Print supply monitoring

• US 7,237,485 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Fargo Electronics Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Meier, James R., Johnson, Chadwick M., Pribula, Martin A., Lukaskawcez, Stacy W., Dunham, Matthew K., Gershenovich, Leon, Platner, Thomas C., Klinefelter, Gary M., Park, Ryan G., Upin, Jeffrey D., Lenz, Gary A., Ibs, Jon J., Countryman, Jr., Gary P.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLILLA, DANIEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US10/917,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20050019078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 400/76, 400/208, 101/484, 705/50, 705/22, 711/108, 280/270, 235/385
• US Class Current: 101/484
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0015 for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing selective coating B41J2/2114
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/009 Detecting type of paper, e.g. by automatic reading of a code that is printed on a paper package or on a paper roll or by sensing the grade of translucency of the paper
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/12 specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like , e.g. credit cards, cut visiting cards
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 17/12 Special adaptations for ensuring maximum life
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 17/36 Alarms, indicators, or feed-disabling devices responsible to material breakage or exhaustion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/355 Control circuits for heating-element selection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 35/36 Alarms, indicators, or feed disabling devices responsive to ink ribbon breakage or exhaustion
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 1/04 adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/31 Supports for sheets fully removable from the handling machine, e.g. cassette
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1914 Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

An identification card printer includes a card input, a card transport, a printhead, and a card output. The card transport is configured to feed a card from the card input along a print path. The printhead is positioned below the print path and is configured to print an image on a surface of the card. The card can then be discharged through the card output.

Claims

1. An identification card manufacturing device comprising:

a consumable supply;

a card transport configured to feed a card along a print path;

a printhead configured to print an image on a surface of the card;

a supply circuit mounted to the supply and including a memory that contains supply information that has been encrypted in accordance with a first encryption method;

a supply circuit reader configured to re-encrypt the supply information in the memory in accordance with a second encryption method that is different from the first encryption method; and

a controller configured to decrypt the re-encrypted supply information.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the consumable supply includes a print ribbon and the printhead is configured to print the image on the surface of the card using the print ribbon.

3. A method of operating an identification card manufacturing device that includes a consumable supply including a supply circuit having a memory containing supply information that has been encrypted in accordance with a first encryption method, the method comprising:

decrypting the supply information with a supply circuit reader;

re-encrypting the decrypted supply information in accordance with a second encryption method that is different from the first encryption method using the supply circuit reader;

providing the re-encrypted supply information to a controller; and

decrypting the re-encrypted supply information with the controller.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the consumable supply includes a print ribbon.

5. A method of operating an identification card manufacturing device having a controller with a consumable supply including a supply circuit having a memory, the method comprising:

storing supply information in the memory of the supply circuit, wherein the supply information is encrypted in accordance with a first encryption method; and

accessing the supply information with a supply circuit reader of the identification card manufacturing device;

encrypting the supply information in accordance with a second encryption method; and

communicating the supply information to the controller.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

storing a value in the memory; and

decrementing the value in response to use of the supply.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification card manufacturing device comprises an identification card printer and the consumable supply comprises a print ribbon.