Consumable product and device for identifying the same

• US 7,154,255 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toya, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): DEB, ANJAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/934,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20050052188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/433, 324/66, 320/106
• US Class Current: 324/66
• 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 including 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, 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 system for identifying consumable products, the system comprising:

a main unit; and

a consumable product detachably connected to the main unit, wherein

the consumable product includes a property-varying analog element having a time-varying electric property that continuously varies when connected to the main unit and applied with electricity, and

the main unit includes an electricity-applying portion operable to apply the electricity to the property-varying analog element of the consumable product, and a detecting portion operable to detect the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element, and to identify whether the consumable product is an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected time-varying electric property.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element varies according to a time period when the electricity-applying portion applies the electricity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element varies according to an applied current.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element varies according to an applied voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element that varies is a capacitance of the property-varying analog element.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element that varies is an electrical resistance of the property-varying analog element.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element that varies is an inductance of the property-varying analog element.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a thermistor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a varistor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a coil.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a capacitor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the property-varying analog element is a variable capacitance diode.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion is operable to apply a constant current to the property-varying analog element.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion is operable to apply a current varying based on a function of time to the property-varying analog element.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion is operable to apply a pulsed current to the property-varying analog element.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion is operable to apply a varying voltage to the property-varying analog element.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the electricity-applying portion is operable to apply a constant voltage to the property-varying analog element.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting portion is operable to detect the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element at a plurality of occasions over time.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting portion is operable to detect a variation of electrical resistance, as the time-varying electric property, of the property-varying analog element.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a voltage dividing resistance connected in series with the property-varying analog element, wherein a voltage applied to the property-varying analog element is detectable.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting portion is operable to detect the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element when a predetermined time period is reached from when the electricity-applying portion begins applying the electricity to the property-varying analog element of the consumable product.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting portion is operable to identify whether the consumable product is an authorized product or a substandard product by detecting whether the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element is within the set range.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the detecting portion detects time-varying electric property several times to detect whether the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element is within the set range.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting portion is operable to identify whether the consumable product is an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected time-varying voltage of the property-varying analog element when a predetermined time period is reach from when the electricity-applying portion begins applying the electricity to the property-varying analog element of the consumable product.

25. A consumable product for detachably connecting to a main unit, the consumable product comprising:

a property-varying analog element having a time-varying electric property that continuously varies when connected to the main unit and applied with electricity, wherein

the time-varying electric property of the property-varying analog element is detected by the main unit, and the consumable product is identified as an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected time-varying electric property.

26. A system for identifying consumable products, the system comprising:

a main unit; and

a consumable product detachably connected to the main unit, wherein

the consumable product includes a property-varying analog element having a time-varying voltage that continuously varies when connected to the main unit and applied with electricity, and

the main unit includes an electricity-applying portion operable to apply the electricity to the property-varying analog element of the consumable product, and a detecting portion operable to detect the time-varying voltage of the property-varying analog element, and to identify whether the consumable product is an authorized product or a substandard product based on the detected time-varying voltage of the property-varying analog element.