Systems and Methods for Universal Imaging Components

Abstract

A method of operating a cartridge chip installed in an imaging device including transmitting a first value to the imaging device in response to a first request from the imaging device; if the first value is accepted by the imaging device, (a) receiving an authentication command from the imaging device and (b) operating in a first mode of operation; if the value is not accepted by the imaging device, waiting for the imaging device to transmit a second request; transmitting a second value to the imaging device in response to a second request from the imaging device, the second value not equaling the first value; if the second value is accepted by the imaging device, (a) receiving an authentication command from the imaging device and (b) operating in a second mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method of operating a cartridge chip installed in an imaging device comprising: transmitting a first value to the imaging device in response to a first request from the imaging device; if the first value is accepted by the imaging device, (a) receiving a command from the imaging device and (b) operating in a first mode of operation compatible with a first type of imaging device; if the value is not accepted by the imaging device, waiting for the imaging device to transmit a second request; transmitting a second value to the imaging device in response to a second request from the imaging device, the second value not equaling the first value; if the second value is accepted by the imaging device, (a) receiving a command from the imaging device and (b) operating in a second mode of operation compatible with a second type of imaging device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the command is an authentication command.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein after receiving the authentication command: receiving a write command.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising: after receiving the authentication command, determining the type of the imaging device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein: operating in the first mode of operation includes returning a first data value to the imaging device in response to a read request; and operating in a second mode of operation includes returning a second data value to the imaging device in response to a read request, said first data value differing from the second data value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first value comprises at least a first key seed value including a first index value and the second value comprises at least a second key seed value including a second index value a second index value, the first key seed value differing from the second key seed value.

7. A cartridge chip for operating in an imaging device, the cartridge chip comprising a controller and memory adapted for: transmitting a first value to the imaging device in response to a first request from the imaging device; if the first value is accepted by the imaging device, (a) receiving a command from the imaging device and (b) operating in a first mode of operation compatible with a first type of imaging device; if the value is not accepted by the imaging device, waiting for the imaging device to transmit a second request; transmitting a second value to the imaging device in response to a second request from the imaging device, the second value not equaling the first value; if the second value is accepted by the imaging device, (a) receiving a command from the imaging device and (b) operating in a second mode of operation compatible with a second type of imaging device.

8. The cartridge chip of claim 7 wherein the command is an authentication command.

9. The cartridge chip of claim 8 wherein after receiving the authentication command the cartridge chip is adapted for: receiving a write command.

10. The cartridge chip of claim 8 wherein the cartridge chip is adapted for: after receiving the authentication command, determining the type of the imaging device.

11. The cartridge chip of claim 10 wherein the cartridge chip is adapted for: operating in the first mode of operation includes returning a first data value to the imaging device in response to a read request; and operating in a second mode of operation includes returning a second data value to the imaging device in response to a read request, said first data value differing from the second data value.

12. The cartridge chip of claim 11 wherein the first value comprises at least a first key seed value including a first index value and the second value comprises at least a second key seed value including a second index value a second index value, the first key seed value differing from the second key seed value.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a universal chip;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a universal chip; and

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a universal chip installed on an imaging cartridge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The following detailed description of preferred embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention. In the discussion that follows, specific systems and techniques for repairing, manufacturing or remanufacturing a toner cartridge comprising a cartridge chip including a memory element are disclosed. Other embodiments having different structures and operations for the repair, remanufacture and operation of other types of replaceable imaging components and for various types of imaging devices, such as laser printers, inkjet printers, copiers, facsimile machines and the like, do not depart from the scope of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a universal chip 100 in accordance with the present invention. The universal chip 100 may suitably include input and output (I/O) interface circuitry 102, a controller 104, and a memory 106. The I/O interface circuitry 102 is communicatively connected to the controller 104 and provides the appropriate electronic circuitry for the controller 104 to communicate with an imaging device, such as a printer. As an example, for imaging devices which communicate utilizing radio frequency (RF), the I/O interface circuitry 102 may include a radio frequency (RF) antenna and circuitry, and for a direct wired connection to imaging devices the I/O interface circuitry 102 may include one or more contact pads, or the like, and interface circuitry.

[0021] As described in greater detail below, the controller 104 controls the operation of the universal chip 100 and provides a functional interface to the memory 106, including controlling the reading of data from and the writing of data to the memory 106 by the printer. The data read from or written to the universal cartridge chip 100 may include a printer type, cartridge serial number, the number of revolutions performed by the organic photo conductor (OPC) drum (drum count), the manufacturing date, number of pages printed (page count), percentage of toner remaining, yield (expected number of pages), color indicator, toner-out indicator, toner low indicator, virgin cartridge indicator (whether or not the cartridge has been remanufactured before), job count (number of pages printed and page type), and any other data or program instructions that may be stored on the memory 106.

[0022] The controller 104 may be suitably implemented as a custom or semi-custom integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, a microprocessor executing instructions from the memory 106 or other memory, a microcontroller, or the like. Additionally, the controller 104, the memory 106 and/or the I/O interface circuitry 102 may be separated or combined in one or more physical modules. These modules may be suitably mounted to a printed circuit board to form the universal cartridge chip 100. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the universal cartridge chip 100 in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the universal cartridge chip 100 installed on an exemplary imaging cartridge 300 in accordance with the present invention.

[0023] Different printer types may communicate or interface with in different ways with the cartridge chips installed on toner cartridges. Different printer types may include printers that differ by model number, firmware version, region of operation and other differences. These different printer types may expect differing data to be stored in the cartridge chip or utilize the stored data in different ways

[0024] Based at least partially on the communication signals received from the imaging device, the universal chip determines if the imaging device is a first type of imaging device or a second type of imaging device. If the universal chip 100 determines that the imaging device is the first type of imaging device, the universal chip 100 operates in a first mode of operation compatible with the first type of imaging device. If the universal chip 100 determines that the imaging device is the second type of imaging device, the universal cartridge chip operates in a second mode of operation compatible with the second type of imaging device.

[0025] In one aspect of the present invention, different types of imaging devices communicate with cartridge chips by issuing a request instructing the cartridge chip to transmit data, such as a key seed value, to the imaging device. A key seed value may comprise an index and a serial number. A keys seed value may include a date code. The imaging device may use the index to check a look-up table which determines which key seed values the imaging device will authenticate with. The imaging device uses the index and the serial number together with data from the look-up table to generate an authentication key. Different types of imaging devices expect different key seed values to be returned by the installed cartridges. If the key seed value returned to the imaging device is the value expected by the imaging device, the imaging device will issue a command, such as an authenticate command followed by a write command, for example, which will allow authentication to proceed. The authenticate command indicates to the universal cartridge chip 100 that the key seed value transmitted to the imaging device was acceptable. If the key seed value returned to the imaging device is not the value expected by the imaging device, the imaging device may send another request for a key seed value to the cartridge chip. The imaging device may continue sending key seed requests multiple times until the cartridge chip sends the expected key seed value.

[0026] A universal cartridge chip 100 in accordance with the present invention may store in the memory 106 multiple key seed values and a different dataset associated with each key seed value. Each key seed value and its associated dataset is selected for use with a particular printer type or types. Each dataset may comprise different data which is returned to different types of imaging devices when the imaging devices issue read commands to the universal cartridge chip 100. When the universal cartridge chip 100 is initially installed in an imaging device, the universal cartridge chip 100 may respond to the key seed request by sending a first key seed value to the imaging device.

[0027] If the imaging device responds to the first seed value by sending an authentication command, the universal cartridge chip 100 now knows that the first key seed value was the correct key seed value expected by the imaging device. The universal cartridge chip 100 now knows the type of imaging device. The universal cartridge chip 100 then proceeds to use a dataset associated with the first key seed when responding to subsequent read requests from the imaging device and in further communication with the imaging device, thus operating in a first mode of operation.

[0028] If the imaging device responds to the first seed value by not sending an authentication command, the universal cartridge chip 100 knows that the first key seed value was not the correct value expected by the imaging device. When the imaging device then sends a second key seed request, the universal cartridge chip 100 may respond by sending a second key seed value to the imaging device. The second key seed value is not equal to the first key seed value.

[0029] If the imaging device responds to the second seed value by sending an authentication command, the universal cartridge chip 100 now knows that the second key seed value was the correct key seed value expected by the imaging device. The universal cartridge chip 100 now knows the type of imaging device. The universal cartridge chip 100 then proceeds to use the dataset associated with the second key seed when responding to subsequent read requests from the imaging device and in further communication with the imaging device, thus operating in a second mode of operation different from the first mode of operation.

[0030] If the imaging device responds to the second seed value by not sending an authentication command, the universal cartridge chip 100 knows that the second key seed value was not the correct value expected by the imaging device. When the imaging device then sends a third key seed request, the universal cartridge chip 100 may respond by sending a third key seed value to the imaging device. The third key seed value is not equal to the first key seed value or the second key seed value.

[0031] The above process may be repeated until the universal cartridge chip 100 has determined the type of imaging device and thus know which dataset to use in communications with the imaging device.

[0032] Although this invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made which clearly fall within the scope of the invention. The invention is intended to be protected broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.