Process management system, information processing apparatus and information processing system

A process management system includes an information processing apparatus including a computer that executes a program to perform a managing process. The managing process includes managing user management information, managing coordinate organization information to manage groups of organization information, managing a process performed by processing devices by acquiring, when a user managed by organization information, upper limit management information and user information of the user who makes the process request, from a desired processing device managed by the organization information of the group of organization information, and determining whether the process requested by the user is executable within the upper limit amount of process for the user based on the acquired upper limit management information. The managing a process performed by the processing device includes determining to perform, when the process requested by the one of the users is determined to be executable, the process requested by the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-191117, filed on Sep. 13, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a process management system, an information processing apparatus and an information processing system.

2. Description of the Related Art

There is known a print upper-limit value managing system that uses a print upper-limit managing function to manage a print upper-limit for each user in an environment where multiple uses use a plurality of printers. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2008-21233 discloses such a print upper-limit value managing system.

Conventionally, a print managing function provided by a print managing system is based on a technology which is supposed to be used in a private network such as a network in a university environment, a network in an office environment, etc. Accordingly, such a print management system is not supposed to provide the print management function over a plurality of organizations such as, for example, a university, a company, etc.

Thus, it is difficult for the conventional print managing system to provide a pint managing function over a plurality of organizations. Similar to the print managing system, such a situation may occur in a certain process management system providing a process managing function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is provided according to an aspect of the present invention a process management system including an information processing apparatus connected to a plurality of networks each of which is provided in respective one of organizations to which a plurality of users belong and having a processing device to be used by the users, each organization belonging to one of a plurality of groups. The information processing apparatus includes a computer that executes a program to perform a managing process to manage a process performed by the processing devices in the networks, the managing process including, managing user management information including organization information, user information and upper limit management information by associating with each other, the organization information for uniquely identifying each of the organizations, the user information for uniquely identifying each user of each organization, the upper limit management information for managing an upper limit of an amount of process performed by each processing device for each user, managing coordinate organization information to manage a plurality of groups of the organization information, and managing a process performed by the processing devices by acquiring, when one of the users managed by organization information managed in one of the groups of the organization information makes a process request, the upper limit management information associated with the organization information and the user information of the user who makes the process request, from a desired one of the processing devices which is managed by the organization information of the one of the groups of the organization information, and determining whether the process requested by the one of the users is executable within the upper limit amount of process given to the one of the users based on the acquired upper limit management information. The managing process performed by the processing device includes determining to perform, when the process requested by the one of the users is determined to be executable, the process requested by the one of the users.

There is provided according another aspect of the present invention an information processing apparatus connected to a plurality of networks each of which is provided in respective one of organizations to which a plurality of users belong and having a processing device to be used by the users, each organization belonging to one of a plurality of groups, the information processing apparatus comprising a computer that executes a program to perform a managing process to manage a process performed by the processing devices in the networks. The managing process includes, managing user management information including organization information, user information and upper limit management information by associating with each other, the organization information for uniquely identifying each of the organizations, the user information for uniquely identifying each user of each organization, the upper limit management information for managing an upper limit of an amount of processing performed by each processing device for each user, managing coordinate organization information to manage a plurality of groups of the organization information, and managing a process performed by the processing devices by acquiring, when one of the users managed by organization information managed in one of the groups of the organization information makes a process request, the upper limit management information associated with the organization information and the user information of the user who makes the process request, from a desired one of the information processing devices which is managed by the organization information of the one of the groups of the organization information, and determining whether the process requested by the one of the users is executable within the upper limit amount of process given to the one of the users based on the acquired upper limit management information. The managing a process performed by the processing device includes determining to perform, when the process requested by the one of the users is determined to be executable, the process requested by the one of the users.

There is provided according to a further aspect of the present invention an information processing system including an information processing apparatus connected to a plurality of networks each of which is provided in respective one of organizations to which a plurality of users belong, and a plurality of processing devices to be used by the users, each of the processing devices being connected to the information processing apparatus managed by respective one of the organizations each of which belongs to one of a plurality of groups. The information processing apparatus includes a computer that executes a program to perform a managing process to manage a process performed by the processing devices in the networks, the managing process including managing user management information including organization information, user information and upper limit management information by associating with each other, the organization information for uniquely identifying each of the organizations, the user information for uniquely identifying each user of each organization, the upper limit management information for managing an upper limit of an amount of processing performed by each processing device for each user, managing coordinate organization information to manage a plurality of groups of the organization information, and managing a process performed by the information processing devices by acquiring, when one of the users managed by organization information managed in one of the groups of the organization information makes a process request, the upper limit management information associated with the organization information and the user information of the user who makes the process request, from a desired one of the information processing devices which is managed by the organization information of the one of the groups of the organization information, and determining whether the process requested by the one of the users is executable within the upper limit amount of process given to the one of the users based on the acquired upper limit management information. The managing a process performed by the processing device includes determining to perform, when the process requested by the one of the users is determined to be executable, the process requested by the one of the users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A description will now be given, with reference to the drawings, of embodiments of the present invention. Although a description is given below of a print managing function as an example of a process managing function, the function according to the embodiments is not limited to the print managing function. Moreover, although a description is given below of an example of providing the print managing function over a plurality of universities each of which is a form of an organization, the organization is not limited to a university.

First Embodiment

System Structure

FIG. 1is a block diagram of a structure of an information processing system according to an embodiment. An information processing system1illustrated inFIG. 1includes a plurality of networks N1through N4. The network N1is a network in a print management system10represented by, for example, a cloud system. The network N2is a private network in a university A. The network N3is a private network in a university B. The Network N4is a wide area network such as the Internet.

A wire wall23is installed in each of the network N2of the university A and the network N3of the university B. The wire wall23restricts an access of an unauthorized accessor. A reverse proxy (RP)11as an example of access control device is installed in the network N1of the print management system10. The reverse proxy11restricts an access through the network N4.

Each of the network N2of the university A and the network N3of the university B is a private network inside the fire wall23. The network N2of the university A and the network N3of the university B are connected with a terminal device21and an image forming device22, respectively.

The terminal device21can be materialized by an information processing apparatus (computer system) mounted with a general purpose operating system (OS). The terminal device21is a personal computer (PC), a tablet-type PC, notebook-type PC, a smartphone, a cellular phone, etc., which are operable by a user.

The image forming device22is an apparatus or machine that provides an image forming function, such as a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), a copy machine, a scanner, a laser printer, etc. Each of the terminal device21and the image forming device22includes a communication device using radiofrequency communication or wired communication. Although only one terminal device21and only one image forming device are illustrated inFIG. 1, a plurality of terminal devices and a plurality of image forming devices may be provided in the networks N2and N3, respectively.

The print management system10is a system constructed by a provider of providing a cloud service through the network N4. Although a cloud service is explained as an example in the present embodiment, the present embodiment is applicable to a service provided through the network N4, such as, a service provided by an application service provider (ASP) or a Web service. The network N1of the print management system10is connected to the network N4through the reverse proxy11.

The network N1is connected with an authentication device31, a print management device32, a user information management device33and a log management device34. The authentication device31, the print management device32, the user information management device33and the log management device34will be described in detail later.

The reverse proxy11, the authentication device31and the print management device32provided in the print management system10are materialized by one or more information processing apparatuses. That is, each device in the print management system10may be materialized by processing performed by a single information processing apparatus, or may be materialized by distributed processing performed by a plurality of information processing apparatuses.

Moreover, each device in the print management system10may be materialized by being integrated in a single computer. That is, the number of information processing units constituting each device in the print management system10does not limit an applicable range of the present embodiment.

Furthermore, a part of or entire device in the print management system10may be materialized in a network other than the network N1of the print management system. The information processing system1according to the present embodiment is mere an example.

For example, the applicable range of the present embodiment is not limited by whether the fire wall23exists between the print management system10and each device provided in each of the networks N2and N3, which device can make an access to the print management system10to use the print managing function.

The network N4such as the Internet is connected with the terminal device21. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the terminal device21may be connected to a network other than the network N2in the university A and the network N3in the university B. In the information processing system1illustrated inFIG. 1, the terminal device21is connected to the network N2in the university A, another terminal device21is connected to the network N3in the university B, and a further terminal device21is connected to the network N4such as the Internet.

The image forming device22is a device for providing a process (function) responding to a process request made by a user. The image forming device22is an example of a user usable device which is usable by a user. The print management device32is an example of a use control device to manage and control use of a function provided to a user.

Each of the terminal device21and the fire wall (FW)23illustrated inFIG. 1is materialized by a computer system having a hardware structure as illustrated inFIG. 2. Similarly, each of the reverse proxy11, the authentication device31, the pint management device32, the user information management device33and the log management device34illustrated inFIG. 1is also materialized by, for example, the computer system as illustrated inFIG. 2.FIG. 2illustrates a block diagram of a hardware structure of the computer system according to the present embodiment.

The computer system100illustrated inFIG. 2includes an input device101, a display device102, an external I/F103, a RAM104, a ROM105, a CPU106, a communication I/F107, an HDD108, etc., that are mutually connected by a bus B. The input device101and the display device102may be connected to use if needed.

The input device101includes a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc., to be used by a user to input operation signals. The display device102includes a display unit to display a result of processing performed by the computer system100.

The communication I/F107is an interface to connect the computer system100to the networks N1through N4. Accordingly, the computer system100is capable of performing data communication with external devices through the communication I/F107.

The HDD108is a nonvolatile storage device for storing programs and data. The programs and data stored in the HDD108include an operating system (OS), which is basic software for controlling, for example, the entire computer system100, and application software providing various functions on the OS.

The external I/F103is an interface with an external device such as, for example, a recording medium103a. Thus, the computer system100is capable of reading data from and/or writing data on the recording medium103through the external I/F103. The recording medium103aincludes a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, a USB memory, etc.

The ROM105is a non-volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) which can retain programs and data even when a power is turned off. The ROM105stores programs and data, such as BIOS performed when booting the computer system11and a program for setting an OS and a network. The RAM104is a non-volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) for temporarily retain programs and data.

The CPU106is an operation device for realizing a control and function of the entire computer system100by reading programs and data from the storage device such as the ROM105and the HDD108and performing a process based on the read programs and data.

The image forming device22illustrated inFIG. 1is materialized by a computer system having a hardware structure such as, for example, illustrated inFIG. 3.FIG. 3is a block diagram of a hardware structure of an image forming device according to the present embodiment. The image forming device illustrated inFIG. 3includes a controller201, an operation panel202, an external I/F203, a communication I/F204, a printer205, a scanner206, etc.

The controller201includes a CPU211, a RAM212, a ROM213, an NVRAM214, an HDD215, etc. The ROM213stores various programs and data. The RAM212temporarily stores programs and data. The NVRAM214stores, for example, setting information and the like. The HDD215stored various programs and data.

The CPU211materializes a control and function of the entire image processing device22by reading programs and data from a storage device such as the ROM213, the NVRAM214and the HDD215and performing a process based on the read programs and data.

The operation panel202includes an input part for receiving an input from a user and a display part for displaying information. The external I/F203, is an interface with an external device such as a recording medium203a. Accordingly, the image forming device22is capable of reading data from and/or writing data on the recording medium203athrough the external I/F203. The recording medium203aincludes an IC card, a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, a USB memory, etc.

The communication I/F204is an interface to connect the image forming device22to the network N2or N3. Accordingly, the image forming device22is capable of communicating with an external device through the communication I/F204. The printer205is a print device for printing print data on a print sheet. The scanner206is a reading device for reading an image on a document and creating image data of the read image.

FIG. 4is a block diagram of a functional structure of the print management device according to the present embodiment. The print management device32illustrated inFIG. 4realizes a network I/F part51, a print job managing part52, a print feasibility determining part53and a log creating part54by executing programs.

The network I/F part51is a functional part that performs a communication with the terminal device for communicating with devices such as the terminal device21and the image forming device22. The print job managing part52includes a print job managing DB (database) so as to register print data in the print job managing DB and acquire print data from the print job managing DB. The print job managing part52updates information stored in the print job managing DB and the user information management device33based on results of image printing by the image forming device22. The print feasibility determining part53determines feasibility of printing by the image forming device22as mentioned later, and performs a print management. The log creating part54creates log information based on the results of printing by the image forming device22, and sends the log information to the log management device34to cause the log management device34to manage the log information.

FIG. 5is a block diagram of a functional structure of the terminal device according to the present embodiment. The terminal device21illustrated inFIG. 15materializes a network I/F part61, a printer driver62and a port monitor63by executing programs. The network I/F part61is a functional part for performing communications with each device such as the print management device32. The printer driver62converts data such as application data into print data. The port monitor63sends the print data including information regarding print setting and a number of prints to the print management device32.

FIG. 6is a block diagram of a functional structure of the image forming device according to the present embodiment. The image forming device22illustrated inFIG. 6realizes a network I/F part71, an operation panel display part72, a print processing part73and a communication processing part74by executing programs. The network I/F part71is a functional part for performing communication with each device such as the print management device32. The operation panel display part72controls a display on the operation panel202. The print processing part73controls the printer205to print an image on a print paper based on the print data. The communication processing part74is a processing part for controlling communications with each device such as the print management device32.

FIG. 7is a block diagram of a functional structure of the authentication device according to the present embodiment. The authentication device31illustrated inFIG. 7materializes a network I/F part81and an authenticating part82by executing programs. The network I/F part81is a functional part for performing communications with each device such as the terminal device21and the image forming device22. The authenticating part82receives authentication information form the terminal device22and the image forming device22to authenticate the authentication information. If the authentication ends in success, the authenticating part82issues an authentication ticket.

FIG. 8is an illustration of an example of tenant information. The tenant information is stored in, for example, the user information management device33. The tenant information contains a tenant ID and a tenant name in association with each other. The tenant ID is identification information for uniquely identifying organizations and groups such as a university and a company. The tenant name is a name of each organization and group.

FIG. 9is an illustration of an example of user information. The user information is stored in, for example, the user information management device33. The user information contains a tenant ID, a user ID, a password, an upper limit point, a consumed point, etc., as items of each user. The tenant ID is identification information for uniquely identifying organizations and groups. The user information is used for managing information of each user on an individual tenant ID basis.

The user ID and the password are authentication information used for user authentication when logging in the print management system10. The user ID may be a user name or may be information by which a user can be identifies when logging in the print management system10. The user ID may be a card ID of an IC card carried by the user or a terminal ID of a portable terminal device carried by the user.

The upper limit point indicates an upper limit value for a number of points which each user can consume for a predetermined period of time (for example, one month). The points are consumed in response to a print setting and a number of prints for each time when each user uses the image forming device22. The consumed point indicates a number of points consumed by each user for a predetermined period of time (for example, one month). Each user can use the image forming device22while consuming the points until the consumed point reaches the upper limit point.

FIG. 10is an illustration of an example of coordinate tenant information. The coordinate tenant information is stored in, for example, in the user information management device33. The coordinate tenant information indicates groups of coordinating organizations, and contains group ID and belonging tenant ID in association with each other. The group ID indicates a group of coordinating organizations. The belonging tenant ID indicates a tenant ID of the organization such as a university belonging to a group of the organizations identified by the group ID.

FIG. 11is an illustration of an example of unit cost point information. The unit cost point information is stored in, for example, the user information management device33. The unit cost point information indicates a unit cost point (a number of points consumed for each sheet), which are consumed when each user uses the image forming device22, for each print setting or for each copy setting. The unit cost point information illustrated inFIG. 11is an example of the number of points required for printing or copying one side of a print paper. The unit cost point illustrated inFIG. 11is an example in which the required number of points differs between a print paper having a size smaller than A3-size and a print paper having a size larger than or equal to A3-size.

FIG. 12is an illustration of an example of log information. The log information is stored in, for example, the log management device34. The log information contains results of printing or copying when each user uses the image forming device22.FIG. 12illustrates the log information containing results of printing. The log information contains a tenant ID, a user ID, a print setting, a printed sheet number, a printing place, etc., as items.

The tenant ID and the user ID are identification information for identifying the user who uses the image forming device22. The print setting indicates a setting for printing when printing is performed using the image forming device22. The printed sheet number indicates a number of sheets used in the printing performed by the image forming device22. The printing place indicates a tenant ID of an organization or a group in which the image forming device22, which is used to perform the printing, is installed. For example, the log information ofFIG. 12indicates print results of printing performed by the image forming device22provided in the university B identified by the tenant ID “10001”, which printing is requested by a user of the university A identified by the tenant ID “10000” and the user ID “yamada”.

By using the log information illustrated inFIG. 12, a company or the like providing the image forming device22can perform an operation to charge a replenishment cost for consumables (print sheets and toner) and a quantitative charging amount on an individual organization (university) basis.

A description is given below of details of the information processing system1according to the present embodiment. Here, a description is given of a so-called pull-print process according to which a job is registered in the print management system10from the terminal device21and the image forming device22acquire the job from the print management system10to perform printing.

<<Registering Job in Print Management System from Terminal Device>>

FIG. 13is a flowchart of a job registering process. A user operates the terminal device21to request a printing operation from an application mounted in the terminal device21. The terminal device21receives, in step S11, the request for printing operation from the user. The printer driver62of the terminal device21converts data such as application data into print data.

The port monitor63of the terminal device21sends, in step S12, a notification of authentication information (tenant ID, user ID, password, etc.) to the print management device32of the print management system10to request an authentication. The authentication information may be input before the process of step S11or may be input after the process of step S11. The description is continued on the assumption that the authentication information is input before the process of step S11.

The reverse proxy11of the print management system10causes the terminal device21to access the authentication device31because the print management system10does not have the authentication ticket. The authenticating part82of the authentication device31receives, in step S13, the authentication information (tenant ID, User ID, password, etc.) sent from the terminal device21. The authenticating part82authenticates the received authentication information. If the authentication information sent form the terminal device21has been registered in the user information illustrated inFIG. 9, the authenticating part82determines that the user identified in the authentication information is an authorized user, and ends the authentication in success. When the authentication is successful, the authenticating part82issues an authentication thicket.

The reverse proxy11of the print management system10causes, in step S14, the terminal device21to which the authentication ticket is issued to access the print management device32. The print job managing part52of the print management device32sends the authentication ticket to the terminal device21, which has accessed the print management device32.

The port monitor63of the terminal device21sends, in step S15, the print data, the print setting and the print number to the print management device32based on the request for printing operation in step S11. Then, the print job managing part52of the print management device32registers, in step S16, the print job (print data, print setting, print number, etc.) received from the terminal device21in the print job managing DB by associating the tenant ID and the user ID of the authenticated user with each other.

According to the job registering process illustrated inFIG. 13, the user can register the print job in the print management system10from the terminal device21.

FIG. 14Ais a part of a flowchart of a job acquiring and printing process, andFIG. 14Bis a remaining part of the flowchart of the job acquiring and printing process. A user operates the image forming device22to cause a log-in screen1000illustrated inFIG. 15to be displayed on the operation panel202of the image forming device22.FIG. 15is an illustration of an image of the log-in screen.

The user inputs, in step S21, authentication information in the log-in screen1000displayed on the operation panel202. It should be noted that the log-in screen1000illustrated inFIG. 15is an example of a screen through which a user ID and a password is input and a name of a university associated with a tenant ID is selected.

The names of the universities selectable through the log-in screen1000are determined using the coordinate tenant information illustrated inFIG. 10. For example, in the case of the coordinate tenant information illustrated inFIG. 10, the image forming device22of the university B having the tenant ID “10001” displays the log-in screen1000through which the university A having the tenant ID “10001” and the university D having the tenant ID “10003” that are associating universities are selectable.

Acquisition of the coordinate tenant information corresponding to the tenant ID of the image forming device22may be performed at a time when displaying the log-in screen in response to the user operation, or may be performed previously (periodically). For example, the image forming device22can acquire the coordinate tenant information corresponding to the tenant ID by sending the tenant ID retained in the image forming device22itself to the print management system10.

Alternatively, the image forming device22may acquire the coordinate tenant information from the print management system10by sending a device ID for identifying a device, such as its own serial number, to the print management device32.

In such a case, the image forming device22must retain the device ID for identifying its own serial number. Additionally, the print management system10manages the tenant ID and the device ID in association with each other, and acquires the coordinate tenant information base on the tenant ID associated with the device ID received from the image forming device22.

Additionally, although the log-in screen1000illustrated inFIG. 15causes a user to select a university name in consideration of user' convenience, it may cause a user to select a tenant ID or cause a use to input a tenant ID. According, organization identification information for identifying the organization information (tenant ID) may be information which can identify the organization information such as a university name associated with the organization information, or may be the organization information itself.

If a user inputs the tenant ID, a process of determining whether the input tenant ID and the tenant ID retained by the image forming device22are managed with the same group ID in the print management system10is performed based the coordinate tenant information. If they are not managed with the same group ID, the print management system10causes an execution of printing using the upper limit point to be not permitted even if the user authentication is successful.

After inputting authentication information in the login screen1000, the user requests log-in by, for example, depressing a log-in button. The operation panel displaying part72of the information forming device22is requested for logging in by the user.

Then, the communication processing part74of the image forming device22notifies the print management device32provided in the print management system1of the authentication information (user ID, password, university name, etc.), and requests an authentication.

The reverse proxy11of the print management system10causes the image forming device22to access the authenticating part82of the authentication device31because the image forming device22does not have the authentication ticket. The authenticating part32receives, in step S23, the authentication information (user ID, password, university name, etc.) sent from the image forming device22. The authenticating part82authenticates the received authentication information. Specifically, the authenticating part82acquires the tenant ID corresponding to the received university name from the university name received from the image forming device22and the tenant information stored in the user information management device33. The authenticating part82makes a determination as to whether the authentication is successful by determining whether information coincident with the combination of the received user ID and password exists in the user information stored in the user information management device33. If the authentication is successful, the authenticating part82issues an authentication ticket to the image forming device22.

The reverse proxy11of the print management system11causes, in step S24, the image forming device22to which the authentication ticket has been issued to access the print management device32. The print job managing part52of the print management device32creates a print jog list of print jobs for which the accessing user has been registered by referring to the print job managing DB. Specifically, the print job managing part52creates a print job list of the print jobs associated with the tenant ID and the user ID of the authenticated user from among the print jobs registered in the print job managing DB. Then, the print job managing part52of the print management device32sends the authentication ticket and the print job list to the image forming device22, which has accessed the print management device32.

The operation panel displaying part72of the image forming device22displays the print job list received the print management device32on the operation panel202. The user selects, in step S26, the print job which the user desires to print out from the print job list displayed on the operation panel202. The operation panel displaying part72of the image forming device22notifies, in step S27, the print management device22of the print job selected by the user. The print job managing part of the print management device32acquires, in step S28, the print setting and the print number notified by image forming device22from the print job managing DB.

The print feasibility determining part53of the print management device32acquires, in step S29, a unit cost point from the unit cost point information (refer toFIG. 11) stored in the user information management device33. Moreover, the print feasibility determining part53of the print management device32acquires the upper limit point and the consumed point from the user information (refer toFIG. 9) stored in the user information management device33.

The print feasibility determining part53of the print management device32determines, in step S30, whether printing is feasible based on the unit cost point, upper limit point and consumed point with respect to each print setting acquired in the process of step S29, as mentioned later. The print feasibility determining part53of the print management device32notifies the print job managing part52of a result of the determination.

The description is continued below of a process subsequent to step S31after the result of determination that printing is feasible is notified. If the result of determination that printing is not feasible, the process of step S31and subsequent steps is not performed.

The print job managing part52of the print management device32acquires, in step S31, the print data of the print job selected by the user from the print job managing DB, and sends the acquired print data to the image forming device22. The print processing part73of the image forming device22prints out, in step S32, the print data.

The communication processing part74of the image forming device22sends, in step S33, the print results to the print management device32. Then, the print job managing part52of the print management device32perform, in step S34, a process of updating information stored in the print job managing DB and the user information management device33based on the print results sent from the image forming device22. For example, the print job managing part52updates state information of the print job stored in the print job managing DB. Additionally, the print job managing part52updates the consumed point of the user information stored in the user information management device33.

The log creating part54of the print management device32creates, in step S35, the log information such as illustrated inFIG. 12based on the print results received from the image forming device22, and sends the acquired log information to the log management device34so as to have the log management device34to manage the log information.

According to the job acquiring and printing process illustrated inFIGS. 14A and 14B, the user can have the image forming device22to print a desired image by acquiring the print job including the print data of the desired image from the print management system10. It should be noted that if a notification of the determination result that printing is not feasible in the process of step S30, the process may proceeds to a printing process according to a payment in cash.

FIG. 16is a flowchart of a print feasibility determining process. The print feasibility determining part53of the print management device32computes, in step S51, the consumed point of this time based on the print setting, the print number and the unit cost point with respect to each print setting. For example, in the case of the unit cost point illustrated inFIG. 11, if the number of sheets to print (print number) is one and the print setting is “monochrome (A3-size or larger)”, the consumed point is computed as “one sheet×unit cost point “2”=2”.

The print feasibility determining part53compares, in step S52, a present consumed point, which is acquired by adding the consumed point at this time calculated in the process of step S52to the consumed point acquired from the user information, with the upper limit point acquired from the user.

The print feasibility determining part53determines, in step S53, whether the present consumed point, which is acquired by adding the consumed point at this time calculated in the process of step S52to the consumed point acquired from the user information, exceeds the upper limit point acquired from the user.

If the present consumed point at this time does not exceed the upper limit point, the print feasibility determining part53determines, in step S54, that the printing according to point consumption is feasible. If the present consumed point exceeds the upper limit point, the print feasibility determination processing part53determines, in step S55, that the printing according to point consumption is not feasible.

According to the print feasibility determining process illustrated inFIG. 16, even in a case where a student of the university A uses the image forming device22of the university B, the print management system10can provide a printing service according to point consumption to the student (a user) in a range not exceeding the upper limit point. That is, the print management system10can provide the print managing function over a plurality of universities.

According to the information processing system1of the present embodiment, the print managing function can be provided over organizations and groups such as universities and companies.

In recent years, the number of universities cooperating with each other and introducing a system allowing students to take lectures or lessons of other universities has increased. Accordingly, the students desire to use the printing service such as printing according to point consumption or pull-printing in the same manner as in their own university when the students visit other universities.

Conventionally, there is no coordination between the print management systems among universities each of which performs a print management, a print restriction and a print charge according to its own independent print management system. Thus, the printing service such as printing according to point consumption and pull-printing cannot be used.

In consideration of such a situation, it is desirable to provide a print management system in which a print service such as printing according to point consumption and pull-printing can be provided over a plurality of universities, colleges and schools. Thus, according to the information processing system1according to the present embodiment, the print management system10is caused to be usable commonly by a plurality of universities, colleges and schools by using a cloud service or the like so that the print management, the print restriction, the print charge etc., can be materialized over the plurality of universities, colleges and schools.

For example, according to the information processing system1of the present embodiment, printing according to point consumption and pull-printing can be materialized even when a student of the university A performs printing by using the image forming device22of the university B. Moreover, according to the information processing system1of the present embodiment, both the log information of printing by the information forming device22of the university A by a student of the university A and the log information of printing by the information forming device22of the university B by the student of the university A can be managed at once. Furthermore, each university does not necessarily prepare an independent print management system.

It should be noted that although the above described embodiment is directed to the upper limit management in printing in the present embodiment, the present embodiment is not limited to the printing function or the print application. For example, the present embodiment may be directed to a scanning function or an optical character reading (OCR) function, and may also be directed to other functions.

That is, the scope of the present embodiment is not limited by the function used, and the present embodiment may be applicable to a use form if an upper limit management corresponding to an amount of use is performed therein. Further, the method use restriction is not limited to the method of upper limit management, and the present embodiment is applicable to other use restriction methods.

The present invention can be implemented in any convenient form, for example, using dedicated hardware, or a mixture of dedicated hardware and software. The present invention may be implemented as computer software implemented by one or more networked processing apparatuses. The network can comprise any conventional terrestrial or wireless communications network, such as the Internet. The processing apparatuses can comprise any suitable programmed apparatuses such as a general purpose computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile telephone (such as a WAP or 3G-compliant phone) and so on. Since the present invention can be implemented as software, each and every aspect of the present invention thus encompasses computer software implementable on a programmable device. The computer software can be provided to the programmable device using any conventional carrier medium. The carrier medium can compromise a transient carrier medium such as an electrical, optical, microwave, acoustic or radio frequency signal carrying the computer code. An example of such a transient medium is a TCP/IP signal carrying computer code over an IP network, such as the Internet. The carrier medium can also comprise a storage medium for storing processor readable code such as flexible magnetic disk, hard disc, CD-ROM, magnetic tape device or solid state memory device. The computer software can be provided to the programmable apparatus using any non-transient recording medium for recording processor readable code, such as a flexible magnetic disk, hard disk, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, solid-state memory, etc. The hardware platform encompasses any suitable hardware resources including, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), hard disc drive (HDD), etc. The CPU can be configured by any suitable types and numbers of processors. The RAM can be configured by any suitable volatile or non-volatile memory. The HDD can be configured by any suitable non-volatile memory that can record a large amount of data. The hardware resources may further be equipped with an input device, output device or network device in conformity with the device type. The HDD may be provided outside the apparatus as long as it can be accessed. In such an example, the CPU and RAM like a cache memory of CPU can serve as a physical memory or main memory of the apparatus, whereas the HDD can serve as a secondary memory of the apparatus.