Patent ID: 7657488

Claim:
An apparatus for validating a consumable, the consumable including a device operative to receive data and return the data decrypted using a stored second key, the apparatus comprising: a trusted first integrated circuit which stores a first key, configured to generate a random number, and is configured to generate encrypted information by encrypting the received data using the first key; and a control system in insecure communication with the trusted first integration circuit and the device, the control system being configured to: receive the random number from the trusted first integrated circuit, send a request containing the random number to the device and the trusted first integrated circuit, receive the random number encrypted with the first and second keys from the trusted first integrated circuit and the device respectively, and compare the random number encrypted with first and second keys respectively to validate the device, the device being authentic if the random number encrypted with first key is the same as the random number encrypted with the second key.