US-12626082-B2 - Service providing system, service providing device, printing apparatus, and method of controlling service providing system

US12626082B2US 12626082 B2US12626082 B2US 12626082B2US-12626082-B2

Abstract

A service providing system includes a providing unit that delivers a dedicated ink cartridge to be installed in place of a non-dedicated ink cartridge that was installed in the multifunction machine 1 before subscribing to the service, a server memory that stores the amount of ink remaining in the non-dedicated ink cartridge, and a permission unit that permits printing using the dedicated ink cartridge according to the remaining amount of ink stored in the server memory when the user withdraws from the service.

Inventors

Yasuaki HIRAI
Yoko CHINO
Naoshi Furuta
Tetsuya Kobayashi
Ayana KODAMA
Hiromi Nishimura
Tatsuo ASADA
Noriyuki NUKAGA
Satoshi JOBETTO
Fumika MATSUZAKI

Assignees

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240119
Priority Date: 20230120

Claims (8)

1 . A service providing system that provides a service for delivering a container containing printing material used for a printing apparatus to perform printing, the service providing system comprising: a providing unit configured to cause to be delivered a subscription container that is to physically replace a non-subscription container in the printing apparatus, the non-subscription container being installed in the printing apparatus before a subscription to the service begins; a storage unit that stores remaining amount data indicating an amount of printing material remaining in the non-subscription container when the subscription is initiated; and a permission unit that is configured to permit, at a time of termination of the subscription to the service, the printing apparatus to perform printing using the subscription container according to a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data stored in the storage unit.
2 . The service providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus is configured to contain containers for printing materials of a plurality of colors including at least a first color and a second color, the remaining amount data being an initial remaining amount data for the first color, the subscription container being a subscription container for the first color, the non-subscription container being a non-subscription container for the first color, a non-subscription container for the second color also being installed in the printing apparatus before the subscription to the service begins, the providing unit also configured to cause to be delivered a subscription container for the second color that is to physically replace the non-subscription container for the second color; the storage unit storing 1) the initial remaining amount data for the first color, 2) an initial remaining amount data for the second color indicating an amount of the printing material of the second color remaining in the non-subscription container for the second color when the subscription is initiated; 3) a subsequent remaining amount data for the first color which is an amount of printing material of the first color remaining in the subscription container for the first color at termination of the subscription; and 4) a subsequent remaining amount data for the second color which is an amount of printing material of the second color remaining in the subscription container for the color at termination of the subscription, wherein the subsequent remaining amount data for the first color is greater than the initial remaining amount for the first color, wherein the subsequent remaining amount for the second color is less than the initial remaining amount for the first color, whereby the permission unit permits to use the subscription container for the second color by an addition amount, wherein the addition amount is obtained by adding the initial remaining amount for the second color to a difference between the initial remaining amount for the first color and the subsequent remaining amount for the first color.
3 . The service providing system according to claim 1 , wherein when a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data is greater than an amount of printing material remaining in the second container when the subscription terminates, the providing unit delivers a new second container, and wherein when the providing unit delivers the new second container, the permission unit permits the printing apparatus to perform printing using the new second container by an amount corresponding to a difference between a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data and an amount of printing material remaining in the second container when the subscription terminates.
4 . The service providing system according to claim 2 , wherein the permissions unit is further configured to permit the use of the subscription container for the first color even after the termination of the subscription by an amount that the subsequent remaining amount for the second color exceeds the initial remaining amount for the second color, the amount further offset by the addition amount.
5 . The service providing system according to claim 2 , wherein when there is the plurality of second colors, the permission unit determines that a second color with a largest usage amount in the printing apparatus is a second color that is permitted to use by the addition amount.
6 . The service providing system according to claim 2 , wherein when there is the plurality of second colors, the permission unit determines that a second color that is configured to most reduce an imbalance in a remaining amount between the second colors is a second color that is permitted to use by the addition amount.
7 . A service providing device that provides a service for delivering a container containing printing material used for a printing apparatus to perform printing to a user of the printing apparatus, the service providing device comprising: a providing unit configured to cause to be delivered a subscription container that is to physically replace a non-subscription container in the printing apparatus, the non-subscription container being installed in the printing apparatus before a subscription to the service begins; and a permission unit that acquires, from a storage unit that stores remaining amount data indicating an initial amount of printing material remaining in the non-subscription container when the subscription is initiated, subsequent remaining amount data remaining when the subscription to the service is terminated, and permits the printing apparatus to perform printing using the subscription container according to the initial remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data.
8 . A printing apparatus that performs printing using a subscription container containing printing material, the printing apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores remaining amount data indicating a remaining amount when a user of the printing apparatus subscribes to a service for replacing a non-subscription container, the remaining amount being an amount of printing material contained in the non-subscription container that is a container that was installed in the printing apparatus before the user subscribes to a service; and a permission unit that permits, at a time of termination of the subscription to withdrawal from the service, printing using the subscription container that is a container to be installed in place of the non-subscription container according to a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data stored in the storage unit.

Description

The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2023-007115, filed Jan. 20, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a service providing system, a service providing device, a printing apparatus, and a method of controlling the service providing system. 2. Related Art In the related art, systems have been known that provide a user of a printing apparatus with a container containing printing material used for the printing apparatus to perform printing. For example, JP-A-2017-049767 discloses a system for delivering a specific ink cartridge to a printer user. The system disclosed in JP-A-2017-049767 puts the printing apparatus in a state in which the specific ink cartridge cannot be used when a contract for a service for delivering the specific ink cartridge is canceled. According to JP-A-2017-049767, when a user subscribes to a service, the installed ink cartridge is replaced with a specific ink cartridge, and when the service contract is canceled, the specific ink cartridge is unusable. In this way, in the related art, it is not possible to perform printing for the remaining amount of the printing material contained in the container installed before the user subscribes to the service after the user withdraws from the service. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, in a service providing system that provides a service for delivering a container containing printing material used for a printing apparatus to perform printing, the service providing system includes a providing unit that delivers a second container that is a container to be installed in place of a first container that is a container that was installed in the printing apparatus before subscribing to the service, a storage unit that stores remaining amount data indicating an amount of printing material remaining in the first container, and a permission unit that permits, at a time of withdrawal from the service, the printing apparatus to perform printing using the second container according to a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data stored in the storage unit. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, in a service providing device that provides a service for delivering a container containing printing material used for a printing apparatus to perform printing to a user of the printing apparatus, the service providing device includes a providing unit that delivers a second container that is a container to be installed in place of a first container that is a container that was installed in the printing apparatus before the user subscribes to the service, and a permission unit that acquires, from a storage unit that stores remaining amount data indicating an amount of printing material remaining in the first container, the remaining amount data at a time of withdrawal from the service, and permits the printing apparatus to perform printing using the second container according to a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, in a printing apparatus that performs printing using a container containing printing material, the printing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores remaining amount data indicating a remaining amount when a user of the printing apparatus subscribes to a service for delivering the container, the remaining amount being an amount of printing material contained in a first container that is a container that was installed in the printing apparatus before the user subscribes to a service, and a permission unit that permits, at a time of withdrawal, printing using a second container that is a container to be installed in place of the first container according to a remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount data stored in the storage unit. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, in a method of controlling a service providing system that provides a service for delivering a container containing printing material used for a printing apparatus to perform printing, the method includes delivering a second container that is a container to be installed in place of a first container that is a container that was installed in the printing apparatus before subscribing to the service, storing remaining amount data indicating an amount of printing material contained by the first container, and permitting the printing apparatus to perform printing using the second container according to a remaining amount indicated by the stored remaining amount data at a time of withdrawal from the service. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a service providing system. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a multifunction machine. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a terminal device. FIG. 4 is