Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-kaisha

Yuki Kitahashi

Shunsuke Minamikawa

Yushi Deura

Taichiro Kimoto

Koichi Tsugimura

Ayaka Hotta

Yutaka Takijiri

A processing apparatus includes a consumer receptacle and a controller to determine whether the processing apparatus is in a contracted status where a delivery contract for consumables is concluded or in an uncontracted status before the delivery contract is concluded. The consumable receptacle is configured to hold any of an exclusive consumable that is unusable when the processing apparatus is in the uncontracted status and a non-exclusive consumable different from the exclusive consumable. When the processing apparatus is in the contracted status, and the non-exclusive consumable is held in the consumable receptacle, the controller determines whether a specific condition for execution of a first particular process in which the non-exclusive consumable is consumed is satisfied. The controller allows the execution of the first particular process when the specific condition is satisfied, whereas restricting the execution of the first particular process when the specific condition is not satisfied.

Processing apparatus, computer-readable storage medium, and method for determining whether to restrict execution of particular process

In a server system, the computer stores in the printer a usable print quantity in association with a printer in response to an increase request from an external device. The increase request is a request to store an increased quantity as the usable print quantity. The usable print quantity indicates one of the number of sheets and an amount of colorant which are usable for printing in the printer. The computer determines, after a communication interface is disconnected from the printer, whether a reconnection is established between the communication interface and the printer. The computer determines, when the reconnection is determined to be established, whether the usable print quantity has been reflected in data in the printer. The computer sends to the printer, when the usable print quantity is determined not to have been reflected in any data in the printer, a reflecting instruction to reflect the usable print quantity.

Server system transmitting reflecting instruction to reflect usable print quantity to printer

In a consuming device, a controller is configured to perform, when an operating mode is set to a non-billing mode: executing. The executing executes, in response to receiving an execution instruction, a prescribed operation consuming a consumable. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable irrespective of a permitted consumption quantity without decreasing the permitted consumption quantity. The controller is configured to perform: when the operating mode is set to a billing mode: acquiring; and executing. The acquiring acquires the permitted consumption quantity including a newly purchased consumption quantity paid for by a user. The executing executes, in response to receiving the execution instruction, the prescribed operation. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable and decreasing the permitted consumption quantity acquired in the acquiring until the decreased permitted consumption quantity reaches a predetermined quantity.

Consuming device operating while consuming consumable and consumption management system including server and the consuming device

A processor of a server is configured to receiving a first registration request from a terminal, storing first account and first authentication data in a memory of the server in association with each other, transmitting the first authentication data to terminal, receiving a third registration request from a communication device, storing device identification data and second authentication data in the memory in association with each other, transmitting the second authentication data to the communication device, receiving a fourth registration request including the first authentication data and the second authentication data, and storing the first account data associated with the first authentication data included in the fourth registration request and the device identification data associated with the second authentication data included in the fourth registration request in the memory in association with each other.

Communication system, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions for terminal, server system, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions for server

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Setagaya, Japan

Yuki Kitahashi