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US 12,449,751 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus having service summons control and corresponding method
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTakao Izumi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printing unit, a count unit, and a control unit. The printing unit includes a member, the self-maintenance of which is performable by a user, and prints an image on a printing medium. The count unit counts a count value indicating usage time of the member. The control unit outputs, when determining that the count value counted by the count unit is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, output information to an information processing device, in which the output information includes information indicating that the count value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.
Claims16
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a printing component comprising a member, self-maintenance of which is performable by a user, the printing component configured to print an image on a printing medium;
- a count component configured to count a count value indicating usage time of the member;
- a reset component configured to reset the count value in response to a selectable operation;
- a storage component configured to store a first threshold value and a second threshold value which is equal to or less than the first threshold value;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- when determining that the count value counted by the count component is equal to or greater than the second threshold value and less than the first threshold value, display a first image on a display, wherein the first image urges the user to perform the self-maintenance and comprises the selectable operation of causing the reset component to reset the count value,
- when determining that the count value counted by the count component is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, periodically output an output information to an information processing device, wherein the output information comprises information indicating that maintenance by a service person is required, and prohibit the reset component from resetting the count value in response to an operation received from the service person, and
- when determining that the count value counted by the count component is less than the second threshold value and if the output information has started to be output to the information processing device in response to the controller determining that the count value counted by the count component is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, terminate the output of the output information to the information processing device.
6 more elements
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising a printing component comprising a member, self-maintenance of which is performable by a user, the printing component configured to print an image on a printing medium, the method comprising:
- counting a count value indicating usage time of the member;
- resetting the count value in response to a selectable operation;
- when determining that the count value counted by the count component is equal to or greater than a second threshold value and less than a first threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is equal to or less than the first threshold value, display a first image on a display, wherein the first image urges the user to perform the self-maintenance, and wherein the first image comprises the selectable operation of causing the reset component to reset the count value;
- when determining that the count value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, periodically outputting an output information to an information processing device, wherein the output information comprises first information indicating that maintenance by a service person is required, displaying the first image on the display, and prohibiting the reset component from resetting the count value in response to an operation received from the service person;
- and
- when determining that the count value is less than the second threshold value and if the output information has started to be output to the information processing device in response to the determining that the count value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, terminating the output of the output information to the information processing device.
3 more elements
A multifunction printer, comprising:
- a printing component comprising a member, self-maintenance of which is performable by a user, the printing component configured to print an image on a printing medium;
- a count component configured to count a count value indicating usage time of the member;
- and
- a reset component configured to reset the count value in response to a selectable operation,
- a controller configured to:
- when determining that the count value counted by the count component is equal to or greater than a second threshold value and less than a first threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is equal to or less than the first threshold value, display a first image on a display, wherein the first image urges the user to perform the self-maintenance and comprises the selectable operation of causing the reset component to reset the count value,
- when determining that the count value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, periodically output an output information to an information processing device, wherein the output information comprises information indicating that maintenance by a service person is required, display the first image on the display, and prohibit the reset component from resetting the count value in response to an operation received from the service person, and
- when determining that the count value is less than the second threshold value and when the output information has started to be output to the information processing device in response to the controller determining that the count value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, terminate the output of the output information to the information processing device.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.