| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user-friendly system by correctly grasping the replacement timing of a cartridge incorporating consumable items, for example, a recording material used for printing, thereby shortening a period during which stocks are stored in a store and by enabling a printer to predict insufficiency of the consumable items for a POS system and automatically order consumable items for replacement. <P>SOLUTION: The printer can be connected to a host computer that manages the POS system via a net work or a public line and can use the cartridge that has a nonvolatile storage device capable of storing data about an amount of remaining toner and the life of a drum. The printer includes a means for detecting amount of remaining recording medium in the cartridge, and a means for calculating an amount of the recording medium used per page or day, thereby predicting the time when the consumable item runs out. When the amount is beyond a certain threshold value, the printer performs the processing of ordering a consumable item for replacement. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI |
