Patent ID: 8467096

Claim:
A printer comprising: a printing unit configured to print, on a sheet, an image based on image data with coloring agent; a detector configured to output a detection signal corresponding to one of a remaining amount of coloring agent and a consumed amount of coloring agent; a determining unit configured to determine, based on the detection signal from the detector, whether a usable amount of coloring agent is equal to or less than a first reference value and whether the usable amount of coloring agent is equal to or less than a second reference value lower than the first reference value; and a controller configured to perform a switching process, wherein in the switching process, when the determining unit determines that the usable amount of coloring agent is more than the first reference value, the controller controls the printing unit to perform a normal printing operation to print an original image based on the image data, wherein in the switching process, when the determining unit determines that the usable amount of coloring agent is more than the second reference value and equal to or less than the first reference value, the controller controls the printing unit to perform a show-through cancellation printing operation to print an image that is formed by removing an image recognized as a show-through image from the original image, and wherein in the switching process, when the determining unit determines that the usable amount of coloring agent is equal to or less than the second reference value, the controller controls the printing unit to perform a low-density printing operation.