A method operating an imaging cartridge installed in an imaging device to determine the type of a printer to which the imaging cartridge with a cartridge chip thereon is installed, the imaging cartridge comprising a the cartridge chip, the cartridge chip comprising a memory element storing data related to the imagining cartridge, wherein said cartridge chip is operable in a first mode of operation compatible with a first type of imaging device and is operable in a second mode of operation compatible with a second type of imaging device, the method comprising: determining, by the cartridge chip, if the imaging device is a first type of imaging device or a second type of imaging device, wherein said determination is based on at least one of differences in signaling characteristics of a x communication signal and contents of a data stream received by the cartridge chip from the imaging device; said differences in signaling characteristics of a communication signal comprising at least one of an identification number of the imaging device, data read from a cartridge chip attached to a toner cartridge of the imaging device, data transmitted by the imaging device to the cartridge chip in different sequences, different voltage levels in the communication signal to read or write data to different locations in the memory to read or write data to certain addresses in different orders and different communication protocols; operating the cartridge chip in a first mode of operation if the imaging device is the first type of imaging device; and operating the cartridge chip in a second mode of operation if the imaging device is the second type of imaging device; wherein the step of operating the cartridge chip in the first mode of operation further comprises returning a first value to the imaging device when the imaging device reads a predetermined memory location in the memory element; and wherein the step of operating the cartridge chip in the second mode of operation further comprises returning a second value to the imaging device when the imaging device reads the predetermined memory location in the memory element, said second value differing from said first value. determining, by the cartridge chip, if the imaging device is a first type of imaging device or a second type of imaging device, wherein said determination is based on at least one of differences in signaling characteristics of a x communication signal and contents of a data stream received by the cartridge chip from the imaging device; said differences in signaling characteristics of a communication signal comprising at least one of an identification number of the imaging device, data read from a cartridge chip attached to a toner cartridge of the imaging device, data transmitted by the imaging device to the cartridge chip in different sequences, different voltage levels in the communication signal to read or write data to different locations in the memory to read or write data to certain addresses in different orders and different communication protocols; operating the cartridge chip in a first mode of operation if the imaging device is the first type of imaging device; and operating the cartridge chip in a second mode of operation if the imaging device is the second type of imaging device; wherein the step of operating the cartridge chip in the first mode of operation further comprises returning a first value to the imaging device when the imaging device reads a predetermined memory location in the memory element; and wherein the step of operating the cartridge chip in the second mode of operation further comprises returning a second value to the imaging device when the imaging device reads the predetermined memory location in the memory element, said second value differing from said first value.