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

Claim 12:
13. 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;
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
remaining amount information indicating the amount of remaining coloring agent; 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 the remaining amount information to the server after the amount of remaining coloring agent becomes equal to or less than a shipping threshold; 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 from the server as a response to the transmission of the remaining amount information and the first mode information indicates the contract mode and the second mode information is set to the inactive information;
determining whether the amount of remaining coloring agent is in a state in which the cartridge should be replaced in a case where the first instruction is received in a state in which the third mode information indicates the first charging mode; and
rewriting the third mode information into information indicating the second charging mode in a case where it is determined that the amount of remaining coloring agent reached a state in which the cartridge should be replaced.