Printer

• US 9,348,544 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Jeran, Paul L., Fitzgerald, Sean D., Shaw, Mark Q., Yerenson, Robin P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALLACE, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US14/234,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1219 with regard to consumables, e.g. ink, toner, paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1235 caused by end of consumables, e.g. paper, ink, toner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1239 Restricting the usage of resources, e.g. usage or user levels, credit limit, consumables, special fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1279 Controller construction, e.g. aspects of the interface hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

In one example a media authorization code may be authenticated in a printer to authorize the colorant supply to print when a counter does not exceed a predetermined amount of authorized media units.

Claims

1. Printer, comprising

a memory,

a colorant supply that includes an extended supply of colorant, arranged to transfer colorant to media, wherein the colorant supply is integrated with the printer so as to be non-exchangeable and non-refillable from an end user perspective, and

printer circuitry comprising

a first authentication circuit to authenticate the colorant supply and verify that a colorant supply identifier (ID) associated with the colorant supply corresponds to a printer ID of the printer,

a second authentication circuit to authenticate an entered media authorization code,

a memory module to digitally and securely store

the media authorization code, and

a human readable code to facilitate verification of the media authorization code,

a controller to instruct the colorant supply to transfer the colorant according to processed digital images,

a formatter to process digital images and instruct the controller,

a third authentication circuit to verify if the formatter and the printer correspond, and

a fourth authentication circuit to verify if a controller and printer correspond,

the printer circuitry further to

upon authentication, instruct a counter to count printed media units,

authorize the colorant supply to print as long as the counter does not exceed a predetermined amount of authorized media units, and

inhibit the colorant supply to print when at least one of the colorant supply and the printer does not correspond, and the counter exceeds the predetermined amount of authorized media units.

2. Printer according to claim 1, wherein

the colorant supply is a lifetime colorant supply

arranged to be reused.

3. Printer according to claim 1, comprising

a memory module reader to verify and read the media authorization code from the memory module storing the media authorization code, and

the second authentication circuit being connected to the memory module reader.

4. Print system, comprising

a printer according to claim 1, and

an authentication server, storing at least the printer ID, to

receive a media authorization code request, and

forward a media authorization code corresponding to the respective ID to the printer corresponding to the respective ID.

12. Printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer circuitry is further to authenticate the colorant supply by verifying if a level of colorant in the colorant supply approximately matches an expected level of colorant.

13. Printer according to claim 12, wherein if the level of colorant in the colorant supply does not approximately match the expected level of colorant, the printer circuitry is further to inhibit the colorant supply from printing.

14. Printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer circuitry is to authenticate the media authorization code at one or more randomly selected times after the media authorization code has been entered.

5. Method of facilitating printing, comprising

providing a printer having a colorant supply with sufficient colorant to print, wherein the printer is locked for printing from an end user perspective,

registering a printer identifier (ID) pertaining to the printer,

obtaining from a third party a media authorization code corresponding to the printer and to a predetermined amount of media units based on the printer ID,

entering the media authorization code into the printer,

the printer authenticating the media authorization code,

determining whether the predetermined amount of media units for printing does not exceed an estimated number of remaining media units that can be printed with the colorant supply,

configuring the printer to authorize the predetermined amount of media units for printing based on the determination,

requesting a challenge ID in response to authenticating the media authorization code,

entering the challenge ID,

verifying that each of the media authorization code, the printer ID, and the challenge ID correspond to the other, and

configuring the colorant supply to print the predetermined amount of media units in response to the verification.

6. Method of facilitating printing according to claim 5, comprising

receiving a request to authorize more media units for printing, the request including the printer ID and a further predetermined amount of media units,

verifying the printer ID, and

facilitating the media authorization code corresponding to the further predetermined amount of media units.

7. Print method, comprising,

registering a printer identifier (ID) pertaining to the printer,

requesting a authorization of a predetermined amount of media units for printing,

communicating a media authorization code and the predetermined amount of media units to a printer,

the printer authenticating the media authorization code by a first authentication circuit,

authenticating a colorant supply by a second authentication circuit,

requesting a challenge identifier (ID) in response to authenticating the media authorization code,

entering the challenge ID,

verifying that each of the media authorization code, the printer ID, and the challenge ID correspond to the other,

configuring the colorant supply to print the predetermined amount of media units in response to the verification,

printing media units,

counting the printed media units, and

inhibiting the colorant supply from further printing when the counting exceeds the predetermined amount of media units or if the media authorization code and/or the colorant supply are not authenticated.

8. Print method according to claim 7, comprising

providing a microcontroller storing the media authorization code and the predetermined amount of media units,

communicating the media authorization code and predetermined amount of media units by connecting the microcontroller to the printer,

authenticating the media authorization code, and

authorizing the predetermined amount of media units from the microcontroller.

9. Print method according to claim 7, wherein the colorant supply is a lifetime colorant supply comprising, within the printer,

authenticating the media authorization code, and at least one of

authenticating a formatter,

authenticating a controller, and

authenticating the colorant supply.

10. Print method according to claim 7, comprising, when at least one colorant of the colorant supply is substantially exhausted or almost exhausted,

sending the printer to a predetermined location,

unlocking the colorant supply at the predetermined location,

providing the printer with a filled colorant supply,

resetting circuitry of the printer, and

registering IDs of the printer and/or the filled colorant supply, and

recirculating the printer for usage.

11. Print method according to claim 7, comprising

verifying a remaining colorant level, and

assigning an amount of remaining authorized media units to another printer if it is estimated that the amount of remaining authorized media units cannot be printed with the remaining colorant level.

15. Print method according to claim 11, wherein the estimated number of remaining media units that can be printed with the colorant supply is determined based on an average level of colorant usage per media unit.