Patent ID: 8068236

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an entry section for entering image forming data and receiving a print job; a using amount storage for storing a used amount of a consumption used during each of a plurality of predetermined periods for image formation; a setting unit for setting a usable consumption amount during each predetermined period; a usable amount determiner for determining the usable consumption amount of each predetermined period, wherein the usable amount determiner determines, after a predetermined period, the usable consumption amount during a subsequent period according to the used amount stored in the using amount storage, wherein the usable amount determiner subtracts the used amount stored in the using amount storage from the usable amount set by the setting unit for the predetermined period to get a carry over amount, and adds the carry over amount to a usable consumption amount for the subsequent period, wherein the useable amount determiner prevents the carry over amount to be carried over to a period subsequent to the subsequent period, and wherein the usable amount determiner determines whether a power supply of the image forming device remains turned off for a second predetermined period, and sets the usable consumption amount to an initial value in response to determining that the power supply of the image forming device remains turned off for the second predetermined period, wherein the second predetermined period is at least the available time remaining from the predetermined period of the usable amount determiner, and a comparison unit which compares the used amount with the usable consumption amount at the time the print job is received, wherein if the used amount is less that the usable consumption amount, compares the used amount with the notification amount and informs a user identified corresponding to the user identification information a remaining usable consumption amount if the used amount is less than the usable consumption amount and greater than the notification amount, and if the used amount is not less than the useable consumption amount, the notifier informs that a subsequent print job directed to the image forming device is not permitted.