Cartridge with identifiers

Abstract

The invention relates to cartridges containing identifiers, and in particular to printer consumable cartridges containing identifiers which may be applied to printed media.

1 . A cartridge including identifier data that is indicative of at least one identifier, the cartridge being configured for use in a printer capable of printing machine-readable coded data onto a surface, the printer including: 
 an interface for receiving the cartridge;    a reader for reading the identifier data;    a coded data generator for determining the at least one identifier from the identifier data and for generating coded data on the basis of the at least one identifier; and    at least one printing mechanism for printing the coded data onto a substrate.    
   
   
       2 . A cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the identifier data is indicative of a range of identifiers.  
   
   
       3 . A cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein in the range is defined by a base identifier and a count.  
   
   
       4 . A cartridge according to  claim 1 , configured to record consumption of identifiers as they are used by the printer.  
   
   
       5 . A cartridge according to  claim 4 , wherein the identifier data is indicative of a range of identifiers defined by a base identifier and a count, consumption of the identifiers being recorded by reducing the count.  
   
   
       6 . A cartridge according to  claim 1 , further including one or more reservoirs containing one or more of the following substances: 
 black ink    coloured ink;    infrared ink;    fixative; and    adhesive.    
   
   
       7 . A cartridge according to  claim 6 , wherein the identifier data is indicative of sufficient identifiers to identify at least as many pages are as printable, on average, using at least one of the substances in the one or more reservoirs.  
   
   
       8 . A cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reader is an optical reader and the identifier data is disposed on or in the cartridge in an optically readable form.  
   
   
       9 . A cartridge according to  claim 8 , where the identifier data is encoded in any of the following forms: 
 bar code;    CD-ROM;    DVD-ROM; and    optically-readable data card.    
   
   
       10 . A cartridge according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the reader is a magnetic reader and the identifier data is disposed on or in the cartridge in a magnetically readable form.  
   
   
       11 . A cartridge according to  claim 5 , wherein the reader is a magnetic reader and the identifier data is disposed on or in the cartridge in a magnetically readable form, and wherein the printer includes a magnetic writer for magnetically writing or rewriting the count on or in the cartridge.  
   
   
       12 . A cartridge according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the reader is electronic reading circuitry, and the identifier data is incorporated in memory associated with the cartridge.  
   
   
       13 . A cartridge according to  claim 12 , wherein the memory is non-volatile magnetic or solid-state memory  
   
   
       14 . A cartridge according to  claim 5 , wherein the reader is electronic reading circuitry, the identifier data is incorporated in memory associated with the cartridge, and wherein the printer includes an electronic writer for electronically writing or rewriting the count in the memory.  
   
   
       15 . A cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the identifiers are encrypted in the identifier data using an encryption key.  
   
   
       16 . A method of using a printer to print machine-readable coded data, the method including the steps of: 
 in the printer, obtaining identifier data from a cartridge operatively positioned in relation to the printer, the identifier data being indicative of identifiers;    encoding the identifiers in coded data; and    printing the coded data    
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further including the step of recording, in or on the cartridge, consumption of the identifiers.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 16  or  17 , including the step of reporting, to a computer system, consumption of the identifiers.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18 , further including the step of reporting, to the computer system, which identifier or identifiers have been used in relation to some or all of a print job processed by the printer.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , further including the step of receiving an identifier from the computer system as part of the print job.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 16 , including the step of sending, to a computer system, some or all of the identifiers obtained from the identifier data.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 16 , including the step of recording, in a computer system, that one or more of the identifiers have been used.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 16  or  17  or  18 , including the step of recording, in a computer system, an association between one or more of the identifiers and content of a page or document printed by the printer.  
   
   
       24 . A printer for printing machine-readable coded data onto a surface, the printer including: 
 an interface for receiving a cartridge, the cartridge having identifier data that is indicative of one or more identifiers; and    a reader for reading the identifier data;    a coded data generator for determining at least one identifier from the identifier data and generating coded data on the basis of the at least one identifier; and    at least one printing mechanism for printing the coded data onto a substrate.    
   
   
       25 . A printer according to  claim 24 , configured to report, to a computer system, consumption of the identifiers.  
   
   
       26 . A printer according to  claim 25 , configured to report, to the computer system, which identifier or identifiers have been used in relation to some or all of a print job processed by the printer.  
   
   
       27 . A printer according to  claim 26 , configured to receive an identifier from the computer system as part of the print job.  
   
   
       28 . A printer according to  claim 24 , configured to send, to a computer system, some or all of the identifiers obtained from the identifier data.  
   
   
       29 . A printer according to  claim 24 , including writing means for recording, in or on the cartridge, consumption of the identifiers.  
   
   
       30 . A printer according to  claim 28 , configured to report, to a computer system, consumption of the identifiers.  
   
   
       31 . A printer according to  claim 30 , configured to report, to the computer system, which identifier or identifiers have been used in relation to some or all of a print job processed by the printer.  
   
   
       32 . A printer according to  claim 30 , configured receive an identifier from the computer system as part of the print job.  
   
   
       33 . A printer according to  claim 28 , configured to send, to a computer system, some or all of the identifiers obtained from the identifier data.  
   
   
       34 . A printer according to  claim 24 , wherein the coded data includes the identifiers.  
   
   
       37 . A printer according to  claim 34 , wherein the cartridge includes at least one coded data ink reservoir containing coded data ink, the printing mechanism being configured to use the coded data ink to print the coded data.  
   
   
       38 . A printer according to  claim 37 , wherein the identifier data is indicative of a predetermined amount of the coded data.  
   
   
       39 . A printer according to  claim 38 , wherein the predetermined amount is of an order of the amount of coded data the printer is capable of printing using the ink in the cartridge.  
   
   
       40 . A printer according to any one of  claims 37  to  39 , wherein the coded data ink is substantially invisible to an unaided human.  
   
   
       41 . A printer according to  claim 40 , wherein the coded data ink is absorptive in the infrared spectrum.  
   
   
       42 . A printer according to any one of the  claims 24  to  41 , wherein the cartridge includes at least one visible ink reservoir containing visible ink, the printing mechanism being configured to use the visible ink to print visibly on the substrate.  
   
   
       43 . A printer according to  claim 42 , the printing mechanism being configured to print the coded data ink and the visible ink substantially simultaneously.  
   
   
       44 . A printer according to any one of  claims 24  to  43 , wherein the coded data includes one or more tags.  
   
   
       45 . A printer according to  claim 44 , wherein each tag is indicative of an identity of a document with which it is printed.  
   
   
       46 . A printer according to  claim 44  or  45 , wherein each tag is indicative of a location of that tag in relation to a document with which it is printed.  
   
   
       47 . A printer according to any one of  claims 24  to  46 , wherein the reader is an optical scanner and the identifier data takes the form of optically scannable information on the cartridge.  
   
   
       48 . A printer according to  claim 46 , wherein the identifier data takes the form of a bar code.  
   
   
       49 . A printer according to any one of  claims 24  to  46 , wherein the reader is a magnetic scanner and the identifier data is a magnetic pattern on the cartridge.  
   
   
       50 . A printer according to any one of  claims 24  to  46 , wherein the reader is electronic reading circuitry, and the identifier data is incorporated in memory associated with the cartridge.  
   
   
       51 . A printer according to  claim 50 , wherein the coded data is encrypted into the identifier data using an encryption key, to impede extraction of the coded data from the identity data.  
   
   
       52 . A cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the coded data is indicative of an identity of at least a region of the surface.  
   
   
       53 . A cartridge according to  claim 52 , wherein the coded data is also indicative of at least one reference point of the surface.  
   
   
       54 . A cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the base identifier is an initial value to be used by the printer in an algorithm for generating the coded data.  
   
   
       55 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the identifier data includes a base identifier, the printer being configured to use the base identifier in an algorithm for generating further identifiers for the coded data.  
   
   
       56 . A method according to  claim 55 , wherein the algorithm is a recursive algorithm and the initial identifier is used as a seed value for the algorithm.  
   
   
       57 . A method according to  claim 56 , wherein the recursive algorithm outputs a sequence of identifiers upon which the coded data is based.  
   
   
       58 . A method according to  claim 57 , wherein the sequence is pseudo-random.  
   
   
       59 . A method according to  claim 58 , wherein the base identifier is a seed value for a linear feedback shift register (LFSR), the method including the steps of: 
 loading the LFSR with initial data based on the initial identifier; and    generating identifiers based on the contents of the LFSR as it is clocked.    
   
   
       60 . A method according to  claim 54 , wherein the printer is configured to record usage of ink, new identifiers only being generated until a predetermined amount of the ink is determined to have been used by the printer.  
   
   
       61 . A method according to  claim 60 , wherein the ink is provided in one or more reservoirs of the cartridge.  
   
   
       62 . A method according to  claim 16 , including the steps of: 
 determining a base identifier based on the identifier data and generating some of the coded data based on the base identifier;    determining subsequent identifiers by incrementing or decrementing the current identifier, and generating further coded data based on the subsequent identifiers.    
   
   
       63 . A method according to  claim 62 , including the step of recording usage of ink by the printer, new coded data only being generated until a predetermined amount of the ink is determined to have been used by the printer.  
   
   
       64 . A method according to  claim 63 , wherein the ink is provided in one or more reservoirs of the cartridge.  
   
   
       65 . A method according to  claim 63 , including overwriting each current identifier with the next subsequent identifier.  
   
   
       66 . A method according to  claim 65 , wherein the cartridge includes non-volatile memory and the overwriting step includes overwriting the current identifier stored in the memory.