Patent ID: 8112006

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a replaceable part attachable or removable from a main body; a primary storage unit attached to said replaceable part for storing specific information concerning said replaceable part; a reading unit for reading the specific information from said primary storage unit in a condition where said replaceable part is attached; a control unit that includes a secondary storage unit having a suitable count area and an unsuitable count area and having a judgment unit for making a judgment as to whether said replaceable part is suitable based on the specific information read from said reading unit, said control unit controlling said secondary storage unit to store information concerning use of said replaceable part as a value A in the unsuitable count area of the secondary storage unit after counting said information concerning use of said replaceable part if said judgment unit judges that said replaceable part is unsuitable, said control unit additionally controlling said secondary storage unit to store information concerning use of another replaceable part upon accumulatively adding said information concerning use of said another replaceable part to the value A stored in said unsuitable count area of said secondary storage unit when said another replaceable part is newly attached to said main body if said judgment unit judges that said another replaceable part is unsuitable, said control unit also controlling said secondary storage unit to store information concerning use of said replaceable part as a value B in the suitable count area of said secondary storage after counting said information concerning use of said replaceable part if said judgment unit judges that said replaceable part is suitable, said control unit additionally controlling said secondary storage unit to store information concerning use of said another replaceable part upon accumulatively adding said information concerning use of said another replaceable part to the value B stored in the suitable count area of said secondary storage unit when said another replaceable part is newly attached to said main body if said judgment unit judges that said another replaceable part is suitable; and a notification unit for providing notification based on information concerning use of said replaceable part read from said secondary storage unit.