Usage Control Device with Billing Intermediary for Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for electronic apparatuses, such as printing devices, lack an efficient mechanism to manage and enforce usage limits, leading to difficulties in collecting charges for excessive usage without interrupting the user's access to the apparatus.
Innovation Solution
A control device that includes a prohibition unit to prevent usage when the cumulative and new usage exceed permitted limits, an acquiring unit to gather charging destination information, an output unit to print or send billing information, and a permission unit to allow access after charging information is processed, simplifying the process of managing excessive usage by generating and processing bills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a prohibition mechanism is implemented to enforce usage limits, then usage control reliability is improved, but user access continuity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a billing system as an intermediary between the prohibition mechanism and the user. When usage limits are exceeded, instead of directly blocking access, the system generates a bill and allows continued access until the bill is settled. This mediator (billing process) resolves the contradiction by maintaining both control reliability (through bill generation) and access continuity (by not immediately blocking users).
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating bills in advance before actual prohibition is enforced. The billing information is prepared and made available to users beforehand, allowing them to settle charges proactively. This preliminary billing action prevents abrupt access interruptions while maintaining control over usage limits.
2Productivity
If charging destination information is collected and billing information is output, then charge collection efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service billing system where the electronic apparatus automatically generates, stores, and outputs billing information without requiring manual intervention from operators. The system autonomously manages charging destination information, calculates usage fees, and makes bills available through the user interface. This automation improves charge collection efficiency while the integrated design keeps the added complexity manageable within the existing apparatus architecture.
3Manufacturing precision
If usage limits are strictly enforced with immediate prohibition, then resource management precision is improved, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility into the usage limit enforcement by allowing users to continue accessing the electronic apparatus even after exceeding limits, provided they settle the generated bills. The system dynamically adjusts the enforcement strictness based on billing status rather than applying rigid immediate prohibition. This dynamic approach maintains precise resource tracking while significantly improving user convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device includes a prohibition unit that prohibits a user from using an electronic apparatus in a case where a sum of a cumulative used amount of the electronic apparatus by the user for a predetermined time period and a new used amount which is newly instructed by the user exceeds a permitted amount for the predetermined time period; an acquiring unit that acquires charging destination information for the user in a case where the prohibition unit prohibits the user from using the electronic apparatus; an output unit that outputs charging information for excess over the permitted amount of the user, using the charging destination information in a case where the charging destination information is acquired by the acquiring unit; and a permission unit that permits the user to use the electronic apparatus after the charging information is output.