Patent ID: 9690956
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: A61M,G05B,G06K

Claim:
1. A system for identifying a replaceable component in a host system, comprising: a host system having a receptacle for receiving a replaceable component and a piezoelectric transducer for interrogating a surface of the replaceable component when it is received in the receptacle and for receiving returning echo waves; and a replaceable component received in the receptacle of the host system, the replaceable component having a pattern of grooves on the surface of the replaceable component, the pattern of grooves indicating an identification code identifying the replaceable component or a characteristic of the replaceable component; wherein the piezoelectric transducer is oriented such that an ultrasonic wave emitted from the piezoelectric transducer of the host system to the pattern of grooves encounters the pattern of grooves at an angle of less than 90° so that waves striking the interior of a groove are reflected back to the transducer as echo waves, while waves not striking the interior of a groove are reflected away from the transducer, thereby yielding a pattern of returning echo waves that allows the identification code indicated by the pattern of grooves on the replaceable component to be determined.