Secure resource tracker

• US 20090100946A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Balinsky, Helen, Cohen, Eytan, McDonnell, Edward, Uzan, Moshe, Ripenbein, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/866
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism

Abstract

A system for tracking resource parameters includes a resource having an associated memory tag; a parameter sensing element sensing a parameter of the resource; and a memory tag reader/writer. The system is configured to store information gathered from the parameter sensing element on the memory tag.

Claims

1. A system for tracking resource parameters, said system comprising:

a resource having an associated memory tag;

a parameter sensing element sensing a parameter of said resource; and

a memory tag reader/writer;

wherein said system is configured to store information gathered from said parameter sensing element on said memory tag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said parameter sensing element is configured to sense one or more parameters selected from the group of:

temperature, weight, voltage, composition, pressure, humidity, viscosity, changes in concentration, float level and date and time.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computing element communicatively coupled with said parameter sensing element and memory tag reader/writer, wherein said computing element is configured to perform an action if a combined effect of changes in said parameters falls outside of a specified threshold.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said action comprises voiding a warranty.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said action comprises display of a warning, ceasing operation, alerting a manufacturer or user, or logging data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said memory tag is integrally attached to said resource.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said resource is ink.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said parameter sensing element is configured to sense a weight of a container of said ink.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing element is associated with a printing system.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a resource positioning element configured to position said resource such that said memory tag is positioned adjacent said memory tag reader/writer.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said memory tag comprises Write Once Read Many memory.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said memory tag is protected by encryption.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said resource comprises a laser printer toner cartridge.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said resource comprises a laser printer fuser assembly.

15. A method of tracking a resource, said method comprising:

providing a resource with a memory tag;

updating said memory tag with tracked changes in one or more parameters associated with said resource; and

performing an action if said tracked changes exceed a limit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said parameter sensing element is configured to sense one or more parameters selected from the group of:

temperature, weight, voltage, composition, pressure, humidity, viscosity, changes in concentration, float level and date and time.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising disabling the write capability of at least a portion of said memory tag.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said action is selected from the group consisting of:

displaying an alert, asking for approval, voiding a warranty, or ceasing operation.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said resource comprises a laser printer toner cartridge.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said resource comprises a laser printer fuser assembly.

21. A method of monitoring ink usage in a printing system, said method comprising recording changes in a weight of an ink container on a memory tag secured to said container.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing said container in a resource positioning element comprising a memory tag reader/writer and a weight sensing element.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

validating an ink consumption sequence on said memory tag; and

updating said ink consumption sequence with said current weight.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a failure or inability to perform said step of validating an ink consumption sequence results in an additional step of creating an new ink consumption sequence if the current weight of said ink container equals an original factory weight of said ink container or issuing an alert otherwise.