A printing system includes an acquirer, a comparator, a calculator, and an allocator. The acquirer acquires the number of media printed by a first printing device installed at a first location. The comparator compares the number of printed media acquired by the acquirer with the number of media specified based on a billing amount. The calculator calculates a first number of printable media of the first printing device based on the comparison by the comparator. The allocator allocates at least a part of the first number of printable media calculated by the calculator as a second number of printable media to a second printing device installed at a second location. The second printing device can perform printing as a billing target based on the second number of printable media.

An example billing management method with respect to a solution installed in an image forming apparatus includes detecting a solution newly installed in or removed from the image forming apparatus, based on a solution list indicating solutions installed in the image forming apparatus, verifying whether the detected solution is included in a solution subscription list corresponding to an account in which the image forming apparatus is registered, and processing billing with respect to the detected solution according to a verification result.

An apparatus compares pieces of document image data with each other based on the result of a multi-cropping process and the result of an analysis of the document images and, if the pieces of document image data have the same date information and money amount information, determines that related pieces of data are present. In this way, the apparatus can easily prevent pieces of information related to the same transaction from redundantly registered in a system.

An apparatus compares pieces of document image data with each other based on the result of a multi-cropping process and the result of an analysis of the document images and, if the pieces of document image data have the same date information and money amount information, determines that related pieces of data are present. In this way, the apparatus can easily prevent pieces of information related to the same transaction from redundantly registered in a system.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body memory, and a controller. A second upper limit information stored in the main body memory indicates an upper limit of a printable page number that the image forming apparatus is allowed to print in a state where the image forming apparatus is in an off-line state. A printed page number information stored in the main body memory indicates a printed page number printed in the off-line state. The controller is configured to: increment the printed page number information by one in a case where the one sheet of paper is printed on one side printing; and increment the printed page number information by two in a case where the one sheet is printed on double-sided printing. The controller is configured to determine whether the printed page number information is greater than or equal to the second upper limit page number.

A printing method performed by an image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus receives job information of content, and generates payment amount information based on the job information of the content. The image forming apparatus receives payment method information from a user, and generates billing information by using the payment amount information and the payment method information. The image forming apparatus transmits the billing information to a payment system.

An information processing apparatus includes: a processor configured to: in response to acquiring a first identification output from a different information processing apparatus, perform control of execution of a first process; in response to completion of the first process, perform control to cause the different information processing apparatus to output a second identification for executing a second process; and in response to acquiring the second identification output from the different information processing apparatus, perform control of execution of the second process.

Methods and systems for printing on a print device from both authorized users and guest users are disclosed. The methods include configuring the print device to execute document processing jobs from both authorized users and guest users based on a rule set. The method also includes receiving a request to initiate a document processing session on the print device, initiating the kiosk mode session for executing paid document processing jobs by outputting a kiosk mode user interface that is configured to allow the guest user to submit requests for paid document processing jobs, receiving a request for executing a document processing job via the kiosk mode user interface, causing the print device to execute the document processing job, and causing a payment processing service associated with the guest user to render payment for executing the document processing job.

A printing device includes: a communication interface communicable with a server capable of offering a specific printing service under a contract with the printing device; and a controller configured to control transition of an operation mode of the printing device from a non-contract mode without any contract with the server to a contract mode where the printing device is recognized as a contract-covered device eligible for executing specific printing under the contract. In response to receiving a command from the server to execute the transition to the contract mode, the controller is configured to perform: a determination process to determine whether the transition to the contract mode is to be executed; and a mode control process to maintain the non-contract mode without executing the transition to the contract mode against the transition command when the transition to the contract mode is determined not to be executed in the determination process.

Distribution of electronic documents is described, including receiving an electronic document to be distributed, identifying whether a destination identifier is associated with a destination account among a known group of customer accounts, routing the electronic document, and calculating a fee associated with delivery of the electronic document based on whether the destination account is among the known group of customers and a set of billing rules. The set of billing rules may specify a discounted fee for routing an electronic document to each of a known group of customer accounts. In other aspects, the set of billing rules may specify a discounted fee for routing an electronic document to a first group of the known group of customer accounts and specify a standard fee for a second group of the known group of customer accounts.