Controller device

• US 8,453,253 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Provo Craft and Novelty
• Original Assignee: Provo Craft and Novelty
• Inventors: Strong, Matthew B., Hepworth, Paul J., Gray, Mark L., Olsen, Andrew J., Pruss, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PETER C
• Application Number:
  US12/709,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/26, 726/27, 726/30
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/005 Computer numerical control means
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/38 Cutting-out; Stamping-out
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23049 Control panel serial, RS232 connected to controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23417 Read program from pluggable memory card
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25107 Pluggable card, magnetic or smart with configuration data, staying in device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36513 Select out of a plurality of programs, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

A method of operating a controller device of an electronic cutting machine. The method includes writing a controller device identifier to memory of the cartridge, writing a cartridge identifier to memory of the controller device, and permitting communication between the controller device and the cartridge.

Claims

1. A method of operating a controller device of an electronic cutting machine, the method comprising:

writing a controller device identifier to memory of a cartridge storing content used in connection with the electronic cutting machine, the controller device identifier uniquely identifying the controller device from other controller devices;

writing a cartridge identifier to memory of the controller device, the cartridge identifier uniquely identifying the cartridge from other cartridges; and

permitting communication between the controller device and the cartridge;

initiating a cutting operation on the controller device for cutting a design on the electronic cutting machine, the design including content associated with at least one cartridge;

allowing execution of the cutting operation after verifying cartridge ownership, wherein verifying cartridge ownership includes;

identifying each cartridge associated with the content of the design;

obtaining the cartridge identifier for each identified cartridge; and

searching the memory of the controller device for the cartridge identifier of each identified cartridge; and

wherein execution of the cutting operation is allowed after each cartridge identifier of each identified cartridge is located in the memory of the controller device and after selling a usage right for each identified cartridge having a cartridge identifier absent from the memory of the controller device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

accessing the memory of the controller device for installation of the content associated with the cartridge and storing to the controller device memory any uninstalled content associated with the cartridge.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory of the cartridge is configured to store no more than one controller device identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing content from at least one of memory of a cartridge in communication with the controller device or content memory of the controller device;

accessing security information stored in crypto memory of the controller device, the crypto memory configured as write-once and read-many;

decrypting a license file stored in license memory of the controller device using the security information, the license file comprising at least one cartridge identifier; and

permitting usage of accessed content having an associated cartridge identifier in the license file.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising

comparing each cartridge identifier associated with the accessed content with each cartridge identifier of the license file.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising

accessing a content usage right from the license file associated with the permitted content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content associated with the at least one cartridge comprises at least one glyph.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying each cartridge associated with the content of the design comprises using content metadata of the design, the content metadata providing a cartridge identifier for each corresponding portion of the design.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cartridge identifier is obtained from memory of the controller device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cartridge identifier is obtained from an external source in communication with the controller device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising

offering purchase of a usage right of each identified cartridge having a cartridge identifier absent from the memory of the controller device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the controller device identifier from the memory of the cartridge;

and removing the cartridge identifier from the memory of the controller device.

13. A method of operating a controller device for an electronic cutting machine, the method comprising:

prior to utilizing the electronic cutting machine for conducting an act of cutting, conducting steps of;

writing a controller device identifier to memory of a cartridge, the controller device identifier uniquely identifying the controller device from other controller devices;

writing a cartridge identifier to memory of the controller device, the cartridge identifier uniquely identifying the cartridge from other cartridges;

initiating a cutting operation on the controller device for cutting a design on the electronic cutting machine, the design including content associated with at least one cartridge;

identifying each cartridge associated with the content of the design;

obtaining the cartridge identifier for each identified cartridge;

searching the memory of the controller device for the cartridge identifier of each identified cartridge; and

allowing execution of the cutting operation after each cartridge identifier of each identified cartridge is located in the memory of the controller device and after selling a usage right for each identified cartridge having a cartridge identifier absent from the memory of the controller device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying each cartridge associated with the content of the design comprises using content metadata of the design, the content metadata providing a cartridge identifier for each corresponding portion of the design.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the cartridge identifier is obtained from memory of the controller device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the cartridge identifier is obtained from an external source in communication with the controller device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the content associated with the cartridge comprises at least one glyph.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising

offering purchase of a usage right of each identified cartridge having a cartridge identifier absent from the memory of the controller device.