Patent ID: 8412958
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: G03G,G06F

Abstract:
1. An image reading device, comprising: a plurality of functional units including at least a mechanical unit, a control unit, and an optical unit, each of the functional units further comprising: a second device-information storing part that stores device information of other functional units within the image reading device; an encrypting part configured to encrypt the device information stored in the first device-information storing part using the confidential key stored in the confidential-key storing part and output encrypted device information; a transmitting part configured to transmit the encrypted device information to another functional unit within the image reading device; a receiving part configured to receive encrypted device information from other functional units within the image reading device; a decrypting part configured to decrypt the received encrypted device information using the confidential key stored in the confidential-key storing part and output decrypted device information; an authentication part configured to authenticate whether the decrypted device information corresponds to the device information of other functional units stored in the second device-information storing part, wherein the functional units are configured to mutually perform authentications of the decrypted device information with one another to determine whether the functional units are usable, the image reading device is configured to switch to an operable state when it is determined that all the functional units are usable, and the image reading device is configured to generate an alarm or an error signal when it is determined that at least one of the functional units is unusable.