Method of recycling single-use camera
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorDennis R. Zander
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of recycling a single-use camera after a function of the camera has been purposefully disabled to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, comprising inputting a reset code to the camera to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized further by inputting a start code to the camera before the reset code is to be inputted to the camera to condition the camera for testing, testing the camera to determine whether the camera is reusable, and preventing the reset code from being inputted to the camera when testing the camera indicates the camera is not reusable.
Claims13
A method of recycling a single-use camera after a function of the camera has been purposefully disabled to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, comprising inputting a reset code to the camera to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized further by:
- inputting a start code to the camera before the reset code is to be inputted to the camera to condition the camera for testing;
- testing the camera to determine whether the camera is reusable;
- and
- preventing the reset code from being inputted to the camera when testing the camera indicates the camera is not reusable.
A method of preventing unauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera, comprising the steps of first determining completed use of the camera has occurred and then disabling a function of the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, and inputting a reset code to the camera to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized further by:
- inputting a start code to the camera before the reset code is to be inputted to the camera to condition the function that has been disabled for testing;
- testing the function that has been disabled to determine whether the camera can be reused or should be discarded;
- and
- preventing the reset code from being inputted to the camera to re-enable the function that has been disabled when testing the function indicates the camera should be discarded.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.