Methods and systems for selectively preventing operation of a component

1. An imaging system comprising:

a system control component having host firmware stored thereon, the system control component comprising a print head operation module actuatable by the host firmware to transmit signals to a print head of the imaging system, the signals configured to cause the print head to operate;

a I2C bus configured to allow communication between a security device of a supply item of the imaging system and the host firmware, the security device of the supply item being configured to perform a challenge received via the I2C bus and send the response via the I2C bus, thereby enabling verification of the supply item, and

a monitor-enforce module, the monitor-enforce module comprising:

a monitor interface configured to receive security information from the security device of the supply item of the imaging system by monitoring the I2C bus, and

an enforce module, the enforce module being configured to selectively interrupt said signals transmitted by the print head operation module, based on the security information,

wherein the security information comprises authentication information from the supply items of the imaging system, wherein the authentication information is the response to the challenge, wherein the enforce module is configured to interrupt the signals transmitted by the print head operation module via a gate, and wherein the gate is located between the print head operation module and the print head.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the monitor-enforce module is on the system control component and the monitor-enforce module comprises a hardware block on the system control component, configured to receive security information and selectively interrupt the print head operation.

3. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the monitor-enforce module is separate to the system control component.

4. The imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the monitor-enforce module is a programmable device.

5. The imaging system of claim 4 , wherein the programmable device is locked or lockable.

6. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the security information comprises:

authentication status for the supply items of the imaging system, and/or

a disable command.

7. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the security communication system I2C bus is configured to allow the monitor interface of the monitor-enforce module to receive communication from:

an imaging device security device of the imaging system and/or

the host firmware.

8. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the security information is a security status packet.

9. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the print head operation module is a video output.

10. A method of enforcing security on an imaging system according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

selectively interrupting, by the enforce module, signals transmitted by the print head operation module, based on the security information, wherein interrupting, by the enforce module, comprises operating the gate.

11. The method of claim 10 , the method further comprising, receiving, by the monitor interface, the security information from a I2C bus of the imaging system.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the security information comprises:

authentication status for the supply items of the imaging system, and/or a disable command, and/or

authentication information from the supply items of the imaging system.

13. The method of claims 11 and 12 , the method further comprising:

sending, by the system control component on the I2C bus to a security device of a supply item of the imaging system, a challenge,

receiving, by the monitor interface on the I2C bus from the security device of the supply item, the authentication information, the authentication information being a response to the challenge.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the enforce module interrupts the signals unless security information confirming authenticity of all supply items in the imaging system has been received during a preceding time period.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the print head operation module is a video output.

16. An electronic system comprising:

a system control component having host firmware stored thereon, the system control component comprising a component operation module actuatable by the host firmware to transmit signals to a component of the electronic system, the signals configured to cause the component to operate;

a I2C bus configured to allow communication between a security device of a component of the electronic system and the host firmware, the security device of the component being configured to perform a challenge received via the I2C bus and send the response via the I2C bus, thereby enabling verification of the component, and

a monitor-enforce module, the monitor-enforce module comprising:

a monitor interface configured to receive security information from the security device of the component of the electronic system by monitoring the I2C bus, and

an enforce module, the enforce module being configured to selectively interrupt said signals transmitted by the component operation module, based on the security information,

wherein the security information comprises authentication information from the components of the electronic system, wherein the authentication information is the response to the challenge, wherein the enforce module is configured to interrupt the signals transmitted by the component operation module via a gate, and wherein the gate is located between the component operation module and the component of the electronic system.