Job Execution Apparatus Billing Refund Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing job execution apparatuses, such as image forming devices, face issues with refunding electronic money when users cancel jobs or encounter machine troubles, leading to incomplete operations and increased risk of over-billing due to users forgetting to re-set payment mediums.
Innovation Solution
A job execution apparatus that determines the required amount for a job before execution, bills the payment medium, and provides alternative refund methods if the used amount is less than the determined amount, ensuring refunds are transferred unfailingly, even if the payment medium is not re-set.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the method of billing each time one sheet is copied or printed is employed, then the billing accuracy is improved, but the risk of theft increases and the user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating the total amount of money required for job execution before the job actually executes. The billing apparatus bills this pre-calculated amount to the payment medium before the job starts, rather than billing incrementally during execution. This eliminates the need to keep the payment medium set to the billing apparatus throughout the job, thereby reducing theft risk while maintaining billing accuracy.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the amount of money is collectively billed before job execution, then the theft risk is reduced, but the refund reliability deteriorates when users forget to re-set payment medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the determination portion continuously monitor the actual amount of money used during job execution and compare it with the pre-calculated amount. When a discrepancy is detected (indicating job cancellation or machine trouble), the system automatically initiates a refund process to the payment medium, ensuring reliable refunds even when users forget to re-set the payment medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting job cancellations or machine troubles and initiating refund processes without requiring user intervention. The determination portion monitors execution status and the billing apparatus automatically refunds to the payment medium, eliminating the need for users to manually re-set payment medium settings.
3Device complexity
If the payment medium is kept set to the billing apparatus throughout job execution, then the refund process is simplified, but the user convenience deteriorates due to frequent forgetting to re-set
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by having the system automatically monitor job execution status and initiate refund processes without requiring user actions. The determination portion detects when jobs are cancelled or machine troubles occur, and the billing apparatus automatically refunds to the payment medium, eliminating the burden on users to remember to re-set payment medium settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-calculating the total billing amount before job execution and establishing the payment medium setting in advance. This allows the system to automatically handle refunds later without requiring users to have manually configured settings at the time of refund, thereby improving user convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A job execution apparatus having the function of billing and refunding by electronic money, determines before job execution, an amount of money required for job execution, and bills before job execution, the determined amount of money to a payment medium having the payment function, which is set to a billing apparatus. And the job execution apparatus can transfer a refund to the payment medium set to the billing apparatus if a refund needs to be transferred. The job execution apparatus also can transfer a refund by a method other than the method of refunding to the payment medium by using the billing apparatus.