Information processing apparatus and system for transmitting capability change notification for changing capability corresponding to different contract plan to image forming apparatus

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the information processing apparatus to:

hold contract information including information about a contracted plan selected by a user from among subscription plans that use an image forming apparatus;

receive a plan change notification requesting a change from the contracted plan to a different plan involving a change in a capability of the image forming apparatus; and

transmit, in response to receiving the plan change notification requesting the change from the contracted plan to the different plan involving the change in the capability of the image forming apparatus, a capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to a capability corresponding to the different plan, to the image forming apparatus.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to further cause the information processing apparatus to determine whether a date to change to the different plan has come,

wherein the capability change notification is transmitted to the image forming apparatus after it is determined that the date to change to the different plan has come.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to further cause the information processing apparatus to transmit information included in the plan change notification to the image forming apparatus in response to acceptance of the plan change notification before the date to change to the different plan has come.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to further cause the information processing apparatus to transmit a notification indicating that acceptance of the change from the contracted plan to the different plan is completed to an apparatus that is a transmission source of the plan change notification in receiving the plan change notification.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to further cause the information processing apparatus to update the held contract information held by the holding unit based on information about the different plan in receiving a notification indicating that the change to the capability corresponding to the different plan is completed from the image forming apparatus.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a billed amount is determined based on the information about the different plan.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a print unit configured to print image data on a sheet, and

wherein the capability of the image forming apparatus includes a print speed of the print unit.

8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the capability of the image forming apparatus is-includes a capability relating to color print availability.

9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a reading unit configured to read a document and generate image data of the document; and

wherein the capability of the image forming apparatus includes a reading speed of the reading unit.

10 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the capability change notification includes at least information about a capability corresponding to the different plan.

11 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to further cause the information processing apparatus to:

determine whether a response to the transmitted capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to the capability corresponding to the different plan, is received from the image forming apparatus; and

update the held contract information based on information about the different plan in a first case where it is determined that the response to the transmitted capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to the capability corresponding to the different plan, is received from the image forming apparatus.

12 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to further cause the information processing apparatus to not update the held contract information based on the information about the different plan in a second case where it is determined that the response to the transmitted capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to the capability corresponding to the different plan, is not received from the image forming apparatus.

13 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the information processing apparatus to transmit, in response to receiving the plan change notification requesting the change from the contracted plan to the different plan involving the change in the capability of the image forming apparatus, the capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to the capability corresponding to the different plan, to the image forming apparatus without updating the held contract information based on information about the different plan before receiving a response, from the image forming apparatus, to the transmitted capability change notification for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to the capability corresponding to the different plan.

14 . A control method for an information processing apparatus, the control method comprising:

holding contract information including information about a contracted plan selected by a user from among subscription plans that use an image forming apparatus;

receiving a plan change notification requesting a change from the contracted plan to a different plan involving a change in a capability of the image forming apparatus; and

transmitting, in response to receiving the plan change notification requesting the change from the contracted plan to the different plan involving the change in the capability of the image forming apparatus, a capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to a capability corresponding to the different plan, to the image forming apparatus.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program causing a computer to execute a control method for an information processing apparatus, the control method comprising:

holding contract information including information about a contracted plan selected by a user from among subscription plans that use an image forming apparatus;

receiving a plan change notification requesting a change from the contracted plan to a different plan involving a change in a capability of the image forming apparatus; and

transmitting, in response to receiving the plan change notification requesting the change from the contracted plan to the different plan involving the change in the capability of the image forming apparatus, a capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to a capability corresponding to the different plan, to the image forming apparatus.

16 . A management system comprising:

a management server that manages an image forming apparatus, the management server comprising:

a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the information processing apparatus to:

hold contract information including information about a contracted plan selected by a user from among subscription plans that use an image forming apparatus;

receive a plan change notification requesting a change from the contracted plan to a different plan involving a change in a capability of the image forming apparatus; and

transmit, in response to receiving the plan change notification requesting the change from the contracted plan to the different plan involving the change in the capability of the image forming apparatus, a capability change notification, for changing the capability of the image forming apparatus to a capability corresponding to the different plan, to the image forming apparatus; and

the image forming apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the image forming apparatus to:

change the capability of the image forming apparatus to the capability corresponding to the different plan based on the capability change notification received.

17 . The management system according to claim 16 , further comprising a communication device configured to accept an instruction to change from the contracted plan to the different plan from a user and to transmit the plan change notification.

18 . The management system according to claim 16 , wherein the image forming apparatus comprises is further caused to accept an instruction to change from the contracted plan to the different plan from a user and to transmit the plan change notification.