Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Tetsuro Kino

Jongsook Eun

A management system is implemented by one or more information processing apparatuses connected via a network to one or more execution apparatuses that execute processes constituting a process flow. The management system includes a first registration unit that registers, in a storage unit, an information structure that is generated when the process flow is executed and that is used to store at least one of billing information and an execution result of each of the processes in the process flow. The system also includes a receiving unit that receives at least one of the billing information and the execution result from each of the execution apparatuses. Further, the system includes a second registration unit that registers at least one of the billing information and the execution result received by the receiving unit in the information structure.

Billing management system, image forming apparatus, billing management apparatus, billing information recording method, and storage medium

An image forming apparatus includes a unit for receiving process information indicating a list of processes used in a process flow requested by an information processing apparatus connected via a network; a unit for executing a process that the image forming apparatus is requested to execute, and recording charging information, which is relevant to the executed process, in charging information record data of the process flow; a unit for transferring the charging information record data to a service providing device that is requested to execute another process; a unit for receiving the charging information record data in which charging information, which is relevant to the other process executed by the service providing device, has been recorded by the service providing device; and a unit for recording, in a storage unit, the charging information record data in which charging information are recorded in association with the corresponding processes in the list.

Image forming apparatus, charging information recording method, and recording medium

An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit, a request reception unit configured to receive a scanning request requesting to scan an image, a scanning execution unit configured to execute a scanning process to scan the image based on the scanning request and thereby to obtain image data, and a transmitting unit. The transmitting unit is configured to determine whether to transmit the obtained image data to an information processing apparatus corresponding to first identification information specified in the scanning request based on a charging scheme of a communication service specified in the scanning request, to transmit the obtained image data to the information processing apparatus if it is determined to transmit the image data, and to store the image data in the storage unit if it is determined not to transmit the image data.

Image forming apparatus, image processing method, and image processing system

An authentication system includes an authentication information input device to which a user inputs authentication information, an authentication server, and at least one image forming apparatus, all connected via a network. The authentication server acquires the authentication information input via the authentication information input device and performs user authentication based on the authentication information. The authentication server includes a transmitter to transmit a result of the user authentication indicating whether or not the user authentication is successful and information of the user identified by the authentication information to at least one of the image forming apparatuses. The image forming apparatus includes a receiver to receive the result of the user authentication and the user information transmitted from the authentication server, and an apparatus controller to switch the image forming apparatus from an unusable state to a usable state according to the result of the user authentication and the user information.

Authentication system, image forming apparatus, and authentication server

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that include a personal identification method acquisition unit that extracts an identification method for identifying an operator from a first image scanned by an image scanning unit; a verification information extraction unit that extracts verification information with respect to personal identification information of the operator from the first image; a personal identification information acquisition unit that acquires the personal identification information in accordance with the identification method; a verification unit that verifies the acquired personal identification information with the verification information; and an authentication unit that authenticates the operator based on authentication information of the operator extracted from the first image when the personal identification information matches with the verification information.

Image forming apparatus, authentication method, and program

A billing management system includes an image forming apparatus and a billing management apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a process information receiving unit for receiving process information indicating a list of processes in a process flow; a registration unit for transmitting identification information for the process flow to the billing management apparatus; a process execution unit for performing a first process assigned to the image forming apparatus; a billing information transmitting unit for transmitting billing information for the first process to the billing management apparatus; and a data transfer unit for transferring output data of the first process to a service providing apparatus that is to perform a second process. The billing management apparatus receives the billing information for the first and second processes from the image forming apparatus and the service providing apparatus and records the billing information in association with the identification information.

An information recording device having a recording head for recording information on a recording medium includes: an inherent ID generator that generates an inherent ID for the recording medium; an inherent ID recording unit that records the generated inherent ID on the recording medium with the recording head; an encryption key generator that generates an encryption key, based on the inherent ID; an encrypting unit that encrypts contents information, using the generated encryption key; and a contents recording unit that records the encrypted contents information on the recording medium with the recording head.

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Tokyo, Japan

Tetsuro Kino