Identifying apparatus, apparatus to be identified, identifying method, and printing apparatus, suitable for deciding whether genuine or counterfeit consumables are used

摘要

There is disclosed a main unit (1) as an identifying apparatus for outputting an identification code and subjecting the identification code to conversion by an encoding section (19) to obtain a specific code. A process unit (2) as an apparatus to be identified subjects the identification code outputted from the main unit (1) to encoding by an encoding section (25) by the same logic as that of the encoding section (19) of the main unit (1) to obtain a response code, and returns the response code to an input port (18) of the main unit (1). In the main unit (1), a collating section (20) examines and compares the specific code obtained by the of the main unit (1) encoding section (19) and the signal inputted to the input port (18) from the process unit (2), and CPU (11) judges the attached process unit (2) to be original when a collation result indicates coincidence. <IMAGE>