Patent ID: 6995858

Claim:
A printing apparatus using a cartridge that contains a recording material and is provided with a non-volatile memory unit, said printing apparatus comprising: an interface, adapted for inputting print data sent from a host computer; a printer controller, adapted for rendering the print data input via said interface; an engine controller, adapted for controlling a printer engine that records on a recording medium based on the print data rendered by said printer controller, performing bi-directional communication with said printer controller and the non-volatile memory unit, and controlling the non-volatile memory unit to store time information regarding a time on which the cartridge was used; and a warning unit, controlled by said printer controller, adapted for providing a first warning in response to a remaining amount of the recording material becoming low, wherein said printer controller reads the time information stored in the non-volatile memory unit via said engine controller and controls said warning unit to provide a second warning based on the read time information.