Secure upgrade supplies and methods

Abstract

Example secure upgrade supplies and methods are disclosed. A disclosed example secure upgrade method includes receiving a request at an imaging supply ( 115 ) for an authentication credential associated with the imaging supply ( 115 ), providing the authentication credential to an image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided authentication credential useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to authenticate an identity of the imaging supply ( 115 ), and providing upgrade data ( 110 ) to the image forming apparatus, the provided upgrade data ( 110 ) authenticatable at the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) based on the identity of the imaging supply ( 115 ), and useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to enable a capability of the image forming apparatus ( 105 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A secure upgrade method comprising:
 receiving a request at an imaging supply ( 115 ) for an authentication credential associated with the imaging supply ( 115 );   providing the authentication credential to an image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided authentication credential useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to authenticate an identity of the imaging supply ( 115 ); and   providing upgrade data ( 110 ) to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided upgrade data ( 110 ) authenticatable at the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) based on the identity of the imaging supply ( 115 ), and useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to enable a capability of the image forming apparatus ( 105 ).   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising providing first and second identifiers to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) via the secure communication session, the two identifiers useable to determine whether to upgrade the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) from the imaging supply ( 115 ). 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) a first value to be written in a first memory location associated with the first identifier and a second value to be written in a second memory location associated with the second identifier, the first and second values identifying that the imaging supply ( 115 ) has been used to upgrade the image forming apparatus ( 105 ). 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request from the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) for the upgrade data ( 110 ). 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a message authentication code to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the message authentication code usable to authenticate the upgrade data ( 110 ). 
     
     
         6 . An upgrade supply ( 115 ) comprising:
 a memory ( 185 ) to store an upgrade ( 110 ); and   a security module ( 130 ) to receive a request for an authentication credential associated with an image forming apparatus ( 105 ), provide the authentication credential to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided authentication credential useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to authenticate an identity of the upgrade supply ( 115 ), and provide the upgrade ( 110 ) to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided upgrade ( 110 ) being authenticatable at the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) based on the identity of the upgrade supply ( 115 ), and useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to activate a capability of the image forming apparatus ( 105 ).   
     
     
         7 . An upgrade supply ( 115 ) as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the memory ( 185 ) is to store first and second identifiers, the first and second identifiers representing whether the upgrade ( 110 ) may be used to upgrade the imaging forming apparatus ( 105 ). 
     
     
         8 . An upgrade supply ( 115 ) as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the memory ( 185 ) is to store a first value indicating whether the upgrade supply ( 115 ) contains the upgrade ( 110 ). 
     
     
         9 . An upgrade supply ( 115 ) as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the memory comprises tamperproof storage. 
     
     
         10 . An upgrade supply ( 115 ) as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising a chamber ( 120 ) to store at least one of an ink, a dye or a liquid. 
     
     
         11 . A tangible article of manufacture storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause an upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ) to at least:
 receive a request at the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ) for an authentication credential associated with the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 );   provide the authentication credential to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided authentication credential useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to authenticate an identity of the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ); and   provide upgrade data ( 110 ) to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the provided upgrade data authenticatable at the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) based on the identity of the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ), and useable by the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) to activate a capability of the image forming apparatus ( 105 ).   
     
     
         12 . A tangible article of manufacture as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ) to provide first and second identifiers to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) via the secure communication session, the two identifiers useable to determine whether to upgrade the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) from the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ). 
     
     
         13 . A tangible article of manufacture as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ) to receive from the image forming apparatus ( 105 ) a first value to be written in a first memory location associated with the first identifier and a second value to be written in a second memory location associated with the second identifier, the first and second values identifying that the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ) has been used to upgrade the image forming apparatus ( 105 ). 
     
     
         14 . A tangible article of manufacture as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the upgrade imaging supply ( 115 ) to provide a message authentication code to the image forming apparatus ( 105 ), the message authentication code usable to authenticate the upgrade data ( 110 ).