APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM FOR CONSUMPTION ARTICLE SUPPLY MEDIATION

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mechanism which can efficiently supply consumption articles at low costs.

SOLUTION: A consumption state gathering server 101 gathers information regarding the consumption states of consumption articles of office machines (122 to 126) connected to a network. A consumption state opening server 103 receives the information on the consumption states from the consumption state gathering server 101 and opens the information to consumption article suppliers through the network. The consumption article suppliers refer to the information which is made open and sends their desired sale prices of the consumption articles to the consumption state opening server 103. The consumption article consumer determines a supplier by reference to the desired sale prices presented on the consumption state opening server 103. The consumption state opening server 103 charges the consumption article supplier for the access to the information.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO