Image forming device

Abstract

To make an information terminal display the kinds of usable consumable supply without going through a server, in accordance with presence or absence of a contract.SOLUTION: An image forming device comprises a processor 210 that can switch between a contract mode in which contracted consumable supply can be used and a normal mode in which the contracted consumable supply cannot be used but normal consumable supply can be used. The processor 210 executes processing in which when the processor 210 is in the normal mode, a mobile terminal 300 displays consumable supply information representing model-number information on the normal consumable supply and when the processor 210 is in the contract mode, the mobile terminal 300 displays consumable supply information representing that the contacted consumable supply can be used, in response to a request for the consumable supply information from the mobile terminal 300 that can make communication with a complex machine 200.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with an information terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, in a multifunction device equipped with a function for displaying the model number of an ink cartridge, when a specified contract is concluded, a technology has been known in which the model number of the contract cartridge corresponding to the contract is displayed on the display unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-57198 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1, the cartridge model number display is switched in response to communication between the information terminal and the server, and communication between the multifunction device and the server. However, from the viewpoint of security and cost reduction, there are cases where a system configuration that does not involve a server is desired.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an image forming apparatus that can display the types of consumables that can be used on an information terminal without going through a server, depending on whether or not there is a contract. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides an image forming device that includes a control unit that can switch between a contract mode in which contract consumables can be used and a normal mode in which contract consumables cannot be used and normal consumables can be used, and the control unit, in response to a request from an information terminal that can communicate with the image forming device, executes a process of displaying first information representing identification information of the normal consumables on the information terminal when the control unit is in the normal mode, and displaying second information representing that the contract consumables can be used on the information terminal when the control unit is in the contract mode.

[0007] In the image forming apparatus of the present disclosure, in response to a request from an information terminal, when the control unit is in the normal mode, the image forming apparatus causes the information terminal to display first information indicating identification information of the normal consumable, and when the control unit is in the contract mode, the image forming apparatus causes the information terminal to display second information indicating that the contract consumable is available.

[0008] As a result, according to the present disclosure, the types of consumables that can be used can be displayed on an information terminal depending on whether or not there is a contract, without going through a server. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present disclosure, the types of consumables that can be used can be displayed on an information terminal without going through a server, depending on whether or not there is a contract. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an overall schematic configuration of a print service providing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a consumables database. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of how consumable product information is displayed on a mobile terminal in a contract mode. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of how consumable information is displayed on a mobile terminal in a normal mode. [Figure 5]10 is a sequence flow showing processing executed by a mobile terminal and a multifunction peripheral in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of status information and messages displayed on a mobile terminal in a contract mode in which model number information is not displayed. [Figure 7] 10 is a sequence flow showing a process executed by a mobile terminal and a multifunction peripheral in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a sequence flow showing a process executed by a mobile terminal and a multifunction peripheral in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a multifunction peripheral will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus, but the image forming apparatus is not limited to a multifunction peripheral. The printing service provided by the print service providing system of this embodiment is a service in which a customer user pays a fee to a business to receive dedicated consumables for the multifunction peripheral 200. More specifically, the user enters into a contract with the business for each multifunction peripheral 200 and receives the service. By entering into a contract with the business, the user's copier 200 can use contracted consumables dedicated to the contract. Note that only the contracted multifunction peripheral 200 can use the contracted consumables. The contracted consumables are delivered to the user by the business. For example, the business's server detects the remaining life of consumables currently used in the contracted multifunction peripheral 200 and automatically delivers the contracted consumables to the user.

[0012] <Overall configuration of the printing service provision system> Fig. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a print service providing system 1 including a multifunction peripheral 200 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the print service providing system 1 includes a server 100, a multifunction peripheral 200, a mobile terminal 300, and a delivery management server 400. The server 100, the multifunction peripheral 200, the mobile terminal 300, and the delivery management server 400 can communicate with each other via a network NT. The multifunction peripheral 200 is an example of an image forming device.

[0013] <Information management server> The information management server 100 is a server installed and managed by, for example, the manufacturer of the multifunction peripheral 200, and has a processor, a storage device, and an interface (not shown), and manages information on the entire print service providing system 1.

[0014] <Multifunction device> The multifunction device 200 is owned by, for example, a user. The multifunction device 200 has a processor 210, a storage device 215, a display unit 240, an operation unit 250, a communication interface 270, a scanner unit 280, a communication unit 285, and a printing unit 290. The processor 210, the storage device 215, the display unit 240, the operation unit 250, the communication interface 270, the scanner unit 280, the communication unit 285, and the printing unit 290 are connected to one another via a bus 205.

[0015] The storage device 215 includes a volatile storage device 220 and a nonvolatile storage device 230. The volatile storage device 220 is, for example, a DRAM. The nonvolatile storage device 230 is, for example, a flash memory. The nonvolatile storage device 230 includes mode information 231, a consumables database 232, and a program storage area 233. Various programs are stored in the program storage area 233, and these various programs include processing programs related to the execution of sequence flows such as those shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, which will be described later. These processing programs are stored in advance in the program storage area as firmware, for example. The mode information 231 and the consumables database 232 will be described later.

[0016] The processor 210 is a device that performs data processing, such as a CPU. The processor 210 is an example of a control unit. The processor 210 executes the processing program stored in the program storage area 233, and cooperates with the mobile terminal 300 to display consumable product information by the print service providing system 1 of this embodiment.

[0017] The display unit 240 is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The operation unit 250 is a device that accepts operations by the user. The user can input various instructions to the multifunction device 200 by operating the operation unit 250. The communication interface 270 is a wired or wireless network interface for communicating with other devices, and is connected to the network NT.

[0018] The scanner unit 280 optically reads an original document, which is an object to be read, using a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD or CMOS, and generates scan data representing the read image.

[0019] The printing unit 290 prints an image on the transported paper using a predetermined method while removing and transporting paper from a paper feed tray using a transport mechanism (not shown). The following describes an example in which printing is performed using a laser method. That is, the printing unit 290 forms an image on the paper using a toner cartridge and a drum cartridge (hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to as "cartridges 50"), which are consumables that can be attached to and detached from cartridge holder 51.

[0020] The communication unit 285 is, for example, a terminal, and is electrically connected to a cartridge memory 52 (IC chip) of the cartridge 50 attached to the cartridge holder 51. The cartridge memory 52 stores in advance data such as model number information 53 and message information 54, which will be described later.

[0021] <Mobile device> The mobile terminal 300 is a mobile terminal such as a smartphone owned by a user, and is connected to the network NT via wireless communication. The mobile terminal 300 has a CPU, memory, a touch panel that serves as both a display unit and an operation unit, and an interface for connecting to the network NT (not shown). Various programs are stored in a program storage area provided in the storage device, and these various programs include a program that issues a print job command to the multifunction peripheral 200 and a display processing program of this embodiment related to the execution of sequence flows such as those shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, which will be described later. Note that instead of the mobile terminal 300, a personal computer, tablet computer, or the like may be used, and the mobile terminal 300, personal computer, tablet computer, etc. are examples of information terminals.

[0022] <Delivery management server> The delivery management server 400 is installed, for example, at a business that provides the consumables delivery service, and has a processor, a storage device, and an interface for connecting to the network NT (not shown).

[0023] <Displaying consumable information> The cartridges 50 used based on such a contract (the above-mentioned contract consumables) are handled significantly differently from, for example, regular cartridges 50 that are purchased and used by the owner of the multifunction device 200 himself. For example, contract consumables delivered based on a contract are not generally sold commercially in stores, etc., and may have specifications that differ, for example, in terms of capacity or functionality, from regular consumables that are commercially available and generally available in stores, etc. In other words, a user who has a delivery contract can use both contract consumables that can be obtained through the delivery service and regular consumables that can be purchased in stores, etc., but a user who does not have a delivery contract cannot obtain contract consumables and must only purchase regular consumables.

[0024] As described above, the model numbers of consumables that can be used for the multifunction device 200 differ depending on whether or not the user of the multifunction device 200 has a contract. However, it is necessary to easily display information about such consumables on the mobile terminal 300 so that even end users who do not know whether or not they have a contract can replace the consumables.

[0025] Therefore, in this embodiment, mode information 231 and a consumables database 232 are pre-registered in the non-volatile storage device 230 provided in the multifunction device 200. The mode information 231 is information indicating whether the multifunction device 200 is in a contract mode when the user of the multifunction device 200 has concluded a contract, or in a normal mode when the user has not concluded a contract. The consumables database 232 is information that registers, as shown in Fig. 2, the model numbers of all cartridges 50 (toner cartridges and drum cartridges in the illustrated example) that can be attached to the model of the multifunction device 200, distinguishing between normal consumables that can be used in the normal mode and contracted consumables that can be used in the contracted mode.

[0026] In this embodiment, when the mobile terminal 300 is operated to display the model numbers of cartridges 50 that can be used with the multifunction device 200 at that time, the mobile terminal 300 requests consumables information from the corresponding multifunction device 200. The multifunction device 200 that receives the request then references the mode information 231 and consumables database 232 stored therein, and returns to the mobile terminal 300 only the consumables information that corresponds to the content of the mode information that the multifunction device 200 has at that time, causing the mobile terminal 300 to display it. As a result, on the touch panel of the mobile terminal 300, the display of model number information of the usable cartridges 50 (toner and drum) is switched depending on the model number of the multifunction device ("HL-xxxx" in the illustrated example) and whether or not there is a delivery contract, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0027] Note that a request for consumable information sent from the mobile terminal 300 is an example of a request, the above model number is an example of identification information, the model number of a regular consumable is an example of first information, and the model number of a contracted consumable is an example of second information.

[0028] <Processing flow> To address the above, in this embodiment, a control procedure representing the processing executed by the CPU of the mobile terminal 300 and the processor 210 of the multifunction device 200 will be explained using the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 5. This sequence starts when the user operates the mobile terminal 300 via the touch panel to display consumable information.

[0029] First, the mobile terminal 300 transmits a command requesting the consumable product information to be displayed to the multifunction peripheral 200 via a wireless communication line of Wi-fi (registered trademark), which is the network NT in this example (S5).

[0030] Upon receiving this consumables information request command, the multifunction device 200 acquires mode information 231 pre-stored in the nonvolatile storage device 230 depending on whether or not a contract has been concluded (S10), and determines the current mode from the contents of the mode information 231 (S15). If the mode is the normal mode for which no contract has been concluded, the multifunction device 200 references the consumables database 232 stored in the nonvolatile storage device 230 and acquires the model number information of the toner and drum corresponding to the normal consumables among the normal consumables as normal consumables information (S20). On the other hand, if the mode is the contract mode for which a contract has been concluded, the multifunction device 200 references the consumables database 232 and acquires the model number information of the toner and drum corresponding to the contracted consumables among the normal consumables as contracted consumables information (S25).

[0031] The multifunction device 200 then returns the acquired consumable product information to the mobile terminal 300 via the network NT (S30), and the mobile terminal 300, upon receiving this, displays the consumable product information on the touch panel (see FIGS. 3 and 4 above) (S35). Then, this sequence ends.

[0032] In the above, the processing of S10 to S30 executed by the multifunction device 200 is an example of processing in which, in response to a request from the information terminal, first information is displayed on the information terminal when in normal mode, and second information is displayed on the information terminal when in contract mode.

[0033] <Effects of the first embodiment> As described above, in the multifunction peripheral 200 of this embodiment, in response to a consumables information request command from the mobile terminal 300, the processor 210 causes the mobile terminal 300 to display model number information of regular consumables as consumables information when in normal mode. On the other hand, in contract mode, the processor 210 causes the mobile terminal 300 to display consumables information indicating that contracted consumables are available. As a result, according to this embodiment, it is possible to display the types of consumables that can be used on the mobile terminal 300 depending on whether or not a contract exists, without going through a server.

[0034] Furthermore, particularly in this embodiment, when processor 210 is in normal mode, model number information of the normal consumable is transmitted to mobile terminal 300, and the model number information of the normal consumable is displayed as identification information on mobile terminal 300. When processor 210 is in contract mode, model number information of the contract consumable is transmitted to mobile terminal 300 as identification information, and the various pieces of information are displayed on mobile terminal 300. According to this embodiment, the content of the information transmitted from processor 210 is switched depending on whether it is in normal mode or contract mode, and therefore, it is sufficient for mobile terminal 300 to simply display information corresponding to the content of the received information.

[0035] Note that contract consumables are not generally distributed commercially in stores, and therefore may not have model numbers assigned (or may not have model numbers at all). In such cases, as shown in Figure 6, a message urging the user to wait for the contract consumables to be shipped, or status information informing the user that regular consumables cannot be used in contract mode and therefore information about those consumables will not be displayed, can be displayed. This message can guide the user to use contract consumables that will soon arrive instead of regular consumables. In addition, the message can guide the user to use contract consumables instead of regular consumables.

[0036] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the first embodiment, the multifunction device 200 extracted only the consumable information corresponding to the current content of the mode information 231 from the consumable database 232 and returned it to the mobile terminal 300. In contrast, in this embodiment, the multifunction device 200 transmits the current mode information 231 and all information in the consumable database 232 to the mobile terminal 300, and the mobile terminal 300 itself extracts and displays the consumable information corresponding to the current content of the mode information 231.

[0037] To address the above, in this embodiment, a control procedure representing the processing executed by the CPU of the mobile terminal 300 and the processor 210 of the multifunction device 200 will be described using the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 7. This sequence also starts when the user operates the mobile terminal 300 via the touch panel to display consumable information.

[0038] First, the mobile terminal 300 transmits a command to the multifunction peripheral 200 via the network NT requesting the mode information 231 and the consumables database 232 at that time (S105).

[0039] Upon receiving this request command, the multifunction device 200 acquires the mode information 231 from the nonvolatile storage device 230 (S110), acquires the consumables database 232 (S115), and returns this acquired information directly to the mobile terminal 300 via the network NT (S120).

[0040] Then, the mobile terminal 300 that receives this extracts only the model number information corresponding to the content of the mode information 231 at that time from the consumables database 232 as consumables information (S130), and displays the extracted consumables information on the touch panel (see Figures 3 and 4 above). Then, this sequence ends.

[0041] In the above, the processing of S110 to S120 executed by the multifunction device 200 is an example of processing in which, in response to a request from the information terminal, first information is displayed on the information terminal when in normal mode, and second information is displayed on the information terminal when in contract mode.

[0042] <Effects of the second embodiment> As described above, in the multifunction peripheral 200 of this embodiment, mode information 231 corresponding to normal mode or contract mode is transmitted to the mobile terminal 300. When the mode information is normal mode, the mobile terminal 300 extracts the model number information of normal consumables from the received model number information of all consumables, and can display the model number information of normal consumables as consumable information. The model number information of contract consumables may not be displayed, or may be displayed with a message indicating that they cannot be used (not shown).

[0043] Furthermore, when the mode information is the contract mode, the mobile terminal 300 can extract the model number information of the contract consumables from the received model number information of all the consumables and display the model number information of the contract consumables as the consumable information. The identification information of the normal consumables may not be displayed, or may be displayed with a message indicating that the consumables cannot be used (not shown).

[0044] According to this embodiment, the model number information of the consumables displayed on the mobile terminal 300 is switched depending on whether the mode is normal or contract mode, so the processor 210 of the multifunction device 200 only needs to switch and transmit the content of the mode information.

[0045] In this embodiment, if the model number of the contracted consumable has not been assigned (the model number itself does not exist), a message urging the user to wait for the contracted consumable or status information informing the user that model number information of the regular consumable will not be displayed may be displayed, as shown in FIG. 6. These messages and status information are stored in advance in the non-volatile storage device 230 of the multifunction peripheral 200 and transmitted to the mobile terminal 300 as needed. This makes it possible to notify the user that the contracted consumable should be used or to guide the user to use the contracted consumable instead of the regular consumable. The above messages and status information in this embodiment are examples of second message information.

[0046] <Third embodiment> A third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the first embodiment, when the current mode information 231 is the contract mode, the multifunction peripheral 200 extracts model number information of contracted consumables from the consumables database 232 and returns this as consumable information to the mobile terminal 300. In contrast, in the present embodiment, text information for dealing with a case where the model number of the contracted consumables has not been assigned (the model number itself does not exist) is pre-stored in the cartridge memory 52 of the cartridge 50. Specifically, a message urging the user to wait for the contracted consumables as shown in FIG. 6 and status information notifying the user that the model number information of regular consumables will not be displayed are pre-stored in the cartridge memory 52 as message information 54. When the current mode information 231 is the contract mode, the multifunction peripheral 200 reads out the message information 54 from the cartridge memory 52 and returns it to the mobile terminal 300 for display.

[0047] To address the above, in this embodiment, a control procedure representing the processing executed by the CPU of the mobile terminal 300 and the processor 210 of the multifunction device 200 will be described using the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 8. This sequence also starts when the user operates the mobile terminal 300 via the touch panel to display consumable information.

[0048] First, the mobile terminal 300 transmits a command to the multifunction device 200 via the network NT requesting the consumable product information to be displayed (S205).

[0049] Upon receiving this consumables information request command, the multifunction device 200 acquires mode information 231 stored in advance in the nonvolatile storage device 230 depending on whether or not a contract has been concluded (S210), and determines the current mode from the contents of the mode information 231 (S215). If the mode is the normal mode for which a contract has not been concluded, the multifunction device 200 references the consumables database 232 stored in the nonvolatile storage device 230 and acquires the model number information of the toner and drum corresponding to the normal consumables as normal consumables information (S220). On the other hand, if the mode is the contract mode for which a contract has been concluded, the multifunction device 200 acquires the message information 54 from the cartridge memory 52 of the cartridge 50 via the communication unit 285 as consumables information (S225).

[0050] The multifunction device 200 then returns the acquired consumable product information to the mobile terminal 300 via the network NT (S230), and the mobile terminal 300, upon receiving this, displays the consumable product information on the touch panel (see FIGS. 3 and 6 above) (S235). Then, this sequence ends.

[0051] In the above, the processes of S210 to S230 executed by the multifunction device 200 are an example of a process of displaying the first information on the information terminal in the normal mode in response to a request from the information terminal, and displaying the second information on the information terminal in the contract mode. Also, the cartridge memory 52 is an example of a storage medium, and the message information 54 is an example of message information in the first medium.

[0052] <Effects of the third embodiment> As described above, in the multifunction peripheral 200 of this embodiment, in the normal mode, the model number information of the normal consumables is transmitted to the mobile terminal 300, and the model number information of the normal consumables is displayed as consumable information on the mobile terminal 300. In the contract mode, the message information 54 in the cartridge memory 52 is acquired, and the acquired message information 54 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 300 and displayed as consumable information.

[0053] According to this embodiment, the processor 210 switches the content to be transmitted depending on whether the mode is normal or contract mode, so that it is sufficient for the mobile terminal 300 to simply display information corresponding to the content of the received information. Also, because the content displayed on the mobile terminal 300 in contract mode is stored in the cartridge memory 52, there is an advantage that even if the display content of the mobile terminal 300 needs to be adjusted or changed later, it is sufficient to simply change the stored content in the cartridge memory 52, and no processing is required on the multifunction device 200 side.

[0054] In this embodiment, the message information 54 includes a message urging the user to wait for the delivery of the contracted consumables, thereby guiding the user to use the contracted consumables that will soon arrive instead of the regular consumables.

[0055] Although not specifically shown, the multifunction device 200 may obtain message information from the cartridge memory 52 and transmit it to the mobile terminal 300 even in normal mode. In this case, the message information 54 is an example of message information stored in the second medium, such as, "Since you have not signed up for a delivery service, we ask that you purchase new consumables yourself from a store or other retailer." In this case, a message to the user can also be used in normal mode to encourage the use of regular consumables. Furthermore, because the message content is stored in the cartridge memory 52, adjusting or changing the display content can be achieved simply by changing the content stored in the cartridge memory 52, without requiring any processing on the multifunction device 200 side.

[0056] Furthermore, although not specifically shown, in the contract mode, the multifunction peripheral 200 may read the model number information 53 from the cartridge memory 52 of the cartridge 50 currently installed via the communication unit 285, and transmit it as consumable information to the mobile terminal 300 for display. In this case, the model number information 53 of the contracted consumables that are displayed on the mobile terminal 300 as those usable by the multifunction peripheral 200 in the contract mode is stored in the cartridge memory 52 of the contracted consumables. As a result, in the contract mode, the model number information 53 of the contracted consumables obtained from the cartridge memory 52 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 300 together with message information 54, and the model number information 53 of the contracted consumables can also be displayed on the mobile terminal 300 as part of the consumable information. In this case, because the model number information 53 of the contracted consumables is read from the cartridge memory 52 of the contracted consumables and displayed on the mobile terminal 300 as described above, there is no need for the multifunction peripheral 200 to identify and store the model number information of the contracted consumables.

[0057] The above model number information 53 and message information 54 may be stored in the information management server 100 or the delivery management server 400 instead of in the cartridge memory 52, and may be acquired by the multifunction device 200 or the mobile terminal 300 from the information management server 100 or the delivery management server 400.

[0058] Furthermore, the sequences and flows shown in Figures 5, 7, 8, etc. do not limit the present disclosure to the procedures shown in the above flows, and steps may be added or deleted, or the order may be changed.

[0059] Furthermore, although the image forming apparatus 200 and the mobile terminal 300 communicate via the network NT, they may also communicate by connecting with a USB cable or the like.

[0060] In addition to the above, the methods according to the above embodiments and modifications may be used in appropriate combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1. Printing service provision system 50 cartridges (an example of a consumable item) 52 Cartridge memory (an example of a storage medium) 53 Model number information (example of identification information) 54 Message information (example of message information in the first and second media) 200 Multifunction printer (an example of an image forming device) 210 Processor (an example of a control unit) 231 Mode Information 232 Consumables Database 300 Mobile terminal (an example of an information terminal)

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, A control unit that can switch between contract mode, which allows the use of contracted consumables, and normal mode, which does not allow the use of contracted consumables but allows the use of normal consumables. Equipped with The control unit In response to a request from an information terminal capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus, when the control unit is in the normal mode, first information representing identification information of the normal consumable is displayed on the information terminal; a process of displaying, on the information terminal, second information indicating that the contracted consumable is usable when the control unit is in the contract mode; An image forming apparatus characterized by executing the above.

2. The control unit When the control unit is in the normal mode, the control unit transmits identification information of the normal consumable as the first information to the information terminal; When the control unit is in the contract mode, the second information is transmitted to the information terminal, and the second information is status information indicating that the identification information of the contract consumable or the identification information of the normal consumable is not to be displayed, or first message information indicating that the contract consumable is available.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

3. The first message information is 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a message prompting the user to wait for the contracted consumables to be shipped.

4. The first message information is 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a message informing the user that the normal consumables cannot be used in the contract mode.

5. The control unit Identification information of all of the regular consumables and the contracted consumables that can be used in the image forming apparatus and mode information indicating whether the control unit is in the regular mode or the contracted mode are transmitted to the information terminal as the first information or the second information.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

6. The control unit further Transmitting second message information corresponding to the contract mode to the information terminal.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The second message information is 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a message informing the user that the normal consumables cannot be used in the contract mode.

8. a communication unit capable of communicating with a storage medium provided in the regular consumable or the contract consumable, The control unit further When the control unit is in the contract mode, the control unit executes a process of acquiring message information stored in the first medium of the contract consumable via the communication unit, the message information being stored in the storage medium of the contract consumable; When the control unit is in the normal mode, the control unit transmits identification information of the normal consumable as the first information to the information terminal, and when the control unit is in the contract mode, the control unit transmits the acquired message information in the first medium as the second information to the information terminal.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

9. The message information in the first medium is 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a message prompting the user to wait for the contracted consumables to be shipped.

10. The control unit further When the control unit is in the normal mode, the control unit executes a process of acquiring message information stored in the second medium via the communication unit, the message information stored in the second medium being the normal consumable, and transmitting the acquired message information stored in the second medium to the information terminal.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.

11. The control unit further When the control unit is in the contract mode, the control unit executes a process of acquiring identification information of the contract consumable stored in the storage medium of the contract consumable via the communication unit; The acquired identification information of the contracted consumable is transmitted to the information terminal.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.

Images