Patent ID: 7731323

Claim:
An image forming apparatus using a mountable component to realize a desired function, comprising: a mounting portion for mounting the component preliminarily provided with first information as identification information of the component and second information as identification information of at least one image forming apparatus that can use the component; storage means for storing third information as identification information of the image forming apparatus and fourth information as identification information of at least one component that can be used on the image forming apparatus; recognizing means for recognizing the first and second information provided to the component mounted on the image forming apparatus; and decision means for i) deciding that, when the fourth information includes the first information or when the second information includes the third information, the component mounted on the image forming apparatus can be used, ii) deciding that, when the fourth information does not include the first information and the second information does not include the third information, the component mounted on the image forming apparatus cannot be used, and iii) deciding that, when the fourth information does not include the first information and the second information includes the third information, the component mounted on the image forming apparatus is a new component; a notifying portion for notifying of information indicating that a consumable provided in the component cannot be used, when the decision means has decided that the component mounted on the image forming apparatus cannot be used, and notifying of information prompting to update software to use the component mounted on the image forming apparatus, when the decision means has decided that the component mounted on the image forming apparatus is a new component; and writing means for writing the first information into the storage means to add the first information to the fourth information, when the decision means has decided that the component mounted on the image forming apparatus is a new component.