# US 11,308,374 B2 · Image forming apparatus and method conditionally estimating remaining toner using correction information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,374 B2 - Document ID: US11308374B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/988,782 - Filed: 2020-08-10 - Published: 2021-03-11 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-09 - Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hideaki Fukaya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308374B2 ## CPC - G06K 15/4075: {Determining remaining quantities of ink or toner} - G03G 15/0856: {Detection or control means for the developer level} - G03G 15/556: {for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement} - H04N 1/00015: {Reproducing apparatus} - H04N 1/00034: {Measuring, i.e. determining a quantity by comparison with a standard (H04N1/00031 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/00068: {Calculating or estimating} - H04N 1/00076: {locally} - H04N 1/00954: {Scheduling operations or managing resources (H04N1/0096 takes precedence; program initiating or switching G06F9/48; allocation of computer resources G06F9/50)} - H04N 1/2315: {according to characteristics of the reproducing apparatus, e.g. capability} - H04N 1/2346: {according to a detected condition or state of the reproducing device, e.g. temperature or ink quantity} - H04N 1/2392: {for displaying or indicating, e.g. a condition or state (details of displaying or indicating means H04N1/00405)} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printer unit that includes a driving member related to the supply of the developer, a storage unit that stores correction information regarding the correction of a supplied amount of the developer and a remaining amount of the developer, and a control unit. The control unit acquires driving information regarding the driving of the driving member. The control unit acquires the correction information in accordance with the remaining amount of the developer and estimates the remaining amount of developer based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount, and estimates the remaining amount of the developer based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the developer stored in the storage unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus, comprising: a printer that forms an image on a sheet with a toner; a toner cartridge mounted in the printer; a motor that supplies toner from the toner cartridge to the printer; a storage that stores correction information regarding correction of a supplied amount of the toner from the toner cartridge and the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge; and a controller which acquires driving information regarding driving of the motor, acquires the correction information in accordance with the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge, estimates the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge stored in the storage satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount, and estimates the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge stored in the storage does not satisfy the predetermined condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information relates to a driving amount of the motor driven in accordance with the supply of the toner, and the controller calculates a cumulative supply amount of the toner based on the driving information and estimates the remaining amount of the toner based on the cumulative supply amount. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information is information regarding a driving amount of the motor driven in accordance with the supply of the toner, and the controller estimates the remaining amount of the toner by decreasing the supplied amount of the toner obtained based on the driving information from the remaining amount of the toner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving time is a driving time of the motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a toner supply motor and the driving information is the number of rotations of the motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for the correction information, the supplied amount of the toner decreases at a predetermined ratio in accordance with the remaining amount of the toner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein for the correction information, the supplied amount of the toner decreases at a larger ratio as the remaining amount of the toner decreases. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller acquires change information for changing the correction information and records correction information changed based on the change information in the storage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a communication component that receives the change information from an external apparatus, wherein the controller changes the correction information based on the received change information. ### Claim 10 An image forming apparatus, to which a toner cartridge is mountable, the image forming apparatus comprising: a printer that forms an image on a sheet with a toner; a motor that supplies toner from the toner cartridge to the printer; a storage that stores correction information regarding correction of a supplied amount of the toner from the toner cartridge and the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge; and a controller which acquires driving information regarding driving of the motor, acquires the correction information in accordance with the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge, estimates the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge stored in the storage satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount, and estimates the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge stored in the storage does not satisfy the predetermined condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the driving information relates to a driving amount of the motor driven in accordance with the supply of the toner, and the controller calculates a cumulative supply amount of the toner based on the driving information and estimates the remaining amount of the toner based on the cumulative supply amount. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the driving information is information regarding a driving amount of the motor driven in accordance with the supply of the toner, and the controller estimates the remaining amount of the toner by decreasing the supplied amount of the toner obtained based on the driving information from the remaining amount of the toner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the driving time is a driving time of the motor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the motor is a toner supply motor and the driving information is the number of rotations of the motor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein for the correction information, the supplied amount of the toner decreases at a predetermined ratio in accordance with the remaining amount of the toner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein for the correction information, the supplied amount of the toner decreases at a larger ratio as the remaining amount of the toner decreases. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller acquires change information for changing the correction information and records correction information changed based on the change information in the storage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising: a communication component that receives the change information from an external apparatus, wherein the controller changes the correction information based on the received change information. ### Claim 19 A method performed by an image forming apparatus, comprising: acquiring driving information regarding driving of a motor configured to supply toner from a toner cartridge to a printer; acquiring correction information in accordance with a remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge; estimating the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge based on the driving information and the correction information when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge stored in a storage satisfies a predetermined condition regarding the remaining amount; and estimating the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge based on the driving information when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner cartridge stored in the storage does not satisfy the predetermined condition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the driving information relates to a driving amount of the motor driven in accordance with a supply of the toner, further comprising: calculating a cumulative supply amount of the toner based on the driving information and estimating the remaining amount of the toner based on the cumulative supply amount.