Charge determining information processing apparatus, charge processing method, and computer-readable recording medium

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a provider identification information acquiring unit that acquires a piece of provider identification information for each of a plurality of devices that cooperatively execute a plurality of functions, based on device identification information of the device, the piece of provider identification information allowing identification of whether a provider of the device is a predetermined provider as a provider of a cooperating function; a determining unit that determines whether a non predetermined-provider device provided by a provider other than the predetermined provider exists among the devices based on pieces of the provider identification information; a charge processing unit that performs charge processing to profit the predetermined provider when the non predetermined-provider device exists; and a cooperation controlling unit that controls the devices to cooperatively execute the functions based on the cooperating function.