IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20150063833A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shinagawa, Kazutaka
• Granted Patent: US 9,411,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/12
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0863 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/556 for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement

Abstract

When a toner cartridge is mounted to an image forming apparatus, if the toner cartridge is new, the image forming apparatus sets a value calculated from cartridge capacity as an initial value of a toner remaining amount. If, when the toner cartridge is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the toner cartridge is not new, the image forming apparatus sets a value calculated from a page count number as the initial value of the toner remaining amount. Furthermore, when the toner cartridge is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus acquires a sensor value, and if the acquired sensor value is an indefinite value, the image forming apparatus determines an alternative value according to sensor ability as the initial value of the toner remaining amount.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire information from the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the information indicating a number of pages for which image formation is executable using the recording material stored in the containing unit from a state in which the containing unit is new;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the information, an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit if a new containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

a setting unit configured to set a value representing the amount calculated by the calculation unit as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit by multiplying the number of pages indicated by the information by an amount of the recording material consumed per page.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the acquisition unit, when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, successfully acquires information indicating an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit, the setting unit sets a value representing the amount indicated by the information indicating the amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display a value set by the setting unit, the value representing an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit a value set by the setting unit, the value representing an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording material is toner.

7. An image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire information from the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the information indicating a number of pages for which image formation has been executed using the recording material stored in the containing unit from a state in which the containing unit is new;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the information, an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit, if a not-new containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

a setting unit configured to set a value representing the amount calculated by the calculation unit as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit by multiplying the number of pages indicated by the information by an amount of the recording material consumed per page.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit by subtracting a value obtained by multiplying the number of pages indicated by the information by the amount of the recording material consumed per page from an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit in the state in which the containing unit is new.

10. An image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire a value representing the amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit from the detection unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

a setting unit configured to set, if the value acquired by the acquisition unit is an indefinite value, a predetermined value according to a type of the detection unit as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, if the value acquired by the acquisition unit is not an indefinite value, the setting unit sets the value acquired by the acquisition unit as the initial value of the amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

12. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit, the method comprising:

acquiring information from the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the information indicating a number of pages for which image formation is executable using the recording material stored in the containing unit from a state in which the containing unit is new;

calculating, based on the information, an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit if a new containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

setting a value representing the calculated amount as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

13. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit, the method comprising:

acquiring information from the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the information indicating a number of pages for which image formation has been executed using the recording material stored in the containing unit from a state in which the containing unit is new;

calculating, based on the information, an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit if a not-new containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

setting a value representing the calculated amount as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

14. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit, the method comprising:

detecting an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit;

acquiring a value representing the detected amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

setting, if the acquired value is an indefinite value, a predetermined value according to a type of the detection unit as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that cause an image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit to execute a method, the method comprising:

acquiring information from the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the information indicating a number of pages for which image formation is executable using the recording material stored in the containing unit from a state in which the containing unit is new;

calculating, based on the information, an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit if a new containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

setting a value representing the calculated amount as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that cause an image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit to execute a method, the method comprising:

acquiring information from the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the information indicating a number of pages for which image formation has been executed using the recording material stored in the containing unit from a state in which the containing unit is new;

calculating, based on the information, an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit if a not-new containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

setting a value representing the calculated amount as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that cause an image forming apparatus performing image formation using a recording material stored in a containing unit to execute a method, the method comprising:

detecting an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit;

acquiring a value representing the detected amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit when the containing unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus; and

setting, if the acquired value is an indefinite value, a predetermined value according to a type of the detection unit as an initial value of an amount of the recording material remaining in the containing unit.