Patent ID: 6978255

Claim:
A method for protecting a device against operation with an unallowed tangible consumable product, comprising the steps of: (a) storing a plurality of reference code words at a data center; (b) generating a code word having a predetermined relationship to at least one of said reference code words; (c) electronically allocating said generated code word to an electronic representation of a tangible consumable product and storing said electronic allocation at said data center; (d) aggregating each physical authentic tangible replacement consumable product, corresponding to said electronically represented tangible consumable product, with said generated code word, by generating an identification number embodying said generated code word and aggregating the identification number with each physical authentic tangible replacement consumable product during manufacture of each authentic tangible replacement consumable product at a manufacturer; (e) at a device located remote from said data center, detecting an operation to replace tangible consumable product in said device with a proposed tangible replacement consumable product, said proposed tangible replacement consumable product having an identification number aggregated therewith embodying a code word; (f) upon detection of said operation, automatically establishing a communication link between said device and said data center and communicating said identification number aggregated with said proposed, tangible replacement consumable product to said data center from said device via said link; (g) at said data center, checking authenticity of said proposed, tangible replacement consumable product by determining whether said code word embodied in the identification number aggregated with said proposed, tangible replacement consumable, and transmitted via said link, has said predetermined relationship with said at least one reference code word stored at said data center and if so, authorizing said proposed, tangible replacement product; and (h) via said link, informing said device from said data center whether said proposed, tangible replacement consumable is authorized.