IP Library Granted Patent US 7,788,490
Granted Patent B2
US 7,788,490 · App. 11/096,600 · Granted Aug 31, 2010

Methods for authenticating an identity of an article in electrical communication with a verifier system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,788,490
App. No.
11/096,600
Granted
Aug 31, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for authenticating a property of an article in electrical communication with a verifier system including, for example, reading an identification code from the article, generating a challenge phrase from a verifier system, writing a challenge phrase to a first memory location on the article, reading a response phrase from the second memory location on the article, wherein the second memory location is configured to respond with a combinational logic gate output of the second memory location and the first memory location, generating a message authentication code by encrypting the identification code using a predetermined algorithm, generating a comparison code, wherein the comparison code is a combination logic gate output of the message authentication code and the challenge phrase, and determining if the comparison code is equivalent to the response phrase. Articles configured for use with the same.

Claims (28)

1. A method for sending an authentication response from an article to a verifier system, comprising:

storing a challenge phrase in a first memory location on the article, wherein the challenge phrase is received from the verifier system;

retrieving a message authentication code from a second memory location on the article, wherein the message authentication code is stored in the second memory location at the time of manufacturing of the article;

generating a combinational logic gate output of the challenge phrase and the message authentication code by using only a single logic gate operation;

sending the generated combinational logic gate output of the challenge phrase and the message authentication code in response to receiving a read request for the second memory location from the verifier system;

retrieving a serial number identifier stored on the article, wherein the serial number identifier is stored on the article at the time of manufacturing of the article;

sending the serial number identifier to the verifier system in response to a request for the serial number identifier from the verifier system;

storing a second challenge phrase in a third memory location on the article, wherein the second challenge phrase is received from the verifier system;

retrieving a second message authentication code from a fourth memory location on the article, wherein the second message authentication code is stored in the fourth memory location at the time of manufacturing of the article; and

sending a second combinational logic gate output of the second challenge phrase and the second message authentication code in response to receiving a read request for the fourth memory location from the verifier system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising verifying the challenge phrase received from the verifier system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the article comprises one of a print head and an ink supply tank.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifier system comprises a printer in electrical communication with the print head.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifier system comprises a remote server in electrical communication with the article.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifier system comprises a computer in electrical communication with the print head.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the challenge phrase comprises fifty percent 1's and fifty percent 0's.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message authentication code comprises an encrypted serial number identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combination logic gate comprises an AND gate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combinational logic gate comprises an OR gate.

11. A method for sending an authentication response from an article to a verifier system, comprising:

storing a challenge phrase in a first memory location on the article, wherein the challenge phrase is received from the verifier system;

retrieving a message authentication code from a second memory location on the article, wherein the message authentication code is stored in the second memory location at the time of manufacturing of the article;

sending a combinational logic gate output of the challenge phrase and the message authentication code in response to receiving a read request for the second memory location from the verifier system;

retrieving a serial number identifier stored on the article, wherein the serial number identifier is stored on the article at the time of manufacturing of the article;

sending the serial number identifier to the verifier system in response to a request for the serial number identifier from the verifier system;

storing a second challenge phrase in a third memory location on the article, wherein the second challenge phrase is received from the verifier system;

retrieving a second message authentication code from a fourth memory location on the article, wherein the second message authentication code is stored in the fourth memory location at the time of manufacturing of the article; and

sending a second combinational logic gate output of the second challenge phrase and the second message authentication code in response to receiving a read request for the fourth memory location from the verifier system.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2026
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074202/0293 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2026
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074202/0192 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 073007/0118 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 073007/0346 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 18, 2024
From: CHINA CITIC BANK CORPORATION LIMITED, GUANGZHOU BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 066345/0026 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT U.S. PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 046989 FRAME: 0396. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 24, 2018
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CHINA CITIC BANK CORPORATION LIMITED, GUANGZHOU BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047760/0795 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 30, 2018
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: CHINA CITIC BANK CORPORATION LIMITED, GUANGZHOU BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046989/0396 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2005
From: ADKINS, CHRISTOPHER A.; STRUNK, TIMOTHY L.
To: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC
Reel/Frame 016451/0457 →