IP Library Granted Patent US 9,876,794
Granted Patent B2
US 9,876,794 · App. 14/961,416 · Granted Jan 23, 2018

Systems and methods for authentication of printer supply items

Inventors: Christopher Alan Adkins (Lexington, KY); James Ronald Booth (Nicholasville, KY); Matthew David Clarke (Lexington, KY); Graydon Randall Dodson (Lexington, KY); Ellis Matthew King (Lexington, KY); Adam Jude Ahne (Lexington, KY)
Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
H04L63/0876
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,876,794
App. No.
14/961,416
Granted
Jan 23, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for authenticating printer supply items using revocation lists are disclosed. Revocation lists are updated using DNSSEC to communicate between a printer and a DNS name server. A domain name is created containing a printer supply item serial number, a message digest, and a message authentication code. The domain name is sent to the DNS name server, and the returned IP address is used to update a revocation list. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

Claims (63)

1. A method of operating an authentication module of a printer supply item (PSI) installed into a printer to manage a revocation list, the authentication module of the installed PSI includes a non-volatile memory, the method comprising:

retrieving a first serial number from the non-volatile memory of the authentication module of the installed PSI;

transmitting a domain name from the authentication module to the printer, the domain name includes the first serial number of the installed PSI;

transmitting from the printer the received domain name to a rights management name server (RM name server);

receiving a token with a format of an Internet Protocol address as a response to the transmitted domain name from the RM name server to represent a first IP address;

determining by the authentication module of the installed PSI whether the received first IP address matches a predetermined target IP address and if the determination is affirmative then adding the first serial number to update a first revocation list in the non-volatile memory of the authentication module of the installed PSI; and

transmitting the updated first revocation list having the added first serial number from the authentication module of the installed PSI to the printer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a printer serial number from the printer; and

generating a message digest from the printer serial number using a first cryptographic hash function,

wherein the domain name includes the message digest.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

retrieving an encryption code from the non-volatile memory; and

generating a message authentication code from the message digest using a second cryptographic hash function with the encryption code,

wherein the domain name includes the message authentication code.

4. An authentication ASIC for a printer supply item comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

an I2C interface; and

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 3 using the non-volatile memory and the I2C interface.

5. An authentication ASIC for a printer supply item comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

an I2C interface; and

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 2 using the non-volatile memory and the I2C interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first IP address is a 32-bit number.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first IP address is a 128-bit number.

8. An authentication ASIC for a printer supply item comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

an I2C interface; and

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 1 using the non-volatile memory and the I2C interface.

9. A method of authenticating a printer supply item (PSI) installed to a printer via an Internet connection comprising:

establishing a chain of trust from an Internet root name server to a rights management name server (RM name server) using Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and receiving by the printer a first public key from the RM name server;

retrieving a PSI serial number from the installed PSI;

in response to the chain of trust being established, transmitting from the printer a domain name to the RM name server, wherein the domain name includes the PSI serial number;

receiving a token with a format of a first IP address from the RM name server cryptographically signed with a first signature as a response to the transmitted domain name;

determining by the printer whether the first signature is valid using the received first public key and if the determination is affirmative then determining whether the received first IP address matches a predetermined target IP address and if the determination is affirmative then adding the retrieved PSI serial number to update a revocation list; and

determine whether the PSI serial number is on the updated revocation list and if the determination is affirmative then displaying an alert on a display of the printer.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

retrieving a printer serial number from a first non-volatile memory; and

generating a message digest from the printer serial number using a cryptographic hash function,

wherein the domain name includes the message digest.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

retrieving an encryption code from the PSI; and

generating a message authentication code from the message digest using the encryption code,

wherein the domain name includes the message authentication code.

12. A printer comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

a network interface;

a printer-supply-item interface;

a display; and

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 11 using the non-volatile memory, the network interface, the printer-supply-item interface, and the display.

13. A printer comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

a network interface;

a printer-supply-item interface;

a display; and

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 10 using the non-volatile memory, the network interface, the printer-supply-item interface, and the display.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first IP address is a 32-bit number.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first IP address is a 128-bit number.

16. A printer comprising:

a network interface;

a printer-supply-item interface;

a display; and

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 9 using the network interface, the printer-supply-item interface, and the display.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2026
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074202/0192 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2026
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074202/0293 →
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 Jan 5, 2016
From: ADKINS, CHRISTOPHER ALAN; BOOTH, JAMES RONALD; CLARKE, MATTHEW DAVID; DODSON, GRAYDON RANDALL; KING, ELLIS MATTHEW; AHNE, ADAM JUDE
To: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 037411/0810 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170163640A1 · Jun 8, 2017