Patent ID: 7426048

Claim:
An image forming apparatus for printing, in which programs of one or more types for controlling image processes that are provided by the image forming apparatus are installed, comprising: means for managing the use amount of each program for controlling the image processes by use of a predetermined number of counters, wherein the counters are reused by plural programs for controlling the image processes; means for recognizing the counter, from among those counters, which corresponds to a given one of the programs for controlling the image processes and can manage the use amount of that program for controlling the image processes; means for correlating that program for controlling the image processes with the counter recognized by the recognizing means, to manage that counter; means which can set an upper limit on the use amount of each program for controlling the image processes for the use amount managing means; and means for controlling processing by the image forming apparatus based on the upper limit on the use amount set by the setting means for each of the types of the programs for controlling the image processes, wherein, in response to deletion of a program stored in the image forming apparatus, the counter corresponding to the program which is deleted recognized by the recognizing means is released so that that counter can be reused by a newly installed program in the image forming apparatus and printing means for printing print data to recording sheets.