Abstract: A terminal apparatus obtains desired information from information providers and prints the information in high quality as needed. The terminal adds advertisement information to the desired information, which reduces the cost for obtaining and printing the desired information. The terminal calculates the advertisement fee by counting the number of printing of the advertisement. The terminal charges the user, up to the maximum limit desired, for the information obtained and printed according to the print amount. The terminal allows the information providers to avoid paying the advertisement fee unlimitedly.

Abstract: An information search method of searching for output information strongly related to input information from a plurality of candidate information includes the steps of assigning in advance one or a plurality of keywords typically representing information to the input information and each of the plurality of candidate information, and a weight value set in association with information to each keyword, executing a predetermined arithmetic operation for the weight value of each keyword of the input information and the weight value of each keyword of each of the plurality of candidate information, and selecting target output information from the plurality of candidate information on the basis of a sum value of arithmetic results obtained by performing the predetermined arithmetic operation for substantially all keywords of each candidate information.

Abstract: In an information registration method of assigning a code to information and registering the information, information, a predetermined code assigned to the information, the first valid dates of the predetermined code, and the second valid dates of the information which are linked to each other are registered. This information registration method prevents any disadvantage due the valid dates of information having a code.

Abstract: An information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus formed of a group information management module for managing information related to one or more groups each of which is formed of a plurality of shops; and an accounting information storage module for storing the accounting information of a service which all shops included in the one or more groups can offer, and a second information processing apparatus formed of an accounting information management module for setting or changing the accounting information of the service stored in the accounting information storage module.

Abstract: A printing control system has a contents provider and a printout service provider connected via a network. The contents provider comprises a device for generating viewing screens, a device for generating a conditions settings screen from printout information and service information obtained from a printout service provider, a device for generating a confirmation screen for setting the conditions, and a device for transmitting the contents selected with the viewing screen, and the printout service provider comprises a device for transmitting the service information, and a device for generating printing data from the contents provided from the contents provider. This provides contents providers with contents providing means other than downloading data, and users with services for various printing forms other than home-use printers.

Abstract: An information providing system includes a plurality of first terminal apparatuses installed for public use, a second terminal apparatus owned by the user who is to be provided with information, and an information providing apparatus which can communicate with the first and second terminal apparatuses. The information providing apparatus includes a unit for receiving information provided to the user, and a unit for transferring the received information to, among the first terminal apparatuses, a first terminal apparatus designated in advance by the user provided with the information.

Abstract: Information to be distributed and a code representing the information are registered in correspondence with each other, and the valid dates of the registered information are set.

Abstract: There is provided a print system in which a print instruction is received from an information appliance (IA), a print request is issued to a server in response to the print instruction from the IA, and print data formed by the server is received in accordance with the print request, thereby enabling the print data to be printed from the IA.