Granted Patent B2

US 7,886,197 · App. 11/762,837 · Granted Feb 8, 2011

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A device protection system for a device that operates using one or more replaceable components comprising:

a replaceable component that is accommodated by a device; and

a monitoring unit associated with the replaceable component that monitors at least one characteristic of the replaceable component;

a disabling device that prevents operation of the replaceable component in the device and makes the replaceable component incompatible with the device based on the monitored at least one characteristic of the replaceable component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit further comprises:

a sensing unit that senses the at least one characteristic of the replaceable component;

a storage unit that stores data regarding the at least one characteristic;

a determination unit that compares the sensed at least one characteristic to stored data regarding the at least one characteristic and determines that, based on the comparison, the replaceable component should be disabled; and

a control unit that, based on the determination, engages the disabling device, and

wherein the monitoring unit is a CRUM.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the sensing unit, the storage unit, the determination unit or the control unit is located within the device, the monitoring unit communicating with the at least one unit via a data interface.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein

the sensed at least one characteristic is a temperature to which the replaceable component has been exposed,

the storage unit stores data regarding at least one of a maximum or minimum temperature that, if exceeded, will affect the replaceable component in a manner that employment of the replaceable component by the device will damage the device,

the sensing unit senses a temperature of at least one of an environment around the replaceable component or of the replaceable component itself, and

the determination unit determines whether the replaceable component should be disabled based on the at least one of the maximum or minimum temperature being exceeded.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the disabling device is a fusible link circuit.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the disabling device is a fusible link circuit and the control unit controls the fusible link circuit based on a determination made by the determination unit.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein a fusible link in the fusible link circuit is severable.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a notification unit for displaying a status of the replaceable component.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the replaceable component is a customer replaceable unit associated with a xerographic image forming device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the customer replaceable unit is an image producing medium holding component.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the image producing medium holding component holds at least one of ink or toner.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring module is at least one of housed within or attached directly to the replaceable component.

13. A method for protecting a device that operates using one or more replaceable components comprising:

monitoring at least one characteristics of a replaceable component employed by a device with a monitoring module associated with the replaceable component; and

disabling that prevents operation of the replaceable component in the device and makes the replaceable component incompatible with the device based on the monitored at least one characteristic of the replaceable component.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the monitoring further comprises:

sensing the at least one characteristic of the replaceable component;

comparing the sensed at least one characteristic to stored data regarding the at least one characteristic;

determining that the replaceable component should be disabled based on the comparison; and

activating the disabling device based on the determination, wherein the monitoring module is a CRUM.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the sensing, comparing, determining and activating occurs in the monitoring module.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the monitoring module is at least one of housed within or attached to the replaceable component.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the sensing, comparing, determining and activating occurs within the device, the monitoring module communicating with the device via a data interface.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein

the sensed at least one characteristic is a temperature to which the replaceable component has been exposed,

the stored data regards at least one of a maximum or minimum temperature that, if exceeded, will affect the replaceable component in a manner that employment of the replaceable component by the device will damage the device,

a temperature of at least one of an environment around the replaceable component or of the replaceable component itself is sensed, and

the comparison is between the sensed temperature data and the stored temperature data, the determining being whether the replaceable component should be disabled based on the at least one of the maximum or minimum temperature being exceeded.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the disabling occurs by engaging a fusible link circuit.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the disabling occurs by engaging a fusible link circuit and the disabling device is activated by severing a fusible link in the fusible link circuit.

21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising displaying a status of the replaceable component.

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the replaceable component is a customer replaceable unit associated with a xerographic image forming device.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the customer replaceable unit is an image producing medium holding component.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the image producing medium holding component holds at least one of ink or toner.

25. A computer-readable data storage medium on which is stored a program for causing a computer associated with an image forming device to execute a disabling according to claim 13 .

Assignments (9)