Information processing device, control method for information processing device, and program

Abstract

In some cases, after purchasing a large number of credits for a prepaid service, the credit could no longer be processed due to the lifespan of the data storage device. [Solution] The charging application 412 of the mobile terminal 104 displays multiple options with different numbers of pages that can be added to the printer 103, which can be selected by the user (S702), and further displays the recommended number of additional pages based on the status of the printer 103 (S703~S705).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method for an information processing apparatus, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recording apparatuses such as copiers and inkjet printers, there is a prepaid service as disclosed in Patent Document 1, in which the user can use the printing function up to the number of charged sheets purchased in advance.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In services such as described above, the printing cost per sheet tends to be lower as the number of charged sheets in a single charge is larger, and thus the user wants to charge with as many charged sheets as possible. For this reason, even when the remaining life of the recording apparatus is approaching, the user may not notice it and may charge a large number of sheets. However, if the recording apparatus breaks due to its lifespan immediately after charging a large number of sheets, the user cannot use up all the charged printing sheets, which results in waste. Conventional technologies such as Patent Document 1 could not prevent such a situation.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that enables easy selection and charging of the number of charged sheets according to the state of the recording apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to an information processing device comprising a display control means that displays a plurality of options for increasing the number of printable pages in a printer, allowing the user to select from these options, and the display control means displays a recommended number of additional pages based on the status of the printer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to easily select and charge the number of sheets according to the state of the recording device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system in this embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing an example of a server hardware configuration. [Figure 3] A block diagram showing an example of a printer's hardware configuration. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing an example of a mobile device hardware configuration. [Figure 5A] A diagram showing an example of print information in the printer status. [Figure 5B] A diagram showing an example of ink level information in the printer status. [Figure 5C] A diagram showing an example of component status information for the printer status. [Figure 5D] A diagram showing an example of printer status error information. [Figure 6A] This diagram shows an example of the charge screen displayed when selecting the number of charges. [Figure 6B] This diagram shows an example of a printer diagnostic screen displayed when the printer's remaining lifespan is nearing its end. [Figure 6C] This figure shows an example of a printer diagnostic screen displayed when the remaining lifespan of the printer in the first embodiment is far off. [Figure 7]A flowchart showing an example of the process until the diagnostic screen of the printer in the first embodiment is displayed. [Figure 8A] A diagram showing an example of the charge confirmation screen when the selected charge number is appropriate. [Figure 8B] A diagram showing an example of the charge confirmation screen when a warning is required for the selected charge number. [Figure 8C] A diagram showing an example of the charge processing result screen when the charge processing in the first embodiment is completed. [Figure 8D] A diagram showing an example of the charge processing result screen when the charge processing in the first embodiment is canceled. [Figure 9] A flowchart showing an example of the process until the charge processing result screen in the first embodiment is displayed. [Figure 10] A flowchart showing an example of the process until the charge processing result screen in the second embodiment is displayed. [Figure 11] A sequence diagram showing an example of the process until the charge processing result screen in the third embodiment is displayed.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of the features described in the present embodiment are essential for the solution means of the present invention.

[0010] 〔First Embodiment〕 <Configuration of the Information Processing System> Hereinafter, the configuration of the information processing system in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system in the present embodiment includes a server 101, a printer 103 that is a recording device, and a mobile terminal 104. Server 101 and mobile terminal 104 are each connected to the Internet 100. Printer 103 can be connected to the Internet 100 via router 102. That is, server 101, printer 103, and mobile terminal 104 can communicate via the Internet 100.

[0011] Server 101 manages the information transmitted from printer 103 and the information of prepaid services. For each communication, control is performed through HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), etc. Note that the protocol is not limited to these, and other protocols may be used. When an event such as printing occurs or periodically, printer 103 transmits status information including information such as ink remaining amount to server 101 together with the identification information of printer 103 (for example, serial number, etc.).

[0012] <Configuration of the Server> Hereinafter, the configuration of server 101 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of server 101. Server 101 includes a CPU 201, a RAM 202, a ROM 203, a storage device 204, a network communication unit 206, and a network connection unit 207.

[0013] CPU 201 is a central processing unit for controlling each part of server 101. RAM 202 serves as a working memory required when the program is executed by CPU 201. ROM 203 is a read-only memory for storing a boot program necessary for system startup. Note that ROM 203 may be a writable one such as a flash ROM.

[0014] The storage device 204 is a device for storing programs executed by the CPU 201, database 205, or various types of information, and is a non-volatile storage device such as a magnetic disk or flash memory. The network communication unit 206 is connected to a network such as the Internet 100 via the network connection unit 207 and performs various types of communication. The aforementioned components are interconnected via bus 208, enabling them to send and receive data from each other.

[0015] Furthermore, while Figure 2 illustrates an example where server 101 consists of a single server (information processing device), it may also consist of multiple servers. In other words, multiple servers may work together to perform each function. For example, server 101 may be a configuration realized using cloud computing technology. In this embodiment, a configuration consisting of one or more servers is referred to as a server system.

[0016] <Example of the structure of information managed by the server> The database 205 on server 101 holds the print information table (Table 1), the ink level table (Table 2), the parts status table (Table 3), and the error history table (Table 4), which will be described later.

[0017] Table 1 shows an example of a print information table managed in database 205 on server 101. [Table 1] In Table 1, the serial number column indicates an ID that uniquely identifies printer 103. The model name column shows the model name of printer 103. The cumulative print count column shows the total number of pages printed by printer 103. The printable page count column indicates the number of pages that printer 103 can print using a prepaid service. For example, if the printable page count is 13, it means that printer 103 can print 13 pages without charging. The "Last Print Date" column indicates the date when printer 103 last performed printing. The print durability column indicates the estimated number of pages that printer 103 can print before reaching the end of its lifespan. Note that the print durability is uniquely determined by the model of printer 103.

[0018] Table 2 shows an example of an ink level table managed in the database 205 of server 101. [Table 2] In Table 2, the serial number column indicates an ID that uniquely identifies printer 103. The model name column shows the model name of printer 103. The BK ink level column shows the percentage of ink remaining in the black cartridge. The M ink level column shows the percentage of remaining ink in the magenta cartridge. The C ink level column shows the percentage of remaining ink in the cyan cartridge. The "Y Ink Level" column shows the percentage of ink remaining in the yellow cartridge. The "Last Updated" column shows the date the table was last updated.

[0019] Table 3 shows an example of a parts status table managed in the database 205 of server 101. [Table 3] In Table 3, the serial number column indicates an ID that uniquely identifies printer 103. The model name column shows the model name of printer 103. The component status column shows the status of the components in printer 103. The status code column indicates an ID that uniquely identifies the state of the component. The "Last Updated" column indicates the date the table was last updated. If a single printer has multiple malfunctions, a separate column is added for each malfunction.

[0020] Table 4 shows an example of an error history table to be registered in the database 205 of server 101. [Table 4] In Table 4, the serial number column indicates an ID that uniquely identifies printer 103. The model name column shows the model name of printer 103. The error history column shows the details of the errors from printer 103. The error code column indicates an ID that uniquely identifies the nature of the error in printer 103. The error occurrence date indicates the date when an error occurred in printer 103. The error history table is updated each time error information is received from printer 103. Additionally, entries are removed from the table after a certain period (e.g., 90 days) has elapsed since the error occurred.

[0021] <Printer Hardware Configuration> The configuration of the printer 103 in this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of printer 103. The printer 103 includes a printer unit 301, a scanner unit 302, a memory card slot 303, a memory card 304, a CPU 305, a program memory 306, a work memory 307, a display unit 308, an operation unit 309, a network communication unit 310, a network connection unit 311, and a flash memory 312. In this embodiment, the printer 103, which is a multifunction device, is used as an example of a recording device, but the recording device to which this embodiment can be applied is not limited to a multifunction device. For example, an image recording device such as a copier or facsimile may be used, or a printer without a scanner function may be used. Furthermore, although the recording device of this embodiment is described using a printer that records using ink as an example, it may also be applied to recording devices of other recording methods, such as devices that use recording materials such as toner.

[0022] In printer 103, the printing function is implemented in the printer unit 301. The scanning function is implemented in the scanner unit 302, and the storage function is implemented in the memory card slot 303 and the memory card 304.

[0023] The printer unit 301 records (i.e., prints) an image onto a recording medium such as printing paper using an inkjet method, based on image data received from an external source or image data stored on the memory card 304. Furthermore, the printer unit 301 also manages paper information, including ink level information and the number of sheets of paper loaded.

[0024] The scanner unit 302 optically reads a document placed on the document glass (not shown) and converts it into electronic data. It then converts the image data into a specified file format and transmits it to an external device via a network or stores it in a storage area (not shown) such as an HDD. The copying function is achieved by transferring the image data generated by scanning the document placed on the document glass with the scanner unit 302 to the printer unit 301, and the printer unit 301 records the image on a recording medium based on that image data.

[0025] Various file data is stored on the memory card 304 inserted in the memory card slot 303. This file data can be read and edited from an external device via a network. It is also possible to store file data on the memory card 304 in response to instructions from an external device.

[0026] The CPU 305 is a central processing unit for controlling the various parts within the printer 103. The program memory 306 is composed of ROM and the like. The program memory 306 stores various program codes and an application program (hereinafter referred to as "application") 314 for communicating with the server 101. The work memory 307 is composed of RAM, etc. Image data and other data are temporarily stored in the work memory 307 when each service is executed, and buffering is performed using the work memory 307.

[0027] The display unit 308 is composed of, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and displays various types of information. The control unit 309 consists of switches and the like for the user to perform various input operations, and may also include a touch panel.

[0028] The network communication unit 310 connects to the router 102 via the network connection unit 311. That is, the network communication unit 310 connects to a network such as the Internet 100 via the network connection unit 311 and performs various types of communication. Control is performed through HTTP or XMPP, etc. However, the protocol is not limited to these and other protocols may be used.

[0029] The flash memory 312 is a non-volatile memory for storing image data received by the network communication unit 310, basic information about the printer 103 (such as model name, serial number, and expected number of prints it can handle), and data related to the prepaid service (such as the number of printable pages, error history, system information for the printer 103, and contracted service information). The components described above are interconnected via bus 313, enabling them to send and receive data from each other.

[0030] Figures 5A to 5D show examples of various types of information that the printer 103 sends to the server 101. Figure 5A shows an example of print information 501. Print information 501 is sent to the server 101 each time the printer 103 performs printing. Print information 501 includes the printer's serial number 502, printer model name 503, print date and time 504, event name 505, number of pages printed 506, cumulative number of pages printed 507, and the number of printable pages for the prepaid service 508.

[0031] Figure 5B shows an example of ink level information 509. Examples of when the printer 103 sends ink level information 509 to the server 101 include when the printer 103 starts up, when the cartridge is replaced, when printing is performed, and periodically. The ink level information 509 includes the printer's serial number 510, printer model name 511, information transmission date and time 512, event name 513, ink color 514, the model name of the cartridge installed in printer 103 515, and the ink level 516, etc.

[0032] Figure 5C shows an example of part status information 517. Examples of when the printer 103 sends component status information 517 to the server 101 include when the printer 103 starts up, when a cartridge is replaced, when printing is performed, and periodically. The part status information 517 includes the printer's serial number 518, printer model name 519, information transmission date and time 520, event name 521, part status 522, part status code 523, etc.

[0033] Figure 5D shows an example of error information 524. Error information 524 is sent to the server 101 each time an error occurs with printer 103. Error information 524 includes the printer's serial number 525, printer model name 526, information transmission date and time 527, event name 528, error status 529, error code 530, etc.

[0034] <Mobile device configuration> The configuration of the mobile terminal 104 in this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 shows an example of the hardware configuration of terminal 104. The mobile terminal 104 comprises a CPU 401, RAM 402, ROM 403, network communication unit 404, network connection unit 405, display unit 406, operation unit 407, storage device 408, and voice control unit 409. The web browser 410 is software, and is implemented by the CPU 401 reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 403. Further details will be described later.

[0035] The CPU 401 is a central processing unit for controlling the various parts of the mobile terminal 104. RAM402 is the working memory required when running a program on CPU401.

[0036] ROM 403 stores the operating system (OS), various applications including the charge application 412, and other various information. The charge application 412 receives operations from the user and sends messages and image files (image data) containing the input string and information based on the operation via the Internet 100. The destination of these is the server 101. The charge application 412 also notifies the user of messages received via the server 101. The charge application 412 also has the function to open web pages within the application. These applications are read from ROM 403 by the CPU 401, executed, and function.

[0037] The network communication unit 404 connects to the router via the network connection unit 405. That is, the network communication unit 404 is connected to a network such as the Internet 100 via the network connection unit 405 and performs various communications. The network communication unit 404 is designed to support wireless LAN, but is not limited to this. The network communication unit 404 may also be connected directly to a network such as the Internet 100 without going through a router. The network communication unit 404 may also be configured to be connected to a network such as the Internet 100 via, for example, a mobile communication network.

[0038] The display unit 406 is composed of, for example, an LCD or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) and displays various types of information. The control unit 407 controls information instructed by the user via the buttons or touch panel of the mobile terminal 104.

[0039] The storage device 408 is a non-volatile storage device that stores various operating mode settings and operation logs that need to be retained even after the mobile terminal 104 is restarted. The voice control unit 409 is primarily activated by the calling application and is used when a user makes a phone call. Voice data is input and output through a microphone and speaker (not shown), and the voice control unit 409 acts as an intermediary with the control program.

[0040] The web browser 410 is software (application) for viewing homepages (websites) via the internet. The above functions are realized when the CPU 401 reads and executes the web browser 410 program stored in the ROM 403.

[0041] The aforementioned parts 401 to 409 are interconnected by bus 411, enabling them to send and receive data to and from each other. In this embodiment, a mobile terminal 104 is used as an example of an information processing device, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be used as an information processing device such as a smartphone, personal computer, tablet terminal, or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).

[0042] <Process where the charging app changes its display depending on the printer's status> The process of displaying recommendations regarding charging when charging the printing function of a prepaid service using the charging application 412 of the mobile terminal 104 in this embodiment, according to the status of the printer 103 and the remaining lifespan of the printer 103, will be explained below with reference to Figures 6A to 6C, 7, 8A to 8D, 9, etc.

[0043] Figures 6A to 6C show examples of the charge screen 601, which is displayed when the charge application 412 connects to the server 101, and the printer diagnostic screens 612 and 616, which display the status of the printer 103 and recommendations regarding charging (descriptions of the recommended number of additional pages based on the printer's status).

[0044] Figure 6A shows an example of the charging screen 601 displayed in the charging app 412. The charging screen 601 has a button 602 for changing the printer to be charged and a diagnostic button 603 for diagnosing the status of the printer 103. The charging screen 601 also has buttons 604 for charging 10 prints, 605 for charging 30 prints, 606 for charging 50 prints, 607 for charging 300 prints, 608 for charging 1000 prints, and 609 for charging 5000 prints. Here, six buttons for selecting the number of prints to charge are shown as an example, but there only needs to be two or more buttons for selecting the number of prints to charge. It may also have an input box or slider for numerical input of the number of prints to charge. In other words, it is sufficient to have a configuration in which multiple options displaying different numbers of prints can be selected by the user to add more printable pages to the printer. The charging screen 601 is the first screen displayed when a user uses the charging app 412, and the charging screen 601 may also display the printer model name 610, ink level 611, etc.

[0045] In this embodiment, the amount per coin that the user pays to add the number of coins displayed in the selection options for the number of coins to be charged (buttons 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, etc.) differs for each option, with the price per coin decreasing for options that display a larger number of coins. The price per coin may also be displayed along with the number of coins in the selection options.

[0046] If the diagnostic button 603 is pressed on the charging screen, a printer diagnostic screen like that shown in Figure 6B or Figure 6C below will be displayed.

[0047] Figure 6B shows an example of the printer diagnostic screen 612 displayed in the charge application 412 when the printer 103 is close to or has exceeded its remaining lifespan. The printer diagnostic screen 612 has a button 613 to return to the charging screen. The printer diagnostic screen 612 also displays the current status 614 of the printer 103 and charging recommendations 615. The charging recommendations 615 may, for example, specifically show options for charging a small number of sheets, such as a display recommending the selection of a small number of sheets, that do not exceed the expected durability. When the button 613 to return to the charging screen is pressed, the screen transitions to the charging screen 601.

[0048] Figure 6C shows an example of the printer diagnostic screen 616 displayed in the charge application 412 when the printer 103 is far from its remaining lifespan. The printer diagnostic screen 616 has a button 617 that returns to the charging screen. The current status 618 of the printer 103 is displayed on the printer diagnostic screen 616. When the button 617 that returns to the charging screen is pressed, the screen transitions to the charging screen 601.

[0049] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow from the charge application 412 to the display of the printer diagnostic screen in the first embodiment. Here, the series of processes shown in Figure 7 are realized by the CPU 401 of the mobile terminal 104 reading and executing the program of the charge application 412 stored in the ROM 403. Furthermore, the processing of the server 101, which is performed in relation to the processing of the charge application 412, is realized by the CPU 201 of the server 101 reading and executing the program stored in the storage device 204. In other words, the series of processes are performed by each CPU of each device loading the program code stored in the storage device onto RAM and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps shown in Figure 7 may be realized by electronic circuits or hardware such as ASICs. In the description of each process, the symbol "S" indicates a step in the sequence diagram.

[0050] In S701, the charge application 412 obtains printer information for the printer to be charged from the server 101. If no printer is selected, the process in S701 is executed after accepting the user's selection of the printer to be charged. In this embodiment, printer information refers to the data necessary for the charge application 412 to generate each screen, and the printer information includes the cumulative number of pages printed by printer 103, the ink level, the status of internal components of the printer, etc. In this process, first, the charge application 412 sends a request to the server 101 to obtain printer information, which includes the identification information of printer 103 (serial number, etc.). Upon receiving this request, the server 101 uses the identification information contained in the request to extract items from the tables stored in the database 205, such as the print information table (Table 1), the ink level table (Table 2), the component status table (Table 3), and the error history table (Table 4), that match the printer's identification information. Then, the server 101 combines the extracted table items into a single data file and sends this combined data to the charge application 412 as printer information. Upon receiving this printer information, the charging application 412 proceeds to process S702.

[0051] In S702, the charge application 412 displays the charge screen 601. In this process, the charge application 412 first generates the charge screen 601 using the printer information received from the server 101 in S701, and then displays the generated charge screen 601.

[0052] Next, in S703, the charge application 412 determines whether the printer 103 is "close to or past its remaining lifespan." In this process, first, the charge application 412 detects that the diagnostic button 603 on the charge screen 601 has been pressed. After detecting that the diagnostic button 603 has been pressed, the charge application 412 then uses the printer information received from the server 101 in S701 to determine whether the printer 103 is "close to or past its remaining lifespan." For example, if the number of durable prints minus the cumulative number of prints is less than a threshold (for example, 2000 pages) (it may also be less than or equal to the threshold), it is determined that the printer is "close to or past its remaining lifespan," and the answer in S703 is Yes. On the other hand, if the number of durable prints minus the cumulative number of prints is greater than or equal to the threshold (it may also be greater than the threshold), it is determined that the printer is "far from its remaining lifespan," and the answer in S703 is No. Furthermore, while the above example shows how the difference between the durable print count and the cumulative print count can be compared with a predetermined threshold to determine if it is "close to or beyond the remaining lifespan," even if the comparison with the threshold determines that it is "far from the remaining lifespan," if there is at least one piece of information in the parts status table shown in Table 3 indicating that the printer is nearing the end of its lifespan (other than "no abnormality"), it may be determined that it is "close to or beyond the remaining lifespan," and S703 will be judged as Yes. Note that the criteria for determining the printer status are not limited to these, and other criteria may be used for determination.

[0053] If the printer 103's status is determined to be "close to or exceeding its remaining lifespan" (if S703 is answered with Yes), the charge application 412 proceeds to S704. In S704, the charge application 412 generates a printer diagnostic screen 612, which includes the printer status 614 and charging recommendations 615, as shown in Figure 5B, and displays it on the display unit 406 (display control).

[0054] On the other hand, if the printer 103 is determined to be "far from its remaining lifespan" (No in S703), the charge application 412 proceeds to process S705. In S705, the charge application 412 generates a printer diagnostic screen 616 that includes the printer status 618, such as in Figure 5C, and displays it on the display unit 406.

[0055] Figures 8A to 8D show examples of the charge confirmation screens 801 and 809 that are displayed when the number of charges is selected on the charge screen 601 of the charge application 412, and the charge processing result screens 817 and 821 that are displayed when the charge process is completed.

[0056] Figure 8A shows an example of the charge confirmation screen 801 that is displayed in the charge application 412 when an appropriate number of charge sheets is selected for the status of the printer 103. The charge confirmation screen 801 has a button 802 to charge the print function and a button 803 to cancel the charge of the print function. The charge confirmation screen 801 also includes information such as the number of pages to charge 804 selected by the user, the charge amount 805, the number of printable pages after charging 806, and the cumulative number of printed pages 807 if all the charged pages are printed.

[0057] Figure 8B shows an example of the charge confirmation screen 809 that is displayed in the charge application 412 when a number of charge requiring a warning is selected for the status of the printer 103. The charge confirmation screen 809 has a button 810 to charge the print function and a button 811 to cancel the charge of the print function. The charge confirmation screen 809 also includes the number of pages to charge selected by the user 812, the charge amount 813, the number of printable pages after charging 814, information 815 on the cumulative number of printed pages if all the charged pages are printed, and a warning message 816 regarding the charge.

[0058] Figure 8C shows an example of the charge processing result screen 817 that is displayed in the charge application 412 when the charge processing is completed between servers 101. The charge processing result screen 817 has a button 818 that transitions to the charge screen 601. The charge processing result screen 817 also includes information such as the number of printable pages before charging 819 and the number of printable pages after charging 820.

[0059] Figure 8D shows an example of the charge processing result screen 821 displayed in the charge application 412 when the charge for the printing function is canceled. The charge processing result screen 821 has a button 822 that transitions to the charge screen 601. The charge processing result screen 821 also contains information such as the current number of printable pages 823.

[0060] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow from the charging application 412 to the display of the charging confirmation screen 801 (809) and the charging processing result screen 817 (821). Here, the series of processes shown in Figure 9 are realized by the CPU 401 of the mobile terminal 104 reading and executing the program of the charging application 412 stored in the ROM 403. Furthermore, the processing of the server 101, which is performed in relation to the processing of the charging application 412, is realized by the CPU 201 of the server 101 reading and executing the program stored in the storage device 204. Furthermore, the processing of the printer 103 is realized by the CPU 305 of the printer 103 reading and executing the program stored in the program memory 306. In other words, the series of processes are performed by each CPU of each device loading the program code stored in the storage device onto RAM and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps shown in Figure 7 may be realized by electronic circuits or hardware such as ASICs. In the description of each process, the symbol "S" indicates a step in the sequence diagram.

[0061] In S901, when the charge application 412 detects that any of the buttons 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, or 609 on the charge screen 601 for selecting the number of charges has been pressed, it proceeds to process S902.

[0062] In S902, the charge application 412 uses the printer information received from the server 101 in S701 in Figure 7 and the information on the number of pages to charge selected by the user whose press was detected in S901 to determine whether a warning is necessary before charging. In this determination process, if the sum of the cumulative number of pages printed by the printer 103 and the selected number of pages to charge does not exceed the expected lifespan, and there are no parts of the printer 103 that are nearing the end of their lifespan, it is determined that a warning is not necessary. However, the criteria for this determination are not limited to these.

[0063] If it is determined that "a warning is not necessary before charging" (Yes in S902), the charging app 412 proceeds to process S903. In S903, the charge application 412 generates a charge confirmation screen 801, as shown in Figure 8A, which does not include any warning messages regarding charging, and displays it on the display unit 406.

[0064] On the other hand, if it is determined that a warning is necessary before charging (the answer is No in S902), the charging app 412 proceeds to process S904. In S904, the charge application 412 generates a charge confirmation screen 809, which includes a warning message 816 regarding charging, as shown in Figure 8B, and displays it on the display unit 406. The warning message 816 regarding charging is generated based on the result of the judgment process in S902. For example, if the sum of the cumulative number of pages printed by the printer 103 and the selected number of pages to charge exceeds the expected durability, the warning message is generated taking this into consideration. Also, if there are any parts of the printer 103 that are nearing the end of their lifespan, the warning message is generated taking this into consideration.

[0065] After the processing in S903 or S904 described above, the charge application 412 proceeds to processing in S905. In S905, the charge application 412 determines whether or not to perform the charge process. In this determination process, if the press of either button 802 or 810, which performs the charge of the print function, is detected, it is determined that the charge process should be performed. On the other hand, if the press of either button 803 or 811, which cancels the charge of the print function, is detected, it is determined that the charge process should not be performed.

[0066] If it is determined at this point to perform the charging process (Yes in S905), the charging application 412 proceeds to S906. In S906, the charge application 412 performs the charge process. In this process, first, the charge application 412 sends the printer 103 identification information and the amount of charge selected by the user whose press was detected in S901 to the server 101. Upon receiving this, the server 101 retrieves the number of printable pages of the printer 103 before the update from the print information table in Table 1 stored in the database 205. Furthermore, the server 101 calculates the sum of the number of printable pages of the printer 103 before the update and the number of charge, and uses this as the number of printable pages after the update. After that, the server 101 sends the updated number of printable pages to the printer 103. Upon receiving this, the printer 103 uses the received information to update the data related to the prepaid service stored in the flash memory 312. After the update, the printer 103 sends a notification to the server 101 that the update of the number of printable pages is complete. Upon receiving this, server 101 updates the number of printable pages in the print information table in Table 1 to the updated value and sends a notification to charge application 412 that the charge purchase process is complete. Upon receiving this, charge application 412 finally generates a charge processing result screen 817 and displays it on display unit 406.

[0067] On the other hand, if it is determined that no charging process should be performed (No in S905), the charging application 412 proceeds to S907. In S907, the charge application 412 cancels the charge process. In this process, the charge application 412 generates a charge process result screen 821 and displays it on the display unit 406.

[0068] <Effects of the First Embodiment> According to the first embodiment, when the charge application 412 charges the printing function of a prepaid service, it changes the display content of the operation screen according to the status of the printer 103, making it easier for the user to select the appropriate number of charges. In the example described above, the charging screen 601 and the printer diagnostic screen 612 (616) are displayed as separate screens. However, this embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and the charging screen 601 and the printer diagnostic screen 612 (616) may be combined and displayed as a single screen.

[0069] [Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, the process up to charging the print function using the printer 103's remote UI will be described. In this embodiment, the remote UI refers to a function that provides the web browser 410 with the screen necessary for setting up the printer 103 and reflects the results of operations performed in the web browser 410 to the printer 103. Furthermore, in this embodiment, explanations of content common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the differences from the first embodiment will be explained.

[0070] <Process where the printer changes the display in the web browser depending on the printer's status> Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the processing flow from the Web browser 410 to the printer 103 using the printer's remote UI, until the charging process for the print function is completed. Here, the series of processes shown in Figure 10 are realized by the printer 103's CPU 305 reading and executing a program stored in the program memory 306. In addition, the server 101's processing, which is performed in relation to the printer 103's processing, is realized by the CPU 201 reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 204. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 104's processing is realized by the mobile terminal 104's CPU 401 reading and executing the Web browser 410's program stored in the ROM 403. In other words, the series of processes are performed by each CPU of each device loading the program code stored in the storage device onto RAM and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps shown in Figure 7 may be realized by electronic circuits or hardware such as ASICs. In the description of each process, the symbol "S" indicates a step in the sequence diagram.

[0071] In S1001, the printer 103 establishes a remote UI connection with the web browser 410 of the mobile terminal 104. One example of how to establish the connection is for the user to enter the IP address of the printer 103 into the web browser 410, and the web browser 410 connects to the printer 103.

[0072] Next, in S1002, the printer 103 retrieves information such as the remaining ink level and printer information stored in the flash memory 312. Next, in S1003, the printer 103 generates data for the charge screen 601, as shown in Figure 6A, using the information acquired in S1002, and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this, the web browser 410 displays the charge screen 601 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls the web browser 410 to display the charge screen 601.

[0073] Next, in S1004, the printer 103 determines whether its status is "close to or beyond its remaining lifespan." In this process, first, the printer 103 detects that the diagnostic button 603 on the charge screen 601 has been pressed. The web browser 410 notifies the printer 103 of information indicating which button was pressed when it detects the pressing of a button or other element on the screen displayed on the web browser 410. Based on this notification, the printer 103 detects which button or element was pressed. When the printer 103 detects that the diagnostic button 603 has been pressed, it uses the information obtained in S1003 to determine whether its status is "close to or beyond its remaining lifespan." This determination process is similar to S703 in Figure 7 above; for example, if the number of durable printable pages minus the cumulative number of printable pages is less than a threshold (for example, 2000 pages) (or less than or equal to the threshold), it is determined that the printer is "close to or beyond its remaining lifespan," and the value in S1004 is set to Yes. On the other hand, if the difference between the number of durable prints minus the cumulative number of prints is greater than or equal to a threshold (it may also be greater than the threshold), it is determined that the printer is "far from its remaining lifespan," and the result in S1004 is No. Furthermore, although the above example shows how to determine whether the difference between the number of durable prints and the cumulative number of prints is "close to or beyond the remaining lifespan" by comparing it with a predetermined threshold, even if it is determined that the printer is "far from its remaining lifespan" by comparison with the threshold, if there is at least one piece of information in the component status table shown in Table 3 indicating that the printer is nearing the end of its lifespan (other than "no abnormality"), it may be determined that the printer is "close to or beyond its remaining lifespan," and the result in S1004 is Yes. Note that the determination of the printer status is not limited to this, and other criteria may be used for determination.

[0074] If the printer 103 is determined to be "close to or exceeding its remaining lifespan" (if the answer is Yes in S1004), the printer 103 proceeds to S1005. In step S1005, the printer 103 generates data for a printer diagnostic screen 612, which includes the printer status 614 and charging recommendations 615, as shown in Figure 5B, and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this data, the web browser 410 displays the printer diagnostic screen 612 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls the web browser 410 to display the printer diagnostic screen 612.

[0075] On the other hand, if the printer 103 is determined to be "far from its remaining lifespan" (No in S1004), the printer 103 proceeds to S1006. In step S1006, the printer 103 generates data for a printer diagnostic screen 616, which includes the printer status 618, as shown in Figure 5C, and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this data, the web browser 410 displays the printer diagnostic screen 616 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls the web browser 410 to display the printer diagnostic screen 616.

[0076] After processing S1005 or S1006, the printer 103 proceeds to processing S1007. In S1007, when the printer 103 detects that any of the buttons 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, or 609 for selecting the number of charge on the charge screen 601 has been pressed, it proceeds to S1008. The web browser 410 also detects that any of the buttons 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, or 609 for selecting the number of charge on the charge screen 601 displayed on the web browser 410 has been pressed, and notifies the printer 103 of information indicating which button was pressed. Upon receiving this notification, the printer 103 detects which button was pressed.

[0077] In S1008, the printer 103 uses the printer information obtained in S1002 and the information on the number of pages to charge selected by the user, whose press was detected in S1007, to determine whether a warning is necessary before charging. In this determination process, similar to S902 in Figure 9, if the sum of the cumulative number of pages printed by the printer 103 and the selected number of pages to charge does not exceed the expected lifespan, and there are no parts of the printer 103 that are nearing the end of their lifespan, it is determined that a warning is not necessary.

[0078] If it is determined that "a warning is not necessary before charging" (i.e., if the answer is Yes in S1008), the printer 103 proceeds to S1009. In S1009, the printer 103 generates data for a charge confirmation screen 801, which does not include a warning message regarding charging, as shown in Figure 8A, and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this data, the web browser 410 displays the charge confirmation screen 801 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls the web browser 410 to display the charge confirmation screen 801.

[0079] On the other hand, if it is determined that a warning is necessary before charging (the answer is No in S1008), the charging app 412 proceeds to S1010. In S1010, the printer 103 generates data for a charge confirmation screen 809, which includes a warning message 816 regarding charging, as shown in Figure 8B, and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this, the web browser 410 displays the charge confirmation screen 809 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls itself to display the charge confirmation screen 809 on the web browser 410. The warning message 816 regarding charging is generated based on the results of the judgment process described in S1008, etc. For example, if the sum of the cumulative number of pages printed by the printer 103 and the selected number of pages to charge exceeds the expected durability, a warning message is generated taking this into consideration. Also, if there are any parts of the printer 103 that are nearing the end of their lifespan, a warning message is generated taking this into consideration.

[0080] After processing S1009 or S1010, the printer 103 proceeds to processing S1011. In S1011, the printer 103 determines whether or not to perform a charge process. In this determination process, similar to S905 in Figure 9, if the press of either button 802 or 810, which performs a charge of the print function, is detected, it is determined to perform a charge process. On the other hand, if the press of either button 803 or 811, which cancels the charge of the print function, is detected, it is determined not to perform a charge process.

[0081] If it is determined at this point to perform the charging process (Yes in S1011), the printer 103 proceeds to S1012. In S1012, the printer 103 performs a charge process. In this process, first, the printer 103 sends the printer 103's identification information and the amount of charge selected by the user whose press was detected in S1007 to the server 101. Upon receiving this information, the server 101 retrieves the number of printable pages of the printer 103 before the update from the print information table in Table 1 stored in the database 205. Furthermore, the server 101 calculates the sum of the number of printable pages of the printer 103 before the update and the amount of charge, and uses this as the number of printable pages after the update. After that, the server 101 sends the updated number of printable pages to the printer 103. Upon receiving this, the printer 103 updates the data related to the prepaid service stored in the flash memory 312 using the received updated number of printable pages. Finally, the printer 103 generates the data for the charge process result screen 817 and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this, the web browser 410 displays the charge processing result screen 817 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls the display to show the charge processing result screen 817 on the web browser 410.

[0082] On the other hand, if it is determined that no charging process should be performed (the answer is No in S1011), the printer 103 proceeds to S1013. In S1013, the printer 103 cancels the charge process. In this process, the printer 103 generates data for the charge process result screen 821 and sends it to the web browser 410. Upon receiving this, the web browser 410 displays the charge process result screen 821 on the display unit 406. In other words, the printer 103 controls the web browser 410 to display the charge process result screen 821.

[0083] Alternatively, the process shown in Figure 10 may be performed using the UI (display unit 308 and operation unit 309) of the printer 103 itself, instead of using the remote UI function of the printer 103.

[0084] <Effects of the second embodiment, etc.> According to the second embodiment, by utilizing the remote UI function of the printer 103, when charging the printing function of a prepaid service, the printer 103 changes the display content of the operation screen according to the status of the printer 103, making it easier for the user to select the appropriate number of pages to charge.

[0085] [Third Embodiment] In the third embodiment, the process of charging the printing function using the server 101 will be described. In this embodiment, explanations of content common to the first and second embodiments will be omitted as appropriate, and the differences from the first and second embodiments will be described.

[0086] <Process where the server changes the display in the charging app depending on the printer status> Figure 11 is a sequence diagram showing the processing flow from the charge application 412 to the completion of the charging process for the printing function using the server 101. Here, the processing of the charge application 412 shown in Figure 10 is realized by the CPU 401 of the mobile terminal 104 reading and executing the program of the charge application 412 stored in the ROM 403. The processing of the server 101 is realized by the CPU 201 of the server 101 reading and executing the program stored in the storage device 204. The processing of the printer 103 is realized by the CPU 305 of the printer 103 reading and executing the program stored in the program memory 306. In other words, the series of processes are performed by each CPU of each device loading the program code stored in the storage device onto RAM and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps shown in Figure 7 may be realized by electronic circuits or hardware such as ASICs. In the description of each process, the symbol "S" indicates a step in the sequence diagram.

[0087] In S1101, the charge application 412 requests the server 101 to display the charge screen 601. At this time, the charge application 412 sends the identification information (serial number, etc.) of the printer 103 to the server 101. Upon receiving this request, the server 101 proceeds to S1102.

[0088] In S1102, the server 101 sends the charge screen 601 to the charge application 412 and controls it to display it on the charge application 412. In this process, first, the server 101 extracts table items from the print information table (Table 1), ink level table (Table 2), parts status table (Table 3), and error history table (Table 4) stored in the database 205 that match the identification information of the printer 103. Next, the server 101 generates the data for the charge screen 601 using the extracted items. Finally, it sends the data for the charge screen 601 to the charge application 412. The charge application 412 receives this and displays the charge screen 601 on the display unit 406.

[0089] In S1103, the charge application 412 requests the server 101 to display the printer diagnostic screen 612 (616). In this process, the charge application 412 first detects that the diagnostic button 603 on the charge screen 601 has been pressed. In response, the charge application 412 sends information to the server 101 indicating that the diagnostic button 603 has been pressed, along with the identification information of the printer 103. Upon receiving this, the server 101 proceeds to S1104.

[0090] In S1104, the server 101 controls the charge application 412 to display the printer diagnostic screen 612 (616). In this process, first, the server 101 uses the data extracted from each table in S1102 to diagnose the printer's status. If the server 101 determines that the printer's status is "close to or beyond its remaining lifespan," it generates the data for the printer diagnostic screen 612. On the other hand, if the server 101 determines that the printer's status is far from its remaining lifespan, it generates the data for the printer diagnostic screen 616. This diagnosis (determination process) is the same as in S703 in Figure 7. Finally, the server 101 sends the generated printer diagnostic screen 612 (616) data to the charge application 412. Upon receiving this, the charge application 412 displays the printer diagnostic screen 612 (616) on the display unit 406.

[0091] Next, in S1105, the charge application 412 sends the number of charges selected by the user to the server 101. In this process, first, the charge application 412 detects that one of the buttons 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, or 609 on the charge screen 601 has been pressed to select the number of charges. Then, the charge application 412 sends to the server 101 information about the number of charges detected and the identification information of the printer 103. Upon receiving this, the server 101 proceeds to S1106.

[0092] In S1106, the server 101 controls the charge application 412 to display the charge confirmation screen 801 (809). In this process, the server 101 uses the data extracted from each table in S1102 to determine whether an appropriate charge has been selected, taking into account the remaining lifespan of the printer 103. This determination process, similar to S902 in Figure 9, determines that "an appropriate charge has been selected" if the sum of the cumulative number of prints by the printer 103 and the selected charge amount does not exceed the expected lifespan, and there are no printer 103 parts that are nearing the end of their lifespan. On the other hand, if the sum of the cumulative number of prints by the printer 103 and the selected charge amount exceeds the expected lifespan, or if there are printer 103 parts that are nearing the end of their lifespan, it determines that "a warning is necessary before performing the charge process." If it is determined that "an appropriate charge amount has been selected," the server 101 generates the data for the charge confirmation screen 801 and sends it to the charge application 412. Upon receiving this, the charge application 412 displays the charge confirmation screen 801 on the display unit 406. On the other hand, if the server 101 determines that a warning is necessary before performing the charge process, it generates data for the charge confirmation screen 809 and sends it to the charge application 412. Upon receiving this, the charge application 412 displays the charge confirmation screen 809 on the display unit 406.

[0093] Next, in S1107, the charge application 412 sends charge confirmation information to the server 101. In this embodiment, the charge confirmation information refers to the information of the button selected by the user from the two buttons on the charge confirmation screen 801 (809) (button 802 (810) for the user to charge the print function, and button 803 (811) for the user to cancel the charge of the print function). In other words, the charge confirmation information includes information indicating either "charge" or "cancel charge". In this process, first, the charge application 412 detects that the user has pressed either button 802 (810) to charge the print function or button 803 (811) to cancel the charge of the print function. In response to this detection, the charge application 412 sends to the server 101 information about the button that was detected to have been pressed, along with the identification information of the printer 103. Upon receiving this, the server 101 proceeds to S1108.

[0094] In S1108, server 101 uses the charge confirmation information obtained in S1107 to determine whether to perform the charge. If the received charge confirmation information indicates "cancel charge" (No in S1108), server 101 proceeds to S1111. S1111 will be explained later.

[0095] On the other hand, if the received charge confirmation information indicates "Perform charge" (Yes in S1108), server 101 proceeds to S1109. In S1109, the server 101 requests the printer 103 to update the number of printable pages. First, the server 101 retrieves the number of printable pages of the printer 103 before the update from the print information table Table 1 stored in the database 205. Next, the server 101 calculates the sum of the number of printable pages of the printer 103 before the update and the number of charged pages obtained in S1105, and uses this as the number of printable pages after the update. After that, the server 101 sends the updated number of printable pages to the printer 103. Upon receiving this, the printer 103 proceeds to S1110.

[0096] In S1110, the printer 103 returns a printable page count update process to the server 101. First, the printer 103 obtains the updated printable page count from the server 101, and then updates the data related to the prepaid service stored in the flash memory 312. After this update, the printer 103 sends a notification to the server 101 that the printable page count update is complete. Upon receiving this, the server 101 proceeds to S1111.

[0097] In S1111, the server 101 controls the charge application 412 to display the charge processing result screen. First, if the charge quantity purchase process is performed (if the answer in S1108 is Yes), the server 101 generates data for the charge processing result screen 817 and sends it to the charge application 412. Upon receiving this, the charge application 412 displays the charge processing result screen 817 on the display unit 406. On the other hand, if the charge quantity purchase process is not performed (if the answer in S1108 is No), the server 101 generates data for the charge processing result screen 821 and sends it to the charge application 412. Upon receiving this, the charge application 412 displays the charge processing result screen 821 on the display unit 406.

[0098] Alternatively, the processing performed by the charging application 412 shown in Figure 11 may be performed by the web browser 410 instead. Alternatively, a mobile terminal 104 capable of communicating with the server 101 or printer 103 may receive printer information from the server 101 or printer 103 and control the display of various screens as shown in Figures 6A to 6C and 8A to 8D on the mobile terminal 104 side.

[0099] <Effects of the Third Embodiment> According to the third embodiment, by using the server 101, when charging the printing function of a prepaid service, the display content of the operation screen can be changed according to the status of the printer 103, making it easier for the user to select the appropriate number of charges.

[0100] As described above, according to each embodiment, the user can easily recognize, by viewing the service screen, what number of pages is appropriate to charge considering the status of the recording device, and can easily select and charge the appropriate number of pages according to the status of the recording device. In other words, the user can select the number of pages to charge from the charge screen while being aware that the printer's lifespan is nearing its end. This allows the user to easily notice, for example, when the remaining lifespan of the recording device is nearing its end, and prevents them from charging a large number of pages that would exceed the lifespan of the recording device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent situations where the recording device breaks down due to the end of its lifespan immediately after charging a large number of pages, resulting in the large number of charged pages being wasted and not being used up, thereby greatly improving usability.

[0101] In the embodiments described above, a configuration was described in which information is provided to the user to select an appropriate number of charges when charging the printing function. However, the present invention is not limited to charging the printing function. For example, a configuration may be provided in which information is displayed on the operation screen according to the status of the terminal to help the user select an appropriate charge amount for using other functions (e.g., packet communication or other services), thereby making it easier for the user to select an appropriate charge amount.

[0102] It should be noted that the structure and content of the various data described above are not limited to those mentioned, and it goes without saying that they can be composed of various structures and contents depending on the use and purpose. Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention can take the form of, for example, a system, apparatus, method, program, or storage medium. Specifically, it may be applied to a system consisting of multiple devices, or to an apparatus consisting of a single device. Furthermore, any configurations combining the above embodiments are also included in the present invention.

[0103] [Other Embodiments] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions. Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to a system consisting of multiple devices or to a device consisting of a single device. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications (including organic combinations of each embodiment) are possible based on the spirit of the invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the invention. That is, all configurations that combine the above-described embodiments and their modified forms are included in the present invention.

[0104] This embodiment includes the following configurations, methods, and programs. (Composition 1) An information processing device, The printer has a display control means that allows the user to select from multiple options showing different numbers of pages in order to increase the number of pages that can be printed. The information processing device is characterized in that the display control means displays a recommended number of additional pages based on the status of the printer. (Configuration 2) The information processing apparatus according to configuration 1, characterized in that the display by the display control means includes a display regarding the lifespan of the printer. (Composition 3) The information processing device according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the display control means displays a recommended number of additional pages when the difference between the cumulative number of pages printed by the printer and the expected number of pages it can withstand is less than a predetermined number. (Composition 4) The information processing device according to configuration 3, characterized in that the display recommending the selection of a small number of sheets includes a display of options that do not exceed the assumed number of sheets that can be used. (Composition 5) The information processing device according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the display control means displays a warning to that effect if, when any of the above options is selected and the number of sheets corresponding to the selected option is added, the number of sheets the printer is expected to be able to handle exceeds that limit. (Composition 6) The information processing device according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the amount per sheet in the amount the user pays to add the number of sheets displayed in the multiple options differs for each of the multiple options, and the more sheets displayed an option has, the lower the amount per sheet. (Composition 7) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is the printer. (Composition 8) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is a server that manages information about the printer. (Composition 9) The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is a mobile terminal capable of communicating with the printer or a server that manages information about the printer. (Method 1) A method for controlling an information processing device, The printer has a display process that allows the user to select from multiple options showing different numbers of pages in order to increase the number of printable pages. A control method for an information processing device, characterized in that, in the display step, the recommended number of additional pages is displayed based on the status of the printer. (Program 1) A program to cause a computer to function as a display control means described in any one of configurations 1 to 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 101 Server 103 Printer 104 Mobile devices 410 Web Browsers 412 Charge App

Claims

1. An information processing device, The printer has a display control means that allows the user to select from multiple options showing different numbers of pages in order to increase the number of pages that can be printed. The information processing device is characterized in that the display control means displays a recommended number of additional pages based on the status of the printer.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the display by the display control means includes a display relating to the lifespan of the printer.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the display control means displays a recommended number of additional pages when the difference between the cumulative number of pages printed by the printer and the expected number of pages it can withstand is less than a predetermined number.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the display recommending the selection of a small number of sheets includes a display of options that do not exceed the assumed number of sheets that can be used.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the display control means displays a warning to that effect if any of the above options are selected and the number of sheets corresponding to the selected option is added exceeds the printer's expected durability limit.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount per sheet in the amount the user pays to add the number of sheets displayed in the multiple options differs for each of the multiple options, and the more sheets displayed in an option, the lower the amount per sheet.

7. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is the printer.

8. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is a server that manages information about the printer.

9. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is a mobile terminal capable of communicating with the printer or a server that manages information about the printer.

10. A method for controlling an information processing device, The printer has a display process that allows the user to select from multiple options showing different numbers of pages in order to increase the number of printable pages. A control method for an information processing device, characterized in that, in the display step, the recommended number of additional pages is displayed based on the status of the printer.

11. A program for causing a computer to function as a display control means according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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