IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS, IMAGE DEVELOPMENT UNIT DETERMINATION METHOD AND PROGRAM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform identification of the type of each image development unit for determining appropriate mounting of an image development unit which can be detached with addition of simple data processing means without addition and change of a hardware configuration leading to cost increase.SOLUTION: An image development unit type identification part 47 detects the toner residual amount in a mounted image development unit and identifies the type of a processing object image development unit on the basis of the obtained result and image development unit type information stored in a storage part. Image development material amount comparison means of the image development unit type identification part 47 compares the detected toner residual amount with the toner amount in the image development unit within a specific range corresponding to the type of the specific image development unit scheduled to be used. Image development unit determination means of the image development unit type identification part 47 identifies the type of the specific image development unit scheduled to be used when the detected toner residual amount in the image development unit is within the specific range of the toner residual amount corresponding to the type of the specific image development unit scheduled to be used as the comparison result.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3