Patent Publication Number: US-9840105-B2

Title: System, apparatus, and method for forming an image with decolorable toner and erasing toner on a sheet after displaying a reduction in environmental burdens

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Division of application Ser. No. 13/529,060 filed Jun. 21, 2012, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from: U.S. provisional application 61/501,440, filed on Jun. 27, 2011; U.S. provisional application 61/501,447, filed on Jun. 27, 2011; the entire contents all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image processing system including an image forming apparatus that forms an image with a decolorable toner and an erasing apparatus that erases the toner on a sheet. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Erasing apparatuses that erase images on sheets by heat treatment have been known. 
     There is a system that displays the degree of a reduction in environmental burdens achieved through the setting for duplex/simplex printing and the setting of a page aggregation function for printing a plurality of pages on one side of a sheet (this function is hereinafter referred to as Nin 1 , as needed). 
     In the conventional display method, a reduction achieved in consideration of reuse using an erasing apparatus is not presented. Therefore, an appropriate reduction in environmental burdens is not presented to users. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an erasing apparatus. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an image processing system in a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an operation log outputted from the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 5A  is a diagram showing examples of the usage counts of the functions of the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 5B  is a diagram showing examples of the usage counts of functions in color, black, and two colors in the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 5C  is a diagram showing examples of the usage counts of functions for each of duplex and simplex print settings in the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 5D  is a diagram showing examples of the usage counts of functions for each of different page aggregation settings in the image forming apparatus. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an exemplary operation log outputted from the erasing apparatus. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of the usage statistics of the erasing apparatus. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of the usage statistics stored an analysis server. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram showing examples of conversion coefficients for different sheet sizes. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the image processing system. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating an example of a user authentication screen and an example of an analysis report displayed after user authentication. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating an example of a details screen. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram illustrating an example of a normal menu screen. 
         FIG. 14A  illustrates an example of a user authentication screen. 
         FIG. 14B  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary standby screen (analysis report screen) displayed after user authentication. 
         FIG. 14C  illustrates an exemplary display during erasing processing. 
         FIG. 14D  illustrates an example of the display of erasing processing results. 
         FIG. 15A  illustrates an example of the display of monthly statistics on rejection and reuse. 
         FIG. 15B  is a diagram illustrating an example of the display of advice and the details of rejection. 
         FIG. 15C  is a diagram illustrating an example of the display of operating statistics. 
         FIG. 16A  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary level setting screen of the erasing apparatus. 
         FIG. 16B  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary reading setting screen of the erasing apparatus. 
         FIG. 17  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an image processing system in a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an image processing system in a third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An image processing system in an embodiment includes: an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet; an authentication apparatus configured to authenticate to use the image forming apparatus; an analysis server configured to receive an operation log generated in the image forming apparatus, perform an analysis processing on an amount of a reduction in environmental burdens on the basis of the operation log received from the image forming apparatus, generate an analysis report including the amount of the reduction in environmental burdens on the basis of a transmission of a request for an analysis report from the image forming apparatus that has been authenticated by the authentication apparatus before an execution event of forming an image on a sheet by the image forming apparatus, and transmit the analysis report to the image forming apparatus that has requested the analysis; and a display configured to forcedly display the analysis report after the authentication by the authentication apparatus and before displaying a normal menu screen for performing the execution event in the image forming apparatus. 
     An analysis server in an embodiment includes: a first interface configured to receive an operation log generated by an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet; a controller configured to perform an analysis processing on an amount of a reduction in environmental burdens on the basis of the operation log received by the first interface, and generate an analysis report including the amount of the reduction in environmental burdens on the basis of a transmission of a request for an analysis report from the image forming apparatus that has been authenticated by an authentication apparatus, which is configured to authenticate to use the image forming apparatus, before an execution event of forming an image on a sheet by the image forming apparatus; and a second interface configured to transmit the analysis report to be forcedly displayed before displaying a normal menu screen for performing the execution event in the image forming apparatus that has requested the analysis. 
     In each of the following embodiments, a description will be given of a system that displays the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens that has been achieved by a print setting of an image forming apparatus and the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens that has been achieved by erasing toner using an erasing apparatus simultaneously on one screen and also displays the sum of these amounts of the reductions in environmental burdens. In the systems described in the following embodiments, the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is displayed as an example of the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens. 
     (First Embodiment) 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus  20  is an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) that can perform copying, printing, document scanning, and FAX transmission/reception and forms an image on a sheet using decolorable toner (a color erasable toner, a decolorable color material). The toner used is decolorized when heat of a temperature higher than that of the heat during image formation is applied to the toner. In the following description, the image forming apparatus  20  is referred to as an ECO-MFP 20 . 
     The ECO-MFP 20 includes: a controller  201 , or a processor, that controls hardware in the apparatus in a centralized manner and executes programs; and a storage section  202  that stores programs, various parameter values, data of an image to be processed, and the like. The controller  201  is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and the storage section  202  is composed of a main storage section being a volatile storage section and an auxiliary storage section being a non-volatile storage section. Part of the control by the ECO-MFP 20 is implemented by execution of a program stored in the storage section  202  by the controller  201 . 
     A sheet feeding cassette  205  stores sheets (paper mediums) and is configured to include paper feed rollers that supply sheets to a sheet conveying section  204  and a casing for storing the sheets. The sheet conveying section  204  includes a plurality of pairs of rollers and a conveying belt and conveys sheets supplied from the sheet feeding cassette  205  to a printer section  203 . 
     An ADF  206  is an auto document feeder and conveys documents placed on a tray one by one to a transparent glass board of a scanner section  207 . The scanner section  207  is a device configured to read the image of a conveyed document and irradiates the document on the transparent glass board with visible light so that the image of the reflected light is formed on a COD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor via a plurality of mirrors to thereby convert the data of the paper medium to electronic data. The obtained electronic data (image data) is stored in the storage section  202 . 
     An external I/F  213  (I/F: Interface) includes a LAN (Local Area Network) board and controls data transmission from/to an external device. According to the control by the controller  201 , the external I/F  213  receives, for example, data of an image to be printed, receives an analysis report (display data) about the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens described later, and transmits the operation log of the ECO-MFP 20 , data of its usage statistics, etc. to an external device. 
     An image processing section  208  acquires the data of an image to be printed that has been stored in the storage section  202 , determines whether the image data is a text-based image or an image such as a photograph, and performs a region determination. The image processing section  208  performs image processing such as halftone processing on the acquired image data. The image processing section  208  is assumed to be a board dedicated to image processing (such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)) but may be a hardware resource of the controller  201 . 
     The printer section  203  is a unit configured to form an image processed by the image processing section  208  on a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying section  204 . The printer section  203  transfers an erasable toner contained in a drum onto a sheet and applies heat of a prescribed temperature to the toner to form an image. The sheet having the image formed thereon is outputted to a discharge tray (not shown). 
     An ID card reader  209  (ID: identification) is an IC reader (IC: integrated circuit) used to read an ID card carried by a user. The ID card may be read in a contact manner or a noncontact manner. An authentication unit installed in the ECO-MFP 20 or an authentication unit provided in an external device performs authentication processing in which a value read from the ID card is compared with a preregistered value. If the result of the authentication is affirmative, the user can operate the ECO-MFP  20 . When the authentication processing is performed in the ECO-MFP 20 , the authentication unit is composed of the ID card reader  209 , the controller  201 , and an authentication program stored in the storage section  202  in advance. 
     A touch panel-type operating section  210  and a button-type operating section  211  are input devices that acquire the number of sheets to be printed, print settings, and the like from the user. The touch panel-type operating section  210  includes a touch panel disposed on a display unit (a display section  212  described later) and detects the pressure of a finger tip of the user or a pen by a resistive film scheme, an infrared scheme, and the like to acquire a detection position (coordinate information). The button-type operating section  211  includes physical buttons such as a numeric keypad and a start button and detects the pressing of a button. 
     The display section  212  is a device configured to display to the user the progress status of processing, the status of the apparatus, the history of use, and the like and displays objects for operation such as button images for the touch panel-type operating section  210  and objects for display. The display section  212  displays the statistics of use of sheets, the statistics of reusable sheets, and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an erasing apparatus. The erasing apparatus  30  heats a sheet to make the erasable toner formed on the sheet printed by the ECO-MFP 20 colorless. The erasing apparatus  30  includes: a controller  301  including a processor; a storage section  302  including a volatile storage device and a non-volatile storage device; and an external I/F  313  including a LAN board. The erasing apparatus  30  further includes an ID card reader  309 , a touch panel-type operating section  310 , a button-type operating section  311 , and a display section  312 . These sections have the same functions as those of the corresponding sections in the ECO-MFP  20 . 
     A reusable sheet supplying cassette  303  is a cassette for placing sheets to be reused, i.e., sheets printed with an erasable toner by the ECO-MFP 20 . A reusable sheet stacking cassette  304  is a cassette for stacking sheets with the toner erased (made colorless) by an erasing section  307  and determined to be reusable. A rejected sheet stacking cassette  305  is a cassette for stacking sheets determined to be not suitable for reuse such as incompletely erased sheets, folded/broken sheets, and punched sheets. 
     The erasing section  307  heats the sheets placed on the reusable sheet supplying cassette  303  at a temperature at which the erasable toner becomes colorless. An erasability determining section  306  determines whether or not the toner on a sheet processed by the erasing section  307  is colorless. For example, the erasability determining section  306  scans the sheet processed by the erasing section  307  using a line sensor or a CCD image sensor, generates the image data of the sheet, and compares each pixel value of the image data with a prescribed threshold value (a threshold value that can be set by the user), thereby determining whether or not the toner on the sheet is colorless. 
     A reusability determining section  308  is a unit configured to determine whether or not a sheet is reusable, and determines the broken and damaged condition of the sheet, and also determines whether or not the sheet is usable on the basis of the determination result from the erasability determining section  306 . When the determination result from the reusability determining section  308  is affirmative, the sheet is conveyed to the reusable sheet stacking cassette  304 . When the determination result is negative, the sheet is conveyed to the rejected sheet stacking cassette  305 . The reusability determining section  308  outputs the log of the number of sheets determined to be reusable to the storage section  302  and also outputs the log of the numbers of non-reusable sheets for different causes of non-reusability to the storage section  302 . 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an image processing system in the first embodiment. The image processing system  1  includes an analysis server  10  (a first apparatus, an information providing apparatus), an ECO-MFP 20 , an erasing apparatus  30 , and a plurality of client terminals  50 A to  50 N, and these are connected via a LAN  600 . 
     The ECO-MFP 20 stores job information about printing and copying performed in the storage section  202  as an operation log.  FIG. 4  shows an example of the operation log of the ECO-MFP 20 . The ECO-MFP 20 records, in one record, its serial number, the ID of a user who has submitted a job, the date and time of the start of the processing, the date and time of the end of the processing, a function used (for example, printing or copying), color type (full color, black, or two colors), and sheet size. The ECO-MFP  20  also records, in the record, information including a setting for duplex/simplex printing, a setting for page aggregation, the number of inputted pages during copying, the number of sheets actually outputted, the number of printed pages, and the like. 
     A reduction in the number of sheets and a reduction in the number of pages can be computed from the values of the setting for duplex/simplex printing and the setting for page aggregation. For example, in No. 2 in the operation log, the setting for duplex/simplex printing is Simplex (one-sided), and the setting for page aggregation is 1 (no page aggregation). Therefore, no reductions are achieved. More specifically, the number of inputted pages is 3, the number of outputted pages and also the number of printed pages are 3. In No. 6, the setting for duplexing is Duplex (double-sided), and the setting for page aggregation is 2 (two pages reduced in size are printed on one sheet (2in1)). Therefore, although the number of inputted pages is 4, the number of printed sheets is 1 (a reduction of 3 sheets), and the number of printed pages is 2 (a reduction of 2 pages). 
     The ECO-MFP 20 compiles the data of executed jobs to obtain a cumulative sum for each of the types of processing.  FIGS. 5A to 5D  show examples of the compiled counter information. The ECO-MFP 20 computes the cumulative sum of output pages for each of the functions of copying, printing, scanning, FAX transmission, and FAX reception ( FIG. 5A ), also computes, for each function, the cumulative sums of pages outputted in color, black, and two colors ( FIG. 5B ), the cumulative sums of pages printed duplex and simplex ( FIG. 5C ), and the cumulative sums of pages printed in different page aggregation modes ( FIG. 5D ), and stores the computed results in the storage section  202 . 
     The erasing apparatus  30  stores job information and processing results when erasing operation is performed in the storage section  302  as an operation log.  FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an example of the operation log of the erasing apparatus  30 . The erasing apparatus  30  stores, in one record, its serial number, the ID of a user, a start date and time, a finish date and time, and sheet size. The erasing apparatus  30  also stores, in the record, the number of sheets processed (the input number of sheets), and the number of successfully erased sheets (the number of reusable sheets), and records the numbers of non-erasable sheets for different causes of non-erasability. The causes of non-erasability include non-erasable objects, folded/broken sheets, soiled sheets, and other sheets. The reusability determining section  308  of the erasing apparatus  30  stores the numbers of non-erasable sheets in the storage section  302 . 
     The erasing apparatus  30  compiles the data of the numbers of sheets shown in  FIG. 6  and stores the cumulative sums.  FIG. 7  is an example of the compiled counter information. The reusability determining section  308  of the erasing apparatus  30  stores, in the storage section  302 , the cumulative sum of the number of inputted pages, the cumulative sum of the number of reusable sheets, and the cumulative sums of the numbers of non-erasable sheets counted for different causes. The numbers of non-reusable sheets include the number of incompletely erased sheets, the number of folded/broken sheets, the number of soiled sheets, and the number of other sheets, as in those in the output of the operation log. 
     The analysis server  10  collects the operation log and counter information of the ECO-MFP 20 and the operation log and counter information of the erasing apparatus  30  and computes information about the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens. In addition, the analysis server  10  generates a screen layout used to present the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens to a user. The screen layout will be described later. The analysis server  10  is a computer including a communication I/F  101  (communication section) that controls communications with the outside via the LAN  600 , a processor  102  (controller) used as an arithmetic processing unit, a RAM  103  (Random Access Memory) used as a main storage unit, and an HDD  104  (a Hard disk drive, a storage unit) used as an auxiliary storage unit, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Each of the functions of the analysis server  10  described later is implemented by loading a program stored in the HDD  104  in advance to the RAM  103  and causing the processor  102  to execute the program with cooperation of hardware resources. 
     The communication I/F  101  receives the operation logs and counter information of the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing apparatus  30  when the analysis server  10  sends a request to the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing apparatus  30  at regular intervals (for example, 10 minute intervals) or when the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing apparatus  30  send their operation logs and counter information to the analysis server  10  at regular intervals. The received data is stored in a log DB  106  in the HDD  104 . Alternatively, the communication I/F  101  receives the operation log and counter information of the ECO-MFP 20 or the erasing apparatus  30  when the ECO-MFP 20 or the erasing apparatus  30  sends the operation log and counter information upon occurrence of a job. The received data is stored in the log DB  106 . The processor  102  of the analysis server  10  executes environmental burden reduction amount analysis processing at the timing at which the data in the log DB  106  is updated, at preset time (for example, at 0 o&#39;clock), or at preset time intervals (for example, 10 minute intervals) and stores the results in an analysis result DB  105 .  FIG. 8  shows an example of the date stored in the analysis result DB  105 . The analysis server  10  complies the data in the log DB  106  for each user on monthly basis and computes the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens for each user as shown in  FIG. 8 . The analysis server  10  computes the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission for each of the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing apparatus  30  and then computes the sum of these amounts (the total CO 2  reduction amount). The analysis server  10  computes at least a sheet reduction ratio, a reduction ratio by duplexing, and a reduction ratio by page aggregation in the ECO-MFP 20 and also computes a reuse ratio in the erasing apparatus  30 . 
     The analysis server  10  ranks the users such that the user with the highest total score (described later) is ranked first and the user with the second highest score is ranked second (see a “rank” column in  FIG. 8 ). 
     The methods of computing the respective values will next be described. The processor  102  of the analysis server  10  performs the following computations for each user and each apparatus on monthly basis to compute cumulative sums. However, the following computations may be performed on different basis such as on daily basis and for each group in a company to compute the cumulative sums. The following computation methods are examples only. 
     First, the methods of computing respective values for the ECO-MFP 20 will be described. The processor  102  firsts computes the numbers of printed sheets in terms of the number of A4 size sheets.  FIG. 9  shows an example of an A4 conversion table. The processor  102  acquires sheet sizes and the numbers of printed sheets (x1) from the operation log of the ECO-MFP 20 and acquires A4 conversion coefficients (A size ) from the conversion table stored in the HDD  104  in advance and shown in  FIG. 9 . The number of printed sheets (y1) is the sum of the products of the number of printed sheets (x1) in one job and the corresponding A4 conversion coefficient (A size ) (see equation 1).
 
 y 1=Σ( A   size   ×x 1)  (equation 1)
 
     The computation of the reduction ratio by duplexing will next be described. The reduction ratio by duplexing is the ratio of a reduction in the number of sheets achieved by the setting for duplex/simplex printing. First, the processor  102  computes the number of pages in terms of A4 size. As in the computation Of the number of printed sheets, the processor  102  acquires sheets sizes and the numbers of printed pages (x2) from the log information of the image forming apparatus and acquires A4 conversion coefficients (A size ). The number of printed pages (y2) is the sum of the products of the number of printed pages (x2) in one job and the corresponding A4 conversion coefficient (A size ) (see equation 2).
 
 y 2=Σ( A   size   ×x 2)  (equation 2)
 
     The reduction in the number of sheets achieved by duplexing (z duplex ) is the sum of the products of a value obtained by subtracting the number of printed sheets (x1) from the number of printed pages (x2) in one job and the corresponding A4 conversion coefficient (A size ) (see equation 3). The reduction ratio by duplexing (r duplex ) is a value obtained by dividing the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by duplexing (z duplex ) by the number of printed pages (y2) (see equation 4).
 
 z   duplex =Σ( A   size ×( x 2 −x 1))  (equation 3)
 
 r   duplex   =z   duplex   /y 2  (equation 4)
 
     The computation of the reduction ratio by page aggregation will next be described. The reduction ratio by page aggregation is the ratio of a reduction in the number of sheets achieved by the setting for page aggregation. First, the numbers of documents in terms of A4 size are computed. In the present embodiment, the numbers of documents are computed on the basis of the setting for page aggregation. However, when the numbers of documents are previously known, the sum thereof may be used. The processor  102  acquires aggregation values (a Nin1 ) from the setting for page aggregation in the operation log of the ECO-MFP 20 . These values are 1 when no aggregation is performed and are 2 when 2in1 is performed (two pages are aggregated into one page). The analysis server  10  acquires A4 conversion coefficients (A size ) using sheet sizes and computes the number of documents (y3) as the sum of the products of the number of printed pages in one job (x2), the corresponding aggregation value (a Nin1 ), and the corresponding A4 conversion coefficient (A size ) (see equation 5).
 
 y 3=Σ( A   size   ×a   Nin1   ×x 2)  (equation 5)
 
     A reduction in the number of sheets achieved by page aggregation (z Nin1 ) is the sum of values each obtained by subtracting the number of printed pages in one job (x2) from the number of documents in the one job and is given by equation 6.
 
 z   Nin1 =Σ( A   size ×( a   Nin1 −1)× x 2)  (equation 6)
 
     The reduction ratio by page aggregation (r Nin1 ) is a value obtained by dividing the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by page aggregation (z Nin1 ) by the number of documents (y3) (see equation 7).
 
 r   Nin1   =z   Nin1   /y 3  (equation 7)
 
     The sheet reduction ratio is the ratio of the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by the setting for duplex/simplex printing and the setting for page aggregation. The sheet reduction ratio (r print ) is a value obtained by dividing the sum of the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by the setting for duplex/simplex printing (z duplex ) and the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by page aggregation (z Nin1 ) by the number of documents (y3).
 
 r   print =( z   duplex   +z   Nin1 ) y 3  (equation 8)
 
     The amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is the amount (g) of CO 2  reduced by cutting the number of sheets used. Let the amount of CO 2  emitted per sheet be A CO2 . Then the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission (c print ) is a value obtained by multiplying A CO2  by the sum of the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by the setting for duplex/simplex printing (z duplex ) and the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by page aggregation (z Nin1 ), as shown in equation 9. For example, 6.0182 g is used as the amount of CO 2  emitted per sheet (A CO2 ).
 
 c   print =( z   duplex   +z   Nin1 )× A   CO2   (equation 9)
 
     The methods of computing respective values for the erasing apparatus  30  will next be described. The number of reusable sheets is a value obtained by converting the number of sheets successfully erased by the erasing apparatus  30  to the number of A4 size sheets. The erasing apparatus  30  acquires sheet sizes from the size column in its operation log and then acquires A4 conversion coefficients (A size ) from the conversion table shown in  FIG. 9 . Then the sum of the products of the number of reusable sheets in one job (x4) in the operation log and the corresponding A4 conversion coefficient (A size ) is the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) (see equation 10).
 
 z   reuse =Σ( A   size   ×x 4)  (equation 10)
 
     The computation of the reuse ratio will be described. The reuse ratio (r reuse ) is the ratio of the number of reusable sheets to the number of printed sheets and is a value obtained by dividing the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) by the number of printed sheets (y1) (see equation 11).
 
 r   reuse   =z   reuse   /y 1  (equation 11)
 
     The derivation of the reuse ratio (r reuse ) when the number of printed sheets (y1) is 0 will be described. In the present embodiment, when the number of printed sheets (y1) is 0 and the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) is larger than 0, the reuse ratio (r reuse ) is set to 999%. Of course, the reuse ratio is not limited to 999% and may be any value other than 0 to 100. In the present embodiment, when the number of printed sheets (y1) is 0 and the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) is 0, the reuse ratio (r reuse ) is set to 0%. 
     The amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is the amount (g) of CO 2  reduced by the number of reusable sheets. Let the amount of CO 2  emitted per sheet be A CO2  (for example, 6.0182 g as in the above case). Then the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission (c reuse ) is a value obtained by multiplying A CO2  by the number of reusable sheets (r reuse ) as shown in equation 12.
 
 c   reuse   =z   reuse   ×A   CO2   (equation 12)
 
     The rank of a user will next be described. The rank is derived on the basis of a total score (s total ) (the higher the total score, the higher the rank). The total score (s total ) is a value obtained by dividing the sum of the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by duplexing (z duplex ), the reduction in the number of sheets achieved by page aggregation (z Nin1 ) and the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) by the number of documents (y3) (see equation 13).
 
 s   total =( z   duplex   +z   Nin1   +z   reuse )/ y 3  (equation 13)
 
     A description will be given of the method of computing the total score (s total ) when the number of printed sheets (y1) is 0. In the present embodiment, when the number of printed sheets (y1) is 0 and the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) is larger than 0, the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) is substituted into the total score (s total ). In the present embodiment, when the number of printed sheets (y1) is 0 and the number of reusable sheets (z reuse ) is 0, the total score (s total ) is set to −1, and the rank of this user is out of the ranking. 
     The data on the amounts of reductions in environmental burdens compiled and computed as described above is displayed on the display section  212  and the display section  312  when a user uses the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing apparatus  30 . 
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart showing an example of processing used to display an analysis report on the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens (hereinafter referred simply as an analysis report) when the user uses the ECO-MFP 20 or the erasing apparatus  30 . In the description of  FIG. 10 , the user uses the ECO-MFP 20 but may use the erasing apparatus  30 . 
     First, the ID card reader  209  reads a user ID from an ID card owned by the user to perform authentication (ACT 101 ). In the first embodiment, the authentication is performed by checking whether or not the read ID matches ID information registered in the storage section  202  of the ECO-MFP 20 in advance. A method may be used in which the user ID and password of the user are inputted from the touch panel-type operating section  210  or the button-type operating section  211 . 
     If the user authentication is affirmative (Yes in ACT 101 ), the controller  201  transmits an electronic massage for requesting the user ID and an analysis report to the analysis server  10  via the external I/F  213  (ACT 102 ) and waits until the data of the analysis report is received (ACT 103 , a loop indicated by “No”). 
     The analysis server  10  performs the above-described analysis processing (computation processing) asynchronously to the processing for displaying the analysis report (ACT 210 ). 
     If the electronic massage for requesting the analysis report is received from the ECO-MFP 20 (Yes in ACT 201 ), the processor  102  acquires the data on the relevant user ID from the analysis result DB  105  (ACT 202 ) and generates the analysis report (ACT 203 ). The processor  102  places the computed respective values in their corresponding positions in display layout data (data in HTML format in the present embodiment) stored in the HDD  104  in advance. The processor  102  generates the analysis report containing the display layout data with the values placed therein and image and icon data stored in the HDD  104  in advance. 
     The communication I/F  101  of the analysis server  10  transmits the generated analysis report to the ECO-MFP 20 , which is a requester (ACT 204 ). 
     Upon reception of the analysis report (Yes in ACT 103 ), the controller  201  of the ECO-MFP 20 controls the display section  212  to display the analysis report on the display section  212 . The display section  212  displays the analysis report according to the control by the controller  201  (ACT 104 ). 
     The analysis report remains displayed until a “close” button on the display section  212  (a “start” button for the erasing apparatus  30 ) is pressed or until an execution event for a function such as copying or printing occurs (No in ACT 105  and a loop indicated by “No” in ACT 106 ). When the “close” button is pressed (Yes in ACT 105 ) or when an execution event occurs (Yes in ACT 106 ), the display section  212  displays a normal menu screen according to the control of the controller  201  (ACT 107 ). When an execution event has occurred, the process returns to ACT 102  upon completion of the execution event (Yes in ACT 108 ). 
     ACT 210  is performed asynchronously in the above description but may be performed synchronously to the display processing. In this case, ACT 210  is performed after reception of the request for the analysis report (after Yes in ACT 201 ). 
       FIG. 11  shows an example of a user authentication screen in the ECO-MFP 20 and an example of an analysis report display screen after user authentication. After the ECO-MFP 20 is powered on and initialized, the display section  212  displays an authentication screen shown in the upper part of  FIG. 11 . When the user brings an ID card close to the ID card reader  209  to complete authentication processing, the ECO-MFP 20 acquires an analysis report from the analysis server  10  according to the flowchart in  FIG. 10 , and the display section  212  displays the acquired analysis report (the lower part in  FIG. 11 ). The display section  212  displays the respective values of the sheet reduction ratio, the reduction ratio by duplex printing, the reduction ratio by Nin1, the number of printed sheets, and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission in the ECO-MFP 20 in the current month on a left region R 1  in  FIG. 11 . The display section  212  also displays pie charts for the respective reduction ratios. 
     In the present embodiment, the value of the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is categorized into three levels, and the image data of a character corresponding to a level is displayed. When the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission exceeds a certain threshold value (a first threshold value herein), the image of a cheerful face is displayed. When the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is lower than a certain threshold value (a second threshold value herein) smaller than the first threshold value, the image of a lonely looking face is displayed. When the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value, the image of a normal looking face is displayed. The image displayed for the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is selected by the processor  102  of the analysis server  10 , and analysis report data containing the selected image data is transmitted. 
     The display section  212  also displays the analysis report for the erasing apparatus  30  in a right region R 2 . The display section  212  displays the respective values of the sheet reuse ratio, the number of reusable sheets, and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission in the current month and also displays the pie chart of the sheet reuse ratio. As in the analysis report for the ECO-MFP  20  displayed on the left region R 1 , the value of the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is categorized into three levels, and the image data of a character corresponding to a level is displayed. 
     The display section  212  displays the sum (c) of the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission (c print ) achieved by the ECO-MFP 20 and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission achieved by the erasing apparatus  30  in a region R 3  near the center.
 
 c=c   print   +c   reuse   (equation 14)
 
     The processor  102  of the analysis server  10  computes the sum of these values, and the sum is placed in a prescribed position in the display layout and then transmitted. 
     For the purpose of continuous use of this system, the display section  212  displays advice on print settings and advice on reuse in a region R 4 . The display section  212  also displays the rank of the user in a region R 5 . The first to ninth ranks are displayed using large characters with star marks, and the tenth and lower ranks are displayed using normal size characters. 
     The display section  212  also displays information about a change in the rank. The change in the rank is computed by the processor  102  of the analysis server  10  by comparing the rank in the previous month and the rank in the current month and is displayed in three levels including “ranked up,” “no change,” and “ranked down.” The change in the rank may be obtained by comparing the rank on the previous day and the rank on the day before the previous day. 
     When the user next presses a “ranking table” button B 1 , the display section  212  displays the ranks of registered users (not shown). When the user presses a “detail” button B 2 , the display section  212  displays the details of the statistics of the ECO-MFP  20  shown in  FIG. 12 . In the example shown in  FIG. 12 , the details of the statistics of the ECO-MFP 20 itself are displayed, but the statistical values for each user may be displayed. 
     When the user presses a “close” button B 3  in  FIG. 11 , the display section  212  displays the normal menu screen shown in  FIG. 13  (a menu screen for copying in the example in  FIG. 13 ). 
     Next, examples of screens displayed on the display section  312  of the erasing apparatus  30  are shown in  FIGS. 14A to 16B . 
     The display section  312  first displays an authentication screen ( FIG. 14A ). The authentication screen is displayed after the erasing apparatus  30  is powered on and initialized. A message urging the user to bring an ID card close to the ID card reader  309  is displayed on the screen, and forms that receive input of the user ID and password are also displayed. The input screen for the user ID and password may be displayed on the display section  212  of the ECO-MFP 20 . 
     Upon completion of the user authentication, the display section  312  of the erasing apparatus  30  displays, as a standby screen, a screen including the same contents as those in the analysis report screen shown in  FIG. 11  (see  FIG. 14B ). Since the displayed contents are the same as those in  FIG. 11 , the detailed description of the screen will be omitted. When a “start” button B 4  is pressed, the erasing apparatus  30  starts erasing processing. During the erasing processing, the display section  312  displays in real-time respective values of the number of erased sheets and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission achieved by the erasure as shown in  FIG. 14C . Upon completion of the erasing processing, the display section  312  displays the number of reusable sheets (the number of sheets determined to be reusable by the reusability determining section  308 ) and the number of rejected sheets (the number of sheets determined to be non-reusable by the reusability determining section  308 ) and also displays the value of the reuse ratio, the pie chart of the reuse ratio, and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission achieved by the current processing, as shown in  FIG. 14D . The display section  312  also displays the details of rejection (the number of incompletely erased sheets, the number of folded/broken sheets, and the number of soiled sheets) on the lower column. The real time value of the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission shown in  FIG. 14C  and the values of the reuse ratio and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission shown inn  FIG. 14D  may be computed in the erasing apparatus  30 , or the computation of these values may be performed in the analysis server  10 . 
     When a “stop” button B 5  shown in  FIG. 14C  is pressed, the screen shown in  FIG. 14B  appears. When a “start” button B 6  in  FIG. 14D  is pressed, the screen shown in  FIG. 14C  appears. When an “end” button B 7  in  FIG. 14D  is pressed, the screen shown in  FIG. 14B  appears. 
     Next, screens displayed when a “reuse ratio” button B 8 , a “rejection statistics” button B 9 , and a “log” button B 10  shown in  FIG. 14B  are pressed are shown in  FIGS. 15A to 15C . 
     When the “reuse ratio” button B 8  is pressed, the display section  312  displays the number of reusable sheets, the reuse ratio, the number of rejected sheets, and the rejection ratio for each month in a bar chart (see  FIG. 15A ). These may be displayed for each user, or the totals in the erasing apparatus  30  may be displayed. The data of the displayed respective values may be acquired by causing the erasing apparatus  30  to send a request to the analysis server  10  or may be compiled and computed by the controller  301  of the erasing apparatus  30 . 
     When the “rejection statistics” button B 9  is pressed, the display section  312  displays the details of the rejection statistics in the last one month and advice messages as shown in  FIG. 15B . The display section  312  displays the number of incompletely erased sheets, the number of folded/broken sheets, and the number of stained sheets on monthly basis and also displays the advice messages. A plurality of advice messages have been prepared. One or a plurality of threshold values are provided for each type of rejection in advance, and different messages are displayed according to whether or not these numbers exceed any of the threshold values. 
     When the “log” button B 10  is pressed, the display section  312  displays a date and time, the number of processed sheets (the reference number of sheets), the number of reusable sheets, the number of rejected sheets, the reuse ratio, and the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission for each job for erasing processing. The data of the displayed respective values may be acquired by causing the erasing apparatus  30  to send a request to the analysis server  10  or may be computed by the controller  301  of the erasing apparatus  30 . 
       FIG. 16A  shows an example of a screen that is displayed when a “level setting” button B 11  shown in  FIG. 14B  is pressed and is used to set the level (threshold values) of incomplete erasure and the level of folding/breakage.  FIG. 16B  is an example of a setting screen displayed when a “reading setting” button B 12  shown in  FIG. 14B  is pressed and is used to read a sheet. 
     The screen for setting the allowable levels of incomplete erasure and folding/breakage is used to set the acceptable levels of incomplete erasure and folding/breakage, and the threshold values are set by moving slider bars shown in  FIG. 16A . 
     Information about the document size of a sheet to be processed, the color type of toner (color/grayscale/black and white), simplex/duplex printing, the orientation of the document is inputted as the settings for reading (see  FIG. 16B ). The user can specify, using the screen in  FIG. 16B , the setting as to whether or not the image of a document before erasure is saved as image data (SAVE DATA), the setting as to whether or not a toner image is erased (ERASE), and the setting as to whether or not reusable sheets and rejected sheets are classified and stacked in the reusable sheet stacking cassette  304  and the rejected sheet stacking cassette  305 , respectively (CLASSIFICATION). When the data is saved, its file format can be specified. 
     The ECO-MFP 20 may print the contents of the analysis reports shown in the lower part of  FIG. 11  and  FIGS. 12 and 15A to 15C  on sheets. Screens similar to the report display screens in the respective figures may be displayed on the displays of the client terminals  50 A to  50 N. The reports in the above respective figures may be electronic data in a prescribed format. 
     In the present embodiment, analysis reports each including the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission and the like are presented to a user immediately after the login of the user, as described using  FIGS. 11, 14A, and 14B . If analysis reports are displayed only after a plurality of buttons are operated, the user is required to intentionally open a screen for the analysis reports. Therefore, only a user with high environmental awareness opens the report screen, and a user with low environmental awareness does not open the report screen, so that the user with low environmental awareness does not pay attention to the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission. However, in the present embodiment, the analysis reports are presented to the user before the functions such as copying and printing of the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing function of the erasing apparatus  30  are used. This forces the user to see the report screen. Therefore, even a user with low environmental awareness is urged to reduce the number of sheets used. 
     In the present embodiment, the information about the reduction achieved by the ECO-MFP 20 and the information about the reduction achieved by the erasing apparatus  30  are displayed on one screen simultaneously, and the sum of the amounts of the reductions achieved by these apparatuses is also displayed. Therefore, the user can know the reduction amounts over the entire lifecycle of sheets from use and reuse to rejection on one screen in a comprehensive manner. 
     (Second Embodiment) 
       FIG. 17  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a system according to a second embodiment. Descriptions of the same components as those described in the first embodiment will be omitted. 
     The image processing system  1 A includes a plurality of ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N, a plurality of erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N, and a plurality of MFPs  40 A to  40 N and further includes a job assigning apparatus  60  (an authentication unit) and a network monitoring apparatus  70 . Each of the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N is the same as the ECO-MFP 20 described in the first embodiment, and each of the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N is the same as the erasing apparatus  30  described in the first embodiment. 
     Each of the MFPs  40 A to  40 N is an image forming apparatus (MFP), and the hardware configuration thereof is the same as that of the ECO-MFP 20 (see  FIG. 1 ). However, a different type of toner is used in the MFPs  40 A to  40 N, and printing is performed using a toner that cannot be erased by the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N. As in the ECO-MFP 20 , each of the MFPs  40 A to  40 N receives input from the user, outputs information about a job for a print or copy operation as an operation log, and stores counter information. The contents of the above information are the same as those used in the ECO-MFP 20 in the first embodiment (see  FIGS. 4 and 5A to 5D ). As in the ECO-MFP 20 in the first embodiment, the display section of each of the MFPs  40 A to  40 N displays an authentication screen and then displays analysis reports upon completion of authentication. 
     In the second embodiment, print jobs from the client terminals  50 A to  50 N are transmitted to the job assigning apparatus  60 . The job assigning apparatus  60  temporarily receives the print jobs and transmits each of the received print jobs to one of the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N. The job assigning apparatus  60  is a computer including a processor, a RAM, an HDD, and a communication I/F. The HDD of the job assigning apparatus  60  stores data for user authentication such as user IDs and passwords and programs in advance. The job assigning apparatus  60  performs user authentication using any of the stored data and programs. 
     The procedure performed to obtain print output is as follows. The job assigning apparatus  60  receives a print job and a user ID from any of the client terminals  50 A to  50 N and temporarily stores the job and ID in the own HDD. The user visits one of the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N to be used for print output and brings an ID card close to an ID card reader or inputs a user ID and a password. The image forming apparatus that has received the user ID transmits the user ID to the job assigning apparatus  60 . The job assigning apparatus  60  performs authentication processing for the transmitted user ID. When the result is affirmative, the job assigning apparatus  60  transmits the print job from the user that has been transmitted from one of the client terminals  50 A to  50 N to the image forming apparatus that has transmitted the user ID, and print output is thereby performed. 
     The analysis server  10  in the image processing system  1 A can identify the users of the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N through user authentication performed by the job assigning apparatus  60  and can therefore transmit an analysis report on the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens for each user. In addition, the analysis server  10  can transmit, in a similar manner, an analysis report on the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens for each user to the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N each including an authentication receiving section such as an ID card reader and an input receiving section for a user ID and a password. 
     The network monitoring apparatus  70  sends a request to the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N, the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N, and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N at regular intervals, for example, 10 minute intervals, to acquire their operation logs and counter information and stores the acquired operation logs and counter information in the own storage section. Alternatively, the network monitoring apparatus  70  acquires operation logs and the like transmitted at regular intervals from the respective apparatuses and stores them in the own storage section. The network monitoring apparatus  70  is a computer and includes a processor, a RAM, an HDD, and a communication I/F, as in the analysis server  10 . 
     The analysis server  10  receives the operation logs and counter information from the network monitoring apparatus  70  at regular intervals or in response to a request event from the network monitoring apparatus  70  and stores the received operation logs and counter information in the log DB  106 . The analysis server  10  performs processing for analyzing the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens on the basis of the data stored in the log DB  106 . The results of the processing are stored in the analysis result DB  105 . 
     Part of or all the functions of the analysis server  10  may be implemented in the network monitoring apparatus  70 , and part of or all the functions of the network monitoring apparatus  70  may be implemented in the analysis server  10 . 
     (Third Embodiment) 
       FIG. 18  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a system according to a third embodiment. The third embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment, and their basic configurations are the same. Descriptions of components described in the first and second embodiments will be omitted. 
     The analysis server  10  of the image processing system  1 B is connected to the LAN  600  via a WAN  700  (Wide Area Network). A firewall  80  is provided between the WAN  700  and the LAN  600 . The firewall  80  monitors the IP address and port number of an apparatus performing transmission/reception and controls the flow of data packets between the WAN  700  and the LAN  600 . 
     When the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N, the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N, and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N can transmit data to the analysis server  10 , their operation logs and counter information are transmitted directly. When the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N, the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N, and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N cannot directly communicate with the analysis server  10 , they transmit their operation logs and counter information to the network monitoring apparatus  70 , and the network monitoring apparatus  70  transmits the received data to the analysis server  10 . 
     The data is transmitted to the analysis server  10  via the WAN  700 . Therefore, all the operation logs and counter information may not be transmitted if the bandwidth of the WAN  700  is narrow or if there are security restrictions. In such a case, the network monitoring apparatus  70  may compile the data. Alternatively, the frequency of transmission and reception may be reduced to, for example, once a day or once a week. 
     In the description of the above embodiments, the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission is used as the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens. In addition to this, index values indicating other environmental problems such as ozone layer destruction and acidification may be used as the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens. In the above embodiments, the amount of a reduction in environmental burdens (the amount of a reduction in CO 2  emission) is computed using the number of sheets used, the sheet reduction ratio achieved by the print setting during image formation, the number of reusable sheets, the ratio of reusable sheets, and the like. However, the respective values of the sheet reduction ratio during image formation, the number of reusable sheets formed by the erasing apparatus, and the reuse ratio may be used as the amounts of reductions in environmental burdens. 
     In the description of the above embodiments, all the ECO-MFP  20  (including the ECO-MFPs  20 A to  20 N), the erasing apparatus  30  (including the erasing apparatuses  30 A to  30 N), and the MFPs  40 A to  40 N display analysis reports. However, only part of the apparatuses such as one of the ECO-MFP 20 and the erasing apparatus  30  may display the analysis reports. 
     As described above, according to the technique described herein, the amounts of reductions achieved by the image forming apparatus and the erasing apparatus can be displayed. Therefore, more appropriate amounts of reductions in environmental burdens can be presented to users. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of invention. Indeed, the novel apparatus and methods described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the apparatus and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.