Patent ID: 9025187
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A printing system, comprising a management server and an image forming apparatus that are connected to a network, the management server comprising: an authentication execution unit configured to authenticate a logged-in user of the image forming apparatus; a sheet count management unit configured to i) manage a remaining quota that represents a remaining number of print sheets allocated to a group to which the logged-in user belongs and a temporary allowance that represents a number of print sheets temporarily allowed for every user that belongs to the group, and ii) reserve, when the image forming apparatus provides a notification including a requested sheet count that represents a sheet count based on an instruction for printing and is a number of print sheets for which permission is requested to the management server, the temporary allowance of the logged-in user based on the requested sheet count and the sheet count obtained by dividing a tentative remaining quota, which is obtained by subtracting the temporary allowances of all the users belonging to the group from the remaining quota of the group to which the logged-in user belongs, by a number of users who have logged in to any one of the image forming apparatus within the printing system among the users belonging to the group; and a temporary allowance notification unit configured to provide a notification including the temporary allowance to the image forming apparatus, a requested sheet count notification unit configured to provide the notification including the requested sheet count to the management server; a printing execution unit configured to print within a range of the temporary allowance notified of by the management server; and a printed sheet count notification unit configured to provide a notification including the printed sheet count to the management server, wherein the printed sheet count represents a number of sheets for which the printing has been executed by the printing execution unit.