Printer having off-line printing, method of controlling printer, and storage medium

1 . A printer capable of being used under a predetermined contract by communicating with a server, the printer comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory containing instructions to be executed by the at least one processor to function as:

a determination unit that determines whether the printer is in a state of being capable of communicating with the server;

a management unit that manages information indicating that a warning has been made, the printer being notified of the warning in a case where a remaining printable page count in a particular period determined based on the predetermined contract falls below a predetermined value;

a decision unit that decides whether to execute or prohibit a print operation corresponding to an input print job, wherein

the decision unit prohibits the print operation corresponding to the print job in a case where (a) the determination unit determines that the printer is not in the state of being capable of communicating with the server, (b) the management unit is holding the information indicating that the warning has been made, (c) a page count corresponding to the print job does not exceed the remaining printable page count or a limit page count when the printer is in a state of being capable of communicating with the server, and (d) a user does not accept possibility of being charged an additional fee;

a display unit that displays a screen for receiving a user operation to select saving the input print job or discarding the input print job in a case where the decision unit decides to prohibit the print operation; and

an execution unit that saves the input print job or discards the input print job based on the user operation on the screen.

2 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the decision unit compares an expected printed page count for the print job and a predetermined higher limit page count, and decides to execute the print operation in a case where the expected printed page count has not exceeded the higher limit page count.

3 . The printer according to claim 2 , wherein the instructions are further executed to function as a first higher limit information obtaining unit that obtains the remaining printable page count as first higher limit information each time the printer performs a print operation in the state of being capable of communicating with the server, wherein

the decision unit sets the first higher limit information as the higher limit page count in a case where the determination unit determines that the printer is in the state of being capable of communicating with the server,

the decision unit sets second higher limit information, which is a fixed value, as the higher limit page count in a case where the determination unit determines that the printer is not in the state of being capable of communicating with the server, and the management unit is holding the information indicating the warning has been made, and

the decision unit sets the first higher limit information or the second higher limit information whichever has a smaller value as the higher limit page count in a case where the determination unit determines that the printer is not in the state of being capable of communicating with the server, and the management unit is not holding the information indicating the warning has been made.

4 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executed to function as a confirmation unit that confirms with a user whether to accept additional charge in a case where the management unit is holding the information indicating that the warning has been made, and the decision unit has decided to execute the print operation, wherein

the decision unit prohibits the print operation in a case where the confirmation unit confirms that the user does not accept the additional charge.

5 . The printer according to claim 4 , wherein the instructions are further executed to function as an authentication unit that performs user authentication, wherein

the confirmation unit confirms an intention of a user after the user is successfully authenticated by the authentication unit.

6 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executed to function as a selection unit that allows a user to select a method of handling the input print job in a case where the decision unit decides to prohibit the print operation.

7 . The printer according to claim 6 , wherein the method is to save or discard the print job.

8 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the management unit deletes the held information indicating the warning has been made in a case where the remaining printable page count is reset based on the particular period determined based on the predetermined contract.

9 . A method of controlling a printer capable of being used under a predetermined contract by communicating with a server, the method comprising:

determining whether the printer is in a state of being capable of communicating with the server;

confirming whether information indicating that a warning has been made is present, the printer being notified of the warning in a case where a remaining printable page count in a particular period determined based on the predetermined contract falls below a predetermined value;

prohibiting a print operation corresponding to an input print job in a case of (a) determining that the printer is not in the state of being capable of communicating with the server, (b) confirming the presence of the information indicating that the warning has been made, (c) a page count corresponding to the print job not exceeding the remaining printable page count or a limit page count when the printer is in a state of being capable of communicating with the server, and (d) a user not accepting possibility of being charged an additional fee;

displaying a screen for receiving a user operation to select saving the input print job or discarding the input print job in a case where the decision unit decides to prohibit the print operation; and

saving the input print job or discarding the input print job based on the user operation on the screen.

10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for controlling a printer capable of being used under a predetermined contract by communicating with a server, the program comprising:

determining whether the printer is in a state of being capable of communicating with the server;

confirming whether information indicating that a warning has been made is present, the printer being notified of the warning in a case where a remaining printable page count in a particular period determined based on the predetermined contract falls below a predetermined value;

prohibiting a print operation corresponding to an input print job in a case of (a) determining that the printer is not in the state of being capable of communicating with the server, (b) confirming the presence of the information indicating that the warning has been made, (c) a page count corresponding to the print job not exceeding the remaining printable page count or a limit page count when the printer is in a state of being capable of communicating with the server, and (d) a user not accepting possibility of being charged an additional fee;

displaying a screen for receiving a user operation to select saving the input print job or discarding the input print job in a case where the decision unit decides to prohibit the print operation; and

saving the input print job or discarding the input print job based on the user operation on the screen.