JP2024141775A - Print management system, computer program for second device, and computer program for management device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a print management system that properly manages printed media.SOLUTION: In a print management system 2, a notebook PC 10 receives a printing instruction and input of a management method of a printed sheet from a user, transmits a print ID, first management information that indicates a first management method, and print log information to a server 300, converts a URL containing the print ID into a two-dimensional code, generates print data that represents a print image that contains it, and transmits the print data to a printer 100. The printer prints the print image on the sheet. A portable terminal 200 receives an imaging operation of the two-dimensional code contained in the printed sheet from the user after the user uses the printed sheet, receives input of the actual management method, and accesses the URL to transmit the print ID to the server. When a predetermined date arrives, the server performs payment-related processing related to payment of a printing cost to the user on the basis of the print log information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

This specification discloses technology related to print management systems.

Patent Document 1 discloses a system that includes a printing device and a management terminal. The printing device writes management information to an electronic tag affixed to the printed matter. The management information includes the recipient of the printed matter, the movement status of the printed matter, etc. The management terminal reads the management information in the electronic tag and updates the management information when the printed matter is received, taken out, etc.

JP 2008-176480 A

This specification discloses a technology that can properly manage printed media.

This specification discloses a print management system. The print management system may include a first device, a second device, a printing device, and a management device. The first device may transmit print data representing a print image including identification-related information related to identification information to the printing device, cause the printing device to print the print image, and transmit the identification information and management-related information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods of the printed medium on which the print image is printed to the management device. The second device may acquire the identification information related to the identification-related information included in the printed medium, identify a second management method among the plurality of management methods of the printed medium, and execute a predetermined communication with the management device to determine whether the first management method and the second management method match. The predetermined communication may include the second device transmitting the identification information to the management device. The management device may receive the identification information and the management-related information from the terminal device, and execute the predetermined communication with the second device. The second device or the management device may determine whether the first management method and the second management method match, and if it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match, output inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match.

According to the above configuration, if the first management method and the second management method do not match, inconsistency information is output. This allows the printed media to be managed appropriately.

This specification further discloses a computer program for a second device. This computer program may cause the computer of the second device to function as the following units, that is, an acquisition unit that acquires, in response to an instruction from the first device, when a printed medium on which a print image including identification-related information related to identification information is printed by a printing device, the identification information related to the identification-related information included in the printed medium, a management-related information receiving unit that transmits the identification information to a management device and receives management-related information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for the printed medium from the management device, an identification unit that identifies a second management method among the plurality of management methods for the printed medium, a determination unit that determines whether the first management method and the second management method match, and an output unit that outputs inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match.

According to the above configuration, the second device outputs inconsistency information when it determines that the first management method and the second management method do not match. This allows the printed media to be managed appropriately.

The computer-readable recording medium storing the computer program for the second device, the second device itself realized by the computer program, and the control method for the second device are also novel and useful.

This specification further discloses a computer program for a management device. This computer program may cause the computer of the management device to function as the following units, namely, a first receiving unit that receives identification information and first management-related information from a first device, the first management-related information being information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods of a printed medium on which a print image including identification-related information related to the identification information is printed by a printing device, a second receiving unit that receives the identification information and second management-related information from a second device, the second management-related information being information related to a second management method among the plurality of management methods of the printed medium, a determination unit that determines whether the first management method and the second management method match, and an output unit that outputs mismatch information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match.

According to the above configuration, when the management device determines that the first management method and the second management method do not match, it outputs mismatch information. This allows the printed media to be managed appropriately.

The computer-readable recording medium that stores the computer program for the above-mentioned management device, the management device itself realized by the computer program, and the control method for the management device are also novel and useful.

1 shows an overview of a print management system. The control configuration of each device is shown. 4 shows examples of each screen displayed by a document editing application. 1 shows a flowchart of a process executed by a print management application and a virtual printer of a notebook PC. 1 shows a flowchart of a process executed by a paper management application of a mobile terminal. 4 shows an example of a destination determination table and each screen. A sequence diagram of the processes executed by each device is shown. 8 shows a sequence diagram continuing from FIG. 7. A sequence diagram of the third embodiment is shown.

(First embodiment)
(Outline of the configuration and processing of the print management system 2: FIG. 1)
1, the print management system 2 includes a notebook PC 10, a printer 100, a mobile terminal 200, and a server 300. In this embodiment, a user belonging to a certain company uses the same notebook PC 10 whether working at the user's home 4 (i.e., remote work) or working at the company's office (i.e., office work).

The printer 100 is installed in the user's home 4. The mobile terminal 200 is, for example, a smartphone used by the above user (i.e., the user of the notebook PC 10). The mobile terminal 200 may also be used, for example, by a person in charge of disposing of printed paper in the above company. The notebook PC 10 and the printer 100 can be connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) in the user's home 4 and can communicate with each other via the LAN. If the mobile terminal 200 is carried by the above user, the mobile terminal 200 can also be connected to the LAN in the user's home 4. The server 300 is installed on the Internet. The notebook PC 10 and the mobile terminal 200 can communicate with the server 300.

The user performs remote work using the notebook PC 10 and causes the printer 100 to print a document image representing document data generated during work. In this case, consumables (e.g., color materials, paper) of the printer 100 owned by the user are consumed, so the company must reimburse the user for printing costs. To realize such a mechanism, the print management system 2 of this embodiment is used.

An outline of the operation of the print management system 2 will be described. In S10, the notebook PC 10 accepts a print instruction from a user working remotely, and also accepts input of a first management method. The first management method is a management method for printed paper, and is one of "discard at home", "discard at work", and "store at work". In S10, the user inputs a tentative management method to the notebook PC 10, rather than an actual management method for printed paper after it has been used. In S12, the notebook PC 10 transmits the print ID, first management information indicating the first management method (i.e., the tentative management method), and print log information to the server 300. The print log information includes the number of prints, which is the number of sheets of paper used for printing, the paper size, which is the size of the paper, and color information indicating color printing or monochrome printing.

The notebook PC 10 further generates a QR code by encoding the URL including the print ID. The QR code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE Inc. and is a type of two-dimensional code. The URL includes the location information of the server 300. An example of the URL is "https://server.com/1234", where "https://server.com/" indicates the location information of the server 300 and "1234" indicates the print ID. The notebook PC 10 then generates print data representing a print image including the QR code, and transmits the print data to the printer 100 in S20. In this case, the printer 100 prints the print image represented by the print data on a sheet of paper in S22. This allows the user to use the printed paper. In a modified example, a one-dimensional barcode may be used instead of the QR code. In another modified example, the URL including the print ID may not be encoded, and print data representing text information or a text image indicating the URL itself may be generated. In yet another variation, a URL may not be used, and print data may be generated that represents text information or a text image that indicates the print ID itself.

After the user has used the printed paper, in S30, the mobile terminal 200 accepts from the user an operation to photograph the QR code included in the printed paper and also accepts input of a second management method. The second management method is an actual management method for the printed paper, and is one of "discard at home," "discard at work," and "store at work." The mobile terminal 200 obtains a URL including the print ID by decoding the QR code. In this case, in S32, the mobile terminal 200 accesses the URL and transmits the print ID to the server 300. In S32, the mobile terminal 200 further transmits second management information indicating the input second management method (i.e., the actual management method) to the server 300.

In response to transmitting the print ID and second management information to the server 300 in S32, the mobile terminal 200 receives first management information from the server 300 in S34. Next, in S40, the mobile terminal 200 determines whether the first management method (i.e., the provisional management method) indicated by the first management information matches the second management method (i.e., the actual management method) indicated by the second management information. If the mobile terminal 200 determines that the provisional management method and the actual management method do not match, it outputs mismatch information in S42. This allows, for example, a company security manager to know that the management methods for printed paper do not match.

Meanwhile, when a specified timing (e.g., a specified day of each month) arrives, in S60, the server 300 executes payment-related processing related to paying printing costs to the user based on the printing log information. The payment-related processing includes calculating the total amount of printing costs to be paid to the user and outputting the calculated total amount.

(Configuration of each device 10, 100, 200, 300: FIG. 2)
The control configuration of each of the devices 10, 100, 200, and 300 that constitute the print management system 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

(Configuration of Notebook PC 10)
The notebook PC 10 includes an operation unit 12, a display unit 14, a LAN interface 20, and a control unit 30. Each of the units 12 to 30 is connected to a bus line.

The operation unit 12 is an interface for inputting various information into the notebook PC 10, and includes, for example, a mouse and a keyboard. The display unit 14 is a display or panel for displaying various information. The LAN interface 20 can be connected to a LAN in the user's home 4. The LAN may be a wired LAN or a wireless LAN.

The control unit 30 includes a CPU 32 and a memory 34. The CPU 32 executes various processes in accordance with a program 40 and the like stored in the memory 34. The memory 34 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The memory 34 stores an OS program 40 and a plurality of applications 52 and the like. In the following, the OS program is referred to as "OS" and the applications are referred to as "apps."

The OS 40 is a program for controlling the basic operations of the notebook PC 10. The document editing application 52 is a program for editing and creating documents, such as Microsoft's Word and Excel. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. These programs 40 and 52 are usually installed in the notebook PC 10 before the notebook PC 10 is shipped.

The print management application 60 is a program for sending the print ID, the first management information, and the print log information to the server 300. The virtual printer 70 is a program for generating a QR code and adding the QR code to an image. These programs 60, 70 are downloaded and installed in the notebook PC 10 after the notebook PC 10 is shipped. Each of the programs 60, 70 is provided, for example, by a service provider that owns the server 300.

The printer driver 80 is a program for generating print data having a data format that can be interpreted by the printer 100 and transmitting the print data to the printer 100. The printer driver 80 is downloaded and installed in the notebook PC 10 after the notebook PC 10 is shipped. The printer driver 80 may be downloaded to the notebook PC 10 from media shipped with the printer 100, or may be downloaded to the notebook PC 10 from a server (not shown) installed by the vendor of the printer 100. In a modified example, instead of the printer driver, a printer application for generating print data may be used.

The memory 34 has a plurality of printer queues 72, 82. Each printer queue 72, 82 is generated in the memory 34 by the OS 40. The virtual printer queue 72 is a storage area allocated to the virtual printer 70. The virtual printer queue 72 temporarily stores data before it is supplied from another application to the virtual printer 70, and data generated by the virtual printer 70 (i.e., data supplied from the virtual printer 70 to another application). The printer queue 82 is a storage area allocated to the printer driver 80. The printer queue 82 temporarily stores data before it is supplied from another application to the printer driver 80, and print data generated by the printer driver 80.

(Configuration of the Printer 100)
The printer 100 is a peripheral device (for example, a peripheral device for a notebook PC 10) capable of executing a printing function. The printer 100 includes an operation unit 112, a display unit 114, a print execution unit 116, a LAN interface 120, and a control unit 130. Each of the units 112 to 130 is connected to a bus line.

The operation unit 112 is an interface for inputting various information to the printer 100, and includes, for example, buttons and a touch screen. The display unit 114 is a display for displaying various information. The print execution unit 116 includes a print engine such as an inkjet type, a laser type, or a thermal type. The LAN interface 120 can be connected to a LAN.

The control unit 130 includes a CPU 132 and a memory 134. The CPU 132 executes various processes according to a program 140 stored in the memory 134. The memory 134 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, etc.

(Configuration of mobile terminal 200)
The mobile terminal 200 includes an operation unit 212, a display unit 214, a camera 216, a LAN interface 220, and a control unit 230. Each of the units 212 to 230 is connected to a bus line.

The operation unit 212 is an interface for inputting various information to the mobile terminal 200, and includes, for example, buttons and a touch screen. The display unit 214 is a display for displaying various information. The display unit 214 functions as a touch screen (i.e., it also functions as the operation unit 212). The camera 216 is a device for capturing images. In this embodiment, the camera 216 is used to capture a QR code included on a printed sheet of paper. The LAN interface 220 is connectable to a LAN.

The control unit 230 includes a CPU 232 and a memory 234. The CPU 232 executes various processes according to a program 240 stored in the memory 234. The memory 234 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The OS 240 is a program for controlling the basic operations of the mobile terminal 200. The paper management application 250 is a program for sending the print ID and second management information to the server 300 and for determining whether the management methods match.

(Configuration of Server 300)
The server 300 is installed on the Internet by a service provider that provides a service for realizing the print management system 2. The service provider may be the same as or different from the vendor of the printer 100. The server 300 may be a physical server installed on the Internet, or a virtual server or virtual machine on the cloud. In a modified example, the server 300 may be, for example, a management PC installed on the above-mentioned company's network. In another modified example, the server 300 may be composed of a plurality of devices that are configured separately. For example, the server 300 may be composed of a server for executing communication with the notebook PC 10 and the mobile terminal 200, and a database that is configured separately from the server.

The server 300 includes a communication interface 320 and a control unit 330. The communication interface 320 is connected to the Internet. The control unit 330 includes a CPU 332 and a memory 334. The CPU 332 executes various processes according to a program 340 stored in the memory 334. The memory 334 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, etc.

The memory 334 further stores a management table 350. The management table 350 is a table for storing information received from the notebook PC 10 and the mobile terminal 200. In the management table 350, a user ID, a print ID, the number of prints, paper size, color information, a temporary management method, an actual management method, and keywords are stored in association with each other. The user ID is an ID assigned to an individual user belonging to a company. The print ID is an ID that identifies the print data. The number of prints is the number of sheets of paper used for printing. The paper size is the size of the paper used for printing. The color information is information indicating monochrome printing or color printing. The keyword is a character string included in the document image to be printed.

(Screens for printing: Fig. 3)
The contents of each screen displayed on the notebook PC 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. As shown in screen SC100, the user uses the document editing application 52 to generate document data representing a document image including a character string "AAAAA" and the like. When the user wishes to print the document image, the user selects the file button B1 in screen SC100. In this case, the document editing application 52 displays screen SC102.

The user selects the print button B2 in screen SC102. In this case, the document editing application 52 displays screen SC104. Screen SC104 includes a selection field SA1 for selecting a printer queue. In the initial state, selection field SA1 shows the name "pr_AAA" of the printer queue 82 corresponding to printer 100, which is the current default printer (i.e., the printer queue 82 corresponding to printer driver 80). As shown in screen SC106, the user selects button B4 in selection field SA1 to specify the name "virtual" of the virtual printer queue 72 corresponding to virtual printer 70, instead of the name "pr_AAA" of the printer queue 82.

Then, the user selects the properties button B5 in screen SC106. In this case, the document editing application 52 displays screen SC108. Screen SC108 is a screen for selecting a printer queue of a default printer driver to which a processing request is supplied from the virtual printer 70. Screen SC108 includes a selection field SA2 for the default printer queue. On screen SC108, the user selects button B6 in selection field SA2 to specify the printer queue 82. This allows the user to specify the printer driver 80, in other words, the printer 100, as the default printer. In this case, screen SC110 is displayed in which the name of the specified printer queue 82, "pr_AAA", is written in selection field SA2.

Then, the user selects the OK button B7 in screen SC110 to display screen SC106 again. The user then selects the Print button B3 in screen SC106. This causes the various processes in and after FIG. 4 to be executed.

(Processing of the print management application 60 and the virtual printer 70: FIG. 4)
4, a process that is realized by the CPU 32 of the notebook PC 10 executing the print management application 60 and the virtual printer 70 will be described. The process in Fig. 4 is started when the print button B3 is selected in a state in which "virtual" indicating the virtual printer 70 is specified in the selection field SA1 on the screen SC106 in Fig. 3.

In S100, the virtual printer 70 performs OCR analysis on the document image to be printed. The virtual printer 70 then extracts keywords based on the results of the OCR analysis. For example, the virtual printer 70 may extract a character string that exists in a predetermined position (for example, the beginning of the document image) as a keyword. For example, the virtual printer 70 may have a keyword list in advance, and extract a character string that matches a character string in the list as a keyword. Also, for example, the virtual printer 70 may extract all of the results of the OCR analysis as keywords.

In S102, the virtual printer 70 displays a management method selection screen SC1 on the display unit 14. The screen SC1 is a screen for accepting the selection of a temporary management method. The virtual printer 70 accepts the selection of the temporary management method on the screen SC1.

In S104, the virtual printer 70 adds a QR code to the document image to be printed. Specifically, the virtual printer 70 first generates a print ID, which is a unique character string. Next, the virtual printer 70 generates a URL that includes the generated print ID and location information of the server 300. The virtual printer 70 then generates a QR code by encoding the URL, and adds data representing the generated QR code to the document data. Next, the virtual printer 70 supplies a processing request to the print management application 60. The processing request is a command that requests the print management application 60 to communicate with the server 300.

When the print management application 60 receives a processing request from the virtual printer 70, in S110 it sends each piece of information to the server 300. Each piece of information includes the user ID of the user of the notebook PC 10, the print ID generated in S104, the number of prints, the paper size, color information, information indicating the temporary management method selected in S102, and the keywords extracted in S100. The server 300 then associates these pieces of information and stores them in the management table 350.

In S112, the print management application 60 supplies a processing request to the printer driver 80. The processing request is a command requesting the printer driver 80 to generate print data. As a result, the printer driver 80 converts the document data to which the QR code was added in S104, and generates print data having a data format that can be interpreted by the printer 100. The printer driver 80 then sends the print data to the printer 100. As a result, the printer 100 executes printing according to the print data, and generates printed paper. When the processing of S112 ends, the processing of FIG. 4 ends.

(Processing of the paper management application 250: FIG. 5)
5, a process that is realized by the CPU 232 of the mobile terminal 200 executing the paper management application 250 will be described. The process in FIG. 5 is started when the paper management application 250 is started.

In S200, the paper management application 250 displays a management method selection screen SC1 on the display unit 214. The screen SC1 displayed here is a screen for accepting the selection of the actual management method, and is similar to the screen SC1 displayed in S102 of FIG. 4. The paper management application 250 accepts the selection of the actual management method on screen SC1.

In S202, the paper management application 250 first displays a shooting instruction screen SC2 on the display unit 214. The screen SC2 includes a message instructing the user to shoot a QR code, and an OK button. When the OK button on the screen SC2 is selected, the paper management application 250 activates the camera 216. When the camera 216 is activated and the user aims the lens at the QR code and operates the shooting button, the camera 216 captures the QR code included in the printed paper. The paper management application 250 acquires the captured image from the camera 216, and identifies the URL by decoding the QR code included in the captured image.

In S202, the paper management application 250 further displays a photographing instruction screen SC3 on the display unit 214. The screen SC3 includes a message instructing the user to photograph the printed paper, and an OK button. Here, "photographing the printed paper" means photographing the entire surface of the printed paper on which the print image is printed. When the OK button in the screen SC3 is selected, the paper management application 250 activates the camera 216. When the camera 216 is activated and the user points the lens at the printed paper and operates the photographing button, the camera 216 photographs the printed paper. The paper management application 250 acquires the photographed image from the camera 216.

In S210, the paper management application 250 sends the URL identified in S202 and information indicating the actual management method selected in S200 to the server 300. As a result, the server 300 stores the actual management method in the management table 350 in association with the print ID included in the URL. The paper management application 250 then receives from the server 300 each piece of information associated with the print ID (i.e., the user ID, print ID, number of prints, paper size, color information, temporary management method, actual management method, and keywords). Here, the paper management application 250 further receives from the server 300 the email address of the company's security administrator and the email address of the user (i.e., the printer) identified by the user ID associated with the above print ID.

In S220, the paper management application 250 performs OCR analysis on the photographed image of the printed paper acquired in S202. The paper management application 250 then extracts keywords based on the results of the OCR analysis. The keyword extraction method here is the same as the extraction method in S100 of FIG. 4.

In S230, the paper management application 250 determines whether the keyword received in S210 matches the keyword extracted in S220. If the two keywords match, the paper management application 250 determines YES in S230 and proceeds to S240, and if the two keywords do not match, the paper management application 250 determines NO in S230 and proceeds to S232. An event in which the two keywords do not match can occur, for example, when the document on the printed paper has been tampered with. This event can also occur, for example, when only the QR code is separated from the printed paper and pasted on another paper.

In S232, the paper management application 250 sends a notification email M1 to the email address of the security administrator received in S210. As shown in FIG. 6, the notification email M1 includes the print ID received in S210, a warning message, the user ID received in S210 (i.e., the user ID of the person who printed it), and the user ID of the paper management application 250 (i.e., the user ID of the person who applied for the actual management method). The warning message indicates that the keywords stored in the server 300 do not match the keywords extracted from the printed paper. This allows the security administrator to know that the document on the paper has been tampered with or the QR code has been used fraudulently. The security administrator can then take action in accordance with the company's rules (for example, by checking with the person who printed it).

In S234, the paper management application 250 displays a notification screen SC4 on the display unit 214. As shown in FIG. 6, the notification screen SC4 includes a warning message indicating that the keywords stored in the server 300 do not match the keywords extracted from the printed paper. When S234 ends, the process in FIG. 5 ends.

In S240, the paper management application 250 determines whether the provisional management method received in S210 matches the actual management method selected in S200. If the two management methods match, the paper management application 250 determines YES in S240 and ends the processing of FIG. 5, and if the two management methods do not match, the paper management application 250 determines NO in S240 and proceeds to S242. An event in which the two management methods do not match can occur, for example, when the printer changes the actual management method after selecting the provisional management method. This event can also occur, for example, when the printer hands the printed paper to another person and the other person inputs the actual management method. The other person is, for example, a person in charge of disposing of printed paper at a company.

In S242, the paper management application 250 sends a notification email M2 to a destination according to the discrepancy between the two management methods. Specifically, the paper management application 250 pre-stores the destination determination table of FIG. 6, and identifies the destination associated with the temporary management method and the actual management method from the table. If the temporary management method is other than "discard at work" and the actual management method is "discard at work," the printer is identified as the destination. If the actual management method is other than "discard at work," the security manager is identified as the destination.

The notification email M2 addressed to the security administrator includes the print ID received in S210, a warning message, the user ID received in S210 (i.e., the user ID of the person who printed it), and the user ID of the paper management application 250 (i.e., the user ID of the person who applied for the actual management method). The warning message indicates that the provisional management method and the actual management method do not match. This allows the security administrator to know that the two management methods do not match, and to take action in accordance with company rules (e.g., checking with the person who printed it).

The notification email M2 addressed to the person who printed the document contains the print ID received in S210, a notification message, and a URL. Note that the email address of the person who printed the document has already been received in S210. The notification message indicates that a request for "discard at work" has been made. The URL is location information for approval screen data that represents an approval screen SC6 for approving "discard at work." In this embodiment, the approval screen data is stored in the server 300. When the approval button included in the approval screen SC6 is selected, a notification to that effect is sent to the mobile terminal 200. This allows the person in charge of discarding the printed paper to be discarded.

In S244, the paper management application 250 displays a notification screen SC5 on the display unit 214. As shown in FIG. 6, the notification screen SC5 includes a warning message indicating that the provisional management method and the actual management method do not match. When S244 ends, the processing in FIG. 5 ends.

(Specific case: Figure 7)
Next, a specific case realized by the processes in Figures 4 and 5 will be described. In the notebook PC 10, each application controls hardware such as a CPU and drivers via the OS 40. In the mobile terminal 200, the application controls hardware via the OS 240. In the server 300, the program 340 controls hardware via the OS. In this specification, the description of the control of hardware, drivers, etc. by the application via the OS will be omitted as appropriate.

At T10, the document editing application 52 accepts the selection of the print button B3 in screen SC106 of FIG. 3 (trigger of FIG. 4). In this case, the virtual printer 70 performs OCR analysis (S100), at T20 displays the management method selection screen SC1 (S102), and at T22 accepts the selection of the temporary management method "Discard at home". In this case, the virtual printer 70 adds the QR code 410 to the document image 400 at T30 (S104), and at T32 supplies a processing request to the print management application 60 (S104).

The print management application 60 generates a print ID "P1" and, in T40, sends the user ID "U1", the print ID "P1", the number of prints "3", the paper size "A4", the color information "color", the temporary management method "discard at home", and the keyword "Mr. Tanaka" to the server 300. As a result, in T42, this information is stored in the management table 350. Next, in T44, the print management application 60 supplies a processing request to the printer driver 80 (S112).

The printer driver 80 generates print data and transmits the print data to the printer 100 at T50. As a result, at T52, printing according to the print data is performed by the printer 100.

As described above, the mobile terminal 200 may be used by the user of the notebook PC 10, or may be used by a company's disposal officer. The mobile terminal 200 displays the management method selection screen SC1 in T100 (S200 in FIG. 5), and accepts the selection of the actual management method in T102. If the mobile terminal 200 is used by the user of the notebook PC 10, "keep at company" is selected as the actual management method here. If the mobile terminal 200 is used by a company's disposal officer, "discard at company" is selected as the actual management method here.

The mobile terminal 200 displays a shooting instruction screen SC2 at T110 (S202), and accepts a shot of the QR code included in the printed paper at T112. Next, the mobile terminal 200 displays a shooting instruction screen SC3 at T120 (S202), and accepts a shot of the printed paper at T122.

In T130, the mobile terminal 200 transmits to the server 300 the URL obtained by decoding the QR code and the actual management method selected in T102 (S210). The URL includes the print ID "P1". As a result, in T132, the mobile terminal 200 receives each piece of information associated with the print ID "P1" from the server 300.

(Case A: Figure 8)
Case A shown in Fig. 8 will be described. In T140, the mobile terminal 200 determines that the keyword received in T132 of Fig. 7 does not match the keyword obtained by OCR analysis of the photographed image of the printed paper (NO in S230). In this case, the mobile terminal 200 transmits a notification email M1 to the administrator terminal 280 in T142 (S232), and displays a notification screen SC4 in T144 (S234). The notification email M1 is displayed on the administrator terminal 280 in T146.

(Case B)
In case B, the mobile terminal 200 is used by a person in charge of disposal in the company. The mobile terminal 200 determines in T150 that the two keywords match (YES in S230). The mobile terminal 200 determines in T152 that the provisional management method "dispose at home" and the actual management method "dispose at work" do not match (NO in S240). In this case, the mobile terminal 200 transmits a notification email M2 to the printer terminal 290 in T154 (S242), and displays a notification screen SC5 in T156 (S244). The notification email M2 is displayed on the printer terminal 290 in T158.

When the printer terminal 290 accepts the selection of a URL included in the notification email M2 in T160, it sends the URL to the server 300 in T162, and receives approval screen data from the server 300 in T164. The printer terminal 290 displays the approval screen SC6 in T166, and when it accepts the selection of the approval button included in the approval screen SC6, it sends approval information to the server 300 in T168. As a result, the approval information is sent from the server 300 to the mobile terminal 200 (i.e. the terminal of the person in charge of disposal) in T170, and a message indicating approval is displayed on the mobile terminal 200 in T172. This allows the person in charge of disposal to discard the printed paper.

(Case C)
In case C, the mobile terminal 200 is used by the print owner. The mobile terminal 200 determines in T180 that the two keywords match (YES in S230). The mobile terminal 200 determines in T182 that the provisional management method "discard at home" does not match the actual management method "keep at work" (NO in S240). In this case, the mobile terminal 200 transmits a notification email M2 to the administrator terminal 280 in T184 (S242), and displays a notification screen SC5 in T186 (S244). The notification email M2 is displayed on the administrator terminal 280 in T188.

On the condition that the provisional management method and the actual management method are stored in the management table 350, the server 300 executes payment-related processing, including calculating printing costs based on the printing log information (i.e., the number of printed sheets, paper size, and color information) associated with the provisional management method and the actual management method. In particular, the server 300 executes payment-related processing when a predetermined timing (e.g., the end of the month) arrives. The server 300 first identifies one user ID (e.g., "U1") from among the multiple user IDs stored in the management table 350. The server 300 then identifies one printing ID (e.g., "P1") associated with the identified user ID. On the condition that the provisional management method and the actual management method are stored in association with the identified printing ID, the server 300 calculates printing costs based on the printing log information associated with the identified printing ID.

Specifically, in the case of monochrome printing, the server 300 calculates the printing cost as the amount obtained by multiplying the number of prints by the unit price of 10 yen, regardless of the paper size. For example, if the number of prints "3", the paper size "A4", and the color information "monochrome" are stored, the server 300 calculates the printing cost as 30 yen (3 sheets x 10 yen). In the case of color printing, the server 300 calculates the printing cost as the amount obtained by multiplying the number of prints by the unit price of 50 yen, regardless of the paper size. In a modified example, the unit price may be changed depending on the paper size.

The server 300 calculates the printing costs for all printing IDs associated with the identified user ID as described above. The server 300 then calculates the total amount of all printing costs associated with the identified user ID, associates the identified user ID with the calculated total amount, and stores it in a specified table. The server 300 then calculates the total amount for each of the other user IDs, associates the user ID with the total amount, and stores it in the specified table.

The server 300 further uses the above-mentioned specific table to execute a process for each of the multiple users to include the printing costs in the user's salary, and further executes a process to transfer the salary including the printing costs to the user's salary receiving account. In this way, the printing costs are paid to each user.

As described above, the server 300 executes the following: (A) determining whether a management method is stored in association with the print ID (i.e., determining whether the print corresponding to the print ID is subject to payment of print costs); (B) calculating print costs based on print log information; (C) calculating the total amount of print costs for the user in a specified period; (D) including the total amount of print costs in the user's salary; and (E) transferring the total amount of print costs to the user's account. In a modified example, the server 300 may not execute all of (A) to (E), and may execute only a part of the processes (A) to (E). For example, the server 300 may execute only (A) to (C) to generate the above-mentioned specified table, and send the above-mentioned specified table to the administrator terminal. In this case, the administrator can execute (D) and (E). Generally speaking, the server 300 may execute all of the processes (A) to (E), or may execute only one or more processes that are a part of (A) to (E). More generally, the payment-related process may include only (A), only (B), only (C), only (D), or only (E), or it may include two or more of (A) through (E), or it may include all of (A) through (E).

(Effects of the First Embodiment)
As described above, according to this embodiment, when the provisional management method and the actual management method do not match (NO in S240 in FIG. 5), the mobile terminal 200 sends the notification mail M2 (S242) and displays the notification screen SC5 (S244). Since the notification screen SC5 is displayed, the print user can know that the provisional management method and the actual management method do not match. For example, when the notification mail M2 is sent to the security manager, the security manager can investigate the cause of the mismatch between the provisional management method and the actual management method, and as a result, the printed paper can be managed appropriately. For example, when the notification mail M2 is sent to the print user, the print user can approve the request for destruction (see T166 in FIG. 8), and as a result, the printed paper can be managed appropriately.

(Correspondence)
The notebook PC 10, the printer 100, and the server 300 are examples of a "terminal device," a "printing device," and a "management device," respectively. The combination of the printing management application 60 and the virtual printer 70 is an example of a "computer program for a second device." The provisional management method and the actual management method are examples of a "first management method" and a "second management method," respectively. The provisional management method is an example of "management-related information." The QR code is an example of "identification-related information." The communication of S210 in FIG. 5 is an example of "predetermined communication." The home is an example of a "first location." The company is an example of a "second location" and a "predetermined location." The notification email M2 and the notification screen SC5 are examples of "mismatch information."

The correspondence of the "second device" is as follows: S202 and S210 in FIG. 5 are an example of processing executed by an "acquisition unit". S210 is an example of processing executed by a "management-related information receiving unit". The processing of S70 in FIG. 5 is an example of processing executed by a "generation unit". S200 is an example of processing executed by a "identification unit". S240 is an example of processing executed by a "determination unit". S242 and S244 are examples of processing executed by an "output control unit".

Second Example
In the second embodiment, the process of S102 in FIG. 4 is different from that of the first embodiment. In S102, the virtual printer 70 specifies the temporary management method without displaying the management method selection screen SC1. Specifically, when the result of the OCR analysis in S100 includes the character string "Confidential" or the character string "Top Secret", the virtual printer 70 specifies "Destroy at Work" as the temporary management method. When the result of the OCR analysis includes the character string "Must be stored", the virtual printer 70 specifies "Store at Work" as the temporary management method. When the result of the OCR analysis does not include any of the above character strings, the virtual printer 70 specifies "Destroy at Home" as the temporary management method. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the temporary management method is automatically specified, so the user does not need to select the temporary management method.

(Third embodiment: FIG. 9)
A third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. In the third embodiment, the mobile terminal 200 does not execute the processes of S230 to S244 in Fig. 5, and the server 300 executes the determinations of S230 and S240.

In the process of FIG. 9, the same processes as T10 to T122 in FIG. 7 are executed. In T200, the mobile terminal 200 transmits to the server 300 the URL obtained by decoding the QR code, this management method, and the keyword "Mr. Tanaka."

When the server 300 receives the URL etc. in T200, it obtains the keyword associated with the print ID "P1" included in the URL from the management table 350. Next, in S300, the server 300 determines whether the obtained keyword matches the keyword received in T200.

If the server 300 determines that the two keywords do not match (NO in S300), in T210 it sends a notification email M1 addressed to the email address of the security administrator. As a result, in T212, the notification email M1 is displayed on the administrator terminal 280. The server 300 further sends notification screen data representing the notification screen SC4 to the mobile terminal 200. As a result, in T216, the notification screen SC4 is displayed on the mobile terminal 200.

If the server 300 determines that the two keywords match (YES in S300), it obtains the temporary management method associated with the print ID "P1" from the management table 350. Next, the server 300 determines whether the regular management method and the temporary management method match in S310. If the server 300 determines that the two management methods do not match (NO in S310), it identifies a destination in T220 according to the destination determination table in FIG. 6 and sends a notification email M2 to the destination. As a result, in T222, the notification email M2 is displayed on the administrator terminal 280 or the printer terminal 290. The server 300 further transmits notification screen data representing the notification screen SC5 to the mobile terminal 200. As a result, in T226, the notification screen SC5 is displayed on the mobile terminal 200. Note that other processes are the same as those in the first or second embodiment.

(Effects of the Third Embodiment)
As described above, according to this embodiment, when the provisional management method and the actual management method do not match (NO in S310), the server 300 transmits a notification email M2 (T220) and displays a notification screen SC5 on the mobile terminal 200 (T224, T226). Therefore, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

The provisional management method and the actual management method are examples of "first management-related information" and "second management-related information", respectively. The correspondence of the "management devices" is as follows: T40 in FIG. 7 is an example of a process executed by a "first receiving unit". T200 in FIG. 9 is an example of a process executed by a "second receiving unit". S310 is an example of a process executed by a "determination unit". T220 and T224 are examples of a process executed by an "output control unit".

Specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail above, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples given above. Modifications of the above examples are listed below.

(Variation 1) In the first embodiment, when the mobile terminal 200 judges NO in S230 of FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 200 may transmit keyword mismatch information indicating that the two keywords do not match to the server 300. In this case, the server 300 may execute the process of S232 on behalf of the mobile terminal 200. When the mobile terminal 200 judges NO in S240, the mobile terminal 200 may transmit method mismatch information indicating that the two management methods do not match to the server 300. In this case, the server 300 may execute the process of S242 on behalf of the mobile terminal 200. In this variation, the process of transmitting method mismatch information to the server 300 is an example of a process executed by the "output unit" of the "second device".

(Variation 2) In the third embodiment, if the server 300 judges NO in S300 of FIG. 9, it may transmit keyword mismatch information indicating that the two keywords do not match to the mobile terminal 200. In this case, the mobile terminal 200 may execute the process of T210 instead of the server 300. If the server 300 judges NO in S310, it may transmit method mismatch information indicating that the two management methods do not match to the mobile terminal 200. In this case, the server 300 may execute the process of T220 instead of the mobile terminal 200. In this variation, the process of transmitting method mismatch information to the mobile terminal 200 is an example of a process executed by the "output unit" of the "management device".

(Variation 3) In the first or third embodiment, the notebook PC 10 may transmit the results of the OCR analysis to the server 300 in S110, without executing S102 in FIG. 4. In this case, the server 300 may identify a provisional management method from the results of the OCR analysis in a manner similar to that of the second embodiment. In this variation, the results of the OCR analysis are an example of the "management-related information" and the "first management-related information."

(Variation 4) In the first or third embodiment, the notebook PC 10 may transmit the document data itself to the server 300 in S110, without executing S100 and S102 in FIG. 4. In this case, the server 300 may perform OCR analysis on the document data and identify a provisional management method from the results of the OCR analysis in a manner similar to that of the second embodiment. In this variation, the document data is an example of "management-related information" and "first management-related information".

(Variation 5) In the first embodiment, the mobile terminal 200 may not execute S200, but may instead accept input of a user ID, for example. In this case, when the mobile terminal 200 accepts the user ID of a pre-registered person in charge of destruction at the company, it specifies "destroy at company" as the actual management method. When the mobile terminal 200 accepts the user ID of a pre-registered person in charge of storage at the company, it specifies "store at company" as the actual management method. In this variation, the process of identifying the actual management method from the user ID is an example of a process executed by the "identification unit" of the "second device." Note that a similar configuration may also be adopted in the third embodiment.

(Variation 6) In the first embodiment, the mobile terminal 200 may be owned by the person in charge of destruction at the company, and the paper management app 250 of the mobile terminal 200 may be an app dedicated to the person in charge of destruction. In this case, the mobile terminal 200 (i.e., the paper management app 250) does not execute S200 in FIG. 5, and automatically identifies "dispose at work" as the actual management method. In this variation, the process of automatically identifying the actual management method is an example of a process executed by the "identification unit" of the "second device." Note that a similar configuration may also be adopted in the third embodiment.

(Variation 7) The "second management related information" may be the ID of the person in charge of destruction instead of "destroy at work". For example, in the third embodiment, the mobile terminal 200 may be owned by the person in charge of destruction at the company, and the paper management app 250 of the mobile terminal 200 may be an app dedicated to the person in charge of destruction. In this case, the mobile terminal 200 (i.e., the paper management app 250) does not execute T100 and T102 of FIG. 7, and automatically identifies the ID of the person in charge of destruction. Then, in T200 of FIG. 9, the mobile terminal 200 transmits the identified ID to the server 300 instead of the actual management method. The server 300 stores a table in which the ID of the person in charge of destruction and the actual management method "destroy at work" are associated. When the server 300 receives the ID of the person in charge of destruction from the mobile terminal 200, the server 300 refers to the table and identifies "destroy at work" as the actual management method.

(Variation 8) The "second management related information" may be the ID of the mobile terminal 200 instead of "discard at work". For example, in the third embodiment, the mobile terminal 200 may be owned by the person in charge of discarding at the company, and the paper management app 250 of the mobile terminal 200 may be an app dedicated to the person in charge of discarding. In this case, the mobile terminal 200 (i.e., the paper management app 250) does not execute T100 and T102 in FIG. 7, and automatically identifies the ID of the mobile terminal 200. Then, in T200 in FIG. 9, the mobile terminal 200 transmits the identified ID to the server 300 instead of the actual management method. The server 300 stores a table in which the ID of the mobile terminal 200 and the actual management method "discard at work" are associated. When the server 300 receives the ID of the mobile terminal 200 from the mobile terminal 200, the server 300 refers to the table and identifies "discard at work" as the actual management method. The ID of the mobile terminal 200 may be the serial number of the mobile terminal 200, a MAC address, or any PC management ID.

(Variation 9) In the above embodiment, the "computer program for the second device" is realized by the print management application 60 and the virtual printer 70 working together. In a variation, the "computer program" may be realized by the print management application 60 alone, or by the virtual printer 70 alone. In another variation, the "computer program" may be realized by the print management application 60, the virtual printer 70, and further other programs working together.

(Variation 10) The management method is not limited to "discard at home", "discard at work", and "store at work". For example, "store at home", "distribute to other companies", or "circulate to superiors" may be adopted. "Discard" and "store" do not have to be adopted. "Co-working space" may be adopted instead of or in addition to "home". "Home" may not be adopted in a system that does not adopt a remote work environment, i.e., a system that prints within the company.

(Variation 11) S244 in FIG. 5 may be omitted. In other words, the "output unit" of the "second device" does not have to display the mismatch information on the display unit. Similarly, S234 may be omitted.

(Variation 12) In step S104 of FIG. 4, instead of adding a QR code to the document data, the notebook PC 10 may add, for example, data representing a character string including the print ID and location information of the server 300 to the document data. In this variation, the data representing the character string is an example of "identification-related information."

(Variation 13) The "first device" is not limited to the notebook PC 10, but may be a desktop PC, a tablet PC, a smartphone, etc. The "second device" is not limited to the mobile terminal 200, but may be a PC such as a desktop PC, a notebook PC, a tablet PC, etc. The "second device" may also be a combination of a PC and a scanner, or a combination of a PC and a QR code reader, etc. When the "second device" is a combination of a PC and a scanner, the scanner reads the QR code and transmits it to the PC. The PC then communicates with the server 300.

(Variation 14) In the above embodiment, the print management app 60 is a native app installed on the notebook PC 10, but instead of that, it may be a web app, a cloud app, or a combination of both. Also, the paper management app 250 is a native app installed on the mobile device 200, but instead of that, it may be a web app, a cloud app, or a combination of both.

(Variation 15) In the above embodiment, the processes in the steps of Figures 5 to 9 are implemented by software, but at least one of these processes may be implemented by hardware such as a logic circuit.

The technical elements described in this specification or drawings have technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of those objectives is itself technically useful.

In the scope of the claims at the time of filing of this patent application, even if each claim is dependent on only some of the claims, it is not limited to the fact that each claim can be dependent on only those some of the claims. Each claim can also be dependent on other claims that are not dependent on it at the time of filing to the extent that there is no technical contradiction. In other words, the technology of each claim can be combined in various ways as follows:
(Item 1)
1. A print management system, comprising:
The system includes a first device, a second device, a printing device, and a management device;
The first device comprises:
sending print data representing a print image including identification-related information related to the identification information to the printing device, and causing the printing device to print the print image;
Transmitting the identification information and management-related information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for the printed medium on which the print image is printed to the management device;
The second device comprises:
obtaining the identification information associated with the identification-related information included on the printed medium;
identifying a second management method of the plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
Executing a predetermined communication with the management device to determine whether the first management method and the second management method match;
the predetermined communication includes the second device transmitting the identification information to the management device;
The management device includes:
receiving the identification information and the management related information from the terminal device;
Executing the predetermined communication with the second device;
The second device or the management device is
determining whether the first management method and the second management method match;
outputting inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match;
Print management system.
(Item 2)
a computer program for a second device, comprising:
The computer of the second device comprises the following parts:
an acquisition unit that acquires, in response to an instruction from the first device, when a printed medium on which a print image including identification-related information related to identification information is printed by a printing device, acquires the identification information related to the identification-related information included in the printed medium;
a management-related information receiving unit that transmits the identification information to a management device and receives, from the management device, management-related information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
an identification unit that identifies a second management method from among the plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
a determination unit that determines whether the first management method and the second management method match;
an output unit that outputs inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match;
A computer program that functions as a
(Item 3)
3. The computer program product according to claim 2, wherein the identification unit identifies the second management method in response to the second management method being selected by a user of the second device from among the plurality of management methods.
(Item 4)
4. The computer program product according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of management methods include discarding the printed medium and storing the printed medium.
(Item 5)
5. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the plurality of management methods includes discarding the printed medium at a first location and discarding the printed medium at a second location.
(Item 6)
The output unit is
when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match, and the second management method is to discard the print image at a predetermined location, transmitting the mismatch information to an external device to request approval for discarding the print image at the predetermined location from a user who caused the printing device to print the print image;
6. The computer program according to claim 2, further comprising: when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match and the second management method is not discarding at the specified location, transmitting the inconsistency information to an external device to notify a specified administrator at the specified location that the first management method and the second management method do not match.
(Item 7)
the second device includes a display unit;
7. The computer program product according to claim 2, wherein the output unit causes the display unit to display the inconsistency information when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match.
(Item 8)
A computer program for a management device, comprising:
The computer of the management device is composed of the following parts:
a first receiving unit that receives identification information and first management-related information from a first device, the first management-related information being information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for a printed medium on which a print image including identification-related information related to the identification information is printed by a printing device;
a second receiving unit that receives the identification information and second management-related information from a second device, the second management-related information being information related to a second management method among the plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
a determination unit that determines whether the first management method and the second management method match;
an output unit that outputs inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match;
A computer program that functions as a
(Item 9)
9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the plurality of management methods include discarding the printed medium and storing the printed medium.
(Item 10)
10. The computer program product of claim 8 or 9, wherein the plurality of management methods includes discarding the printed medium at a first location and discarding the printed medium at a second location.
(Item 11)
The output unit is
when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match, and the second management method is to discard the print image at a predetermined location, transmitting the mismatch information to an external device to request approval for discarding the print image at the predetermined location from a user who caused the printing device to print the print image;
11. The computer program according to any one of items 8 to 10, wherein when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match and the second management method is not discarding at the specified location, the computer program transmits the inconsistency information to an external device to notify a specified administrator at the specified location that the first management method and the second management method do not match.
(Item 12)
12. The computer program according to claim 8, wherein the first management related information is information indicating the first management method selected by a user of the first device from among the plurality of management methods.
(Item 13)
13. The computer program according to any one of items 8 to 12, wherein the first management related information is information indicating the first management method selected by the first device from among the plurality of management methods in accordance with a character string included in the print image.

2: Printing management system, 10: Notebook PC, 12: Operation unit, 14: Display unit, 20: LAN interface, 30: Control unit, 32: CPU, 34: Memory, 100: Printer, 112: Operation unit, 114: Display unit, 116: Print execution unit, 120: LAN interface, 130: Control unit, 132: CPU, 134: Memory, 200: Mobile terminal, 212: Operation unit, 214: Display unit, 216: Camera, 220: LAN interface, 230: Control unit, 232: CPU, 234: Memory, 300: Server, 320: Communication interface, 330: Control unit, 332: CPU, 334: Memory

Claims (13)

1. A print management system, comprising:
The system includes a first device, a second device, a printing device, and a management device;
The first device comprises:
sending print data representing a print image including identification-related information related to the identification information to the printing device, and causing the printing device to print the print image;
Transmitting the identification information and management-related information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for the printed medium on which the print image is printed to the management device;
The second device comprises:
obtaining the identification information associated with the identification-related information included on the printed medium;
identifying a second management method of the plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
Executing a predetermined communication with the management device to determine whether the first management method and the second management method match;
the predetermined communication includes the second device transmitting the identification information to the management device;
The management device includes:
receiving the identification information and the management related information from the terminal device;
performing said predetermined communication with said second device;
The second device or the management device is
determining whether the first management method and the second management method match;
outputting inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match;
Print management system. a computer program for a second device, comprising:
The computer of the second device comprises the following parts:
an acquisition unit that acquires, in response to an instruction from a first device, when a printed medium on which a print image including identification-related information related to identification information is printed by a printing device, acquires the identification information related to the identification-related information included in the printed medium;
a management-related information receiving unit that transmits the identification information to a management device and receives, from the management device, management-related information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
an identification unit that identifies a second management method from among the plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
a determination unit that determines whether the first management method and the second management method match;
an output unit that outputs inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match;
A computer program that functions as a The computer program according to claim 2, wherein the identification unit identifies the second management method in response to the second management method being selected by a user of the second device from among the plurality of management methods. The computer program of claim 2, wherein the plurality of management methods include discarding the printed medium and storing the printed medium. The computer program of claim 2, wherein the plurality of management methods include discarding the printed medium at a first location and discarding the printed medium at a second location. The output unit is
when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match, and the second management method is to discard the print image at a predetermined location, transmitting the mismatch information to an external device to request approval for discarding the print image at the predetermined location from a user who caused the printing device to print the print image;
3. The computer program according to claim 2, further comprising: when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match and the second management method is not discarding at the specified location, transmitting the inconsistency information to an external device to notify a specified administrator at the specified location that the first management method and the second management method do not match. the second device includes a display unit;
The computer program product according to claim 2 , wherein the output unit, when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match, causes the display unit to display the mismatch information. A computer program for a management device, comprising:
The computer of the management device is composed of the following parts:
a first receiving unit that receives identification information and first management-related information from a first device, the first management-related information being information related to a first management method among a plurality of management methods for a printed medium on which a print image including identification-related information related to the identification information is printed by a printing device;
a second receiving unit that receives the identification information and second management-related information from a second device, the second management-related information being information related to a second management method among the plurality of management methods for the printed medium;
a determination unit that determines whether the first management method and the second management method match;
an output unit that outputs inconsistency information indicating that the first management method and the second management method do not match when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match;
A computer program that functions as a The computer program of claim 8, wherein the plurality of management methods include discarding the printed medium and storing the printed medium. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the plurality of management methods include discarding the printed medium at a first location and discarding the printed medium at a second location. The output unit is
when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match, and the second management method is to discard the print image at a predetermined location, transmitting the mismatch information to an external device to request approval for discarding the print image at the predetermined location from a user who caused the printing device to print the print image;
9. The computer program product according to claim 8, further comprising: when it is determined that the first management method and the second management method do not match and the second management method is not discarding at the specified location, transmitting the inconsistency information to an external device to notify a specified administrator at the specified location that the first management method and the second management method do not match. The computer program according to claim 8, wherein the first management-related information is information indicating the first management method selected by a user of the first device from among the plurality of management methods. The computer program according to claim 8, wherein the first management-related information is information indicating the first management method selected by the first device from among the plurality of management methods in accordance with a character string included in the print image.

Images