Ink Ribbon IC Tag Authentication for Genuine Consumable Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image formation apparatuses lack effective means to verify and prevent the use of non-genuine consumables, such as ink ribbons, which can compromise the quality and security of printing processes.
Innovation Solution
An image formation apparatus and method that utilize an IC tag on consumables to store a unique ID and a digital certificate, verified using a secret key and public key encryption, ensuring only genuine products are used by encrypting and decrypting the digital certificate based on the unique ID.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital certificate verification using IC tags is implemented, then security against non-genuine consumables is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an IC tag as an intermediary component that stores digital certificates and unique IDs. This mediator handles the complex cryptographic verification operations, allowing the image formation apparatus to verify consumable authenticity without directly implementing complex encryption/decryption logic, thus improving security while managing system complexity through modular design
2Reliability
If encryption keys are updated and deleted regularly, then security is improved, but loss of time occurs during key management operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and storing multiple encryption key pairs in secure storage before they are needed. When verification is required, the system can quickly switch between pre-prepared keys without requiring time-consuming generation operations, thus maintaining high security through regular key rotation while minimizing time loss during key management
3Ease of operation
If public key information is transmitted and stored, then verification capability is improved, but risk of unauthorized use increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by distributing different cryptographic functions across different components: the IC tag contains the private key and digital certificate (secure, read-only), while the image formation apparatus stores only the public key for verification. This spatial separation ensures that sensitive private key information remains localized in the consumable, while the verifier has only the minimal necessary public key information, thus enabling verification capability while minimizing unauthorized use risk
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image formation apparatus that prevents use of a consumable that is not a genuine product. An image formation apparatus includes one or more processors. The one or more processors read, from an IC tag of an ink ribbon, ID information and a digital certificate based on the ID information or information other than the ID information. The one or more processors verify the digital certificate based on the ID information.