IP Library › Granted Patent US 12679128
Granted Patent B2
US 12679128 · App. 18/620,357 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Printing apparatus

Inventors: Sadatoshi Oishi (Fuji Shizuoka, JP); Masakazu Kato (Numazu Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
B41J35/36B41J35/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12679128
App. No.
18/620,357
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, a printing apparatus mounts an ink ribbon provided with a wireless tag storing a digital certificate that is generated using an encryption algorithm on the basis of a private key and a unique identifier (ID) of the wireless tag. The printing apparatus communicates with the wireless tag, and reads the unique ID of the wireless tag and also reads the digital certificate stored in the wireless tag. Further, the printing apparatus verifies the digital certificate on the basis of a public key and the unique ID read from the wireless tag to determine whether or not the ink ribbon is a genuine product.

Claims (24)

1 . A printing apparatus using an ink ribbon roll obtained by winding an ink ribbon around a paper core, comprising:

a delivery shaft on which the ink ribbon roll is rotatably mounted, the delivery shaft being disposed to be inserted into the paper core of the ink ribbon roll, an outer circumferential surface of the paper core of the ink ribbon roll being provided with a wireless tag at substantially a center in an axial direction of the paper core, the wireless tag storing a digital certificate that is generated using an encryption algorithm on a basis of a private key and a unique identifier (ID) of the wireless tag;

a reading device comprising an antenna and a reader/writer, wherein the reader/writer communicates with the wireless tag via the antenna, and reads the unique ID of the wireless tag and also reads the digital certificate stored in the wireless tag, wherein the antenna is provided to the delivery shaft; and

a controller that verifies the digital certificate on a basis of a public key and the unique ID read from the wireless tag to determine whether or not the ink ribbon roll is a genuine product.

2 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the unique ID used to generate the digital certificate is hashed, and

the controller hashes the unique ID read from the wireless tag.

3 . The printing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the controller verifies the digital certificate on a basis of the hashed unique ID and the public key.

4 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the digital certificate is generated on a basis of the private key, the unique ID, and ribbon data that is data related to the ink ribbon roll.

5 . The printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the wireless tag stores the digital certificate and the ribbon data.

6 . The printing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the reading device further reads the ribbon data from the wireless tag.

7 . The printing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the controller verifies the digital certificate on a basis of the public key, the unique ID, and the ribbon data.

8 . The printing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the unique ID and the ribbon data that are used to generate the digital certificate are hashed, and

the controller hashes the unique ID and the ribbon data that are read from the wireless tag.

9 . The printing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller verifies the digital certificate on a basis of the unique ID and the ribbon data that are hashed, and the public key.

10 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller further deletes the digital certificate stored in the wireless tag in response to detection of an end of the ink ribbon roll.