Server and image formation apparatus

Abstract

To provide a server that suppresses replacement of a toner cartridge in a state in which a large amount of toner remains.SOLUTION: A server according to an embodiment comprises a communication interface and a processor. The communication interface receives, from an external image formation apparatus, a first standard printable page count of a first toner cartridge that was connected to the image formation apparatus and was thereafter removed, a first average print coverage of the first toner cartridge, a first average number of printed pages per day of the first toner cartridge, and a first toner residual amount at a time when the first toner cartridge was removed, and transmits at least one of a first remaining printable page count and a first remaining printable day count to an external information terminal. The processor calculates the first remaining printable page count and the first remaining printable day count on the basis of the first standard printable page count, the first average print coverage, the first average number of printed pages, and the first toner residual amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a server and an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses are known that display the remaining amount of toner in a toner cartridge within the apparatus in percentage units. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-18327 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An embodiment of the present invention provides a server and an image forming apparatus that prevent replacement of a toner cartridge with a large amount of remaining toner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A server according to an embodiment includes a communications interface and a processor. The communications interface receives from an external image forming device a first standard printable number under standard conditions acquired based on the type of a first toner cartridge that was connected to the image forming device and then removed, a first average print rate for the first toner cartridge, a first average number of prints per day for the first toner cartridge, and a first amount of toner remaining in the first toner cartridge when the first toner cartridge was removed, and transmits at least one of the first remaining printable number and the first number of remaining printable days to an external information terminal. The processor calculates the first remaining printable number and the first number of remaining printable days for the first toner cartridge based on the first standard printable number, the first average print rate, the first average number of prints, and the first amount of toner remaining. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing system including a plurality of image forming apparatuses according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a main part of an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing stored data in an auxiliary storage device of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a serviceman terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a serviceman terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a serviceman terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a serviceman terminal according to a modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a serviceman terminal according to a modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a serviceman terminal according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, components having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals. The embodiments shown below are merely examples of technical ideas. The embodiments do not specify the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments.

[0008] First Embodiment <Configuration> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing system including multiple image forming apparatuses according to the first embodiment. The printing system further includes multiple user terminals 200, a server 300, and a serviceman terminal 400. Each image forming apparatus 100 is placed in a workplace and can be communicatively connected to a user terminal 200 located in the same workplace via an internal network 500 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). This connection may be wired or wireless. The internal network 500 is also connected to an external network 600 such as the Internet. The server 300 and the serviceman terminal 400 are connected to the external network 600. As a result, the image forming apparatus 100 can be communicatively connected to the server 300 via the internal network 500 and the external network 600.

[0009] The user terminal 200 is an information processing device, such as a personal computer (PC), smartphone, tablet terminal, or digital camera, that instructs printing on one of the image forming apparatuses 100. The user terminal 200 may be communicatively connected to the image forming apparatus 100 via an external network 600 and an internal network 500. That is, the user terminal 200 may be located outside the workplace where the image forming apparatus 100 is located. The user terminal 200 may also be directly connected to the image forming apparatus 100, i.e., locally connected, without going through the external network 600 and the internal network 500. This local connection may also be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0010] Server 300 is a computer device operated directly or by a management company contracted to perform maintenance and inspections of image forming apparatuses 100, either through direct operation or through a service provider. Server 300 periodically or as needed acquires data indicating the operating status of each image forming apparatus 100. Based on the acquired data, server 300 determines whether each image forming apparatus 100 needs to be inspected or repaired. If an image forming apparatus 100 needs to be inspected or repaired, server 300 transmits information identifying that image forming apparatus 100 to serviceman terminal 400, thereby enabling a serviceman to inspect or repair that image forming apparatus 100.

[0011] The serviceman terminal 400 is an information processing device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal carried by a serviceman who inspects and repairs the image forming apparatus 100. Although only one serviceman terminal 400 is shown in Fig. 1, the printing system may include multiple serviceman terminals 400. In this case, the server 300 can assign an appropriate serviceman to the image forming apparatus 100 that requires inspection or repair, based on information such as the availability of each serviceman.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0013] The image forming apparatus 100 performs printing by electrophotography and is, for example, an MFP (multifunction peripheral), a copier, a printer, or a facsimile machine.

[0014] The image forming apparatus 100 conveys a print medium P and forms an image on the print medium P by electrophotography. The print medium P is also referred to as a recording medium, a transfer medium, or paper. The image forming apparatus 100 may be, for example, an MFP (multifunction peripheral), a copier, a printer, or a facsimile. FIG. 2 shows the image forming apparatus 100, which is an MFP. The image forming apparatus 100 receives toner from a toner cartridge 2 and forms an image on the print medium P using the received toner. The toner may be, for example, four color toners: yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The combination of color toners is not limited to this. Other colors may be combined. Furthermore, a single color toner may be used instead of combining multiple color toners. The toner may also be a special toner. For example, the toner may be erasable toner, which is erased and becomes invisible at temperatures higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100 includes, as an example, a housing 11, a communication interface 12, a system controller 13, multiple paper trays 14, a paper output tray 15, a conveying unit 16, an image forming unit 17, a fixing unit 18, a scanner unit 19, and a control panel 20.

[0016] The housing 11 is the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. The housing 11 houses, for example, a communication interface 12, a system controller 13, a plurality of paper trays 14, a conveying unit 16, an image forming unit 17, and a fixing unit 18. A part of the top surface of the housing 11 serves as a paper output tray 15.

[0017] The communication interface 12 is an interface for communicating with other devices connected via a network. The communication interface 12 is used for communication with external devices. The external devices include, for example, a user terminal 200 and a server 300. The communication interface 12 is configured, for example, with a LAN connector or the like. The communication interface 12 may be configured to perform wireless communication with other devices in accordance with standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0018] The system controller 13 functions as a control unit of the image forming apparatus 100. The system controller 13 is connected to the communication interface 12. The system controller 13 generates a print job based on print data acquired from the user terminal 200, which is an external device, via the communication interface 12, for example. The print job includes image data indicating an image to be formed on a print medium P. The image data may be data for forming an image on one sheet of print medium P, or may be data for forming images on multiple sheets of print media P. The print job may include information indicating whether color printing or monochrome printing is to be performed.

[0019] The system controller 13, which has generated the print job, controls the operations of the conveying unit 16, the image forming unit 17, and the fixing unit 18 to form an image of the image data included in the print job on the print medium P. Specifically, the system controller 13 controls the conveying of the print medium P by the conveying unit 16, the formation of an image on the print medium P by the image forming unit 17, and the fixing of the image on the print medium P by the fixing unit 18. In this way, the system controller 13 also functions as an engine controller for the image forming apparatus 100.

[0020] The image forming apparatus 100 may be configured to include an engine controller separate from the system controller 13. In this case, the engine controller controls at least one of the following: transportation of the print medium P by the transport unit 16, image formation on the print medium P by the image forming unit 17, and fixing of the image on the print medium P by the fixing unit 18. The system controller 13 supplies the engine controller with information necessary for control by the engine controller.

[0021] Each of the multiple paper trays 14 is a cassette that stores print media P. The paper trays 14 are configured so that print media P can be supplied from outside the housing 11. For example, the paper trays 14 are configured so that they can be pulled out from the housing 11.

[0022] The paper discharge tray 15 is a tray that receives the print medium P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100.

[0023] The transport unit 16 is a mechanism that transports the print medium P within the image forming apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the transport unit 16 has multiple transport paths. Specifically, the transport unit 16 has a paper feed transport path 31 and a paper discharge transport path 32. The paper feed transport path 31 and the paper discharge transport path 32 are composed of multiple rollers, multiple guides, etc. The multiple rollers transport the print medium P by rotating using power transmitted from a drive mechanism. The multiple guides control the transport direction of the print medium P transported by the rollers.

[0024] The paper feed conveying path 31 takes in the print medium P from the paper tray 14 and supplies the taken-in print medium P to the image forming unit 17. The paper feed conveying path 31 is provided with a plurality of pickup rollers 33 corresponding to each paper tray 14. Each pickup roller 33 takes in the print medium P from the respective paper tray 14 into the paper feed conveying path 31.

[0025] The paper discharge transport path 32 is a transport path that discharges the print medium P, on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit 17, from the housing 11. The print medium P discharged by the paper discharge transport path 32 is supported by the paper discharge tray 15.

[0026] The image forming unit 17 has a configuration for forming an image on the print medium P. Details of the image forming unit 17 will be described later.

[0027] The fixing unit 18 has a heat roller 34 and a pressure roller 35. The fixing unit 18 heats the print medium P being transported through the paper discharge transport path 32 to a predetermined temperature with the heat roller 34, and further applies pressure with the pressure roller 35, thereby fixing the image transferred onto the print medium P to the print medium P.

[0028] The scanner unit 19 is a device that reads a document and converts it into image data, and is installed on the top of the housing 11. The scanner unit 19 is equipped with an automatic document feeder 21, and is also capable of reading documents transported by the automatic document feeder 21.

[0029] The control panel 20 includes a touch panel 22 and a keyboard 23. The touch panel 22 is configured by stacking a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display and a touch sensor that detects touch input. The display displays information to be notified to the user of the image forming apparatus 100, such as images for setting various functions of the image forming apparatus 100 and an image indicating the remaining toner amount.

[0030] The keyboard 23 has various keys for operation by a user of the image forming apparatus 100. For example, the keyboard 23 has a numeric keypad, a power key, a paper feed key, function keys, etc. Each key may also be called a button. In this way, the touch panel 22 and the keyboard 23 function as input devices for the image forming apparatus 100. The display provided in the touch panel 22 functions as a display device for the image forming apparatus 100.

[0031] Next, the image forming unit 17 will be described.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming section 17 includes a plurality of process units 41 and a transfer unit 42. Each process unit 41 is a unit for forming a toner image. Each process unit 41 is provided for each type of toner. For example, from the left in FIG. 2, each process unit 41 corresponds to a corresponding color toner of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Each process unit 41 includes a toner cartridge 2 having a corresponding color toner.

[0033] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main configuration of the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. Each toner cartridge 2 and each process unit 41 have the same configuration. Therefore, FIG. 3 shows one toner cartridge 2 and one process unit 41 as an example.

[0034] First, a description will be given of the toner cartridge 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the toner cartridge 2 includes a toner storage container 51, a toner delivery mechanism 52, and a memory 53.

[0035] The toner storage container 51 is a container that stores toner. The toner delivery mechanism 52 is a mechanism that delivers the toner in the toner storage container 51. The toner delivery mechanism 52 is, for example, a screw provided in the toner storage container 51. When the screw rotates, the toner in the toner storage container 51 is delivered.

[0036] The toner storage container 51 is loaded into the loading unit 60. The loading unit 60 is a module into which the toner cartridge 2 filled with toner is attached. The loading unit 60 includes a toner supply motor 61. The loading unit 60 also includes a connector that connects the memory 53 of the toner cartridge 2 to the system controller 13.

[0037] When the toner cartridge 2 is loaded into the loading section 60, the toner supply motor 61 is connected to the toner feeding mechanism 52 of the toner cartridge 2. The toner supply motor 61 drives the toner feeding mechanism 52 under the control of the system controller 13. When the toner supply motor 61 drives the toner feeding mechanism 52, the toner in the toner storage container 51 is supplied to the developing device 75, which will be described later. The memory 53 of the toner cartridge 2 stores information such as the number of times that the toner feeding mechanism 52 has driven to supply toner to the developing device 75, the date and time of supply, etc.

[0038] Next, a description will be given of the process unit 41. As shown in Fig. 3, the process unit 41 includes a photosensitive drum 71, a cleaner 72, a charging unit 73, an exposure head 74, and a developing unit 75.

[0039] The photosensitive drum 71 is a photosensitive member that includes a cylindrical drum and a photosensitive layer formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drum. The photosensitive drum 71 rotates at a constant speed by power transmitted from a drive mechanism. The photosensitive drum 71 is an example of an image carrier.

[0040] The cleaner 72 has a blade 721 that comes into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 71. The cleaner 72 uses the blade 721 to remove toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 71.

[0041] The charging unit 73 is a device that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 71. For example, the charging unit 73 applies a grid bias voltage output from a grid electrode 731 to the photosensitive drum 71, thereby charging the photosensitive drum 71 to a uniform negative potential. Such a charging unit 73 is also called a charging charger.

[0042] The exposure head 74 includes a plurality of light-emitting elements. The light-emitting elements are, for example, laser diodes (LD), light-emitting diodes (LED), or organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). The plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the main scanning direction, which is a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 71. Each light-emitting element is configured to irradiate light onto one point on the photosensitive drum 71.

[0043] The exposure head 74 forms a latent image of one line on the photosensitive drum 71 by irradiating the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 71 with light from a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in the main scanning direction. Furthermore, the exposure head 74 forms a latent image of multiple lines by continuously irradiating the rotating photosensitive drum 71 with light.

[0044] The developing device 75 is a device that deposits toner onto the photosensitive drum 71 to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum 71. The developing device 75 includes a developer container 81, an agitation-side mixer 82, a developing roller-side mixer 83, a developing roller 84, a doctor blade 85, an auto toner control (ATC) sensor 86, and the like.

[0045] The developer container 81 is a container that contains a developer containing toner and a carrier. The developer container 81 receives the toner that is delivered from the toner cartridge 2 by the toner delivery mechanism 52. The carrier is delivered to the developer container 81 when the developing unit 75 is manufactured.

[0046] The agitation-side mixer 82 and the development roller-side mixer 83 are located inside the developer container 81. The agitation-side mixer 82 and the development roller-side mixer 83 agitate the toner and carrier inside the developer container 81 as an agitation mechanism.

[0047] The developing roller 84 rotates in the developer container 81, causing the developer to adhere to the surface of the roller.

[0048] The doctor blade 85 is a member disposed at a predetermined distance from the surface of the developing roller 84. The doctor blade 85 removes a portion of the developer adhering to the surface of the rotating developing roller 84. As a result, a layer of developer having a thickness corresponding to the distance between the doctor blade 85 and the surface of the developing roller 84 is formed on the surface of the developing roller 84.

[0049] The ATC sensor 86 has, for example, a coil and detects the voltage value generated in the coil. The detected voltage of the ATC sensor 86 changes depending on the density of the magnetic flux from the toner in the developer container 81. That is, the ATC sensor 86 detects a voltage corresponding to the toner concentration in the developer container 81. The system controller 13 can determine the toner concentration in the developer container 81 based on the detected voltage of the ATC sensor 86.

[0050] As described above, when light is irradiated from the exposure head 74 onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 71 charged by the charging unit 73, a latent image is formed. Thereafter, when the layer of developer formed on the surface of the developing roller 84 in the developing device 75 approaches the surface of the photosensitive drum 71, the toner contained in the developer adheres to the latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 71. As a result, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 71. In other words, the exposure head 74 and the developing device 75 constitute an image forming unit 76.

[0051] The transfer unit 42 is configured to transfer the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 71 onto the print medium P. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transfer unit 42 includes, for example, a transfer belt 91, a secondary transfer opposing roller 92, a plurality of primary transfer rollers 93, and a secondary transfer roller 94.

[0052] The transfer belt 91 is an endless belt wound around a secondary transfer opposing roller 92 and a plurality of winding rollers. The back surface, which is the inner surface of the transfer belt 91, contacts the secondary transfer opposing roller 92 and the plurality of winding rollers, and the front surface, which is the outer surface, faces the photosensitive drum 71 of the process unit 41.

[0053] The secondary transfer opposing roller 92 rotates by power transmitted from a drive mechanism, thereby transporting the transfer belt 91. The secondary transfer opposing roller 92 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2. This rotation causes the transfer belt 91, which is an endless belt, to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 2. The multiple winding rollers are configured to be freely rotatable. The multiple winding rollers rotate in accordance with the movement of the transfer belt 91 by the secondary transfer opposing roller 92.

[0054] A plurality of primary transfer rollers 93 are provided for each process unit 41. The plurality of primary transfer rollers 93 are arranged to face the photosensitive drums 71 of the corresponding process units 41. Specifically, the plurality of primary transfer rollers 93 are arranged at positions facing the photosensitive drums 71 of the corresponding process units 41 with the transfer belt 91 interposed therebetween. The primary transfer rollers 93 come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the transfer belt 91, displacing the transfer belt 91 toward the photosensitive drum 71. This displacement causes the surface of the transfer belt 91 to come into contact with the photosensitive drum 71.

[0055] The secondary transfer roller 94 is disposed at a position opposite to the secondary transfer opposing roller 92. The secondary transfer roller 94 contacts and applies pressure to the surface of the transfer belt 91 that is conveyed along the circumferential surface of the secondary transfer opposing roller 92. This contact and pressure form a transfer nip where the secondary transfer roller 94 and the surface of the transfer belt 91 are in close contact with each other.

[0056] The secondary transfer roller 94 and the secondary transfer opposing roller 92 rotate to sandwich and transport the printing medium P supplied from the paper feed path 31. As a result, the printing medium P passes through the transfer nip. The secondary transfer roller 94 presses the printing medium P passing through the transfer nip against the surface of the transfer belt 91.

[0057] In the transfer unit 42 configured as described above, when the surface of the transfer belt 91 comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 71, the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 71 is transferred (primary transfer) onto the surface of the transfer belt 91. As shown in FIG. 2, if the image forming section 17 includes multiple process units 41, the toner images are transferred onto the transfer belt 91 from the photosensitive drums 71 of the multiple process units 41, respectively. The toner image transferred onto the surface of the transfer belt 91 is transported by the transfer belt 91 to the transfer nip. At this time, if a print medium P is present in the transfer nip, the toner image transferred onto the surface of the transfer belt 91 is transferred (secondary transfer) to the print medium P at the transfer nip.

[0058] Next, the circuit configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described.

[0059] 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus 100 configures a circuit by connecting a system controller 13 with a communication interface 12, an image forming unit 17, a fixing unit 18, a scanner unit 19, a control panel 20, a motor 30, etc. via signal lines.

[0060] The system controller 13 includes a processor 131, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 132, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 133, and an auxiliary storage device 134. The system controller 13 configures a computer by connecting the processor 131, the ROM 132, the RAM 133, and the auxiliary storage device 134 with signal lines.

[0061] The processor 131 corresponds to the central part of the computer. The processor 131 controls each part to realize various functions of the image forming apparatus 100 in accordance with an operating system or an application program. The processor 131 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The processor 131 may be, for example, a micro processing unit (MPU), a system on a chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Alternatively, the processor 131 may be a combination of two or more of these.

[0062] The ROM 132 and RAM 133 correspond to the main memory of the computer. The ROM 132 is a non-volatile memory area, and the RAM 133 is a volatile memory area. The ROM 132 can also be considered a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The ROM 132 stores an operating system or application programs. The ROM 132 also stores data required for the processor 131 to execute processes for controlling each unit. The RAM 133 is used as a work area where data is rewritten by the processor 131 as needed.

[0063] The auxiliary storage device 134 is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and corresponds to the auxiliary storage portion of the computer. As the auxiliary storage device 134, for example, well-known storage devices such as an EEPROM (registered trademark) (Electric Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive) are used singly or in combination. The auxiliary storage device 134 stores data used by the processor 131 when performing various processes and data generated by the processes in the processor 131. The auxiliary storage device 134 may also store application programs.

[0064] In addition, instead of or in addition to the auxiliary storage device 134, the image forming apparatus 100 may be provided with an interface into which a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a removable optical disk, a memory card, or a USB (universal serial bus) memory can be inserted.

[0065] The application program stored in ROM 132 or auxiliary storage device 134 includes a program for executing the processes described below. As an example, image forming apparatus 100 is transferred to an administrator or the like of image forming apparatus 100 with the program stored in ROM 132 or auxiliary storage device 134. However, image forming apparatus 100 may also be transferred to the administrator or the like without the program stored in ROM 132 or auxiliary storage device 134. The program for executing the processes described below may then be transferred separately to the administrator or the like and written into ROM 132 or auxiliary storage device 134 under the operation of the administrator or a service technician or the like. The program can be transferred in this case by recording it on a removable, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, or by downloading it via a network or the like.

[0066] The system controller 13 connects the toner cartridge 2, photosensitive drum 71, cleaner 72, charging unit 73, image forming unit (exposure head 74, developing device 75 (ATC sensor 86)) 76, and transfer unit (transfer belt 91, secondary transfer opposing roller 92, primary transfer roller 93, and secondary transfer roller 94) 42 of the image forming section 17 with respective signal lines. The system controller 13 then controls the toner cartridge 2, photosensitive drum 71, cleaner 72, charging unit 73, and image forming unit 76 provided for each process unit 41, as well as the transfer unit 42 and fixing unit 18, to form an image on the print medium P.

[0067] The motor 30 includes a first motor used in the drive mechanism that drives the conveying unit 16, a second motor used in the drive mechanism that rotates the photosensitive drum 71, and a third motor used in the drive mechanism that rotates the secondary transfer opposing roller 92. A plurality of second motors are provided corresponding to the photosensitive drums 71 provided in the plurality of process units 41, respectively. The motor 30 may also include motors used in drive mechanisms other than the drive mechanisms described above. The motor 30 is, for example, a brushless motor. The motor 30 may also be a brush motor.

[0068] 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the stored data of the auxiliary storage device of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, count information 1341, standard print information 1342, and operation log information 1343 are stored in advance in the auxiliary storage device 134.

[0069] The count information 1341 stores the relationship between the drive count value of the toner supply motor 61 and the amount of toner remaining in the toner cartridge 2. That is, the processor 131 can determine the amount of toner remaining in the toner cartridge 2 based on the drive count value of the toner supply motor 61 and the count information 1341.

[0070] The standard printing information 1342 stores the number of pages that can be printed before the toner cartridge 2 becomes empty when printing is performed at a standard printing rate using each type of toner cartridge 2 that can be installed in the image forming device 100, linked to the type of toner cartridge 2 that can be installed in the image forming device 100.

[0071] The operation log information 1343 stores information related to the operating status of the image forming apparatus 100. The information stored in the operation log information 1343 includes, for example, the average print rate for each toner cartridge 2, the average number of printed pages per day, and the date and time when the toner cartridge 2 was replaced.

[0072] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the server 300 has a circuit formed by connecting a processor 301 to a ROM 302, a RAM 303, an auxiliary storage device 304, and a communication interface 305 via signal lines.

[0073] The server 300 constitutes a computer by connecting a processor 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, and an auxiliary storage device 304 with signal lines.

[0074] The processor 301 corresponds to the central part of the computer. The processor 301 controls each part to realize various functions of the server 300 in accordance with an operating system or an application program. The processor 301 is, for example, a CPU. The processor 301 may be, for example, an MPU, an SoC, a DSP, a GPU, an ASIC, a PLD, or an FPGA. Alternatively, the processor 301 may be a combination of two or more of these.

[0075] ROM 302 and RAM 303 correspond to the main memory of the computer. ROM 302 is a non-volatile memory area, and RAM 303 is a volatile memory area. ROM 302 can also be considered a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. ROM 302 stores an operating system or application programs. ROM 302 also stores data necessary for processor 301 to execute processes for controlling each unit. RAM 303 is used as a work area where data is rewritten by processor 301 as needed.

[0076] The auxiliary storage device 304 is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and corresponds to the auxiliary storage portion of the computer. The auxiliary storage device 304 may be a well-known storage device such as an EEPROM (registered trademark), HDD, or SSD, either singly or in combination. The auxiliary storage device 304 stores data used by the processor 301 when performing various processes and data generated by the processes performed by the processor 301. The auxiliary storage device 304 may also store application programs.

[0077] In addition, instead of or in addition to the auxiliary storage device 304, the server 300 may be provided with an interface into which a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a removable optical disk, a memory card, or a USB memory can be inserted.

[0078] The application program stored in ROM 302 or the auxiliary storage device 304 includes a program for executing the processes described below. As an example, the server 300 is transferred to an administrator or the like of the server 300 with the program stored in ROM 302 or the auxiliary storage device 304. However, the server 300 may also be transferred to the administrator or the like without the program stored in ROM 302 or the auxiliary storage device 304. The program for executing the processes described below may then be transferred separately to the administrator or the like and written into ROM 302 or the auxiliary storage device 304 under the operation of the administrator or a service technician or the like. The program can be transferred in this case by recording it on a removable, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, or by downloading it via a network or the like.

[0079] The communication interface 305 is an interface for communicating with other devices connected via a network. The communication interface 305 is used for communication with external devices. The external devices include, for example, the image forming apparatus 100, the user terminal 200, and the serviceman terminal 400. The communication interface 305 is configured, for example, with a LAN connector or the like. The communication interface 305 may be configured to perform wireless communication with other devices in accordance with standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0080] Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a serviceman terminal according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, the serviceman terminal 400 has a circuit formed by connecting a processor 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403, an auxiliary storage device 404, a communication interface 405, and a user interface 406 via signal lines.

[0081] The serviceman terminal 400 is configured as a computer by connecting a processor 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403, and an auxiliary storage device 404 via signal lines.

[0082] The processor 401 corresponds to the central part of the computer. The processor 401 controls each part to realize various functions of the serviceman terminal 400 in accordance with an operating system or an application program. The processor 401 is, for example, a CPU. The processor 401 may be, for example, an MPU, an SoC, a DSP, a GPU, an ASIC, a PLD, or an FPGA. Alternatively, the processor 401 may be a combination of two or more of these.

[0083] The ROM 402 and RAM 403 correspond to the main memory of the computer. The ROM 402 is a non-volatile memory area, and the RAM 403 is a volatile memory area. The ROM 402 can also be considered a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The ROM 402 stores an operating system or application programs. The ROM 402 also stores data necessary for the processor 401 to execute processes for controlling each unit. The RAM 403 is used as a work area where data is rewritten by the processor 401 as needed.

[0084] The auxiliary storage device 404 is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and corresponds to the auxiliary storage portion of the computer. As the auxiliary storage device 404, for example, well-known storage devices such as an EEPROM (registered trademark), an HDD, or an SSD are used alone or in combination. The auxiliary storage device 404 stores data used by the processor 401 when performing various processes and data generated by the processes in the processor 401. The auxiliary storage device 404 may also store application programs.

[0085] In addition, the serviceman terminal 400 may be provided with an interface into which a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a removable optical disk, a memory card, or a USB memory can be inserted, instead of or in addition to the auxiliary storage device 404.

[0086] The application programs stored in ROM 402 or the auxiliary storage device 404 include programs for executing the processes described below. As an example, the serviceman terminal 400 is transferred to an administrator or the like of the serviceman terminal 400 with the programs stored in ROM 402 or the auxiliary storage device 404. However, the serviceman terminal 400 may also be transferred to the administrator or the like without the programs stored in ROM 402 or the auxiliary storage device 404. The programs for executing the processes described below may then be transferred separately to the administrator or the like and written into ROM 402 or the auxiliary storage device 404 under the operation of the administrator or serviceman or the like. The transfer of the programs in this case may be realized by recording them on a removable, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, or by downloading them via a network or the like.

[0087] The communication interface 405 is an interface for communicating with other devices connected via a network. The communication interface 405 is used for communication with external devices. Examples of external devices include the image forming apparatus 100, the user terminal 200, and the server 300. The communication interface 405 is configured, for example, with a LAN connector or the like. The communication interface 405 may be configured to perform wireless communication with other devices in accordance with standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0088] The user interface 406 provides information to the user and accepts input from the user. The user interface 406 is, for example, a touch panel display. The user interface 406 may include a display, a keyboard, and a mouse.

[0089] <Operation> The operation of each part of the printing system according to the first embodiment will be described. Note that in the following description of the operation, no particular reference is made to the type of toner cartridge 2, but if the image forming apparatus 100 accommodates multiple types of toner cartridges 2, the operation will be performed for each of the multiple types of toner cartridges 2. Specifically, in the example shown in this embodiment, the operation described below is performed for each of the four types of toner cartridges 2: yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Furthermore, if a toner cartridge 2 accommodated in the image forming apparatus 100 is replaced, the operation described below is performed for both the previously accommodated toner cartridge 2 and the newly installed toner cartridge 2.

[0090] 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 determines the cartridge type of the toner cartridge 2 housed therein (ACT1). In detail, the processor 131 of the image forming apparatus 100 reads cartridge information from the memory 53 of the toner cartridge 2 and determines the cartridge type.

[0091] The image forming apparatus 100 acquires the standard printable number of sheets (ACT2). In detail, the processor 131 reads the standard printing information 1342 from the auxiliary storage device 134, and acquires the standard print rate and the standard printable number of sheets corresponding to the cartridge type determined in ACT1.

[0092] The image forming apparatus 100 acquires the average printing rate, the average number of printed pages, and the remaining amount of toner (ACT3). Specifically, the processor 131 acquires the average printing rate and the average number of printed pages per day from the operation log information 1343 stored in the auxiliary storage device 134. Furthermore, the processor 131 acquires the remaining amount of toner from the drive count value of the toner supply motor 61 and the count information 1341 stored in the auxiliary storage device 134. When acquiring information about a removed toner cartridge 2, the drive count value of the toner supply motor 61 acquired before the toner cartridge 2 was removed is used.

[0093] The image forming apparatus 100 transmits the operation information to the server 300 (ACT4). In particular, the processor 131 controls the communication interface 12 to transmit the standard print rate, the standard number of printable sheets, the average print rate, the average number of printable sheets, and the remaining toner amount to the server 300. In addition to this information, the processor 131 may also transmit other information, such as the date on which the toner cartridge 2 was replaced, to the server 300.

[0094] Server 300 receives the operation information (ACT5). In detail, processor 301 of server 300 controls communication interface 305 to receive operation information such as the standard print rate, the standard number of printable sheets, the average print rate, the average number of printed sheets, and the remaining amount of toner from image forming apparatus 100.

[0095] The server 300 calculates the remaining number of printable pages (ACT6). In detail, the processor 301 uses the standard print rate, the standard number of printable pages, the average print rate, and the remaining amount of toner to calculate the remaining number of printable pages, which is the number of pages that can be printed before the toner cartridge 2 becomes empty, estimated from the usage status of the image forming apparatus 100 up to now. When calculating the remaining number of printable pages for a removed toner cartridge 2, the remaining number of printable pages is calculated as the estimated number of pages that could have been printed if the toner cartridge 2 had not been removed. The calculation method is expressed as follows, assuming that the standard print rate is a%, the standard number of printable pages is b pages, the average print rate is c%, the remaining amount of toner is d%, and the remaining number of printable pages is A pages.

[0096] A=b×a / c×d / 100 That is, the remaining number of printable sheets is calculated by multiplying the standard number of printable sheets by the standard printing rate, dividing by the average printing rate, and multiplying by the ratio of the remaining amount of toner.

[0097] The server 300 calculates the remaining number of printable days (ACT7). Specifically, the processor 301 divides the remaining number of printable pages by the average number of printable pages to calculate the remaining number of printable days, which is the number of days that printing can be performed before the toner cartridge 2 becomes empty, estimated from the usage status of the image forming apparatus 100 up to now. When calculating the remaining number of printable days for a removed toner cartridge 2, the remaining number of printable days is calculated as the estimated number of days that printing could have been performed if the toner cartridge 2 had not been removed. When calculating the average number of printable pages for a black toner cartridge 2, the sum of the number of black-and-white prints and the number of color prints is used, and when calculating the average number of color prints for yellow, magenta, and cyan toner cartridges 2, the number of color prints is used.

[0098] The server 300 transmits the display information (ACT8). In detail, the processor 301 controls the communication interface 305 to transmit the display information including at least the remaining number of printable sheets or the remaining number of printable days to the serviceman terminal 400.

[0099] The serviceman terminal 400 receives the display information (ACT 9). In detail, the processor 401 of the serviceman terminal 400 controls the communication interface 405 to receive display information including at least the remaining number of printable sheets or the remaining number of printable days from the server 300.

[0100] The serviceman terminal 400 displays the display information (ACT 10). In detail, the processor 401 controls the user interface 406 to display the display information to the user of the serviceman terminal 400.

[0101] When the processing of ACT10 is completed, the series of processing shown in FIG. 8 ends.

[0102] 9 and 10 are diagrams showing examples of information displayed on the service technician terminal according to the first embodiment. In FIGS. 9 and 10, information is displayed for each of a plurality of toner cartridges 2, each containing one of four color toners: yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). In FIG. 9, for the toner cartridge 2 currently installed in the image forming apparatus 100, the remaining amount of toner is displayed in the remaining amount column, the number of remaining printable pages is displayed in the remaining pages column, and the number of remaining printable days is displayed in the remaining days column. In FIG. 10, for the toner cartridges 2 that have been removed from the image forming apparatus 100, the date of removal is displayed in the replacement date column, the remaining amount of toner at the time of removal is displayed in the remaining amount column, the number of remaining printable pages is displayed in the remaining pages column, and the number of remaining printable days is displayed in the remaining days column.

[0103] <Effects> As described above, according to the first embodiment, the usage status of the replaced toner cartridge 2 in the image forming apparatus 100 is transmitted to the server 300. The server 300 then calculates the remaining number of printable pages and the remaining number of printable days, and transmits the information from the server 300 to the serviceman terminal 400. The received information is then displayed on the serviceman terminal 400. Therefore, the user of the serviceman terminal 400, i.e., the serviceman, can know the remaining number of printable pages and the remaining number of printable days of the replaced toner cartridge 2.

[0104] In the operation of the image forming apparatus 100, if a new replacement toner cartridge 2 is prepared promptly, the new replacement toner cartridge 2 may be ready at the site before the current toner cartridge 2 becomes empty. When a new replacement toner cartridge 2 is prepared at the site, the current toner cartridge 2 may be replaced with the new toner cartridge 2 even if it is not empty. The remaining toner in the replaced toner cartridge 2 cannot be used for printing and is wasted, resulting in increased printing costs. In the image forming apparatus 100, for example, the remaining toner amount is displayed in percentages, but a percentage display can make it difficult to intuitively understand how much toner is remaining. Therefore, even if the toner cartridge 2 is replaced before it becomes empty, it can be difficult to understand how much toner will be wasted.

[0105] According to the first embodiment, the service technician can know the remaining number of printable pages and remaining number of printable days of the replaced toner cartridge 2. The remaining number of printable pages and remaining number of printable days are values ​​calculated based on the actual usage status of the image forming device 100. Even if the remaining toner amount is the same value expressed in percentage, the number of printable pages or remaining number of printable days will vary depending on the usage status. Furthermore, unlike displays in percentage, the remaining number of printable pages and remaining number of printable days are concrete values ​​that are intuitively easy to understand, i.e., number of printable pages or number of printable days. By communicating this remaining number of printable pages and remaining number of printable days to the person who can replace the toner cartridge 2 of the image forming device 100, the service technician can convey the specific amount of toner that has been wasted. As a result, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent the replacement of a toner cartridge 2 with a large amount of toner remaining.

[0106] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to know the remaining number of printable pages and remaining number of printable days for each of a plurality of toner cartridges 2 that have been replaced in the past in the image forming apparatus 100. As a result, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to know the replacement status of a plurality of toner cartridges 2 that have been used in the printing system in the past, not just the usage status of a specific toner cartridge 2.

[0107] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the remaining printable number is calculated by multiplying the standard printable number by the standard print rate, dividing by the average print rate, and multiplying by the ratio of the remaining toner amount. As a result, according to the first embodiment, even if printing is performed at a print rate different from the standard print rate, the remaining printable number can be calculated based on the usage status.

[0108] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the date on which the toner cartridge 2 was replaced in the past can be known from the display on the serviceman terminal 400. As a result, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to estimate the next replacement date from the interval between replacement dates, thereby improving convenience.

[0109] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to know the remaining number of printable pages and remaining number of printable days not only for previously removed toner cartridges 2 but also for currently installed toner cartridges 2. As a result, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to prepare a replacement toner cartridge 2 at an appropriate time.

[0110] Second Embodiment A printing system according to the second embodiment will be described. The printing system according to the second embodiment differs from the printing system according to the first embodiment in that the calculation and display of the remaining number of printable sheets and the remaining number of printable days is performed by the image forming apparatus 100 alone. Below, the differences between the printing system according to the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be described.

[0111] <Configuration> The configuration of the printing system according to the second embodiment is similar to the configuration of the printing system according to the first embodiment.

[0112] <Operation> The operation of the printing system according to the second embodiment differs from the operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment in that the calculation and display of the remaining number of printable sheets and the remaining number of printable days are performed solely by the image forming apparatus 100. The operation of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0113] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 determines the cartridge type of the toner cartridge 2 housed therein (ACT11). The image forming apparatus 100 acquires the standard number of printable pages (ACT12). The image forming apparatus 100 acquires the average print rate, the average number of printable pages, and the remaining amount of toner (ACT13). The operations of ACT11 to ACT13 are the same as those of ACT1 to ACT3 described in the first embodiment with reference to FIG. 8.

[0114] The image forming apparatus 100 calculates the remaining number of printable sheets (ACT14). In detail, the processor 131 of the image forming apparatus 100 uses the standard print rate, the standard number of printable sheets, the average print rate, and the remaining amount of toner to calculate the remaining number of printable sheets, which is the number of sheets that can be printed before the toner cartridge 2 becomes empty, estimated from the usage status of the image forming apparatus 100 up to now. Note that when calculating the remaining number of printable sheets for a removed toner cartridge 2, the remaining number of printable sheets is calculated as the estimated number of sheets that could have been printed if the toner cartridge 2 had not been removed. The calculation method is the same as ACT6 described with reference to FIG. 8 in the first embodiment.

[0115] The image forming apparatus 100 calculates the remaining number of printable days (ACT15). Specifically, the processor 131 divides the remaining number of printable pages by the average number of printable pages to calculate the remaining number of printable days, which is the number of days that printing can be performed before the toner cartridge 2 becomes empty, estimated from the usage status of the image forming apparatus 100 up to now. When calculating the remaining number of printable days for a removed toner cartridge 2, the remaining number of printable days is calculated as the estimated number of days that printing could have been performed if the toner cartridge 2 had not been removed. When calculating the average number of printable pages for a black toner cartridge 2, the sum of the number of black-and-white prints and the number of color prints is used, and when calculating the average number of color prints for yellow, magenta, and cyan toner cartridges 2, the number of color prints is used.

[0116] The image forming apparatus 100 displays the display information (ACT 16). In detail, the processor 131 controls the control panel 20 to display the display information including the remaining number of printable sheets and the remaining number of printable days to the user of the image forming apparatus 100.

[0117] When the processing in ACT16 is completed, the series of processing shown in FIG. 11 ends.

[0118] The information displayed on the control panel 20 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 described in the first embodiment.

[0119] <Effects> As described above, according to the second embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 calculates the remaining number of printable pages and the remaining number of printable days based on the usage status of the replaced toner cartridge 2, and displays these to the user of the image forming apparatus 100. This allows the user of the image forming apparatus 100 to know the remaining number of printable pages and the remaining number of printable days of the replaced toner cartridge 2. As a result, according to the second embodiment, as with the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent the replacement of a toner cartridge 2 with a large amount of toner remaining.

[0120] <Other variations, etc.> In the above embodiment, examples of displayed information were described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. The way in which information is displayed is not limited to the examples in FIGS. 9 and 10, and various modifications are possible. For example, multiple types of information may be displayed by switching screens. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a serviceman terminal according to a modified example. FIG. 12 shows how the same information as in FIG. 9 is displayed in a format different from that in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 12, in the modified example, one of FIG. 12(a) showing the remaining toner amount, FIG. 12(b) showing the remaining number of printable sheets, and FIG. 12(c) showing the remaining number of printable days is displayed, and these three pieces of information are switched and displayed in response to user operation. In this way, multiple types of information may not be displayed at once, but may be displayed in a manner that switches in response to user operation.

[0121] In the above embodiment, a specific numerical value is displayed for each item when information is displayed on the serviceman terminal 400. For example, the processor 301 of the server 300 may replace a numerical value that satisfies a condition with alternative information such as a symbol.

[0122] For example, when displaying information about the currently installed toner cartridge 2, the user is most interested in information about toner cartridges 2 with low remaining toner levels. For information about toner cartridges 2 with sufficient remaining toner levels, it may be sufficient to know that sufficient remaining toner levels are present. Therefore, if the remaining number of printable pages or remaining number of printable days is sufficiently large, replacing the corresponding numerical value with substitute information such as a "-" symbol can improve the readability of the information rather than displaying complex numbers. For example, when processing information about the toner cartridge 2 currently installed in the image forming apparatus 100, if the remaining number of printable pages is 10,000 or more, or if the remaining number of printable days is 20 or more, the processor 301 may replace the numerical value with substitute information indicating a sufficiently large numerical value. Figure 13 shows an example of information displayed on a service technician terminal according to a modified example. Figure 13 illustrates a case where a sufficiently large numerical value is substituted for the information about the toner cartridge 2 currently installed in the image forming apparatus 100. By substituting a sufficiently large numerical value and displaying it in this manner, the readability of the information of interest can be improved.

[0123] For example, when displaying information about a removed toner cartridge 2, the user is most interested in information about a toner cartridge 2 with a large amount of remaining toner. For information about a toner cartridge 2 with a sufficiently low amount of remaining toner, it may be sufficient to know that the remaining amount is sufficiently low. Therefore, if the number of remaining printable pages or the number of remaining printable days is sufficiently low, replacing the corresponding numerical value with substitute information such as a "-" symbol can improve the readability of the information rather than displaying complex numbers. For example, when processing information about a toner cartridge 2 removed from the image forming apparatus 100, if the number of remaining printable pages is 1,000 or less or the number of remaining printable days is 3 or less, the processor 301 may replace the numerical value with substitute information indicating that the numerical value is sufficiently small. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of information displayed on a service technician terminal according to a modified example. FIG. 14 illustrates a case where a sufficiently small numerical value is substituted for information about a toner cartridge 2 removed from the image forming apparatus 100. By substituting a sufficiently small numerical value and displaying it in this manner, the readability of the information of interest can be improved.

[0124] In the above embodiment, when using the average number of printed pages to calculate the remaining printable days, the sum of the number of monochrome printed pages and the number of color printed pages is used when calculating for a black toner cartridge 2, and the number of color printed pages is used when calculating for yellow, magenta, and cyan toner cartridges 2. For example, the number of monochrome printed pages and the number of color printed pages may be tallied independently, or the color printing rate may be tallied so that the number of color printed pages is obtained by multiplying the number of monochrome printed pages by the color printing rate.

[0125] Note that some or all of the embodiments and modified examples may be described as in the following notes, but are not limited to the following. [Appendix 1] a communication interface that receives from an external image forming device a first standard number of printable pages under standard conditions acquired based on the type of a first toner cartridge that was connected to the image forming device and then removed, a first average print rate for the first toner cartridge, a first average number of printable pages per day for the first toner cartridge, and a first remaining amount of toner in the first toner cartridge when the first toner cartridge was removed, and that transmits at least one of the first remaining number of printable pages and the first remaining number of printable days to an external information terminal; a processor that calculates the first remaining number of printable sheets and the first remaining number of printable days for the first toner cartridge based on the first standard number of printable sheets, the first average print rate, the first average number of printable sheets, and the first remaining amount of toner; A server comprising: [Appendix 2] the communication interface further receives, for a second toner cartridge that was connected to the image forming device after the first toner cartridge was removed from the image forming device and then removed, a second standard number of printable pages under the standard conditions acquired based on the type of the second toner cartridge, a second average print rate for the second toner cartridge, a second average number of printable pages per day for the second toner cartridge, and a second remaining amount of toner in the second toner cartridge at the time the second toner cartridge was removed, and transmits the first remaining number of printable pages and the second remaining number of printable pages or the first remaining number of printable days and the second remaining number of printable days to the information terminal; The server described in Appendix 1, wherein the processor further calculates the second remaining number of printable pages and the second remaining number of printable days for the second toner cartridge based on the second standard number of printable pages, the second average print rate, the second average number of printable pages, and the second remaining toner amount. [Appendix 3] the first standard printable number is determined based on a first standard print rate; The server described in Appendix 1, wherein the first remaining printable number is calculated by multiplying the first standard printable number by the ratio of the first remaining toner amount to the full capacity of the first toner cartridge, multiplying it by the first standard print rate, and dividing it by the first average print rate. [Appendix 4] 2. The server of claim 1, wherein the communication interface further receives a date on which the first toner cartridge was removed and further transmits the date to the information terminal. [Appendix 5] The server described in Appendix 1, wherein the processor replaces the first remaining number of printable sheets with alternative information when the first remaining number of printable sheets is less than or equal to a first threshold, and replaces the first remaining number of printable days with the alternative information when the first remaining number of printable days is less than or equal to a second threshold. [Appendix 6] the communication interface further receives, for a third toner cartridge attached to the image forming device, a third standard number of printable pages under the standard conditions acquired based on the type of the third toner cartridge, a third average print rate for the third toner cartridge, a third average number of printable pages per day for the third toner cartridge, and a third remaining amount of toner in the third toner cartridge, and transmits the first remaining number of printable pages and the third remaining number of printable pages or the first remaining number of printable days and the third remaining number of printable days to the information terminal; The server described in Appendix 1, wherein the processor further calculates the third remaining number of printable pages and the third remaining number of printable days for the third toner cartridge based on the third standard number of printable pages, the third average print rate, the third average number of printable pages, and the third remaining toner amount. [Appendix 7] The server described in Appendix 6, wherein the processor replaces the third remaining number of printable sheets with alternative information when the third remaining number of printable sheets is greater than or equal to a third threshold, and replaces the third remaining number of printable days with the alternative information when the third remaining number of printable days is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. [Appendix 8] a processor that determines the type of the connected toner cartridge, obtains a standard printable number of pages under standard conditions based on the type, and calculates the remaining printable number of pages and remaining printable number of days for the toner cartridge based on the standard printable number, an average print rate, an average printable number of pages, and a remaining amount of toner; a storage unit that stores the standard number of printable sheets, the average print rate of the toner cartridge, the average number of prints per day of the toner cartridge, and the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is removed; a display unit that displays at least one of the remaining number of printable sheets and the remaining number of printable days; An image forming apparatus comprising:

[0126] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 100...image forming apparatus, 2...toner cartridge, 11...casing, 12...communication interface, 13...system controller, 14...paper tray, 15...output tray, 16...conveyor, 17...image forming unit, 18...fixing unit, 19...scanner unit, 20...control panel, 21...automatic document feeder, 22...touch panel, 23...keyboard, 30...motor, 31...paper feed path, 32...output path, 33...pickup roller, 34...heat roller, 35...pressure roller, 41...process unit, 42...transfer unit, 51...toner storage container, 52...toner delivery mechanism, 53...memory, 60...loading unit, 61...toner supply motor, 71...photosensitive drum, 72...cleaner, 73...charging unit, 74...exposure head, 75...developer, 76...image forming unit, 81...developer container, 82...mixing side mixer, 83...developing roller side mixer, 84...developing roller, 85...doctor blade, 86...ATC sensor, 91...transfer belt, 92...secondary transfer opposing roller, 93...primary transfer roller, 94...secondary transfer roller, P...printing medium, 131...processor, 132...ROM, 133...RAM, 134...auxiliary storage device, 721...blade, 731...grid electrode, 1341...count information, 1342...standard printing information, 1343...operation log information, 200...user terminal, 300...server, 301...processor, 302...ROM, 303...RAM, 304...auxiliary storage device, 305...communication interface, 400...serviceman terminal, 401...processor, 402...ROM, 403...RAM, 404...auxiliary storage device, 405...communication interface, 406...user interface, 500...internal network, 600...external network.

Claims

1. a communication interface that receives from an external image forming device a first standard printable number of pages under standard conditions acquired based on the type of a first toner cartridge that was connected to the image forming device and then removed, a first average print rate for the first toner cartridge, a first average number of pages printed per day for the first toner cartridge, and a first remaining amount of toner in the first toner cartridge when the first toner cartridge was removed, and transmits at least one of the first remaining printable number of pages and the first remaining number of days for printing to an external information terminal; a processor that calculates the first remaining number of printable sheets and the first remaining number of printable days for the first toner cartridge based on the first standard number of printable sheets, the first average print rate, the first average number of printable sheets, and the first remaining amount of toner; A server comprising:

2. the communication interface further receives, for a second toner cartridge that was connected to the image forming device after the first toner cartridge was removed from the image forming device and then removed, a second standard number of printable pages under the standard conditions acquired based on the type of the second toner cartridge, a second average print rate for the second toner cartridge, a second average number of printable pages per day for the second toner cartridge, and a second remaining amount of toner in the second toner cartridge at the time the second toner cartridge was removed, and transmits the first remaining number of printable pages and the second remaining number of printable pages or the first remaining number of printable days and the second remaining number of printable days to the information terminal; 2. The server of claim 1, wherein the processor further calculates the second remaining number of printable pages and the second remaining number of printable days for the second toner cartridge based on the second standard number of printable pages, the second average print rate, the second average number of printable pages, and the second remaining toner amount.

3. the first standard printable number is determined based on a first standard print rate; 2. The server according to claim 1, wherein the first remaining printable number is calculated by multiplying the first standard printable number by the ratio of the first remaining toner amount to the full capacity of the first toner cartridge, multiplying the result by the first standard printing rate, and dividing the result by the first average printing rate.

4. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the communication interface further receives a date when the first toner cartridge was removed, and further transmits the date to the information terminal.

5. the communication interface further receives, for a third toner cartridge attached to the image forming apparatus, a third standard number of printable pages under the standard conditions acquired based on the type of the third toner cartridge, a third average print rate for the third toner cartridge, a third average number of printable pages per day for the third toner cartridge, and a third remaining amount of toner in the third toner cartridge, and transmits the first remaining number of printable pages and the third remaining number of printable pages or the first remaining number of printable days and the third remaining number of printable days to the information terminal; 2. The server of claim 1, wherein the processor further calculates the third remaining number of printable pages and the third remaining number of printable days for the third toner cartridge based on the third standard number of printable pages, the third average printing rate, the third average number of printable pages, and the third remaining toner amount.

6. a processor that determines the type of the connected toner cartridge, obtains a standard printable number of pages under standard conditions based on the type, and calculates the remaining printable number of pages and remaining printable number of days for the toner cartridge based on the standard printable number, an average print rate, an average printable number of pages, and a remaining amount of toner; a storage unit that stores the standard number of printable pages, the average print rate of the toner cartridge, the average number of prints per day of the toner cartridge, and the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is removed; a display unit that displays at least one of the remaining number of printable sheets and the remaining number of printable days; An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images