An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a cartridge, and a controller. The cartridge is attachable to the main casing. The cartridge includes a cartridge memory configured to store identification information. The controller is configured to perform a rewriting process to rewrite the identification information to information indicating that the cartridge is the normal cartridge, in a case where the controller receives a cancellation instruction to instruct to cancel the service contract and the identification information, which is stored in a cartridge memory of the cartridge attached to the main casing, indicates that the cartridge is the contract cartridge.

An image forming apparatus includes a main casing and a controller. A cartridge is to be attached to the main casing. The cartridge includes a memory stores usage status information indicating whether the cartridge is a new cartridge or an old cartridge which indicates a used product. The controller reads the usage status information stored in the memory in a case that attachment of the cartridge to the main casing is detected. The controller determines, based on the usage status information, whether the cartridge is the new cartridge or the old cartridge. The controller rewrites the usage status information to information indicating that the cartridge is the old cartridge in a case that the cartridge is determined to be the new cartridge. The rewriting is performed before the controller receives a print instruction and before the material or the part of the cartridge is consumed.

An image forming apparatus having a first mode and a second mode with respectively different rotational peripheral velocity ratios of a developer bearing member, stores a first lifetime threshold value of a developing apparatus corresponding to the first mode and a second lifetime threshold value of the developing apparatus corresponding to the second mode, updates a lifetime determination value of a developing apparatus on the basis of drive amount information when the developer bearing member operates in the first mode and second modes, performs a first determination related to a lifetime in the first mode on the basis of the first lifetime threshold value and the lifetime determination value, performs a second determination related to a lifetime in the second mode on the basis of the second lifetime threshold value and the lifetime determination value, and makes a notification on the basis of determination results.

A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a memory having an electrical contact surface; and a resilient member positioned between the electrical contact surface and the drum frame. The resilient member is configured to expand and compress in a second direction crossing the electrical contact surface between a first state and a second state, the resilient member having a shorter length in the second state than in the first state. A distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the second state is smaller than a distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the first state.

A cartridge unit includes: a first unit which includes a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion; and a second unit which includes a first supported portion, a second supported portion, and a storage member, the storage member including a memory contact, and a contact arrangement surface on which the memory contact is disposed. The second unit rotates from a first position to a second position in a state in which the first supported portion is supported by the first supporting portion and the second supported portion is supported by the second supporting portion to be positioned with respect to the first unit. A normal direction of the contact arrangement surface faces toward a direction in which the memory contact is exposed. The normal direction faces toward a direction opposite to a direction in which the second unit is directed from the first position to the second position.

An electronic component includes a processor and a memory. The electronic component has a secure platform capable of storing at least one dual key pair and a corresponding digital signature. There is also a system including a host machine and an electronic component capable of being operated by the host machine. The electronic component has a processor, a memory, and a secure platform capable of storing at least one dual key pair and a corresponding digital signature. Another aspect describes a method, which includes reading a public key from an electronic component by a host machine, verifying the public key against a stored key in the host machine, digitally signing data using a private key from the electronic component, verifying the signed data against the stored key, and using the electronic component by the host machine only if the signed data and the public key are verified.

There is provided a method and apparatus for monitoring conditioning of a rendering material in a storage structure, where the storage structure comprises a passive transceiver. The passive transceiver may generate a varying response signal where a strength of the varying signal can be monitored and used to determine a pre-conditioning parameter indicative of a condition of the storage structure.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller, a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge. The controller is configured to perform determining a value of a first initial developing bias for a first toner cartridge based on a cumulative number of drum rotations that is stored in a drum memory of the drum cartridge at the time when the cumulative dot count stored in the toner memory of the first toner cartridge is equal to zero. After determining the first initial developing bias, the controller is configured to perform determining a value of a second initial developing bias for a second toner cartridge based on the cumulative number of drum rotations that is stored in the drum memory at the time when the cumulative dot count stored in the toner memory of the second toner cartridge is equal to zero.

A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a memory having an electrical contact surface; and a resilient member positioned between the electrical contact surface and the drum frame. The resilient member is configured to expand and compress in a second direction crossing the electrical contact surface between a first state and a second state, the resilient member having a shorter length in the second state than in the first state. A distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the second state is smaller than a distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the first state.

A toner container includes a container body, an opening, a cover, a toner discharge port, a shutter, a cylindrical structure, protrusions, and an identifier. The shutter is attached to the cover and includes a main shutter covering the toner discharge port. The main shutter moves between a closed position to close the toner discharge port and an open position to open the toner discharge port. The protrusions are on both sides of the cover and protrude in a direction orthogonal to a toner container mounting direction. The identifier is on the cover to indicate a toner color. The cylindrical structure's leading end is downstream of leading ends of the protrusions in the mounting direction. The main shutter's leading end is downstream of the protrusions' leading ends in the mounting direction when the main shutter is in the closed position. The protrusions are downstream of the identifier in the mounting direction.