Licensing method for use with an imaging device
First Claim
1. A licensing method associated with an imaging device that uses an imaging media in forming printed images on print media, said imaging media including an initial supply amount of an imaging substance, wherein a usage license is associated with at least on of said imaging device and said imaging media, said usage license defining a first usage threshold at which a consumer is prompted to acquire a new license;
- and a license monitoring mechanism communicatively coupled with said imaging device, said license monitoring mechanism performing the acts of;
tracking an amount of usage of an imaging media by an imaging device;
determining whether said amount of usage of said imaging media by said imaging device has reached a first usage threshold; and
upon reaching said first usage threshold, then prompting said consumer to acquire a new license from a licensing vendor, wherein said prompting act further comprising determining whether said consumer wants to acquire said new license, and if said consumer wants to acquire said new license, then said license monitoring mechanism performing the act of establishing communications with said licensing vendor for acquiring said new license from said licensing vendor.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A licensing method includes the steps of establishing a licensing vendor; providing an imaging device that uses an imaging media in forming printed images on print media, the imaging media including an initial supply amount of an imaging substance; associating a usage license with at least one of the imaging device and the imaging media, the usage license defining a first usage threshold at which a consumer is prompted to acquire a new license; and providing a license monitoring mechanism communicatively coupled with the imaging device, the license monitoring mechanism performing the steps of tracking an amount of usage of the imaging media by the imaging device; determining whether the amount of usage of the imaging media by the imaging device has reached a usage threshold; and upon reaching the usage threshold, then prompting the consumer to acquire the new license from the licensing vendor.
95 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A licensing method associated with an imaging device that uses an imaging media in forming printed images on print media, said imaging media including an initial supply amount of an imaging substance, wherein a usage license is associated with at least on of said imaging device and said imaging media, said usage license defining a first usage threshold at which a consumer is prompted to acquire a new license;
- and a license monitoring mechanism communicatively coupled with said imaging device, said license monitoring mechanism performing the acts of;
tracking an amount of usage of an imaging media by an imaging device; determining whether said amount of usage of said imaging media by said imaging device has reached a first usage threshold; and upon reaching said first usage threshold, then prompting said consumer to acquire a new license from a licensing vendor, wherein said prompting act further comprising determining whether said consumer wants to acquire said new license, and if said consumer wants to acquire said new license, then said license monitoring mechanism performing the act of establishing communications with said licensing vendor for acquiring said new license from said licensing vendor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- and a license monitoring mechanism communicatively coupled with said imaging device, said license monitoring mechanism performing the acts of;
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29. A licensing method, associated with an imaging device, said imaging device having a licensing monitoring mechanism and a usage license associated therewith, comprising the acts of:
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tracking an amount of usage of an imaging device; determining with said licensing monitoring mechanism whether a consumer wants to acquire a new license; and if said consumer wants to acquire said new license, then said license monitoring mechanism facilitating acquisition of said new license from a licensing vendor. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A licensing method associated with an imaging media having a usage license associated therewith, said imaging media having an initial supply of an imaging substance and a memory storing an identification number for said imaging media, said usage license indicating a licensed amount of said imaging substance;
- and a license monitoring mechanism for accessing said memory of said imaging media and reading said identification number for said imaging media, comprising the acts of;
tracking an amount of usage of an imaging media, said amount of usage of said imaging media being at least one of an amount of consumption of said imaging substance and a rate of consumption of said imaging substance; and a license monitoring mechanism determining whether a usage license has expired, said determination being based on a comparison of a first value representing a licensed amount of said imaging substance with a second value representing said amount of usage of said imaging media, informing said consumer that said usage license has expired, wherein said act of informing comprises providing a visual warning to a consumer, wherein said visual warning is a gradual reduction of a density of printed images. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
- and a license monitoring mechanism for accessing said memory of said imaging media and reading said identification number for said imaging media, comprising the acts of;
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53. An imaging device, comprising:
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an electronics unit; an imaging recording unit communicatively coupled to said electronics unit; and an imaging media carrying a supply of imaging substance said imaging media including a memory, said memory being communicatively coupled to said electronics unit, said memory including storage locations for storing an identification number of said imaging media, a first value representing a licensed amount of the imaging substance and a second value representing an amount of usage of imaging media; said electronics unit including; a communications interface for facilitating communications with an imaging device driver; an embedded processor communicatively coupled to said communications interface; an imaging recording unit interface communicatively coupled to each of said embedded processor, said image recording unit and said memory; a counter communicatively coupled to each of said embedded processor and said imaging recording unit interface; an encryption key storage module; and an embedded license authentication system (ELAS) communicatively coupled to each of said communications interface said counter said imaging recording unit interface and said encryption key storage module, said ELAS being programmed for performing; accessing said memory of said imaging media and reading said identification number for said imaging media, said first value and said second value; tracking said amount of usage of said imaging media; determining whether said usage license has expired, said determination being based on a comparison of said first value representing said licensed amount of said imaging substance with said second value representing said amount of usage of imaging media. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A licensing method associated with an imaging device having an embedded license authentication system (ELAS);
- and an imaging media for use with said imaging device, said imaging media having a usage license associated therewith, said imaging media including a memory for storing information associated with said imaging media, said information including an imaging media type, an imaging substance fill level of said imaging media, and a usage amount of said imaging media, said usage amount being represented by a plurality of usage bits representing a corresponding plurality of usage levels, each bit representing a usage level of imaging substance from said imaging media, comprising the acts of;
an ELAS accessing a memory to read information associated with an imaging media; said ELAS setting a license identification number (ID) corresponding to a usage license associated with said imaging media; and said ELAS maintaining a count representing a usage of said imaging media, when said count achieves a value corresponding to one of said plurality of usage levels for said imaging media, said ELAS setting an appropriate usage bit of said plurality of usage bits in said memory, and when at least portion of said plurality of usage bits are set, thereby indicating said usage license has expired, said ELAS going into a limited post-expiration use mode, wherein during said limited post-expiration use mode a gradual reduction of a density of printed images occurs. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
- and an imaging media for use with said imaging device, said imaging media having a usage license associated therewith, said imaging media including a memory for storing information associated with said imaging media, said information including an imaging media type, an imaging substance fill level of said imaging media, and a usage amount of said imaging media, said usage amount being represented by a plurality of usage bits representing a corresponding plurality of usage levels, each bit representing a usage level of imaging substance from said imaging media, comprising the acts of;
Specification