Systems and methods for controlling an image forming system based on customer replaceable unit status

A method for operating an image forming apparatus having a queue of jobs to be performed using the image forming apparatus and at least one element having a useful life consumed by the image forming apparatus or containing material consumed by the image forming apparatus in performing the jobs within the queue of jobs, the method comprising:

• determining, for at least one of the at least one element of the image forming apparatus, a remaining amount of a consumable associated with that element;
• determining, for at least one job that is in the job queue or is to be added to the job queue, and for at least one consumable within the image forming apparatus, if that job can be performed based on an unallocated amount of a remaining amount of that consumable;
• generating, for at least one consumable, an alert notification if that job cannot be completed in view of the unallocated amount of that consumable;
• conveying the alert notification to a user;
• and
• reprioritizing one or more jobs within the job queue by promoting or demoting, the reprioritizing including:
• selecting a job from the queue of jobs for reprioritizing;
• determining a new location in the job queue for the selected job;
• determining, for the selected job and for at least one consumable within the image forming apparatus, if the selected job can be performed at the new location based on an unallocated amount of the remaining amount of the at least one consumable;
• preventing promotion of the selected job to the new location if the selected job cannot be performed at the new location based on an unallocated amount of the remaining amount of the at least one consumable;
• promoting the selected job to the new location, when the new location is a location higher in the job queue, only if the selected job can be performed at the new location based on an unallocated amount of the remaining amount of the at least one consumable;
• demoting at least one other job to a location lower in the job queue;
• reevaluating whether demoted jobs in the job queue between an original location of the selected job and the new location can be performed based on an unallocated amount of the remaining amount of the at least one consumable;
• and
• activating the notification device if any demoted job cannot be performed.

A method for operating an image forming apparatus having a queue of jobs to be performed using the image forming apparatus and at least one element having a useful life consumed by the image forming apparatus or containing material consumed by the image forming apparatus in performing the jobs within the queue of jobs, comprising:

• (a) selecting a job from the queue of jobs for promotion as a current job;
• (b) determining a promotion location for the current job;
• (c) determining, for at least one element of the image forming apparatus, a remaining amount of a consumable associated with that element;
• (d) determining, for the current job and for the consumable within the image forming apparatus, if the current job can be performed based on an unallocated amount of the remaining amount of that consumable;
• (e) preventing promotion of the current job if the current job cannot be performed based on the unallocated amount of the remaining amount of that consumable;
• and
• (f) moving the current job to the promotion location of the current job only if the current job can be performed based on the unallocated amount for each of the at least one consumable determined in step (d).