The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2002
Hiroyuki Ishinaga, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshinori Misumi, Tokyo, JP;
Yoichi Taneya, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Kanagawa, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system in which a user can obtain permission to use an encrypted copyrighted image by paying a royalty to a creator of the image so as to print the image, a printing method, and an ink tank which can be used to attain the printing system. The printing system comprises a computer and a printer which is connected to the computer. The computer can acquire an encrypted image with a print key which is distributed from an Internet distribution company. The printer has an ink tank replaceably mounted thereon, and the ink tank incorporates a security chip. The security chip contains a certificate key, generates a decryption key from a combination of the certificate key and the print key, and decrypts the encrypted image into print data which can be printed by the printer by use of the decryption key.