Provided is a service providing system including: a service providing server providing a printer use service; and a user terminal configured to communicate with the service providing server, in which the user terminal receives an input of a card number recorded in a service card for receiving the printer use service and transmits the received card number to the service providing server, and the service providing server performs authentication processing of the service card based on the card number received from the user terminal and performs printer delivery processing of causing a service printer to be delivered when authentication of the service card in the authentication processing is successful.

According to one embodiment, a management apparatus manages a plurality of image forming devices, such as printers or multi-functional peripheral devices in different usage environments. The management apparatus includes a processor to acquire usage history information from each of the image forming devices and generates, based on the acquired usage history information, a bill including a total of usage charges for use of the image forming devices by a user group during a billing period. The management apparatus includes a communication interface to transmit the generated bill to a billing destination.

Examples of a user interface (UI) for depletion level selection are described herein. In some examples, a control element is displayed in a UI to select a color depletion level for a color printing substance of a printing device. A predicted cost-per-page to print is displayed in the UI based on based on a selected color depletion level. A color map for the printing device is determined based on the selected color depletion level and a separate black depletion level.

A printing and copying system is provided that includes a server configured to manage user account information related to a user, and an apparatus connected to the server, the apparatus configured to send a printing request or a copying request to the server. The user account information includes a plurality of wallets associated with the user, and the plurality of wallets each represent funds available to the user. The server is configured to determine whether to authorise the printing request or copying request based on the funds available in the plurality of wallets.

Management is performed by using a contract number, a model, a device ID, and data for managing the number of primed sheets as the contract device, a task for acquiring information necessary for management as the contract device is generated in response to a detection of a new device corresponding to a contract, a device search is performed via a network, and information necessary for management as the contract device is acquired from a new device according to the task in response to a detection if the new device corresponding to a model managed as the contract device is detected by the search. Additionally, a device ID of the contract device and data for managing the number of primed sheets are updated and managed by using the information acquired from the new device in response to the detection of the new device.

An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires a processed image obtained through image processing, and a generation unit that generates a synthesis image obtained by synthesizing an evidence image, which is an image becoming an evidence of the image processing and including at least information on a fee required for the image processing, with a reduction image obtained by reducing the processed image.

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.

An image forming apparatus includes a document scanner that scans a document, and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor acquires image data output by the document scanner that has scanned a document, executes an image forming process of forming an image of the image data output by the document scanner, and executes a collection process of collecting a fee for the image forming process before the image forming process is executed, and the hardware processor executes the collection process in order of output of the image data by the document scanner in the case where the plurality of documents are scanned successively by the document scanner.

An information processing device includes: a first communicator that receives a printing job including user information; a storage that stores the printing job received by the first communicator; a second communicator that receives a printing request including the user information and identification information of a printing device; a controller that acquires, from the storage, the printing job including the user information included in the printing request and sets a destination of the acquired printing job to the printing device corresponding to the identification information of the printing device included in the printing request; and a management unit that manages printing usage information for each of one or more pieces of user information, in which the second communicator transmits the printing job.

In a server, a storage stores correlation information correlating a specific amount of print resources with a specific price. The computer instructs a printing device to execute printing, and acquires usage information for a user of the printing device from the printing device. A computer performs one of a first and second processes. The first process includes a process to determine a first variable rate which varies between the first usage state and the second usage state, and a process to award number of points calculated on the basis of the first variable rate and the specific price. The second process includes a process to determine a second variable rate which varies between the first usage state and the second usage state, and a process to provide the user with an amount of reward calculated on the basis of the second variable rate and the specific price.