Machine integrated semi-automated service credit for a metered device

摘要

A metered device includes a printing system for generating billable and non-billable electrostatographic images. The device includes a billing meter configured to store usage data related to the generation of the electrostatographic images. A CPU or processing unit is configured to increment the billing meter for each billable and non-billable electrostatographic image generated by the printing system. A user interface configured for controlling the image capture device, enables interrogation of the CPU. The device further includes a service counter for storing usage data related to the generation of non-billable electrostatographic images. The service counter is configured for editing by the CPU through the user interface to credit the usage data stored on the billing meter. The device further includes a network interface for transmitting the usage data stored on the billing meter to a billing service and a memory for storing the usage data that is transmitted to the billing service.