US 11,989,469 B2
Image forming apparatus and control method for permitting use of consumable having been used in one apparatus in another apparatus
Naomichi Ban, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Mar. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/187,064.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-062145 (JP), filed on Apr. 1, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0315360 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/1239 (2013.01) [G06F 3/1204 (2013.01); G06F 3/121 (2013.01); G06F 3/1229 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main housing;
a consumable attachable to the main housing, the consumable including a consumable memory, the consumable memory storing type information and first information, the type information indicating whether the consumable is a contract consumable or a normal consumable, the contract consumable being a consumable that is usable when a contract for the image forming apparatus is made, the normal consumable being a consumable that is usable regardless of whether the contract is made, the first information indicating whether the consumable is a new consumable or a used consumable;
an external memory physically connectable to the main housing from outside the main housing; and
a controller configured to:
determine whether the type information is information indicating the contract consumable; and
in response to determining that the type information is information indicating the contract consumable in a case where the first information indicates the used consumable, store second information in the external memory, the second information being information for permitting a use of the consumable in an other image forming apparatus different from the image forming apparatus.