Abstract:
A network system including a customer replaceable unit (CRU) having an excellent security function for operation information which system can realize improvement of the use efficiency of operation information for making the CRU operate, and reduction in costs, is provided. An apparatus main body of a multifunction printer, a server, a personal computer, etc. are connected to a network of a network system, and a CRU is attached to the apparatus main body so as to be detachable. Operation information necessary for making the CRU operate is stored in the server. The apparatus main body obtains operation information of the CRU from the server via the network and stores the obtained operation information into a buffer memory, and causes the CRU to operate based on the operation information. The operation information stored in the buffer memory is erased when communication between the apparatus main body and the CRU ends.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a network system comprising a customer replaceable unit.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     In industrial equipment, office equipment and the like, as uptime accumulates, consumable articles decrease and components deteriorate. Therefore, the operator and the user sometimes need to replace the consumable articles and the components. Such replacement articles include not only a simple consumable article but also a replacement article that is replaced as a unit forming a group composed of a plurality of components or a plurality of components and consumable articles. Such a unit is called a customer replaceable unit (CRU).  
         [0005]     For example, in an image forming apparatus that is one of the office equipment, a process cartridge, a toner cartridge, a transfer unit, a fixing unit and so on are formed as CRUs. Such a CRU is provided with a memory that is storing means (the memory provided in the CRU may be referred to as a CRUM). In the CRUM, an identification code for identifying the unit itself, a threshold value indicating a use condition, and operation information such as an operation program are stored, and moreover, operation performance of the CRU is stored after the CRU starts operation. When attached to an apparatus main body, the CRU operates based on the operation information stored in the CRUM, and stores the operation performance thereof into the CRUM.  
         [0006]      FIG. 5  is a simplified system view illustrating the configuration of a network system  1  comprising the conventional CRU. The network system  1  illustrated in  FIG. 5  has a configuration that, for example, a server  3  is connected to an in-house local area network (LAN)  2 , and that a plurality of multifunction printers (MFPs)  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  . . . are further connected to the server  3 . Here, the MFP is an image forming apparatus having a composite function of a copier, a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine and so on. The MFP  4  (expressed without the alphabetical letters in the case of naming the MFPs generically) executes an image forming operation via the server  3  based on an operation command of an operating terminal such as a personal computer, connected to the LAN  2  (not shown).  
         [0007]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example in which a toner cartridge is attached as a CRU  6  to an apparatus main body  5  of the MFP  4 . Although the apparatus main body  5  includes an image processing portion, an image forming portion, a transfer portion, a fixing portion, a paper feeding portion and so on, only a controller  7  and a main-body central processing unit (CPU)  8  are illustrated for simplification.  
         [0008]     In this example, the CRU  6  is a toner cartridge including, for example, a toner supply container that holds toner, a toner supply roller that is supported on the toner supply container so as to freely rotate, and so on. Moreover, the toner supply container is provided with an IC chip  9  forming a CRUM, a CPU  10  that is a processing circuit, and a connector  11  that is an electrical connection terminal with the apparatus main body  5 . In the IC chip  9  provided in the CRU  6 , an identification code for identifying the toner cartridge and the operation information are stored.  
         [0009]     When attached to the apparatus main body  5 , the CRU  6  is electrically connected to the apparatus main body  5  by the connector  11 , whereby communication of information with the apparatus main body  5  becomes possible. When an image forming operation command is outputted from the operation terminal connected to the LAN  2 , the image forming operation command is given to the controller  7  of the apparatus main body  5  via the LAN  2  and the server  3 . In accordance with the image forming operation command, the main-body CPU  8  controls image forming operations of the whole MFP  4 . Based on an operation command from the main-body CPU  8 , the CPU  10  of the CRU  6  reads out the operation information of the toner cartridge from the IC chip  9 , controls the operation of the toner cartridge that is the CRU  6  based on the operation information, and causes a developing portion provided in the image forming portion of the apparatus main body  5  to execute an operation of supplying toner. As the operation is executed, operation performance of the toner cartridge that is the CRU  6 , for example, the number of rotations of the toner supply roller, which is information on the amount of remaining toner in the toner supply container, is stored in the CRUM.  
         [0010]     In a CRU provided with a CRUM, various improvements have been proposed in order to increase convenience. For example, there is a proposal to store information on ordering into a CRUM in advance and, when a CRU reaches the limits of use through operation, provide the order information in the form of printed matter by a printing machine to make the user recognize the order information in an early stage, thereby giving the user enough time to place an order for a replacement article (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2002-304279). Moreover, there is a proposal to store a software code upgrade into a CRUM in advance so that the operator can update a software code without the need for calling a field engineer or the like (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2004-1512).  
         [0011]     However, in the case of related arts, important information such as the operation information, the order information and the software code upgrade, that is, information necessary for manufacturing a CRU is all stored in a CRUM. Therefore, when it is possible to obtain the CRU provided with the CRUM, it is possible to analyze and reproduce the information stored in the CRUM, so that there is a problem that an imitation product is easily manufactured. Moreover, there is a need to store plenty of information into the CRUM, so that there is a problem that a memory having a relatively large capacity must be disposed to each CRU, which becomes a factor in increase of the costs of the CRU.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     An object of the invention is to provided a network system comprising a customer replaceable unit having an excellent security function for operation information which system can realize improvement of the use efficiency of operation information for making a customer replaceable unit operate, and reduction in costs.  
         [0013]     The invention provides a network system comprising:  
         [0014]     an apparatus main body having a main-body storing portion and a control portion;  
         [0015]     a customer replaceable unit, disposed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body;  
         [0016]     a server for storing operation information of the customer replaceable unit, and a communications network to which the apparatus main body and the server are connected,  
         [0017]     wherein the apparatus main body obtains the operation information of the customer replaceable unit from the server via the communications network and stores the obtained operation information into the main-body storing portion, and the control portion of the apparatus main body causes the customer replaceable unit to operate based on the operation information stored in the main-body storing portion.  
         [0018]     According to the invention, in the network system comprising the customer replaceable unit, the apparatus main body obtains operation information of the customer replaceable unit from the server via the communications network and stores the obtained operation information into the main-body storing portion, and the control portion of the apparatus main body causes the customer replaceable unit to operate based on the operation information stored in the main-body storing portion. Consequently, the need for providing each customer replaceable unit with the operation information such as an operation program and an operation condition is eliminated, with the result that it is possible to reduce the capacity of a unit storing portion disposed to the customer replaceable unit, and it is possible to contribute to reduction in costs. Moreover, since important operation information is not stored in the customer replaceable unit, it is impossible to elicit the operation information from the customer replaceable unit, and it is possible to prevent manufacture of an imitation product using the operation information.  
         [0019]     Further, in the invention, it is preferable that the apparatus main body further includes information erasing means for erasing the information stored in the main-body storing portion, a main-body communicating portion that communicates with the customer replaceable unit, and a communication end detecting portion that detects an end of communication between the main-body communicating portion and the customer replaceable unit,  
         [0020]     the customer replaceable unit includes a unit communicating portion that communicates with the apparatus main body; and  
         [0021]     in response to a detection result of the end of communication between the main-body communicating portion and the unit communicating portion by the communication end detecting portion, the operation information of the customer replaceable unit stored in the main-body storing portion is erased by the information erasing means.  
         [0022]     According to the invention, in response to the detection result of the end of communication between the main-body communicating portion and the unit communicating portion by the communication end detecting portion, that is, when an operation of the apparatus main body and the customer replaceable unit based on information communication ends, the operation information of the customer replaceable unit stored in the main-body storing portion is erased by the information erasing means. Consequently, the operation information necessary for the operation of the customer replaceable unit does not remain in either the apparatus main body or the customer replaceable unit, but remains only in the server. Therefore, it is possible to prevent information leakage, and exhibit a high security function.  
         [0023]     Furthermore, in the invention, it is preferable that communication between the main-body communicating portion of the apparatus main body and the unit communicating portion of the customer replaceable unit is executed by wireless.  
         [0024]     According to the invention, communication between the main-body communicating portion of the apparatus main body and the unit communicating portion of the customer replaceable unit is executed by wireless. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare wiring installation, and it is possible to simplify the configuration of the apparatus.  
         [0025]     Still further, in the invention, it is preferable that a plurality of apparatus main bodies are connected to the communications network,  
         [0026]     the operation information of the customer replaceable unit stored in the server is transmitted to the plurality of apparatus main bodies from the server via the communications network, and  
         [0027]     operation performance information of the customer replaceable unit operated in accordance with the operation information stored in the main-body storing portion of each of the apparatus main bodies is transmitted to the server via the apparatus main body and the communications network, and accumulated.  
         [0028]     According to the invention, a plurality of apparatus main bodies are connected to the communications network, the operation information of the customer replaceable unit stored in the server is transmitted to the plurality of apparatus main bodies from the server via the communications network, and the customer replaceable units attached to the plurality of apparatuses and apparatus main bodies can operate in accordance with the same operation information. Moreover, operation performance information of the customer replaceable unit operated in accordance with the operation information stored in the main-body storing portion of each of the apparatus main bodies is transmitted to the server via the apparatus main body and the communications network, and accumulated. Therefore, it is possible to accurately grasp the respective use conditions of the customer replaceable units.  
         [0029]     Still further, in the invention, it is preferable that a communication terminal of a dealer of the customer replaceable unit is connected to the communications network and, based on the operation performance information of the customer replaceable unit accumulated in the server, at least order information of the customer replaceable unit can be transmitted to the communication terminal of the dealer via the communications network.  
         [0030]     According to the invention, the communication terminal of the dealer of the customer replaceable unit is connected to the communications network. For example, when the customer replaceable unit reaches the end of a use life thereof, based on the operation performance information of the customer replaceable unit accumulated in the server, order information of the customer replaceable unit is automatically transmitted from the server to the communication terminal of the dealer via the communications network. Consequently, the user of the apparatus does not need to place an order for a replacement article of the customer replaceable unit by himself/herself, with the result that it is possible to omit a troublesome ordering operation.  
         [0031]     Still further, in the invention, it is preferable that at least the order information of the customer replaceable unit is displayed on a display portion of the apparatus main body and/or a display portion of the communication terminal connected to the communications network.  
         [0032]     According to the invention, at least the order information of the customer replaceable unit is displayed on the display portion of the apparatus main body and/or the display portion of the communication terminal connected to the communications network. Therefore, the user of the apparatus can easily know that an order for a replacement article of the customer replaceable unit has been placed.  
         [0033]     Still further, in the invention, it is preferable that the apparatus main body is a main body of an image forming apparatus.  
         [0034]     According to the invention, the apparatus main body is a main body of an image forming apparatus. Therefore, as the customer replaceable unit disposed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus, there are a variety of units such as a process cartridge, a toner cartridge, a transfer unit and a fixing unit, and it is possible to prevent leakage of the operation information useful for manufacture of such units and prevent manufacture of imitation products of the units. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0035]     Other and further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be more explicit from the following detailed description taken with reference to the drawings wherein:  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a system view illustrating the configuration of a network system comprising a customer replaceable unit according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating the outline of communication between a CRU and an apparatus main body;  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart describing the operation of the apparatus main body of an MFP in the network system;  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart describing the operation of a server having received operation performance of the CRU; and  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  is a simplified system view illustrating the configuration of a network system comprising a conventional CRU. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0041]     Now referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are described below.  
         [0042]      FIG. 1  is a system view illustrating the configuration of a network system comprising a customer replaceable unit  27  according to an embodiment of the invention. The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  provides a configuration that a multifunction printer (MFP)  25  in which the customer replaceable unit (CRU)  27  is attached to an apparatus main body  26  and used, is connected to a server  22  and a personal computer (PC)  23  serving as a communication terminal via, for example, in-office LAN, and that the LAN is further connected to a network  21  that is a wide area network such as the Internet.  
         [0043]     A network system  20  comprising a customer replaceable unit (simply referred to as the network system  20  hereafter) comprises the apparatus main body  26  of the MFP  25 , the apparatus main body having a main-body storing portion  31  that is information storing means and a control portion  32  that is operation controlling means; the CRU  27  disposed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body  26 ; the network  21  connected to the apparatus main body  26 ; the server  22  that is connected to the network  21  and stores operation information of the CRU  27 ; and the PC  23  and a communication terminal  24  of a dealer of the CRU  27 , which are connected to the network  21 . An apparatus illustrated here is the multifunction printer (MFP)  25  that serves as a copier, a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine and so on as described before. The apparatus main body  26  of the MFP  25  is provided with not only the main-body storing portion  31  and the control portion  32  but also an operating portion  33 , an image reading portion  34 , a main-body communicating portion  35 , an image forming portion  36  and so on.  
         [0044]     The operating portion  33  includes an input portion  41  and a display portion  42 . The input portion  41  is a portion for inputting an operation command in the case of operating the MFP  25  from the apparatus main body  26 . For example, it is possible to input an operation command by operating various kinds of keys. The display portion  42  is, for example, a display panel realized by a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like, and can display an operation command input from the input portion  41 , an operation command by the control portion  42  and the like so that the operator can recognize.  
         [0045]     The image reading portion  34  is a portion that reads image information of a document used in a case where the MFP  25  operates as a copier, a facsimile machine or the like. In the present embodiment, the image reading portion is provided with a CCD image sensor  43  as image reading means (here, CCD is the abbreviation of “charge coupled device”). Image information read by the image reading portion  34  is stored into a buffer memory  49  used for temporary storage of information, of the main-body storing portion  31 .  
         [0046]     The main-body communicating portion  35  is a portion that executes transfer of signals with the network  21  and a unit communicating portion  51  of the CRU  27  described later. The main-body communicating portion  35  may be configured so as to communicate by wireless, or may be configured so as to communicate through wire. In the present embodiment, the main-body communicating portion is configured so as to communicate by wireless, and configured so as to include a receiving/transmitting portion and an antenna. In a case where the MFP  25  functions as a printer, for example, image information created and transmitted by the PC  23  connected to the network  21  is received by the main-body communicating portion  35  via the network  21 , and stored into the buffer memory  49  of the main-body storing portion  31  by an apparatus control portion  44 .  
         [0047]     The control portion  32  is a processing circuit having a central processing unit (CPU) and, in the present embodiment, includes the apparatus control portion  44 , a processing portion  45  and a timer  46 . The apparatus control portion  44  is a processing circuit that executes total control of image formation operations of the MFP  25 . Moreover, when a main switch of the MFP  25  is turns on, the apparatus control portion obtains the operation information of the CRU  27  stored in the server  22 , via the network  21 . Furthermore, timing to obtain the operation information is not limited to the operation of the main switch of the apparatus main body  26 , and may be set to each reception of an operation command to execute image formation by the apparatus main body  26  in the standby state.  
         [0048]     The processing portion  45  forms the information erasing means for erasing the operation information of the CRU  27  stored in the buffer memory  49  of the main-body storing portion  31  when the end of communication between the main-body communicating portion  35  and the unit communicating portion  51  of the CRU  27  is received. When the apparatus control portion  44  detects a halt of communication between the main-body communicating portion  35  and the unit communicating portion  51  of the CRU  27 , for example, detects a signal indicating that a series of image forming operations end and the main switch of the apparatus main body  26  is off, the processing portion  45  serving as the information erasing means erases the operation information stored in the buffer memory  49  based on an operation command from the apparatus control portion  44 . Accordingly, the apparatus control portion  44  also operates as the communication end detecting portion.  
         [0049]     Detection of a halt of communication between the main-body communicating portion  35  and the unit communicating portion  51  of the CRU  27  is not limited to detection that the main switch of the apparatus main body  26  is off, and may be detection by the apparatus control portion  44  that the MFP  25  is brought into the standby state. In this case, however, the operation information of the CRU  27  is obtained from the server  22  in response to the next command to execute an image forming operation input in the aforementioned standby state.  
         [0050]     The timer  46  is timing means. The timer can start and stop timing in response to an operation designated by the apparatus control portion  44 , and can reset the result of timing.  
         [0051]     The main-body storing portion  31  of the present embodiment includes a hard disk drive (HD)  47  that stores, for example, a total operation program of the MFP  25 , a random access memory (RAM)  48 , and the buffer memory  49  that is a memory for temporarily storing information. When image formation is executed by the image forming portion  36 , obtained image information is stored into the buffer memory  49  one after another, the apparatus control portion  44  reads out the image information stored in the buffer memory  49  one after another, and outputs an operation command to the image forming portion  36 , whereby image formation is executed.  
         [0052]     Although the image forming portion  36  is represented by a printing portion  50 , the image forming portion includes an electrophotographic photoconductor, a charger, an exposing device, a developing device, a transfer device, a cleaning device, a fixing device and so on. The present embodiment illustrates an example that the CRU  27  is a unit attached to the developing device so as to be freely attached and detached and is a toner cartridge for supplying toner that is a developer component to a developing portion of the developing device in a like manner as illustrated in  FIG. 5  mentioned before.  
         [0053]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating the outline of communication between the CRU  27  and the apparatus main body  26 . The CRU  27  comprises the unit communicating portion  51  that communicates with the main-body communicating portion  35  of the apparatus main body  26 . In the present embodiment, the unit communicating portion  51  of the CRU  27  is formed by an IC tag. The IC tag  51  that is the unit communicating portion has a chip portion  51   a  and an antenna portion  51   b . The chip portion  51   a  forms a CRUM capable of storing information. In the invention, information stored in the chip portion  51   a  in advance is limited to an identification code for identifying a toner cartridge that is the CRU  27 , for example, a product number or the like, and operation information such as an operation program and a threshold value relating to an operation condition are not contained. However, operation performance of the CRU  27 , for example, operation performance such as the number of rotations of a toner supply roller, which is information making it possible to calculate the amount of remaining toner held in a toner supply container of the toner cartridge can be stored in the chip portion  51   a . Such operation performance information stored in the chip portion  51   a  is transferred by wireless communication between the CRU and the apparatus main body  26  via the antenna  51   b  of the IC tag  51  and an antenna  35   a  of the main-body communicating portion  35 .  
         [0054]     In the network system  20  of the invention, the operation information of the CRU  27  is not stored in the chip portion  51   a  forming the CRUM, but stored in the server  22  connected to the network  21 . For example, when the main switch is turned on, in accordance with the total operation program, the apparatus control portion  44  of the apparatus main body  26  obtains the operation information of the CRU  27  from the server  22  via the network  21 , and stores into the buffer memory  49  of the main-body storing portion  31 . Based on the operation information of the CRU  27  stored in the buffer memory  49 , the apparatus control portion  44  transmits an operation command by wireless communication between the main-body communicating portion  35  and the unit communicating portion  51  of the CRU  27 , and causes the toner cartridge that is the CRU  27  to execute a toner supply operation. Wireless communication between the main-body communicating portion  35  and the unit communicating portion  51  is not limited to use of the IC tag  51 . Infrared communication may be used, or a μ-Chip (registered trademark) may be used.  
         [0055]     Toner is supplied by the rotation of the toner supply roller provided in the toner supply container. Since an amount of toner supplied during one rotation of the toner supply roller is determined depending on the toner supply roller, it is possible to calculate an amount of remaining toner in the toner cartridge from the initial amount of toner held in the toner cartridge and the number of rotations of the toner supply roller after the toner cartridge is newly attached to the apparatus main body  26 .  
         [0056]     The number of rotations of the toner supply roller is stored as the operation performance of the CRU  27  into the chip portion  51   a  of the IC tag  51 , and then sent from the antenna  51   b  to the main-body communicating portion  35 . The operation performance received by the main-body communicating portion  35  is sent to the server  22  via the network  21  in accordance with an operation command of the apparatus control portion  44 .  
         [0057]     The operation performance sent to the server  22  is accumulated in the server  22 . Moreover, in the server  22 , two threshold values including first and second threshold values are stored as the operation information of the cartridge that is the CRU  27 , by models of toner cartridges. In the server  22 , the amount of remaining toner held in the toner supply container is calculated from the accumulated operation performance, namely, the number of rotations of the toner supply roller, and it is determined whether the operation performance has reached the first and second threshold values or not.  
         [0058]     The first threshold value is set to an amount that there remains enough toner to be supplied to the developing portion of the developing device but it is desirable that a replacement article of the toner cartridge is prepared, and the first threshold value is referred to as a toner near end. Moreover, at the second threshold value, the toner in the toner supply container is exhausted, and it is impossible to supply toner to the developing portion. The second threshold value is referred to as a toner end.  
         [0059]     When calculating the amount of remaining toner held in the toner supply container from the accumulated operation performance and determining that the operation performance reaches the first threshold value (the toner near end), the server  22  sends order information to the communication terminal  24  of the dealer via the network  21 . The order information contains the model of the toner cartridge, order quantity, a desired deadline for delivery and a delivery place. Moreover, the server  22  sends the order information to the apparatus main body  26  and/or the PC  23  via the network  21 , as well as to the communication terminal  24  of the dealer. The apparatus control portion  44  of the apparatus main body  26  having received the order information outputs an operation command to the display portion  42 , thereby causing the display portion to display the order information. The PC  23  having received the order information causes a display portion thereof to display the order information.  
         [0060]     When a series of image forming operations in the MFP  25  end and the apparatus control portion  44  serving as the communication end detecting portion detects the end of communication between the main-body communicating portion  35  and the unit communicating portion  51 , the processing portion  45  serving as the information erasing means erases the operation information of the CRU  27  stored in the buffer memory  49 , in accordance with the detection result. Thus, it is possible to obtain the operation information from the server  22  and store into the buffer memory  49  only when causing the CRU  27  to operate, and erase the operation information from the buffer memory  49  so that the operation information does not remain in either the CRU  27  or the apparatus main body  26  when the CRU ends operation. Therefore, it is impossible to elicit the operation information from the CRU  27 , and it is possible to prevent manufacture of an imitation product using the operation information.  
         [0061]     Although one MFP  25  ( 25   a ) connected to the network  21  is described in the above embodiment, the number of the apparatus main bodies  26  of the MFPs  25  connected to the network  21  is not limited to one, and may be plural. For example, two MFPs  25   a  and  25   b  may be connected to the network  21  in the network system  20  illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0062]     The operation information of the CRU  27  stored in the server  22  is transmitted from the server  22  to the apparatus main bodies  26  of the two MFPs  25   a  and  25   b  via the network  21 . The operation information transmitted to each of the apparatus main bodies  26  is stored into the buffer memory  49 , and the CRU  27  attached to each of the MFPs  25   a  and  25   b  operates based on the operation information. Moreover, the operation performance information of each of the CRUs  27  is transmitted to the server  22  via the apparatus main body  26  and the network  21 , and accumulated. Thus, the CRUs  27  attached to the apparatus main bodies  26  of a plurality of (in the present embodiment, two) MFPs can operate in accordance with one operation information. Moreover, since the operation performance information of each of the CRUs  27  operated in accordance with the operation information stored in the buffer memory  49  of each of the apparatus main bodies  26  is transmitted to the server  22  via the apparatus main body  26  and the network  21 , and accumulated, it is possible to accurately grasp the respective use conditions of the CRUs  27 .  
         [0063]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart describing the operation of the apparatus main body  26  of the MFP  25  in the network system  20 . With reference to  FIG. 3 , the operation of the apparatus main body  26  of the MFP  25  will be described.  
         [0064]     At the start at step a 0 , the main switch of the apparatus main body  26  has been turned on, and initialization of the MFP  25  has been executed. At step a 1 , the operation information of the CRU  27  is obtained from the server  22  via the network  21  by an operation command of the apparatus control portion  44  of the apparatus main body  26 .  
         [0065]     At step a 2 , image information is received. The image information may be, for example, image information read from a document by the image reading portion  34 , or image information created by the PC  23  serving as a communication terminal and sent from the PC  23  to the MFP  25  via the network  21  by a printing command of the PC  23 . At step a 3 , a recording image is formed on a recording medium, for example, recording paper in the image forming portion  36 . At step a 4 , the recording paper with the formed recording image is ejected to a paper ejecting tray or the like. At step a 5 , the apparatus main body  26  obtains (receives) the operation performance of the CRU  27  from the IC tag  51  that is the unit communicating portion of the CRU  27 . At step a 6 , the apparatus main body sends the obtained operation performance of the CRU  27  to the server  22  via the network  21 .  
         [0066]     At step a 7 , it is determined whether the end of communication between the apparatus main body  26  and the CRU  27  is detected or not. In this operation flow, it is regarded as the end of the communication that a series of image forming operations end and the main switch of the apparatus main body  26  is turned off. When the end of the communication is not detected, for example, when the next image forming command is received, the operation returns to step a 2  to execute the following steps. On the other hand, when the end of the communication is detected, the operation goes to step a 8 . At step a 8 , the processing portion  45  erases the operation information of the CRU  27  stored in the buffer memory  49  of the main-body storing portion  31 , whereby the image forming operations end. The erasing operation of the processing portion  45  after it is detected that the main switch of the apparatus main body  26  is off, can be executed with electric power of, for example, a secondary battery provided in the apparatus main body  26 .  
         [0067]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart describing the operation of the server  22  having received the operation performance of the CRU  27 . With reference to  FIG. 4 , the operation of the server  22  having received the operation performance of the CRU  27  will be described below.  
         [0068]     At the start at step b 0 , the operation performance of the CRU  27  has been sent to the server  22  from the MFP  25  via the network  21  at step a 6  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . At step b 1 , the server  22  receives the operation performance of the CRU  27 . Here, the CRU  27  is a toner cartridge, and the operation performance is, for example, the number of rotations of a toner supply roller from which the amount of remaining toner in a toner supply container can be obtained. At step b 2 , the operation performance of the CRU  27  is accumulated.  
         [0069]     At step b 3 , it is determined whether the operation performance has reached the second threshold value or not. Here, reaching the second threshold value of the operation performance means that the toner held in the toner supply container of the toner cartridge is exhausted, that is, the toner cartridge has reached the toner end. The operation goes to step b 4  when the toner cartridge has not reached the toner end yet, whereas the operation goes to step b 8  when the toner cartridge has reached the toner end.  
         [0070]     At first, a flow from step b 4  where the toner cartridge has not reached the toner end yet will be described. At step b 4 , it is determined whether the operation performance has reached the first threshold value or not. Here, reaching the first threshold value of the operation performance means that the toner held in the toner supply container of the toner cartridge is running short, that is, the toner cartridge has reached the toner near end.  
         [0071]     When the toner cartridge has not reached the toner near end, it is possible to continue to supply a sufficient amount of toner, that is, continue to execute image information without hindrance. Therefore, any operation command signal is not sent from the server  22  to the MFP  25 , and the operation goes from step a 6  to step a 7  in the flowchart of the image forming operations of the MFP  25  illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0072]     On the other hand, when the toner cartridge has reached the toner near end, the operation goes to step b 5 . At step b 5 , based on the toner near end state, it is determined whether or not the order information of the toner cartridge that is the CRU  27  has been sent to the communication terminal  24  of the dealer and the MFP  25 . The operation goes to step b 7  when the order information has been sent, whereas the operation goes to step b 6  when the order information has not been sent. At step b 6 , the order information is sent to the communication terminal  24  of the dealer and the MFP  25  via the network  21 .  
         [0073]     Since the order information is sent to the MFP  25  as well, the apparatus main body  26  having received the order information causes the display portion  42  to display the order information at step b 7 . Since the operator of the MFP  25  can know by the display of the order information on the display portion  42  that a replacement article of the CRU  27  has been ordered, duplicate order is prevented, and it is possible to continue the operation of image formation. Moreover, the dealer having received the order information by the communication terminal  24  will deliver a replacement article of the CRU  27  by a designated delivery deadline, to a designated place. The order information of the CRU  27  may also be sent to the PC  23  giving an image forming operation command to the MFP  25 , via the network  21 , and displayed on a display screen of the PC  23 .  
         [0074]     When the operation performance has reached the second threshold value at step b 3  described before and the operation goes to step b 8 , information that the operation performance has reached the second threshold value, that is, the toner cartridge has reached the toner end, is sent to the MFP  25  at step b 8 . When the toner cartridge that is the CRU  27  has reached the toner end, there is no toner to be supplied to the developing portion of the developing device, with the result that a developed image may be lack of density. Therefore, when the information of the toner end is sent from the server  22  to the MFP  25 , the MFP  25  temporarily stops advancement from step a 6  to step a 7  in the flowchart illustrated in  FIG. 3  described before, and executes operations from step b 9  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . At step b 9 , the apparatus main body  26  having received the toner end information causes the display portion  42  to display the information of the toner end, that is, the end of life of the CRU  27 , and the operation goes to step b 10 , where the image forming operations of the apparatus main body  26  is stopped.  
         [0075]     After the operator recognizes the display of the toner end, and replaces the toner cartridge that is the CRU  27  with a replacement article, the apparatus main body can execute the operations from step a 7  in the image forming operation illustrated in the flowchart of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0076]     As described above, in the present embodiment, the apparatus is an image forming apparatus. However, the apparatus is not limited to the above one, and may be another one as far as the apparatus is equipped with a customer replaceable unit (CRU). Moreover, the apparatus is an image forming apparatus, and the CRU is a toner cartridge. However, the CRU is not limited to the above one, and may be a process cartridge, a transfer unit, a fixing unit or the like.  
         [0077]     The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and the range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.