US 8,959,590 B2Granted

Method and arrangement for enabling the use of a consumable unit

AssigneeFrancotyp-Postalia GmbH

InventorsUwe Huebler, Gerrit Bleumer

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Abstract

In a method for enabling the use of a consumable unit in a consumption device of a consumption arrangement, a first item of authorization information assigned to the consumable unit is transmitted from the consumption arrangement to a remote data center. The data center implements a first verification of the first item of authorization information and, as a function of this verification, a second item of authorization information assigned to the consumable unit is generated. The second item of authorization information is transmitted to the consumption arrangement, which implements a second verification of the second item of authorization information, dependent on which use of the consumable unit in the consumption device is enabled. The outcome of either the first or second verification is also used for an accounting for use of the consumable unit when, the first verification indicates that the consumable unit was previously unused.

Claims14

Dependent claims

Method for enabling the use of a consumable unit containing a consumable medium in a consumption device of a consumption arrangement, comprising:

in a first transmission step, a first item of authorization information assigned to the consumable unit is transmitted from a data processing unit of the consumption arrangement via a communications network to a remote data center;
in a first verification step in the data center, a verification of the first item of authorization information takes place;
in an ascertainment step in said first verification step, ascertaining that said consumable unit was previously unused;
in an authorization step in the data center, as a function of the outcome of the first verification step a second item of authorization information assigned to the consumable unit is generated;
in a second transmission step, the second item of authorization information is transmitted via a communications network to the data processing unit;
in a second verification step in the data processing unit, a verification of the second item of authorization information takes place;
in an enabling step in the data processing unit, as a function of the outcome of the second verification step, enabling the use of the consumable unit in the consumption device takes place;
and
in an accounting step, as a function of the outcome of the first verification step and/or of the second verification step, accounting for enabling the use of the consumable unit in the consumption device, comprising payment of a usage fee, by a user of said consumption arrangement, for use of said consumable unit, only when, in said ascertainment step of the first verification step, it is ascertained that the consumable unit was previously unused.

6 more elements

A medium consuming system comprising:

a consumable unit containing a consumable medium;
a consumption arrangement comprising a consumption device configured to use the consumable unit and an associated data processing unit configured to control use of the consumable unit;
a data center remote from the consumption arrangement and connectable via a communications network to the data processing unit;
the data processing unit being configured to, in a first transmission step, transmit a first item of authorization information assigned to the consumable unit via the communications network to the remote data center, and in a first verification step, perform a verification of the first item of authorization information, in an ascertainment step in said first verification step, ascertain that said consumable unit was previously unused, and in an authorization step, generate, as a function of the outcome of the first verification step, a second item of authorization information assigned to the consumable unit, and in a second transmission step, transmit the second item of authorization information via the communications network to the data processing unit;
the data processing unit configured to, in a second verification step, perform a verification of the second item of authorization information, and in an enabling step, enable, as a function of the outcome of the second verification step, use of the consumable unit in the consumption device;
and
at least one of the data processing unit and the data center being configured to implement, in an accounting step as a function of the outcome of the first verification step and/or of the second verification step, an accounting for enabling the use of the consumable unit in the consumption device, comprising payment of a usage fee, by a user of said consumption arrangement, for use of said consumable unit;
and
said at least one of the data processing unit and the data center is configured to implement the accounting step comprising said payment only when, in said ascertainment step of the first verification step, it is ascertained that the consumable unit was previously unused.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/337,404Filed 27 Dec 2011
Priority: DE 10 2010 056 34929 Dec 2010
Published: US 2012/0222094 A130 Aug 2012
Granted: 17 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G07B 17/0008
Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system: communication details outside or…
G06F 21/44
Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals: program or device authentication
G06Q 50/60
Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g.…:…
G07B 17/00435
Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office: details specific to central,…