Patent ID: 7430379

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a cartridge mount part configured to receive a toner cartridge comprising a toner memory storing information for determining whether the toner cartridge is a refilled toner cartridge; a display part for displaying a message on a screen according to the information stored in the toner memory; a control part for reading the information from the toner memory to determine a toner cartridge condition, the control part outputting the message corresponding to the toner cartridge condition; a storage part for storing a serial number; and a print driving part for printing; wherein the information stored in the toner memory comprises at least one of a product information comprising a manufacturing date of the toner cartridge, a toner remaining amount information corresponding to a remaining amount of toner contained in the toner cartridge, and the serial number; and wherein the control part checks if the toner memory stores the product information when the toner cartridge is mounted to the cartridge mount part, and when the toner memory stores the product information, the control part determines that the toner cartridge is a new product, deletes the stored product information, and records the serial number in the toner memory.