US 12,251,938 B2
Image forming apparatus including main casing to which consumable including consumable memory is attachable
Takayuki Suzuki, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Mar. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/190,635.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-062142 (JP), filed on Apr. 1, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0311529 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/175 (2006.01); H04N 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/17546 (2013.01) [B41J 2/17566 (2013.01); H04N 1/00965 (2013.01); B41J 2002/17589 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main casing to which a consumable is attachable, the consumable including a consumable memory storing therein:
status information indicating whether the consumable is new or used;
identification information for individually identifying the consumable;
usage information indicating a usage level of the consumable; and
type information indicating whether the consumable is a special consumable that can be used in the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus is under a concluded agreement or a normal consumable that can be used in the image forming apparatus irrespective of whether or not the image forming apparatus is under the concluded agreement;
a main memory; and
a controller configured to perform:
when the status information indicates that the consumable is new, storing the identification information in the main memory;
when the status information indicates that the consumable is new, overwriting the status information so that the status information indicates that the consumable is used;
when the status information indicates that the consumable is used and the type information indicates that the consumable is the special consumable, determining whether the identification information is already stored in the main memory;
when determining that the identification information is already stored in the main memory, permitting use of the consumable in the image forming apparatus;
when determining that the identification information is not stored in the main memory, prohibiting use of the consumable in the image forming apparatus;
when the usage information indicates that the usage level is greater than or equal to a prescribed value and the type information indicates that the consumable is the special consumable, storing on-order information in the consumable memory, the on-order information indicating that an order has been placed for a new consumable; and
in a state where an external memory that can be physically connected to the main casing from an outside of the main casing is connected to the main casing, storing the identification information stored in the main memory in the external memory,
wherein, by the external memory being physically connected to another image forming apparatus, the another image forming apparatus permits use of the consumable in the another image forming apparatus on the basis of the identification information stored in the external memory.