Patent ID: 7839519

Claim:
An imaging device operable in a normal print mode and in an economical print mode, comprising: an image storage that stores image data; a consumption quantity calculating system that obtains a calculated quantity of a consumable substance which is consumed when the image data is printed in the normal print mode and obtains a calculated print cost based on the calculated quantity, the calculated quantity being obtained based on a number of dots to be printed; an upper limit setting system that sets an upper limit of a print cost; a consumption quantity modifying system that compares the upper limit with the calculated print cost and determines a usable quantity of the consumable substance when the image data is printed by modifying the calculated quantity so that the usable quantity is within a quantity corresponding to the upper limit of the print cost set by the upper limit setting system; a usable quantity modifying system that compares a change from the calculated quantity to the usable quantity with a predetermined changeable value, and, when the change from the calculated quantity to the usable quantity is greater than the predetermined changeable value, changes the usable quantity to a minimum value, and, when the change from the calculated quantity to the usable quantity is not greater than the predetermined changeable value, does not change the usable quantity, the minimum value being a smallest value to achieve sufficient quality as determined by a user; and a printing system that prints the image data stored in the image storage using the consumable substance such that the quantity of the consumable substance to be used is within the usable quantity.