Patent ID: 9081615
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A device cooperation system comprising: plural devices connected via a network, the plural devices being configured to take partial charge of providing a function of the plural devices, the plural devices including a first device and one or more other devices, the first device including, an acquiring unit configured to acquire image data that is an output target for a device cooperation job, the device cooperation job being job for outputting the image data; an output condition receiving unit configured to receive an output condition, the output condition indicating a manner in which the first device and the one or more other devices are to perform the device cooperation job; a storage unit configured to store for each respective user a usage amount limit of the first device, the usage amount limit indicating, for the user, a usage limit with respect to the first device; an output possibility determining unit configured to determine whether a total page number is less than or equal to the usage amount limit, the total page number being a total number of pages of the device cooperation job, the total page number being obtained based on the output condition and a number of pages of the image data acquired by the acquiring unit; an allocation number determining unit configured to determine a first allocated number indicating a number of pages of the device cooperation job to be allocated to the first device, and configured to determine one or more other allocated numbers . indicating numbers of pages of the device cooperation job to be allocated to the one or more other devices, respectively; a data communication unit configured to send the image data and the one or more other allocated numbers to the one or more other devices; and a possible output amount update unit configured to update the usage amount limit of the first device based on a first output number and one or more other output numbers, the first output number indicating a number of pages of the device cooperation job output by the first device, the one or more other output numbers indicating numbers of pages of the device cooperation job output by the one or more other devices, respectively, the first device and the one or more other devices being configured to respectively store power consumption information relevant to color printing and power consumption information relevant to black-and-white printing, and the allocation number determining unit being configured to allocate an allocated number for color printing included in the output condition to either the first device or the one or more other devices having a lower level of the power consumption information relevant to color printing, the allocation number determining unit being configured to allocate an allocated number for black-and-white printing included in the output condition to either the first device or the one or more other devices having a lower level of the power consumption information relevant to black-and-white printing.