Image forming apparatus, method for determining compatibility of sheet feeder, and non-transitory computer-readable form

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet feeder attaching unit;
• a communication unit;
• a connection determining unit that attempts to cause the communication unit to communicate with a communication section of a sheet feeder, and determines as to whether or not the sheet feeder is connected to the sheet feeder attaching unit based on a result of the communication;
• an acquiring unit that acquires attribute information of the sheet feeder by communicating with the communication section of the sheet feeder if the connection determining unit determines that the sheet feeder is connected to the sheet feeder attaching unit, wherein the sheet feeder stores the attribute information;
• a storage unit that stores pieces of attribute information of sheet feeders which are compatible, in terms of control, with the image forming apparatus so that the pieces of attribute information are associated with identification information of the image forming apparatus;
• a compatibility determining unit that determines as to whether or not the connected sheet feeder is compatible with the image forming apparatus by comparing the attribute information of the connected sheet feeder acquired by the acquiring unit with the pieces of attribute information of the sheet feeders stored in the storage unit;
• and
• a forcible unconnected control unit that establishes a forcible unconnected state between the connected sheet feeder and the image forming apparatus if the compatibility determining unit determines that the connected sheet feeder is not compatible with the image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet feeder attaching unit;
• a communication unit;
• a connection determining unit that attempts to cause the communication unit to communicate with a communication section of a sheet feeder, and determines as to whether or not the sheet feeder is connected to the sheet feeder attaching unit based on a result of the communication;
• an acquiring unit that acquires attribute information of the sheet feeder by communicating with the communication section of the sheet feeder if the connection determining unit determines that the sheet feeder is connected to the sheet feeder attaching unit, wherein the sheet feeder stores the attribute information;
• a storage unit that stores pieces of attribute information of sheet feeders which are compatible, in terms of control, with the image forming apparatus;
• a compatibility determining unit that determines as to whether or not the connected sheet feeder is compatible with the image forming apparatus by comparing the attribute information of the connected sheet feeder acquired by the acquiring unit with the pieces of attribute information of the sheet feeders stored in the storage unit;
• and
• a forcible unconnected control unit that establishes a forcible unconnected state between the connected sheet feeder and the image forming apparatus if the compatibility determining unit determines that the connected sheet feeder is not compatible with the image forming apparatus.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process for determining sheet feeder compatibility, wherein

• the computer implements functions of an image forming apparatus which forms an image on a sheet while causing a sheet feeder attached to a sheet feeder attaching unit to feed the sheet, and
• the process comprises:
• attempting to communicate with a communication section of the sheet feeder, and determines as to whether or not the sheet feeder is connected to the sheet feeder attaching unit based on a result of the communication;
• if it is determined that the sheet feeder is connected to the sheet feeder attaching unit, acquiring attribute information of the sheet feeder by communicating with the communication section of the sheet feeder, the sheet feeder storing the attribute information;
• determining as to whether or not the connected sheet feeder is compatible with the image forming apparatus by comparing the acquired attribute information of the connected sheet feeder with pieces of attribute information of sheet feeders which are stored in a storage unit, the storage unit storing the pieces of the attribute information of the sheet feeders which are compatible, in terms of control, with the image forming apparatus so that the pieces of attribute information are associated with identification information of the image forming apparatus;
• if it is determined that the connected sheet feeder is not compatible with the image forming apparatus, establishing a forcible unconnected state between the connected sheet feeder and the image forming apparatus.