Patent ID: 7738808

Claim:
A method for enabling use of an imaging device account by multiple concurrent users, said method comprising: a) receiving a user account identification (ID) at an imaging device (IDev) for an imaging device account; b) determining whether a concurrent user limit limiting the quantity of concurrent users on a billing account will be exceeded by the addition of another user and denying any further account access or authorization when said limit will be exceeded, wherein said concurrent user limit is based on an ability to estimate job charges, wherein said determining is performed by a processor and a memory; c) receiving job configuration data at said IDev; d) calculating job charges using said job configuration data; e) processing said job charges with an accounting application remote to said IDev to verify that accounting restrictions for said account will allow said job to be executed based on said job charges; f) receiving authorization from said remote accounting application to execute said job only when the following conditions are met: i) said job charges meet accounting restrictions; ii) said job charges have already been applied to said account by said remote accounting application; and g) automatically modifying said job configuration to meet accounting restrictions when said job charges do not meet accounting restrictions, recalculating said job charges based on said modified job configuration and applying said recalculated job charges to said account.