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US 7,925,173 B2Granted
Monitoring apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image forming system
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAkihiro Yamada
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A monitoring apparatus includes a determining unit that determines in advance a first target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of a colorant at a first timing, at which a first predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed, a first calculating unit that calculates an actual amount of the colorant actually consumed during the first predetermined period, and an announcing unit that announces consumption status information generated based on the first target amount and the actual amount.
Claims10
A monitoring apparatus comprising:
- a determining unit that determines in advance a first target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of a colorant at a first timing based on a target time indicating a desired usage period of the colorant, at which a first predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed;
- a timer that measures a time from start of use of the colorant in image formation;
- a first calculating unit that calculates an actual amount of the colorant actually consumed while the timer measures the first predetermined period;
- and
- an announcing unit that announces consumption status information generated by comparing the first target amount and the actual amount,
- wherein the determining unit determines the first target amount based on a second target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of the colorant at a second timing, at which a second predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed, the second predetermined period being longer than the first predetermined period.
3 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a colorant cartridge that accommodates a colorant;
- a printing unit that prints an image onto a recording medium by using the colorant;
- a determining unit that determines in advance a first target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of the colorant at a first timing based on a target time indicating a desired usage period of the colorant, at which a first predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed;
- a timer that measures a time from start of use of the colorant in image formation;
- a first calculating unit that calculates an actual amount of the colorant actually consumed while the timer measures the first predetermined period;
- and
- an announcing unit that announces consumption status information generated by comparing the first target amount and the actual amount,
- wherein the determining unit determines the first target amount based on a second target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of the colorant at a second timing, at which a second predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed, the second predetermined period being longer than the first predetermined period.
5 more elements
An image forming system comprising:
- an image forming apparatus including a colorant cartridge which accommodates a colorant, and a printing unit that prints an image onto a recording medium by using the colorant;
- an information processing apparatus which performs data communication with the image forming apparatus;
- a determining unit that determines in advance a first target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of the colorant at a first timing based on a target time indicating a desired usage period of the colorant, at which a first predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed;
- a timer that measures a time from start of use of the colorant in image formation;
- a first calculating unit that calculates an actual amount of the colorant actually consumed while the timer measures the first predetermined period;
- and
- an announcing unit that announces consumption status information generated by comparing the first target amount and the actual amount,
- wherein the determining unit determines the first target amount based on a second target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of the colorant at a second timing, at which a second predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image formation has elapsed, the second predetermined period being longer than the first predetermined period.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.