Patent ID: 8306878

Claim:
A method for automatically outputting documents comprising at least one page for a specified user using an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus comprising a processor for processing documents containing image data comprising a plurality of pixels and an image output terminal for outputting documents, the processor configured to perform the method comprising: receiving image data of a document comprising at least one page; selecting a highest available billing tier for processing the image data from three or more billing tiers, each billing tier being based on at least one predetermined threshold value relating to an amount of output color in the document; comparing credentials for the specified user to the selected highest available billing tier for processing the image data to determine if output at the selected highest available billing tier is authorized, the credentials comprising at least authorization for outputting documents at one or more predetermined billing tiers from the three or more billing tiers, the authorization comprising at least a specified user's right to color printing privileges; and, if the comparison results in the image data being authorized for output at the selected highest available billing tier, then: (i) processing the image data according to the at least one predetermined threshold value of the selected highest available billing tier, and (ii) outputting the processed image data of the document using the image output terminal; else, if the comparison results in the image data being unauthorized for output at the selected highest available billing tier, then: (i) selecting a next highest available billing tier from the three or more billing tiers for processing the image data that is authorized for output based on the credentials, the next highest available billing tier comprising processing the image data with a lesser amount of color than an amount of color if processed at the selected highest available billing tier, (ii) processing the image data according to the at least one predetermined threshold value of the selected next highest available billing tier, and (iii) outputting the processed image data of the document using the image output terminal, wherein the selecting, processing, and outputting at either the selected highest available billing tier or the selected next highest available billing tier is automatically performed by the processor without user interaction or input.