JP6063082B2 - IC chips, replacement parts and equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC chip, a replacement part, and an apparatus.

  Conventionally, replacement parts systems are known. For example, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-320658, as long as an ink cartridge is mounted on a printer, an ink remaining amount R ′ written as ink remaining amount information on an IC chip of the ink cartridge and ink cartridge information storage are stored. In other words, a technique is disclosed in which the remaining ink amount R written in the remaining ink amount history information is similarly rewritten every time printing is performed.

JP 2003-320658 A

By the way, the conventional replacement parts system has a problem that the IC chip cannot prevent falsification of stored information that is the remaining amount or consumption of consumables (updating against changes in the normal trend of stored information). It was. Further, the remaining amount R reflecting the number of drops ejected at the time of printing by a normal inkjet printer is overwritten on the remaining amount R ′, and the same information of the pair in which the IC chip is the remaining amount or consumption amount of the consumables the differential received from one of the storage side of the information, it has a problem that said can not Ru is reflected in the other of the information stored by the arithmetic operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an IC chip capable of preventing falsification of stored information that is the remaining amount or consumption of consumables (updating against changes in the normal tendency of stored information). Also, the difference of the same information in a remaining or consumption of consumables pair received from one of the storage side of the information, IC chip capable of Ru is reflected in the other of said information and storing it by arithmetic operations Is to provide.

IC chips of the present invention in order to solve the above problems, a means for receiving and storing the first information is a remaining amount or consumption of consumables, the second information to be reflected on the first information, the second information, prior to reflect on the first information, the reflection of the second information, wherein either against the normal trend change of the first information whether to determine, when it is determined that the contrary, the second information the not reflected on the first information, when it is determined not contrary, the second information, characterized in that it comprises a means for reflecting to said first information.
Means for storing one of the same information of the pair which is the remaining amount or the amount of consumption of the consumable and constituting a storage medium of the consumable unit of the apparatus for storing the other of the information and receiving the difference of the information If, what the difference its, one or we subtract the information, or the means for adding one of said information may be characterized in that it comprises.

According to the present invention, the IC chip can prevent falsification of stored information that is the remaining amount or consumption of consumables (updating against changes in the normal trend of stored information). Also, the difference of the same information in a remaining or consumption of consumables pair received from one of the storage side of the information, it is possible to Ru is reflected in the other of the information stored by the arithmetic operation.

It is an example of the replacement parts system of an embodiment. It is an example of the replacement parts system of an embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

1 and 2 show an example of a replacement part system according to the embodiment.
For example, replacement parts systems contain consumables (eg, printer ink and toner, embryonic stem cells of regenerative medicine organs, induced pluripotent stem cells, etc.) or consumables (eg, printer ink ribbons, ventilation fan filters). Replacement parts such as consumable cartridges, and collection cartridges of collected items (for example, printer toner) including resources and waste, and an IC chip unit 10 that stores identification information ID and quantity information Ra. The unit 1 and the replacement unit 1 are attached, and the identification information ID and the quantity information Rb (the quantity information Rb has a backup meaning of the quantity information Ra) corresponding to the replacement unit 1 or the identification information ID corresponding to the replacement unit 1 And a storage unit for storing the updated quantity R, and a device that consumes consumables or collects resources and waste Equipped with a.

  For example, the device 2 includes a computer unit including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a storage unit (nonvolatile memory, etc.), an input / output unit (touch panel unit, display unit, etc.), a communication unit that communicates with the IC chip unit 10, and the like. .

  For example, the IC chip unit 10 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a nonvolatile storage unit that stores identification information ID and quantity information Ra, a communication unit that communicates with the device 2, and the like. The ROM also includes a control program for the IC chip unit 10. Further, the identification information ID may be stored in the ROM. Further, a contact-type or non-contact-type IC chip is configured, and control power is supplied from the device 2. In addition, it is the management entity of quantity information.

  In the following description, a printing apparatus such as a printer or a 3D printer to which the consumable item replacement unit 1 is attached is referred to as the apparatus 2. Further, the quantity information Ra, Rb and the updated quantity R are used as the consumption amount or remaining amount of the consumables.

Next, the process of FIG. 1 will be described.
<Update processing of quantity information Ra>
The apparatus 2 at the time of start-up, when the replacement unit 1 is installed or replaced, or when the printing process is finished (after use of the consumables) transmits an inquiry request for the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra to the IC chip unit 10 ( Step S01). In response to reception of the inquiry request for the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra (step S02), the IC chip unit 10 acquires the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra from its own nonvolatile storage unit (step S03). The ID and quantity information Ra are returned to the device 2 (step S04).

  In response to the reception of the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra (step S05), the device 2 identifies the identification information ID when the identification information ID is not yet stored in its own storage unit (the replacement unit 1 is not registered). The pair of the quantity information Rb (the value of the quantity information Rb is the quantity information Ra) is stored in the storage unit (step S06), and the update process of the quantity information Ra is completed.

  Further, the identification information ID is already stored in the storage unit (hereinafter, the quantity information Rb and the quantity information Ra are the quantity information Rb of the storage unit corresponding to the same identification information ID and the quantity of the IC chip unit 10). Information Ra), the exchange unit when the quantity information Ra, Rb is consumption and the quantity information Rb <quantity information Ra, and when the quantity information Ra, Rb is the remaining quantity and the quantity information Ra <quantity information Rb Assuming that 1 is used by another device, the value of the quantity information Ra is stored in the quantity information Rb, and the update process of the quantity information Ra is completed.

  Further, when the identification information ID is already stored in the storage unit, the quantity information Ra and Rb are consumption amounts, and the quantity information Rb> the quantity information Ra, the difference D obtained by subtracting the quantity information Ra from the quantity information Rb is obtained. When the difference D reaches the predetermined value, the difference D is transmitted to the IC chip unit 10, or the quantity information Ra, Rb is the remaining amount and the quantity information Ra> the quantity information Rb, the quantity A difference D obtained by subtracting the quantity information Rb from the information Ra is calculated, and when the difference D reaches a predetermined value, the difference D is transmitted to the IC chip unit 10 (step S07). In response to reception of the difference D (step S08), the IC chip unit 10 adds the difference D to the quantity information Ra when the quantity information Ra is the consumption amount, or when the quantity information Ra is the remaining amount, The quantity information Ra that subtracts D from the quantity information Ra is updated (step S09).

<Update processing of quantity information Rb>
The apparatus 2 which is going to execute the printing process or the purge process has a case where the quantity information Rb is the consumption amount and the value of the quantity information Rb exceeds a predetermined value, and the quantity information Rb is the remaining amount. When the value is less than or equal to zero, it is considered that the consumable item has been exhausted, a replacement request message for the replacement unit 1 is displayed on its own display unit, and the user replaces the replacement unit 1.

  In addition, when the quantity information Rb is consumption and the value of the quantity information Rb is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and when the quantity information Rb is the remaining amount and the value of the quantity information Rb exceeds zero, the printing process or purge The amount of consumables used for the processing is added to the quantity information Rb when the quantity information Rb is the consumption quantity, and the quantity to be subtracted from the quantity information Rb when the quantity information Rb is the remaining quantity Information Rb is updated (step S10).

Next, the process of FIG. 2 will be described.
<Update processing of quantity information Ra>
The apparatus 2 at the time of start-up, when the replacement unit 1 is installed or replaced, or when the printing process is finished (after use of the consumables) transmits an inquiry request for the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra to the IC chip unit 10 ( Step S11). In response to receiving the inquiry request for the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra (step S12), the IC chip unit 10 acquires the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra from its own nonvolatile storage unit (step S13). The ID and quantity information Ra are returned to the apparatus 2 (step S14).

  In response to the reception of the identification information ID and the quantity information Ra (step S15), the device 2 identifies the identification information ID when it is not yet stored in its own storage unit (when the replacement unit 1 is not registered). The pair of the update quantity R whose information ID and value are zero is stored in the storage unit, and the update process of the quantity information Ra is finished (step S16).

  Also, the identification information ID is already stored in the storage unit (hereinafter, the update quantity R and the quantity information Ra are the update quantity R of the storage unit corresponding to the same identification information ID and the quantity of the IC chip unit 10). When the update quantity R has reached a predetermined value, the update quantity R is transmitted to the IC chip unit 10 (step S17). In response to receiving the updated quantity R (step S18), the IC chip unit 10 adds the updated quantity R to the quantity information Ra when the quantity information Ra is a consumption amount, and when the quantity information Ra is a remaining quantity. The quantity information Ra subtracted from the quantity information Ra is updated (step S19), and the quantity information Ra is transmitted to the apparatus 2 (step S20). In response to receiving the quantity information Ra (step S21), the device 2 initializes the value of the update quantity R to zero (step S22).

<Total processing of update quantity R>
First, when the quantity information Ra is a consumption amount, the apparatus 2 that is to perform the printing process or the purge process obtains a used quantity obtained by adding the update quantity R to the quantity information Ra, or the quantity information Ra is a remaining quantity. In this case, the remaining quantity is obtained by subtracting the updated quantity R from the quantity information Ra, and then the consumable is exhausted when the used quantity exceeds the predetermined value and the remaining quantity is zero or less. If the replacement unit 1 is displayed on its own display unit and the user replaces the replacement unit 1 or the used quantity is less than a predetermined value, the remaining quantity is over zero. In this case, the printing process or the purge process is executed, and the update quantity R is added to add the used amount of consumables to the update quantity R (step S23).

  In the above embodiment, the difference D and the update quantity R are configured to be positive values. The consumption amount can be read as consumption amount of consumables, usage time, recovery amount of resources and waste. The consumed amount, remaining amount, consumed amount, and collected amount may be counted values such as the number of drops of the ink jet printer.

  The storage unit of the device 2 or the non-volatile storage unit of the IC chip unit 10 may be configured to retain the memory even after the power is shut off by a battery. In addition, since the memory is retained even after the power is shut off, even when the power is cut off during the operation of the device 2 and the difference D or the update quantity R is not reflected in the quantity information Ra of the IC chip unit 10, the power is restored. It can be reflected in the quantity information Ra of the IC chip unit 10.

  The IC chip unit 10 is configured not to reflect the difference D or the updated quantity R in the quantity information Ra when the received difference D or the updated quantity R is a negative value (a value contrary to the trend change) in Step S08 or Step S18. And As a result, since the quantity information Ra cannot be initialized by an IC resetter or the like, the quantity information Ra of the IC chip unit 10 cannot be altered by the IC resetter or the like. In addition, an existing message format used for communication between the device 2 and the IC chip unit 10 can be used. When the message format is used, a message transmitted from the device 2 to the IC chip unit 10 is used. By using the rewriting information of the consumption amount of the format as the difference D or the update amount R, alteration of the consumption amount of the memory in the IC chip unit 10 of the existing IC resetter without changing the communication protocol of the existing IC chip It is possible to disable the function (the function of falsifying consumption to zero). In addition, when the difference D or the update quantity R exceeds a predetermined value, it is determined that the tampering action causes the remaining amount of memory stored in the IC chip unit 10 by the existing IC resetter to become zero, and the difference D or the update quantity R is determined. If it is configured not to be reflected in the quantity information Ra, it is possible to invalidate the falsification function of the remaining amount of the IC chip part 10 of the existing IC resetter without any trouble.

  The existing device 2 can use the IC chip unit 10 by updating the control program. The device 2 first transmits a negative difference D or an updated quantity R to the IC chip unit 10, and then confirms that the quantity information Ra of the IC chip unit 10 has not changed, and replaces the replacement unit 1 with a genuine product. It is good also as a structure to determine.

  The exchange unit 1 stores materials such as embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells of regenerative medical organs produced by the apparatus 2 (3D printer), constitutes a material cartridge including a printer head portion, and an IC chip portion 10 is configured to store personal identification information such as an organ production control number for the material, and the 3D printer 2 acquires and uses the personal identification information from the IC chip unit 10 and uses the organ data received by the 3D printer 2. Means for confirming that it matches the personal identification information contained in the information or means for confirming that the exchange unit 1 of the same personal identification information is used between the start and end of organ production. When the exchange unit 1 having different personal identification information is used for exchange or the like, the organ production is stopped when the mixed unit is mixed. Embryonic stem cells using a printer 2 may be configured organ manufacturing system due to induced pluripotent stem cells.

  In the above description, the case where various control programs including the communication control program are stored in the ROM in advance has been described. However, the control program may be recorded on a storage medium readable by the computer unit. With such a configuration, when the program is read from the storage medium by the computer unit and the computer unit executes processing according to the read program, the same operation and effect as those of the device 2 of the above embodiment can be obtained.

  Here, the storage medium is a semiconductor storage medium such as RAM or ROM, a magnetic storage type storage medium such as FD or HDD, an optical reading type storage medium such as CD, DVD or BD, or a magnetic storage type / optical such as MO. Any storage medium can be used as long as it is a computer-readable storage medium regardless of electronic, magnetic, optical, or other reading methods.

  Further, the control program can be downloaded, installed and executed via a network system such as the Internet or a LAN.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Exchange unit, 2 ... Apparatus, 10 ... IC chip part, ID ... Identification information, Ra ... Quantity information, Rb ... Quantity information, D ... Difference, R ... Update quantity

Claims (5)

Stores first information that is the remaining amount or consumption of consumables,
Means for receiving second information to be reflected in the first information;
Said second information, prior to reflect on the first information, when the reflection of the second information, and determines whether or not contrary to the normal trend change of the first information, it is determined that contrary, the the second information, wherein without reflecting on the first information, when it is determined not contrary, the second information, IC chip, characterized in that it comprises a means for reflecting to said first information. Storing one of the same information of the pair which is the remaining amount or consumption of the consumable, and constituting a storage medium of the consumable unit of the apparatus for storing the other of the information;
Means for receiving the difference of the information;
Those of the difference its, one or we subtract the information, or, IC chip of the consumable unit, characterized in that it comprises a means for adding one of said information. Ru an IC chip according to claim 1, or,
Supply units, characterized in that configuring the consumable unit Ru provided with IC chip according to claim 2. A control program for causing a CPU provided in the IC chip according to claim 1 or 2 to function as each means. It means for mounting the consumable unit Ru provided with IC chip according to claim 2,
Means for transmitting the difference to the IC chip,
And wherein the configuring the device.