Patent ID: 7627485

Claim:
A client terminal in which a software including a plurality of functions is installed and which is capable of communicating with a server apparatus, the terminal comprising: a setting unit, which sets for each the plurality of functions an enabled-state flag indicating that the function is usable or a disabled-state flag indicating that the function is unusable, wherein the function with the enabled-state flag is to be subjected to charging; a payment unit, which executes, every first predetermined period, payment processing of a predetermined price of the function with the enabled-state flag set by said setting unit; a time count unit, which counts a period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused; a prohibition request unit, which automatically requests the server apparatus to prohibit use of the function with the enabled-state flag which remains unused if the period counted by said time count unit exceeds a second predetermined period; a changing unit, which changes the enabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request by said prohibition request unit; an icon display unit, which displays icons respectively corresponding to the plurality of functions such that each icon distinguishably shows whether the corresponding function is usable or unusable, in accordance with the enabled-state flag or the disabled-state flag set by said setting unit; and a permission request unit, which, in response to a user instruction, requests the server apparatus to permit use of the function with the flag changed from the enabled-state flag to the disabled-state flag by said changing unit, wherein, if said changing unit changes the enabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the disabled-state flag, said icon display unit changes a display status of the icon for that function, wherein said changing unit changes the disabled-state flag of the function which remains unused to the enabled-state flag in response to a response from the server apparatus to the request by said permission request unit, and said payment unit executes the payment processing of the predetermined price of that function, and wherein said time count unit resets the period in which the function with the enabled-state flag remains unused when that function is used.