Patent ID: 8682184

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a developing unit for performing development through use of toner; an intermediate hopper including a toner detector for detecting whether or not a prescribed amount of toner is present, for replenishing the developing unit with the toner; a container that can be replaced, contains toner for replenishment, replenishes the toner to the intermediate hopper, and includes a replenishment amount storage unit for storing an accumulated toner replenishment amount after the container is mounted to the image forming apparatus; a replenishment unit for replenishing toner from the container to the intermediate hopper; a determination unit for causing the replenishment unit to replenish the toner from the container to the intermediate hopper when detecting that a toner amount in the intermediate hopper is below the prescribed amount through use of the toner detector, and determining whether or not the container is empty and whether or not the container has been replaced; a storage unit for storing an integrated value of toner replenishment amounts during a period of time from a time when the determination unit determines that the container is empty to a time when the determination unit determines that the container has been replaced; and a reader/writer that is configured to: transmit, to the replenishment amount storage unit, data indicating the toner replenishment amount from the intermediate hopper to the developing unit and cause the replenishment amount storage unit to update the accumulated toner replenishment amount; stop transmitting the data indicating the toner replenishment amount to the replenishment amount storage unit during the period of time from the time when the determination unit determines that the container is empty to the time when the determination unit determines that the container has been replaced; transmit the integrated value to the replenishment amount storage unit of the container after being replaced when the determination unit determines that the container has been replaced; and cause the replenishment amount storage unit to store the integrated value as the accumulated toner replenishment amount.