US 12,214,604 B2
Image formation device, control method for image formation device, and cartridge
Shunsuke Yamamoto, Okazaki (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/935,658.
Application 17/935,658 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2021/012210, filed on Mar. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-063614 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0018544 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 29/38 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 29/38 (2013.01) [G03G 15/50 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body housing;
a network interface configured to connect to a network;
a cartridge mountable to the main body housing, and having a material or a component to be used for image formation in the image forming apparatus and a memory that stores contract information for permitting use of the cartridge in the image forming apparatus set to a contract mode;
a communication unit configured to perform communication with using a mobile network different from the network, the communication unit being separate from the network interface; and
a controller configured to:
acquire the contract information from the memory, in a state where the cartridge is mounted to the main body housing;
permit printing in the image forming apparatus using the cartridge, based on the contract information acquired from the memory; and
transmit information about the image forming apparatus or the cartridge regarding the contract mode to a communication apparatus, which is set as a transmission destination in advance, via the communication unit.