Consumable product and device for identifying the same

• US 20050052188A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toya, Shoichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/527
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries

Abstract

A device for identifying consumable products comprises a main unit including an electronic circuit, and a consumable product detachably connected to the main unit. The consumable product includes a property-varying analog element whose analog value of electric property continuously varies when connected to the main unit and applied with a current. The main unit includes a current-applying portion for applying the current to the property-varying analog element of the consumable product, and a detecting portion for detecting the varying electric property of the property-varying analog element, which is applied with the current by the current-applying portion. With this device, the in the state that the consumable product is connected to the main unit, the detecting portion of the main unit detects the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element of the consumable product, and identifies whether the consumable product is an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected electric property.

Claims

1. A device for identifying consumable products comprising a main unit including an electronic circuit, and a consumable product detachably connected to the main unit, wherein

the consumable product includes a property-varying analog element whose analog value of electric property continuously varies when connected to the main unit and applied with electricity, and

the main unit includes an electricity-applying portion for applying the electricity to the property-varying analog element of the consumable product, and a detecting portion for detecting the varying electric property of the property-varying analog element, which is applied with the electricity by the electricity-applying portion, wherein

in the state that the consumable product is connected, the detecting portion of the main unit detects the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element of the consumable product, and identifies whether the consumable product is an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected electric property.

2. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is an element whose electrical property varies according to the time period where the electricity is applied as a parameter.

3. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is an element whose electrical property varies according to an applied current as a parameter.

4. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is an element whose electrical property varies according to an applied voltage in the state that the electricity is applied as a parameter.

5. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is an element whose capacitance varies as the electricity is applied.

6. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is an element whose electrical resistance varies as the electricity is applied.

7. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is an element whose inductance varies as the electricity is applied.

8. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a thermistor.

9. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a varistor.

10. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a coil.

11. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a capacitor.

12. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a variable capacitance diode.

13. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the current-applying portion of the main unit is a circuit which applies a constant current to the property-varying analog element.

14. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the current-applying portion of the main unit is a circuit which applies a current varying based on a function of time to the property-varying analog element.

15. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion of the main unit is a circuit which applies a pulse current to the property-varying analog element.

16. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion of the main unit is a circuit which applies a varying voltage to the property-varying analog element.

17. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion of the main unit is a circuit which applies a constant voltage to the property-varying analog element.

18. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the detecting portion of the main unit performs detection of the electric property of the property-varying analog element at a plurality of times in elapsed time.

19. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the detecting portion of the main unit detects the variation of electric resistance of the property-varying analog element.

20. The device for identifying consumable products according to claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element and a voltage dividing resistance are connected to each other in series, and power is supplied thereto, so that the voltage applied to the property-varying analog element is detected.

21. A consumable product detachably connected to a main unit including an electronic circuit comprising a property-varying analog element whose analog value of electric property continuously varies when connected to the main unit and applied with electricity, wherein

in the state that the consumable product is connected to the main unit, the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element of the consumable product is detected by the main unit, and the consumable product is identified whether an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected electric property.