An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to, in response to a target portable memory being attached to a port, determine whether the target portable memory is set as a dedicated memory for a storage printing process, based on whether identification information is stored in the target portable memory, when determining that the target portable memory is set as the dedicated memory, cause a user interface to display a first screen configured to receive an instruction to specify a storage destination to store print data in the storage printing process, and when determining that the target portable memory is not set as the dedicated memory, cause the user interface to display a second screen differing depending on whether the port to which the target portable memory has been attached is set as a dedicated port for the storage printing process.

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus capable of mounting an optional hardware. The information processing apparatus comprises a processor, an image processing circuit and a socket to which the optional hardware is to be mounted, wherein the optional hardware being connected to the socket communicates with the image processing circuit. The processor transmits a predetermined packet to the optional hardware mounted to the socket, receive a response packet to the predetermined packet from the image processing circuit, determines whether or not the received response packet is an expected response packet, and controls supplying power to the optional hardware in accordance with a determination result of the received response packet.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller and a memory interface having a plurality of ports each configured to receive a portable memory removably attached thereto. The controller performs a portable memory using process including storing data in a dedicated memory, which is a portable memory set as a storage destination to store the data in the portable memory using process when attached to a dedicated port, and performing a process using the data stored in the dedicated memory in response to an operation received via a user interface. The controller sets, prior to the portable memory using process, one of the plurality of ports as the dedicated port, and provides a notification when determining that a target portable memory is not the dedicated memory but the port to which the target portable memory has been attached is the dedicated port.

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, including: a connector having a connecting portion to which a USB memory is attachable; a support member configured to support the connector, the support member having a screw hole; a first screw hole provided on a main body of the image forming apparatus correspondingly to the screw hole of the support member, the first screw hole being for fixing the connector at a first position where the connecting portion of the connector is exposed from an exterior cover of the main body; and a second screw hole provided on the main body correspondingly to the screw hole of the support member, the second screw hole being for fixing the connector at a second position where the connecting portion of the connector is located inside the exterior cover.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller and a memory interface having a port to receive a portable memory. The controller performs a portable memory using process that includes storing data in a dedicated memory, and performing a process using the data stored in the dedicated memory in response to an operation received via a user interface. The controller stores, before the portable memory using process, identification information in a portable memory attached to the port, thereby setting the portable memory as the dedicated memory. The controller determines whether a target portable memory as attached to the port is set as the dedicated memory, based on whether the identification information is stored in the target portable memory. The controller determines whether to display a first screen or a second screen, based on whether the target portable memory is set as the dedicated memory.

An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing to which a consumable including a consumable memory is attachable; a main memory; and a controller configured to perform: when the consumable is new, storing identification information of the consumable in the main memory; when the consumable is used and is a special consumable, determining whether the identification information is stored in the main memory; when the identification information is stored in the main memory, permitting use of the consumable; when the identification information is not stored in the main memory; prohibiting use of the consumable; and while an external memory is physically connected to the main casing, storing the identification information in the external memory. By the external memory being physically connected to another image forming apparatus, the another image forming apparatus permits use of the consumable therein on the basis of the identification information stored in the external memory.

A firmware of the image forming device stores USB configuration information in a memory when updating the firmware in a normal operation. When updating of the firmware is not completed normally, the image forming device operates a recovery operation by executing a recovery program. The recovery program transmits USB configuration information, which is stored in the memory, to a terminal device when performing USB communication with the terminal device in the recovery operation. Thus, the USB configuration of the normal operation and that of the recovery operation are identical.

An image forming apparatus, and a control system and a control method of the image forming apparatus are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a non-transitory memory, a first controller, and a first interface. The first controller, connected to the non-transitory memory, is configured to control read and write of the non-transitory memory; first and second storage regions are configured in the non-transitory memory; the first storage region is configured to store driving programs; and the second storage region is configured to store first firmware files. The first interface is connected to the first controller; an external device accesses the non-transitory memory through the first interface; the driving programs are acquired by the external device through the first interface and installed in the external device; and the external device is capable of exchanging information with the image forming apparatus through an interface different from the first interface.

An image forming system including first and second image forming apparatuses each including a controller, a media interface, a memory, and a user interface. When configuration information is not stored in a recording medium connected to the media interface of the first image forming apparatus, the controller of the first image forming apparatus encrypts configuration information stored in the memory of the first image forming apparatus using a data password received via the user interface of the first image forming apparatus, and exports the encrypted configuration information to the recording medium. When configuration information is stored in a recording medium connected to the media interface of the second image forming apparatus, the controller of the second image forming apparatus decrypts the configuration information stored in the connected recording medium using a data password received via the user interface of the second image forming apparatus, and imports the decrypted configuration information.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to perform a storage printing process that includes storing print data in a dedicated memory, which is a portable memory set as a storage destination to store the print data in the storage printing process when attached to a dedicated port among a plurality of ports, and causing a print engine to perform printing according to the print data stored in the dedicated memory in response to an operation received via a user interface, prior to the storage printing process, set one of the plurality of ports as the dedicated port, in response to a portable memory being attached to a port, determine whether the portable memory is the dedicated memory and the port is the dedicated port, and provide a notification when determining that the portable memory is not the dedicated memory but the port is the dedicated port.