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.

A service providing device includes a mobile unit, a providing unit, and an obtaining unit. The mobile unit moves to a destination. The providing unit moves together with the mobile unit and provides a service. The obtaining unit obtains information at a destination at which the providing unit provides a service.

A device for printing information at multiple predetermined positions of a flat object including a registration wall, a print module including print nozzles and a print plate and displaceable along an horizontal axis perpendicular to the registration wall, fixed upper drive members for moving the flat object in a direction of transport along the registration wall, the print plate and the fixed upper drive members together forming an upper reference in a vertical direction, and lower pressing members for pressing the flat object against the upper reference, the device further comprises at least one mobile upper drive member and, for avoiding contact with the flat object immediately after printing, the at least one mobile upper drive member is vertically mobile and configured to be moved from a lower to an upper position above the upper reference when the displaceable print module is positioned along the horizontal axis ahead of the at least one mobile upper drive member in the direction of transport.

Examples for determining printing device functionality based on consumption and payment are described herein. In some examples, signals indicative of an amount of utilized print consumable by a printing device and signals indicative of payment for the amount of utilized print consumable are received at a computing device. Signals to cause the printing device to alter a functionality based on the signals indicative of an amount of utilized print consumable and the signals indicative of payment for the amount of utilized print consumable are transmitted by the computing device.

A system and method for managing print services between multifunction peripherals and a print server includes a connector server. The connector server subscribes to event notifications from each multifunction peripheral through two or more network adapters. Events are relayed from the connector server to the print server, irrespective as to which network adapter receives them. The connector server also relays web content between the multifunction peripheral and the print server.

A system includes a processing apparatus and a management server. The processing apparatus includes a first transmission unit configured to transmit information about a state of a consumable item for consumption by the processing apparatus. The management server includes a first generation unit configured to generate a first screen for purchasing the consumable item based on the information transmitted from the processing apparatus about the state of the consumable item, a second transmission unit configured to transmit a request for purchasing the consumable item based on a user instruction designated on the first screen displayed on the processing apparatus, and a second generation unit configured to generate a second screen containing a payment code based on information about the payment code acquired based on the request for purchasing.

A system and method for managing print services between multifunction peripherals and a print server includes a connector server. The connector server subscribes to event notifications from each multifunction peripheral through two or more network adapters. Events are relayed from the connector server to the print server, irrespective as to which network adapter receives them. The connector server also relays web content between the multifunction peripheral and the print server.

A printing system controls a printing member to perform printing based on a print job for which a charged fee is already settled. The printing system receives a first instruction to suspend the printing started by the printing member and suspends the printing started by the printing member in response to reception of the first instruction. The printing system receives a second instruction as to a post suspending process to be executed after the printing is suspended. The printing system performs one of a post fee-settlement process and a restart process, as the post suspending process. The post fee-settlement process is related to provision of a benefit corresponding to refunding at least part of the charged fee. The restart process is to restart the suspended printing to complete the print job after a reason that the first instruction is made is resolved.

A system includes a processing apparatus and a management server. The processing apparatus includes a first transmission unit configured to transmit information about a state of a consumable item for consumption by the processing apparatus. The management server includes a first generation unit configured to generate a first screen for purchasing the consumable item based on the information transmitted from the processing apparatus about the state of the consumable item, a second transmission unit configured to transmit a request for purchasing the consumable item based on a user instruction designated on the first screen displayed on the processing apparatus, and a second generation unit configured to generate a second screen containing a payment code based on information about the payment code acquired based on the request for purchasing.

An image processing apparatus includes a job execution device that executes jobs, an aggregated data generator that generates aggregated data indicating an aggregated result of a quantity for each type of job executed by the job execution device, and an aggregated data transmitter that transmits the aggregated data generated by the aggregated data generator to a charge amount calculation system, in which, in a case where the unit price of the job is changed, the aggregated data generator separately generates the aggregated data of the job before the change of the unit price and the aggregated data after the change of the unit price and stores the unit price corresponding to the generated aggregated data, and the aggregated data transmitter associates the aggregated data with the unit price corresponding to this aggregated data and transmits the association result to the charge amount calculation system.