Patent ID: 8373881

Claim:
An image formation apparatus comprising: a consumables management control unit; a detector unit that detects a status of consumables to be consumed by the image formation apparatus; a transmission unit that transmits the status of consumables detected by the detector unit to a management apparatus as first consumables information; a reception unit that receives second consumables information returned by the management apparatus, wherein the management apparatus generates the second consumables information using the first consumables information transmitted by the transmission unit, wherein the consumables management control unit determines whether or not communication between the image formation apparatus and the management apparatus is possible, wherein, in response to the consumables management control unit determining that communication between the image formation apparatus and the management apparatus is possible, the consumables management control unit controls prediction of a run-out timing of the consumables using the second consumables information received by the reception unit; wherein, in response to the consumables management control unit determining that communication between the image formation apparatus and the management apparatus is not possible, the consumables management control unit controls prediction of the run-out timing of the consumables using the status of consumables detected by the detector unit, and without using any communication from the management apparatus; and a notification unit that notifies the prediction of the run-out timing of the consumables.