Electrophotography – Machine operation – Accounting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-09
2001-08-14
Lee, Susan S. Y. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Accounting
C358S474000, C399S015000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275667
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and an image forming system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the extension of user's needs, an image forming apparatus typified by a copying machine has been improved in a multifunction and a network. Such an image forming apparatus makes it possible to independently operate an image reading portion for reading an original document as image data and an image output portion for forming an output image based on the inputted image data and for printing it out. That is, the user can use a function (hereinafter referred to as a scan function) in which an original document is read as image data and the image data is outputted, a function (hereinafter referred to as a print function) in which an output image is formed on the basis of image data transmitted from a host apparatus connected to a network or the like and is printed out, a function (hereinafter referred to as a copy function) in which an output image is formed on the basis of image data read out of an original document and is printed out, or the like.
For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 10-224593 discloses an image forming apparatus which is provided with the copy function, the facsimile function, and the print function, and in which use fees for the respective functions are added up and are billed to the user.
However, the conventional image forming apparatus disclosed in the above publication has problems as set forth below. That is, in the case where the image forming apparatus is connected to a network, there is often a case where image data read by using the scan function of the image forming apparatus is once transmitted to a host apparatus, the image data edited and processed by the host apparatus is again transmitted to the image forming apparatus, and an output image is formed from the image data by using the print function of the image forming apparatus and is printed out. In this instance, there is a case where although it is equivalent to the use of the copy function from the viewpoint of the user, the image forming apparatus judges that the print function is used, so that the function substantially used by the user can not be correctly recognized, and the proper billing amount can not be calculated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides an image forming apparatus which can correctly recognize a function substantially used by a user.
In order to solve the problem, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image reading unit for reading an original document as image data, an image output unit for forming an output image on the basis of inputted image data and for printing it out, and a discrimination unit for discriminating whether the output image is formed on the basis of the image data read by the image reading unit.
Since the discrimination unit is provided, it becomes possible to recognize that the output image is formed on the basis of the image data read by the image reading unit and is printed out, or the output image is formed on the basis of image data other than the image data read by the image reading unit and is printed out.
Besides, the image forming apparatus of the present invention further includes a billing amount calculation unit for calculating, on the basis of a discrimination result of the discrimination unit, a billing amount for use of a function of reading the original document as the image data and/or a function of forming and printing out the output image.
Since the billing amount calculation unit is provided, it becomes possible to calculate a proper billing amount in respective cases, that is, the case where both the function of reading the original document as the image data and the function of forming and printing out the output image are used, and the case where only the function of forming and printing out the output image is used.
Besides, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when the output image is formed on the basis of the image data read by the image reading unit and is printed out, the billing amount calculation unit adds a billing amount for the use of the function of reading the original document as the image data and the function of forming and printing out the output image, and when the output image is formed on the basis of the image data other than the image data read by the image reading unit and is printed out, the billing amount calculation unit adds a billing amount for the use of the function of forming and printing out the output image.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4313673 (1982-02-01), Wartinger et al.
patent: 5185634 (1993-02-01), Kaisha
patent: 5383129 (1995-01-01), Farrell
patent: 5602939 (1997-02-01), Hashiguchi et al.
patent: 5884118 (1999-03-01), Mestha et al.
patent: 6173088 (2001-01-01), Koh et al.
patent: 5-12412 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 10-224593 (1998-08-01), None
Fuji 'Xerox Co., Ltd.
Lee Susan S. Y.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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