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US 8,027,048 B2Granted
Method and article for determining use of consumable items in an image-forming device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsStephen L. Testardi, Michael J. Borg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image-forming device and method for determining use of consumable items therein includes a consumable item memory storing a substantially unique identifier designating the consumable item as one of a starter item and a normal item. A computer program retrieves the identifier from the consumable item memory and determines whether to allow formation of images using the consumable item based on whether the consumable item is a starter item or a normal item.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- providing a consumable item for an image-forming device, the consumable item having a substantially unique identifier of the consumable item stored in a memory thereof, and the substantially unique identifier designating the consumable item as one of a starter item and a normal item;
- and
- upon installation of the consumable item in the image-forming device and powering-on of the image forming device,
- retrieving, by a computer program, the substantially unique identifier from the memory of the consumable item;
- determining, by the computer program, whether the consumable item is a starter item or a normal item based on the substantially unique identifier;
- and
- determining, by the computer program, whether to allow formation of images using the consumable item based on whether the consumable item is a starter item or a normal item,
- wherein, if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with one of a different starter item and a normal item installed in the image-forming device, preventing formation of images using the consumable item,
- wherein, if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with the same starter item installed in the image-forming device, allowing formation of images using the consumable item.
6 more elements
An image-forming device comprising:
- an image-forming mechanism to form images on sheets of media using a consumable item, the consumable item including a memory storing a substantially unique identifier of the consumable item designating the consumable item as one of a starter item and a normal item;
- and,
- a computer program configured to retrieve the substantially unique identifier from the memory of the consumable item, and determine whether to allow formation of images using the consumable item based on whether the consumable item is a starter item or a normal item,
- wherein, if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with one of a different starter item and a normal item installed in the image-forming device, the computer program prevents formation of images using the consumable item,
- wherein, if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with the same starter item installed in the image-forming device, the computer program allows formation of images using the consumable item.
2 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform a method comprising:
- retrieving a substantially unique identifier of a consumable item from a memory of the consumable item, the consumable item installed in an image-forming device;
- determining whether the consumable item is a starter item based on the substantially unique identifier;
- limiting the number of starter items useable by the image-forming mechanism to one starter item;
- and
- preventing formation of images using the consumable item if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with one of a different starter item and a normal item installed in the image-forming device,
- allowing formation of images using the consumable item if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with the same starter item installed in the image-forming device.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.