Abstract:
The recording apparatus of the present invention acquires time data from a clock built in the main body of the apparatus, and generates first calculation data by calculating the time data with a predetermined calculation method. Meanwhile, in the cartridge attached to the main body, the time data is acquired from the main body, and second calculation data is generated by calculating the time data with the same calculation method as the above-mentioned predetermined calculation method. As a result of comparing the first calculation data to the second calculation data, it is judged that the attached cartridge is proper when both of the data match, and it is judged that the attached cartridge is not proper when both of the data do not match. It is thereby possible to judge whether or not the cartridge attached to the main body is proper.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a recording apparatus which judges whether a proper cartridge is attached thereto, process cartridge for use therein, cartridge judgement method, and image communication apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally in recording apparatuses such as laser beam printers, since proper toners are limited depending on, for example, characteristics of photosensitive materials, it is judged whether or not an attached cartridge is proper. This judgement prevents image qualities from being provided with adverse effects caused by attaching an improper cartridge. As the above-described judgement, adopted is a method in which a main body of the recording apparatus reads an ID number incorporated into the cartridge to check up. As an example of the conventional recording apparatuses which judge the ID number, the laser beam printer is explained below. 
     FIG.1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional laser beam printer. Conventional laser beam printer  500  is attachable and removal to/from a main body of the printer, and comprised of cartridge  502  into which fixed ID number  501  is incorporated, and main body  504  in which CPU  503  is mounted. When this cartridge  502  is attached to main body  504 , CPU  503  of main body  504  reads ID number  501  incorporated into cartridge  502 , and checks up the ID number. It is thus judged whether or not a proper cartridge is attached. 
     However in the conventional recording apparatus, since the ID number is fixed, the ID number is easy to copy, resulting in the problem that the cartridge can be imitated easily. 
     On the other hand, in order to prevent the ID number from being copied, there is a method for making the ID number variable, not fixed. However, to make the ID number variable, it is necessary to newly provide a special circuit such as a random number generation circuit. As a result, there are problems that the configuration of the recording apparatus becomes complicated, and that the cost thereof is increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus capable of holding an ID number at the secret state, by making the ID number of a cartridge variable without adding large changes to a configuration of a conventional recording apparatus, a process cartridge for use in the recording apparatus, cartridge judgement method, and image communication apparatus. 
     The recording apparatus of the present invention acquires time data from a clock built in a main body of the apparatus, and generates first calculation data by calculating the time data with a predetermined calculation method. Meanwhile, in the cartridge attached to the main body, the time data is acquired from the main body, and second calculation data is generated by calculating the time data with the same calculation method as the above-mentioned predetermined calculation method. Then, as a result of comparing the first calculation data to the second calculation data, it is judged that the attached cartridge is proper when both of the data match, and it is judged that the attached cartridge is not proper when both of the data do not match. 
     Thus, the recording apparatus of the present invention employs the time data that is conventionally provided, and checks up the data acquired with the same algorithm by a CPU of the main body and another CPU at an IC card side. It is thereby possible to judge whether or not the cartridge attached to the main body is proper. As a result, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of image qualities caused by using an improper cartridge, and to always provide high image qualities to users. Further, since the recording apparatus of the present invention employs the time data acquired from the clock conventionally provided therein, it is possible to make the ID number variable without adding large changes to the configuration of the conventional recording apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one example it illustrated by way of example, in which; 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional laser beam printer; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the recording apparatus according to the above embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a program structure in the recording apparatus according to the above embodiment; and 
     FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart for the recording apparatus according to the above embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is comprised of main body  100 , cartridge  200  which is attached to main body  100  and filled with toners, and IC card  101  for use in judging whether or not the attached cartridge  200  is proper cartridge  200 . IC card  101  is judged by CPU  102  that is provided in main body  100  (hereinafter referred to as main-body CPU  102 ). 
     In the recording apparatus, by the use of IC card  101  provided separately from cartridge  200 , it is judged whether or not attached cartridge  200  is proper. Accordingly, the recording apparatus does not operate when cartridge  200  is only attached to main body  100 , and becomes capable of operating when cartridge  200  and IC card  101  are attached to main body  100 . In addition, it may be possible that IC card  101  is built in cartridge  200  as one body. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the recording apparatus. 
     In main body  100  of the recording apparatus, main-body CPU  102  controls ROM  104 , RAM  105 , image memory  106  and display section  107 , which are connected with bus  103 . ROM  104  stores various programs for use by main-body CPU  102  to operate, while storing a program for use in a judgement of ID number that will be described later. RAM  105  is used as an area for operations of main-body CPU  102 . Image memory  106  stores image data to be recorded. Display section  107  displays a current state of the recording apparatus and set state therein. 
     Printer I/F  108  is an interface used for main-body CPU  102  to control printer  109 . Printer  109  forms an image on recording paper being given toners supplied from cartridge  200 . Page memory  110  spools image data when printer  109  records. Recording control section  111  controls recording operations of printer  109 . In addition, main-body CPU  102  transmits and receives data from/to IC card through IC-card I/F  112 . 
     MIn IC card  101 , CPU  113  provided in IC card  101  (hereinafter referred to as IC-card CPU) executes a program stored in ROM  114 . At this time, IC-card CPU  113  uses RAM  115  as an area to operate. Further, IC-card CPU  113  transmits and receives data to/from main body  100  through main-body I/F  116 . 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a program structure in the recording apparatus. 
     Program  300  is a program executed by main-body CPU  102 . Program  301  is a program executed by IC-card CPU  113 . Program  300  is provided with cartridge exchange monitoring program  302  to monitor the attachment of cartridge  200 . Cartridge exchange monitoring program  302  is a program to periodically monitor whether or not cartridge  200  is exchanged in main body  100 . 
     Further, time data acquisition program  303  is a program to acquire time data from clock  304 . The time data, acquired by the execution of time data acquisition program  303 , is converted into data A  306  by the execution of time data conversion program  305 . Data A  306  is converted into data B  308  by the execution of data A conversion program  307 . Data B  308  is provided to data B-C matching judgment processing program  313  which will be described later. 
     Meanwhile, data A  306  is transmitted to IC-card CPU  113  by the execution of data transmission/reception with IC-card CPU  113  program  309 . Transmitted data A  306  is converted into data C  312  by the execution of data A conversion program  311 . Data C  312  is transmitted to main-body CPU  102  by the execution of data transmission/reception with main-body CPU  102  program  310 . Transmitted data C  312  is provided to data B-C matching judgement processing program  313 . By the execution of data B-C matching judgement processing program  313 , it is judged whether or not data B  308  matches data C  312 . 
     Operations of the recording apparatus configured as described above are next explained. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation flowchart for the recording apparatus. 
     Main-body CPU  12  periodically monitors whether or not cartridge  200  is exchanged by executing cartridge exchange monitoring program  302 . 
     When cartridge  200  is attached (ST 1 ), in order to judge the cartridge  200  is proper cartridge  200 , main-body CPU  102  acquires time data by executing time data acquisition program  303  (ST 2 ). At this point, main-body CPU  102  also judges whether or not IC card  101  is attached to main body  100 . At this stage, in the case where IC card  101  is not attached, main-body CPU  102  prohibits a recording operation of the recording apparatus even when cartridge  200  is attached to main body  100 . 
     Next, main-body CPU  102  converts the time data into data A  306  by executing time data conversion program  305  (ST 3 ). Main-body CPU  102  stores converted data A  306  in RAM  105  (ST 4 ). 
     Further, main-body CPU  102  reads out data A  306  from RAM  105 . Then by executing data transmission/reception with IC-card CPU  113  program  309 , main-body CPU  102  transmits data A  306  to IC-card CPU  113  (ST 5 ). 
     In parallel with the above-described operations, main-body CPU  102  converts data A  306  into data B  308  by executing data A conversion program  307 . Specifically, main-body CPU  102  converts data A  306  into data B  308  using a specific function f(x) (ST 6 ). Main-body CPU  102  stores converted data B  308  in RAM  105  (ST 7 ). 
     Meanwhile, IC-card CPU  113  periodically monitors whether or not data A  306  transmitted at ST 5  is received. When data A  306  is received (ST 8 ), IC-card CPU  113  converts data A  306  into data C  312  by executing data A conversion program  311 . Specifically, IC-card CPU  113  converts data A  306  into data C  312  using the function f(x) used at ST 6  (ST 9 ). IC-card CPU  113  stores converted data C  312  in RAM  115  (ST 10 ). 
     Next, IC-card CPU  113  reads out data C  312  from RAM  115 . IC-card CPU  113  transfers data C  312  to main-body CPU  102  by executing data transmission/reception with main-body CPU  102  program  310  (ST 11 ). 
     After executing the processing of ST 7 , main-body CPU  102  periodically monitors whether or not data C  312  is received form IC-card CPU  113 . When data C  312  is received (ST 12 ), main-body CPU  102  judges whether or not data B  308  is equal to data C  312  by executing data B-C matching judgement processing program  313  (ST 13 ). As a result of the judgement, when both data are equal, main-body CPU  102  judges that IC card attached to main body  100  is proper. Main-body CPU  102  judges thereby that cartridge  200  attached to main body  100  is also proper. Then, main-body CPU  102  enables the execution of recording operations with cartridge  200  (ST 14 ). 
     On the other hand, as a result of the judgment at ST 13 , when both data are not equal, main-body CPU  102  judges that IC card  101  attached to main body  100  is not proper. By this judgment, even when cartridge  200  is attached to main body  100 , main-body CPU  102  judges that the cartridge  200  is not proper. Then, main-body CPU  102  prohibits the recording operation with cartridge  200  (ST 15 ). 
     Thus, the recording apparatus employs the time data that is conventionally provided, and checks up the data acquired with the same algorithm by the main-body CPU and the CPU at the IC card side. It is thereby possible to judge whether or not the cartridge attached to the main body is proper. As a result, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of image qualities caused by using an improper cartridge, and to always provide high image qualities to users. Further, since the recording apparatus of the present invention employs the time data acquired from the clock conventionally provided therein, it is possible to make the ID number variable without adding large changes to the configuration of the conventional recording apparatus. 
     In addition, the recording apparatus in this embodiment employs the time data from the clock that is conventionally provided therein, and checks up the data acquired with the same algorithm by main-body CPU  102  and IC-card CPU  113 . However, the data is not limited to the time data from the clock, and it may be possible to employ data other than the time data. In the case where the data other than the time data is employed, although it is preferable to employ variable data, it may be possible to employ fixed data. 
     In the case where the variable data is employed, instead of the use of the time data from the clock in this embodiment, it is considered that, for example, a random number generation circuit is provided, and data generated therein is used. In this case, although a newly configuration is added to the conventional configuration, it may be possible to judge whether or not a cartridge attached to the recording apparatus is a proper cartridge, and also to achieve the effect for making the ID number variable. 
     Even in the case where the fixed data is employed, since main-body CPU  102  and IC-card CPU  113  both acquire data using the same specific algorithm, it is possible to achieve the effect for judging whether or not the cartridge attached to the recording apparatus is a proper cartridge. 
     Further, the recording apparatus of this embodiment judges whether the attached cartridge is a proper cartridge. However, the object to be judged is not limited to the cartridge, and is applicable to any part, of which the correct one is required when being used in the recording apparatus. 
     As described above, the recording apparatus employs the time data that is conventionally provided, and checks up the data acquired with the same algorithm by the main-body CPU and the CPU at the IC card side. It is thereby possible to judge whether or not the cartridge attached to the main body is proper. As a result, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of image qualities caused by using an improper cartridge, and to always provide high image qualities to users. Further, in the present invention, since the time data acquired from the clock conventionally provided in the recording apparatus is employed, it is possible to make the ID number variable without adding large changes to the configuration of the conventional recording apparatus. 
     The present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, and various variations and modifications may be possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No.HEI11-133530 filed on May 14, 1999, entire content of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.