An image processing service system includes an operation request accepting unit, a setting accepting unit, a payment control unit, and an operation execution control unit. The operation request accepting unit accepts an operation request for an image processing apparatus through a chat between a user and a chatbot participating in a chat service on a chat board provided by the service. The setting accepting unit accepts a setting for an operation of the image processing apparatus requested by the operation request. The payment control unit makes a payment for the operation of the image processing apparatus requested by the operation request through an electronic payment system available on the chat service. The operation execution control unit controls the image processing apparatus to execute the operation requested by the operation request after the setting is accepted by the setting accepting unit and the payment is made by the payment control unit.

A printing device includes: a printing unit; and a controller. The printing unit is configured to print an image on a print medium. The controller is configured to perform: (a) receiving; (b) transmitting; (c) receiving; and (d) transmitting. The (a) receiving receives a print job from an external device. The (b) receiving receives a print job from an external device. The (b) transmitting transmits the print job to a data processing server. The (c) receiving receives, from the external device, destination information representing a destination of payment information of a fee required for executing the print job with the printing unit. The (d) transmitting transmits the destination information to the data processing server to cause the data processing server to provide the payment information to the external device.

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 system including a printing apparatus and a server system configured to receive a processing result of processing performed by the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus includes a notification unit configured to notify the server system of the processing result, which includes a plurality of types of counts that indicate the number of prints generated by execution of print processing in the printing apparatus and that concurrently count up under predetermined conditions, and wherein the server system includes a processing unit configured to provide a service based on the plurality of types of counts included in the processing result.

A service printer includes a printer printing unit that executes a print function, a scanning unit that executes a scan function, a printer communication unit that acquires, from a service providing server that provides a delivery service of delivering ink, status information indicating at least one of the status of a contract for use of the delivery service and the status of payment of the usage fee for the delivery service, and a printer controller that enables or disables execution of the print function and execution of the scan function based on at least one of the contract status and the payment status that are indicated by the status information acquired by the printer communication unit.

An information processing apparatus includes a first developing unit configured to develop an image, a second developing unit by which a developed image better than a developed image developed by the first developing unit is obtained, an estimation unit configured to estimate an improvement effect of a quality of the developed image obtained using the second developing unit instead of the first developing unit, and a notification unit configured to notify content based on the improvement effect estimated by the estimation unit.

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 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 color printing system includes a printing device and other components that use color printing resources, such as calibration and ICC profiles, to complete color printing operations. These color printing resources are used for a large number of paper types stored in a paper catalog. The paper types can be further placed into paper groups within the paper catalog. The paper groups may be formed by assigning new papers into the paper catalog to those having paper types with existing calibration data and ICC profiles. These relationships are shown in a paper catalog map. The print shop can use the paper catalog map for selling paper types, providing different capabilities for paper types, and other information.

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.