Patent ID: 7416116
Filing Date: 2008-08-26
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A pay-for-use office machine, comprising: a print engine; a user interface that receives customer input requests for pay-for-use services; a unique session ID generator that assigns a unique session ID to each pay-for-use customer session; a memory; an activity logger that monitors and logs all machine activities associated with a usage charge during each session in the memory; and an automatic session activity report generator that, upon completion of a pay-for-use session, automatically generates and outputs a hardcopy usage and billing session activity report for the session based on the logged machine activities for the session, the hardcopy usage and billing session activity report including the unique session ID and a computed total usage charge for the session, at least a portion of the hardcopy usage and billing session activity report being electronically readable by a point of sale terminal to enable point of sale customer billing for the session.