Patent ID: 11899387
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC G

Claim 15:
16. A method for controlling an image-forming device to perform a printing process according to a mode, the image-forming device including: a frame; a drum cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum; and a developing cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the developing cartridge having a housing configured to accommodate therein toner, the method comprising:
determining, based on life information for the drum cartridge, whether replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
switching the mode of the printing process between a normal printing mode and an extended printing mode, the normal printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be unnecessary in the determining, the extended printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process on a condition that the developing cartridge attached to the frame is not replaced with another developing cartridge in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary; and
acquiring and storing toner identification information when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be necessary, the toner identification information capable of identifying the developing cartridge attached to the frame, and
wherein switching the mode of the printing process to the extended printing mode occurs in response to the controller determining that there is no change in the toner identification information for the developing cartridge attached to the frame in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary.