Cartridge with identifiers

• US 7,663,780 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon; King Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Allen H
• Application Number:
  US10/932,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20050219600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.1, 358/1.8, 348/207.2, 380/51
• US Class Current: 358/1.8
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 19/02 starting with single sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0006 by applying adhesive to a stack of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2261/04 Producing books by printing sheets in following order, e.g. for ordering via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/34 from supports slid from under the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 : Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 : the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 : Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 : with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 : with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 : Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 : Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 : Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

The invention relates to cartridges containing identifiers, and in particular to printer consumable cartridges containing identifiers which may be applied to printed media.

Claims

1. A printer for printing machine-readable coded data onto a surface, the printer including:

an interface for receiving an ink cartridge, the ink cartridge having identifier data that is indicative of a plurality of globally unique identifiers;

a reader for reading the identifier data;

a coded data generator configured for;

allocating at least one globally unique identifier from the identifier data; and

generating coded data on the basis of the allocated identifier, said coded data comprising a machine-readable pattern of coded data identifying a unique region identity for association with a substrate to be printed; and

at least one printing mechanism for printing the machine-readable pattern of coded data onto the substrate.

2. A printer according to claim 1, configured to report, to a computer system, consumption of the identifiers.

3. A printer according to claim 2, configured to report, to the computer system, which identifier or identifiers have been used in relation to some or all of a print job processed by the printer.

4. A printer according to claim 3, configured to receive an identifier from the computer system as part of the print job.

5. A printer according to claim 1, configured to send, to a computer system, some or all of the identifiers obtained from the identifier data.

6. A printer according to claim 1, including writing means for recording, in or on the ink cartridge, consumption of the identifiers.

7. A printer according to claim 5, configured to report, to a computer system, consumption of the identifiers.

8. A printer according to claim 7, configured to report, to the computer system, which identifier or identifiers have been used in relation to some or all of a print job processed by the printer.

9. A printer according to claim 7, configured receive an identifier from the computer system as part of the print job.

10. A printer according to claim 5, configured to send, to a computer system, some or all of the identifiers obtained from the identifier data.

11. A printer according to claim 1, wherein the coded data includes the identifiers.

12. A printer according to claim 11, wherein the ink cartridge includes at least one coded data ink reservoir containing coded data ink, the printing mechanism being configured to use the coded data ink to print the coded data.

13. A printer according to claim 12, wherein the identifier data is indicative of a predetermined amount of the coded data.

14. A printer according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined amount is of an order of the amount of coded data the printer is capable of printing using the ink in the cartridge.

15. A printer according to claim 12, wherein the coded data ink is substantially invisible to an unaided human.

16. A printer according to claim 15, wherein the coded data ink is absorptive in the infrared spectrum.

17. A printer according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge includes at least one visible ink reservoir containing visible ink, the printing mechanism being configured to use the visible ink to print visibly on the substrate.

18. A printer according to claim 17, the printing mechanism being configured to print the coded data ink and the visible ink substantially simultaneously.

19. A printer according to claim 1, wherein the coded data includes one or more tags.

20. A printer according to claim 19, wherein each tag is indicative of an identity of a document with which it is printed.

21. A printer according to claim 19, wherein each tag is indicative of a location of that tag in relation to a document with which it is printed.

22. A printer according to claim 1, wherein the reader is an optical scanner and the identifier data takes the form of optically scannable information on the cartridge.

23. A printer according to claim 22, wherein the identifier data takes the form of a bar code.

24. A printer according to claim 1, wherein the reader is a magnetic scanner and the identifier data is a magnetic pattern on the cartridge.

25. A printer according to claim 1, wherein the reader is electronic reading circuitry, and the identifier data is incorporated in memory associated with the cartridge.

26. A printer according to claim 25, wherein the coded data is encrypted into the identifier data using an encryption key, to impede extraction of the coded data from the identity data.