Patent ID: 11868667
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. An image forming apparatus communicable with a server, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body memory configured to store:
first mode information indicating whether the image forming apparatus is set to a contract mode being for the image forming apparatus for which a service contract is made or a normal mode being for the image forming apparatus for which a service contract is not made;
second mode information indicating whether a print permission mode for permitting printing with the image forming apparatus even in a case where it is determined that an amount of remaining coloring agent contained in a cartridge mounted to the image forming apparatus is in a state in which the cartridge should be replaced is active or inactive; and
third mode information indicating whether the server is in a first charging mode or in a second charging mode, the first charging mode being a mode in which the server calculates charge for a prescribed time period based on a first charge per unit number of sheets set by the contract and a number of printed sheets, and the second charging mode being a mode in which the server calculates the charge for the prescribed time period based on a second charge per unit number of sheets set by the contract and the number of printed sheets, the second charge being set to be lower than the first charge, and

a controller comprising a circuit, the controller configured to execute:
setting the second mode information to active information indicating that the print permission mode is active in a state in which the first mode information indicates the normal mode;
setting the second mode information to inactive information indicating that the print permission mode is inactive in a state in which the first mode information indicates the contract mode;
transmitting a replacement display notification indicating that a cartridge replacement request is to be displayed in a case where it is determined that the amount of remaining coloring agent is in a state in which the cartridge should be replaced; and
rewriting the second mode information from the inactive information to the active information in a case where a first instruction to activate the print permission mode is received in a state in which the first mode information indicates the contract mode and the second mode information is set to the inactive information,
wherein rewriting the second mode information from the inactive information to the active information is executed in a case where the first instruction is received from the server; and
rewriting the third mode information into information indicating the second charging mode when executing the rewriting the second mode information from the inactive information to the active information in a state in which the third mode information indicates the first charging mode.