Cartridges for Reprographics Devices

• US 20090290906A1
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ingenia Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Ingenia Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Cowburn, Russell Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/471,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20090290906A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/111
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/046 by discriminating a special original, e.g. a bank note
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/18 Cartridge systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/225 based on a marking or identifier characterising the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/42 Global feature extraction by analysis of the whole pattern, e.g. using frequency domain transformations or autocorrelation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns

Abstract

A removable cartridge for a reprographics device, such as a printer, is described. The removable cartridge comprises a signature scanning unit for use in generating a signature based upon an intrinsic characteristic of an article. By providing a signature scanning unit in a replaceable cartridge, few or no modifications to the existing designs of various reprographics devices are needed. Additionally, the installation of the signature scanning unit in a reprographics device is made as easy as replacing a standard removable cartridge, such as, for example, an inkjet or toner cartridge. The addition of authorisation/identification functionality to various conventional reprographics devices can also be made by a non-technical user using various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A removable cartridge for a reprographics device, the removable cartridge comprising:

a scanning unit operable to obtain a set of data points conveying information describing an intrinsic structure characteristic of an article; and

a controller operable to control said scanning unit to start obtaining the set of data points in response to detection of a predetermined printed pattern on an article.

2. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said controller is operable to control said scanning unit to stop obtaining data points after a predetermined time.

3. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said controller is operable to control said scanning unit to stop obtaining data points after a predetermined distance.

4. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said controller is operable to control said scanning unit to stop obtaining data points in response to detection of a predetermined printed stop pattern.

5. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 wherein the scanning unit is operable to collect a set of data points from an article in a reading volume of the scanning unit, the scanning unit comprising:

a source for generating a coherent beam; and

a detector arrangement for collecting a set comprising groups of said data points from signals obtained when the coherent beam scatters from different parts of an article in the reading volume, wherein different ones of the groups of data points relate to scatter from respective different parts of the article.

6. A removable cartridge according claim 1 wherein said controller includes a processor for processing said data points to generate a signature.

7. A removable cartridge according to claim 6 including a communications interface for transmitting said signature from said controller to a database.

8. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 including a communications interface for transmitting data points from said controller to an external processor for generating said signature.

9. A removable cartridge according to claim 8 wherein said external processor is operable to transmit said signature to a database.

10. A removable cartridge according to claim 7, wherein said communications interface sends information via a wireless communication system.

11. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said cartridge is powered by batteries.

12. A removable cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said cartridge is powered by the printer interface of a reprographics device into which it is removably received.

13. A system for generating a signature wherein said system includes:

a removable cartridge comprising;

a scanning unit operable to obtain a set of data points conveying information describing an intrinsic structure characteristic of an article;

a controller operable to control said scanning unit to start obtaining the set of data points in response to detection of a predetermined printed pattern on an article and to process said data points to generate a signature; and

a communications interface for transmitting said signature from said controller to a database; and

a database for receiving said signature from said communications interface.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said communications interface sends information via a wireless communication system.

15. A system for generating a signature wherein said system includes:

a removable cartridge comprising a scanning unit operable to obtain a set of data points conveying information describing an intrinsic structure characteristic of an article;

a controller operable to control said scanning unit to start obtaining the set of data points in response to detection of a predetermined printed pattern on an article; and

a communications interface for transmitting data points from said controller to an external processor for generating said signature;

an external processor for receiving data points from said communications interface, said processor being operable to generate said signature; and

a database for receiving said signature from said external processor.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said communications interface sends information via a wireless communication system.

17. A removable cartridge for a reprographics device, the removable cartridge comprising:

means for obtaining a set of data points conveying information describing an intrinsic structure characteristic of an article; and

means for controlling said means for obtaining a set of data points to start obtaining the set of data points in response to detection of a predetermined printed pattern on an article.

24. A method according to claim 17 wherein collection of said data points includes the steps of:

generating a coherent beam;

directing said coherent beam into said reading volume; and

collecting signals created by scatter of said coherent beam within said reading volume, wherein different ones of said signals relate to scatter from different parts of said reading volume.

18. A method for triggering collection of data points conveying information describing an intrinsic structure characteristic of an article, said method comprising:

detecting a predetermined start pattern on an article received in a reading volume of a scanning unit and starting collection of said data points in response to detection of said pattern.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein said controller stops collecting data points from said scanning unit after a predetermined time.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein said controller stops collecting data points from said scanning unit after a predetermined distance.

21. A method according to claim 18 wherein said controller stops collecting data points from said scanning unit in response to detecting a predetermined stop pattern.

22. A method according to claim 18 wherein said predetermined start pattern is selected from the group consisting of at least two or more vertical lines in parallel, a predetermined text pattern, or a logo.

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein said predetermined stop pattern is selected from the group consisting of at least two or more vertical lines in parallel, a predetermined text pattern, a logo, or a blank space.