Consumable Chip Data Indicator Integration for Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing consumable chip technologies lack effective methods to securely indicate the type of data stored, such as digital signatures or unsigned data, which can compromise security and authenticity verification.

Innovation Solution

The consumable chip stores target data and an indicator within the same memory, where at least a part of the target data serves as the indicator. This approach eliminates the need for a separate storage area for the indicator, enhancing security by making it difficult for third parties to determine the signature status of the data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a separate storage area for indicators is provided in existing consumable chips, then it is easy to determine the type of data stored, but security is compromised as third parties can easily determine the signature status of the data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of determining data typeVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the indicator and target data into a single storage area. The indicator is integrated within the target data structure rather than being stored separately, making it difficult for third parties to distinguish between indicator and data portions, thereby enhancing security while maintaining the ability to identify data types through authentication protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication protocol between the printing device and consumable chip. This mediator verifies the digital signature and determines data types without exposing the internal structure to third parties, thus maintaining security while enabling proper data identification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the indicator is integrated into the target data, then security is improved by making it difficult to determine signature status, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidchip structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the consumable chip into distinct functional modules: a storage area for target data, an authentication unit for verifying digital signatures, and a processing unit for executing authentication protocols. This modular segmentation manages complexity by organizing functions into separate, well-defined components while maintaining the integrated storage approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication unit serves multiple functions: it verifies digital signatures, determines data types, and communicates with the printing device through standardized protocols. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating multiple operations into a single versatile component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4169723B1Consumable chip and consumable chip response method, consumable cartridge, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 APEX MICROELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4169723B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4169723B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4169723B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a responding method for a consumable chip and a consumable chip, a consumable cartridge, and a storage medium. The consumable chip stores target data and an indicator used to indicate a type of the target data in the consumable chip, and at least a part of data in the target data is used as the indicator; and the target data is a digital signature or unsigned data. The method includes: receiving an access request of a printing device; selecting at least a part of data in the target data according to the access request; and sending the at least a part of data to the printing device in response to the access request of the printing device. When the printing device obtains the indicator of the type of the target data, it is difficult for another third party to learn a signature status of the data in the consumable chip, thereby increasing chip security.