Patent ID: 6631248
Filing Date: 2003-10-07
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus having an image forming apparatus main body and an apparatus unit, which has memory means, removably attached to said main body, wherein said memory means has:a first storage area for storing data representing amount of use of said apparatus unit; a second storage area for storing replace information indicating that replacement of said apparatus unit is necessary; and a third storage area for storing write-protect data for inhibiting a change in said second storage area, said apparatus unit being removably attached to said image forming apparatus main body; said image forming apparatus comprising: amount-of-use detecting means for detecting an amount of use of said apparatus unit and writing the amount of use to said memory means; determination means for determining, on a basis of the amount of use, whether replacement of said apparatus unit is necessary and writing the replace information to said memory means if it is determined that replacement is necessary; and recovery means for determining whether processing by said determination means for writing the replace information ended normally, and causing the processing for writing the replacement information to end normally if it is determined that the processing did not end normally.