Patent ID: 8027609
Filing Date: 2011-09-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a control system adapted to switch the apparatus from a non-operative mode to an operative mode and vice versa and including at least one volatile memory counter, and a non-volatile memory with a plural number N of memory areas associated with each volatile memory counter, each non-volatile memory area for every volatile counter implemented on a separate EEPROM device, wherein the control system comprises: a control system component for initializing the volatile memory counter with a maximum of the count values stored in the plural number N memory areas, when the apparatus passes into the operative mode; a control system component for counting events with the volatile memory counter; and a control system component for saving a volatile memory count value to one of the non-volatile memory areas, wherein the volatile memory count value is saved to one of the plural number of N memory areas implemented on a separate EEPROM device when the volatile memory count value has been incremented by a predetermined number M (M>1) or when the apparatus passes into the non-operative mode.