Patent ID: 7692806
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An accounting apparatus for charging for a process for image data, executed in response to a request from a requester, wherein the process for the image data includes at least a RIP processing for the image data, the accounting apparatus comprising: a receiving unit that receives RIP data of the RIP processing that identifies an item of the RIP processing executed on the image data; a storing unit that stores a first relationship between a condition of the RIP processing and an accounting amount for the condition of the RIP processing; a first accounting amount calculation unit that calculates a first accounting amount by using the RIP data of the RIP processing received by the receiving unit and the first relationship; and an accounting unit that executes a first accounting processing of charging the requester, which has made the request for the image processing, for the calculated first accounting amount, a second accounting amount calculation unit that calculates a second accounting amount for image formation processing of the image data which is processed by the RIP processing, the image formation processing being a processing which prints an image on a recording medium, wherein the receiving unit receives data of the image formation processing, the storing unit stores a second relationship between a condition of the image formation processing and an accounting amount for the condition of the image formation processing, the second accounting amount calculation unit calculates the second accounting amount by using the data of the image formation processing received by the receiving unit and the second relationship, and the accounting unit executes a second accounting processing of charging the requestor for the calculated second accounting amount, and wherein the first accounting amount includes costs of RIP processing but not costs of printing.