by referring to a setting value selected by a user on a UI screen.

14. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, comprising: a receiving step for receiving a print job; a printing step of printing the print job, A control method for an image forming device, characterized in that the printing process switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or a predetermined mode when printing more than the predetermined number of sheets in the predetermined period due to the print job, provided that the device operation setting is a predetermined operation and the job type of the print job is a predetermined job type.

15. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus capable of printing up to a certain number of sheets in a certain period according to a plan included in a contract, comprising: a receiving step for receiving a print job; a printing step of printing the print job, A control method for an image forming device, characterized in that the printing process switches from the plan to a predetermined plan or mode when printing more than the predetermined number of sheets in the predetermined period due to the print job, provided that a setting related to the attributes of the print job is set to ON and the attributes of the print job are predetermined attributes.

16. 10. A program for causing a computer to execute each unit of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

Images