Allowing image formation using consumable item where code of consumable item is identical to code of image-formation device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorSteven Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A first code is programmed into a memory of an image-formation device consumable item, outside of an image-formation device. Upon insertion of the image-formation device consumable item into the image-formation device, it is detected that the memory of the consumable item has programmed therein the first code. The image-formation device determines whether the first code is identical to a second code programmed into a memory of the image-formation device. Where the first code is identical to the second code, the consumable item is allowed to be used by the image-formation device to form images on media.
Claims27
A method comprising:
- programming a first code into a memory of an image-formation device consumable item, outside of an image-formation device;
- upon insertion of the image-formation device consumable item into the image-formation device,
- detecting that the memory of the consumable item has programmed therein the first code;
- determining by the image-formation device whether the first code is identical to a second code programmed into a memory of the image-formation device;
- and,
- where the first code is identical to the second code, allowing the consumable item to be used by the image-formation device to form images on media.
An image-formation device comprising:
- a memory capable of having programmed therein a code;
- an image-formation mechanism capable of forming images on media using an image-formation device consumable item insertable into the image-formation device;
- a detection mechanism to detect whether the consumable item insertable into the image-formation device has a code programmed in a memory thereof other than by the image-formation device;
- and,
- a security mechanism to allow the image-formation mechanism to form images on media using the consumable item where the code of the image-formation device is identical to the code of the consumable item.
An image-formation device comprising:
- first means for forming images on media using an image-formation device consumable item insertable into the image-formation device;
- and,
- second means for allowing the first means to form images on media using the consumable item where a code of the image-formation device is identical to a code programmed into the consumable item other than by the image-formation device.
A consumable item for an image-formation device comprising:
- one or more consumables to be used by the image-formation device to form images on media;
- a memory capable of having programmed therein a code associated with a particular party by other than the image-formation device;
- and,
- a communication mechanism to communicate the code to the image-formation device into which the consumable item is insertable,
- wherein the image-formation device is configured to use the consumables to form images on media where the code is identical to a code of the image-formation device or where the code has not been programmed into the memory, and otherwise is configured not to use the consumables to form images on media.
A consumable item for an image-formation device comprising:
- one or more consumables to be used by the image-formation device to form images on media;
- means for storing a code associated with a particular party and programmed therein by other than the image-formation device;
- and,
- means for communicating the code to the image-formation device into which the consumable item is insertable,
- wherein the image-formation device is configured to use the consumables to form images on media where the code is identical to a code of the image-formation device or where the code has not been programmed into the memory, and otherwise is configured not to use the consumables to form images on media.
A computer-readable medium of an image-formation device having a computer program stored thereon and executable by the image-formation device, the computer program comprising:
- a first computer program part to detect whether a memory of an image-formation device consumable item inserted into the image-formation device has programmed therein a first code, the first code programmed into the memory of the image-formation device by other than the image-formation device;
- a second computer program part to determine whether the first code is identical to a second code programmed in the image-formation device;
- and,
- a third computer program part to allow the consumable item to be used by the image-formation device to form images on media where the first code is identical to the second code.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.