COMPONENT

BACKGROUND

[0001] In many printers, toner, ink and other printing materials are contained in removable cartridges that may be replaced periodically, for example when the printing material is fully consumed. Printing material cartridges may include an integrated circuit (IC) device that enables the exchange of information between a cartridge and the printer controller while the cartridge is installed in a printer.

DRAWINGS

[0002] Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printing material cartridge or other replaceable printer component implementing one example of an integrated circuit device to communicate with a printer controller while the component is installed in a printer.

[0003] Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a printer implementing one example of a communications system for communications between the printer controller and a replaceable printer component such as the component shown in Fig. 1 .

[0004] Fig. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an example process for

authenticating a replaceable printer component.

[0005] Fig. 4 illustrates one example of an integrated circuit device such as might be used in a replaceable printer component shown in Fig. 1 to communicate with a printer controller along a two conductor bus.

[0006] Fig. 5 illustrates one example of a MEMS accelerometer such as might be used in the integrated circuit device shown in Fig. 4.

[0007] Fig. 6 illustrates one example of a toner cartridge implementing an integrated circuit device such as the IC device shown in Fig. 1 .

[0008] Fig. 7 illustrates one example of an ink cartridge implementing an integrated circuit device similar to the IC device shown in Fig. 1 with a four conductor communications system.

[0009] The same part numbers designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures. DESCRIPTION

[0010] To help deter the use of improper or counterfeit ink, toner and other printing material cartridges, the cartridges may include an integrated circuit device that enables the cartridge to communicate authentication and other information to the printer. Unfortunately, it has become increasing difficult to protect such information from unauthorized access and use.

[0011] A new technique has been developed to help authenticate printing material cartridges using vibrations in the cartridge housing created during certain printer operations. In one example, the printer controller initiates a test printer operation to cause vibration. The IC device on an authentic cartridge includes a MEMS accelerometer or other suitable motion sensor to sense the vibration and programming to report sensing results to the printer controller. If the IC device does not report, or reports incorrect results, then the printer controller may determine that the cartridge is not authentic. In another example, rather than a distinct test operation, the printer controller asks the cartridge IC device to report vibration sensed during a normal printer operation. Again, if the chip does not report, or reports incorrect results, then the printer controller may determine that the cartridge is not authentic.

[0012] While it is expected that examples of the new technique usually be implemented measuring or otherwise sensing vibration for authentication, it may be possible to sense other types of motion. Also, examples are not limited to printing material cartridges. Examples may be implemented for other replaceable printing components including, for example, photoconductors, fusers and transfer belts in laser printers, and build material supplies and fusing agent containers in 3D printers.

[0013] The examples described herein illustrate but do not limit the scope of the patent, which is defined in the Claims following this Description.

[0014] As used in this document, "and/or" means one or more of the connected things; a "printer" means any digital printing device or microfluidic dispensing system including, for example, laser printers, inkjet printers and other digital microfluidic dispensing devices, and 3D printers; and a "memory" means any non- transitory tangible medium that can embody, contain, store, or maintain information and instructions for use by a processor and may include, for example, circuits, integrated circuits, ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), hard drives, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and flash memory.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printing material cartridge or other replaceable printer component 10 implementing one example of an integrated circuit device 12 to communicate with a printer controller while the component is installed in a printer. Referring to Fig. 1 , integrated circuit device 12 includes a controller 14, a memory 16 connected to controller 14 to store and/or generate information 18 about component 10, and conductors 20, 22 to supply power to controller 14 and the other elements of integrated circuit device 12, and to carry data and clock signals to and from device controller 14. In this example, conductors 20, 22 are implemented as a single pair of conductors to connect to a printer controller through a two conductor bus, with a power and signal conductor 20 and a return conductor 22. Other suitable conductor implementations are possible, including three conductor and four conductor configurations.

[0016] Integrated circuit device 12 also includes a motion sensor 24 to measure or otherwise sense a vibration or other motion of component 10.

Electrical contacts 26, 28 are connected to conductors 20, 22, respectively, to connect integrated circuit device 12 to a printer controller through a two conductor bus while component 12 is installed in a printer. Although sensor 24 is depicted as a discrete element in Fig. 1 , separate from device controller 14, detector 24 could be integral to device controller 14, for example as part of the same integrated circuit.

[0017] Device controller 14 represents the programming, processing and associated memory resources, and the other electronic circuitry and components to control data storage and retrieval to and from device 12, and any programming functions associated with device 12. Controller 14 may be implemented, for example, as a general purpose computer or a microcontroller configured to receive commands, data and requests for information from a printer controller and to act on those commands and requests to store information in memory 16, and retrieve information from memory 16. Although memory 16 is depicted as a discrete element in Fig. 1 , separate from controller 14, memory 16 could be integral to controller 14, for example as part of the same integrated circuit. Also, while replaceable component 10 includes one IC device 12 in Fig. 1 , more than one IC device 12 could be used to implement the desired functionality.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a printer 30 implementing one example of a communications system for communications between the printer controller and a replaceable printer component. Referring to Fig. 2, printer 30 includes a replaceable printer component 10 from Fig. 1 , a print engine 32, a power supply 34, and a controller 36 operatively connected to component 10, print engine 32, and power supply 34. In one example, component 10 is a printing material cartridge that supplies toner, ink or another printing material to print engine 32. While only one component 10 is shown, printer 30 may include multiple printing material cartridges and/or other replaceable components.

[0019] Print engine 32 represents the printer components that apply print material from a cartridge 10 to a paper or other print substrate. In a laser printer 30, for example, print engine 32 may include an imaging laser, a photoconductor, a fuser and a transport system to move the print substrate past the

photoconductor and the fuser. In an inkjet printer, for another example, print engine 32 may include a printhead and a transport system to move the print substrate past the printhead. In other inkjet type microfluidic dispensing systems, print engine 32 may include a printhead array and a fixture to hold the workpiece under the array. In a 3D printer, print engine 32 may include a build material layering device, a fusing agent dispenser, and a fusing light. Some components of print engine 32 may be part of a replaceable cartridge 10. For example, in a laser printer 30, the photoconductor may be part of a replaceable toner cartridge 10. For another example, in an inkjet printer 30, the printhead may be part of a replaceable ink cartridge 10.

[0020] Printer controller 36 represents the programming, processing and associated memory resources, and the other electronic circuitry and components needed to control the operative elements of printer 30. In particular, controller 36 includes a memory 38 with authentication instructions 40 and a processor 42 to execute instructions 40. In this example, printer controller 36 communicates with device controller 14 through a two conductor bus 44 that includes a power and signal conductor 46 and a return conductor 48.

[0021] Fig. 3 illustrates one example process 100 for authenticating a replaceable printer component 10 through a component IC device 12. Part numbers called out in the description of process 100 refer to the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Process 100 may be initiated, for example, at the direction printer controller 36 executing authentication instructions 40. Referring to Fig. 3, a printer operation is performed at block 102 to move component 10. To move component 10 in this context means causing motion that is sensible by motion sensor 24. Such motion may involve all of component 10 or only part of component 10. Also, while it is expected that the printer operation usually will be selected to make component 10 vibrate, the printer operation could be selected to cause

component 10 to move in other ways sensible to motion sensor 24. In one example, the printer operation is initiated at block 102 specifically for the purpose of authenticating a replaceable component 10. In another example, the printer operation is initiated at block 102 as part of a normal printing operation.

[0022] The vibration or other movement of component 10 is sensed by motion sensor 24 and the results transmitted to device controller 14 (block 104). Device controller 14 reports the results of the sensing to printer controller 36 (block 106). If device controller 14 reports correct results, then printer controller 36 may determine that component 10 is authentic (block 108). If device controller 14 reports incorrect results (or there is no report), then printer controller 36 may determine that component 10 is not authentic (block 1 10).

[0023] In one example, the printer operation at block 102 is selected to cause a predictable movement of component 10. In a laser printer, the printer operation at block 102 may include, for example, cycling the media pick mechanism, cycling the fuser, or rotating the scanning mirror. In an inkjet printer, the printer operation at block 102 may include, for example, moving the printhead carriage back and forth. The motion of component 10 caused by each of these printer operations make component 10 move in a predictable way, establishing a "mechanical signature" that may be ascertained empirically for an individual printer or for a group of printers, and represented by a range of values corresponding to the readings of a motion sensor 24 on a component 10. For example, the mechanical signature for a printer operation may be represented by the frequency and/or amplitude of the resulting vibration in component 10. The signature of each operation may be recorded, for example, in a look up table (LUT) stored in memory 38 or otherwise made available to printer controller 36 to determine whether or not the results reported by component IC device 12 at block 106 are correct.

[0024] In another example, the timing of a printer operation is used in a process 100 to authenticate a component 10. Printer controller 36 signals device controller 14 for motion sensor 24 to begin sensing and then initiates a printer operation. Motion sensor 24 senses movement caused by the printer operation at block 104 and device controller 14 reports the results to printer controller 36 at block 106, including the time of sensing movement. If the time reported by device controller 14 corresponds to the programmed time delay between the signal to sense and the printer operation, then printer controller 36 may determine that component 10 is authentic (block 108). Timing a printer operation for

authentication does not depend on the characteristics of the motion caused by any particular printer operation, and thus may simplify the authentication process for some implementations. In addition, all of the authentication parameters are set by printer controller 36, thus enabling greater flexibility to vary such parameters in some implementations.

[0025] In one example, measurements or other results from motion sensor 24 are automatically reported to printer controller 36 as they are received by device controller 14, with or without a specific request or query from printer controller 36. IC device controller 14 may be programmed to report any movement and automatically report the movement to printer controller 36. In another example, sensor results are logged into device memory 16 and reported periodically or when specifically requested by printer controller 36. A "request" in this context means a command, query, read operation or any other operation by printer controller 36 to obtain sensor results from IC device 12. An authentication process 100 may be performed once for a replaceable component, for example when the component is first installed in the printer or upon initial start-up for a printer in which the component is already installed. An authentication process 100 may be performed more than once for a replaceable component, periodically throughout the expected useful life of the component, for example at the beginning of each print job, when entering or leaving sleep mode, when an access door is opened or closed, and/or when the power is cycled.

[0026] Fig. 4 illustrates one example of an integrated circuit device 12 such as might be used in a component 10 shown in Fig. 1 to communicate with a printer controller along a two conductor bus using frequency modulation, for example when individually addressing each of multiple printing material cartridges.

Referring to Fig. 4, power, data and clock signals are supplied to conductor 20 at contact 26. Return conductor 22 functions as a common point of reference through contact 28 to the print engine frame ground, for example, or any other suitable electrical frame of reference. In this example, the motion sensor is implemented as a MEMS accelerometer 24. Although any suitable motion sensor may be used, a MEMS accelerometer usually will be desirable in those

applications in which vibration is the sensible motion.

[0027] Power is directed to a rectifier 50 and a storage capacitor 52 to help stabilize the supply voltage to sensitive circuitry in controller 14 and memory 16, and to a data modulator and demodulator circuit 54. A capacitor 56 may be used to AC couple data and clock signals to circuit 54. Modulation and demodulation circuit 54 may include, for example, a programmable filter to attenuate incoming data signals with a frequency different from the frequency associated with component 10. Circuit 54 may also include modulators and demodulators programmed with the desired modulation and demodulation methods and operating frequencies. A modulation frequency may be the same as or different from a demodulation frequency. In one example, data signals coupled to modulation and demodulation circuit 54 enable the use of a frequency chosen by the printer controller and associated with the individual component IC device 12 as a local system clock. In another example, device controller 14 includes an oscillator or a MEMS clock circuit for the local clock. Device controller 14 uses this local clock to set the desired frequency of operation for both receiving and sending data. [0028] As shown in Fig. 4, a memory internal to device controller 14 may include motion sensing instructions 59 to enable functionality in addition to responding to specific directions or requests from the printer controller. For example, motion sensing instructions 59 may implement programming to turn MEMS accelerometer 24 on to sense movement in response to the initiation of a test operation by the printer controller and to turn the accelerometer off after the operation is completed. For another example, motion sensing instructions 59 may implement programming to automatically report sensor readings as they are taken without a specific request from the printer controller or logging the readings into device memory 16 and reporting logged readings periodically or when specifically requested by the printer controller.

[0029] One example of a three axis MEMS accelerometer 24 is shown in Fig. 5. Referring to Fig. 5, accelerometer 24 includes a three axis mechanical sensor 60 to detect motion in three dimensions and sense electronics 62 to convert the mechanical motion of sensor 50 into an electrical signal. If the sense electronics 62 outputs an analog signal, then accelerometer 24 may also include an analog to digital converter 64 and a digital filter 66 to filter noise and any aliased signals created during analog to digital conversion. Other suitable MEMS accelerometer configurations are possible for sensor 24.

[0030] In one example, a replaceable printer component is implemented as a toner cartridge 10 shown in Fig. 6. Referring to Fig. 6, cartridge 10 includes a container 68 to contain toner 70. Integrated circuit device 12 and a motion sensor 24 are affixed to container 68. In this example, motion sensor 24 is a discrete part electrically connected to IC device 12. While toner cartridge 10 is installed in a printer, electrical contacts 26, 28 engage mating contacts in the printer to electrically connect component IC device 12 to the printer controller. Toner cartridge 10 is also physically secured in the printer to mechanically connect motion sensor 24 to those parts of the print engine that are not integral to cartridge 10.

[0031] In another example, a replaceable printer component is implemented as an ink cartridge 10 shown in Fig. 7. Ink cartridge 10 in Fig. 7 is similar to the example component 10 shown in Fig. 1 except that a four conductor communications system is used - power and clock and data signals are carried on discrete conductors 20A, 20B and 20C. Referring to Fig. 7, cartridge 10 includes a container 72 to contain ink 74. Integrated circuit device 12 is affixed to container 72. In this example, motion sensor 24 is integral to component IC device 12. While ink cartridge 10 is installed in a printer, electrical contacts 26A, 26B, 26C and 28 engage mating contacts in the printer to electrically connect component IC device 12 to the printer controller. Ink cartridge 10 is also physically secured in the printer to mechanically connect motion sensor 24 to those parts of the print engine that are not integral to cartridge 10.

[0032] Information 18 residing in memory 16 for a toner cartridge 10 in Fig. 6 or an ink cartridge 10 in Fig. 7 may include, for example, information about the toner or ink in the cartridge, a digital signature or other information to help authenticate the cartridge to a printer controller, and/or information to identify the cartridge to a printer controller. Also, while a cartridge 10 will usually contain printing material while installed in a printer, a printing material cartridge 10 represents a printing material cartridge with or without toner, ink or another printing material including, for example, an empty cartridge before it is filled (or refilled) with printing material.

[0033] As noted at the beginning of this Description, the examples shown in the figures and described above illustrate but do not limit the scope of the patent. Other examples are possible. Therefore, the foregoing description should not be construed to limit the scope of the patent, which is defined in the following Claims.

[0034] "A" and "an" as used in the Claims means one or more.