MANAGEMENT OF PHYSICAL SECURITY CREDENTIALS AT A MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE

• US 20060277599A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Information Systems Research Australia Pty Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Information Technology Services Incorporated (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: LAMPLOUGH, JEREMY
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3236 Details of authentication information generation

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for registering physical security credentials of a user at a device (150) forming part of a networked computer system (100). The method detects (122, 301) user identifying information from physical security credentials presented by the user at the device. The device then determines (302) whether the detected identifying information exists at a reference location (135). If the identifying information does not exist in reference location, authentication of the read identifying information for the user is performed by associating the identifying information with a username and password (140) entered by the user at the device. The reference location is then updated with the authenticated identifying information corresponding to the user.

Claims

1. A method for registering physical security credentials of a user at a device forming part of a networked computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting user identifying information from physical security credentials presented by the user at the device;

determining whether the detected identifying information exists at a reference location;

if the identifying information does not exist in the reference location, authenticating the identifying information for the user by associating the identifying information with data entered by the user at the device; and

updating the reference location with the authenticated identifying information corresponding to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference location comprises a server forming part of the network and being in communication with the device.

3. The method of claim 1, where the reference location is formed within the device.

4. The method of claim 1, where the physical security credentials comprise an access card.

5. The method of claim 1, where the physical security credentials are biometric.

6. The method of claim 1, where the physical security credentials comprise a magnetic strip card.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

assigning a PIN to the user during said authenticating.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a printer, said method further comprising the step of:

assigning a printing priority within the network based on the identification of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the pre-emptive step of:

assigning access rights of a first user to a second user thereby permitting, after execution of the remaining steps of the method, the second user to operate the device in place of the first user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticated identifying information is deleted from the reference location automatically after a predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said data entered by the user at the device comprises a username and password corresponding to those by which the user is able to access the networked computer system via at least one workstation thereof.

12. A method of managing use of a reproduction device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) authenticating a user at the reproduction device using a form of authentication;

(b) detecting input from the user to alter the form of authentication; and

(c) updating a record of the form of authentication at a reference location with alterations arising from step (b).

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the form of authentication comprises physical security credentials associated with the user, and the altering of the physical security credentials comprises one of a modification of, addition to, or a deletion from the security credentials authenticated in step (a), said authenticating comprising checking the presented security credentials against those retained at the reference location.

14. The method of claim 13 where the addition of the security credentials is performed if previously no registered credentials existed in the reference location.

15. The method of claim 13 where the addition of the security credentials adds new credentials to existing credentials previously retained at the reference location.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the any newly added security credentials are valid for only a predetermined period of time.

17. Apparatus connectable as part of a networked computer system, said apparatus comprising:

at least one reader adapted to read identifying information from physical credentials presented by a user at the apparatus;

an interface by which data may be entered to said apparatus by the user;

a processor arrangement coupled to each of the reader, the interface and the computer network for;

(i) determining whether the detected identifying information exists at a reference location, and if such does not exist, authenticating the identifying information for the user by associating the identifying information with a username and password entered by the user via the interface; and

(ii) updating the reference location with the authenticated information corresponding to the user.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:

a sub-system the operation of which is enabled by the processor arrangement as a consequence of the determined existence of the read identifying information at the reference location.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said sub-system comprises at least one of a scanner, a printer, a facsimile, and a copier.

20. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said reference location comprises a location within said apparatus.

21. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said reference location comprises a location within said networked computer system distinct from said apparatus.

22. A system for registering physical security credentials of a user, said system comprising:

apparatus forming part of a networked computer system the use of which is desired by the user;

an input device physically associated with said apparatus and configured to detect user identifying information from physical security credentials presented by the user at the apparatus;

means for determining whether the detected identifying information exists at a reference location within the computer network;

means for authenticating the identifying information for the user, if the identifying information does not exist in the reference location, by associating the identifying information with data entered by the user at the apparatus; and

means for updating the reference location with the authenticated identifying information corresponding to the user.

23. A computer readable medium, having a program recorded thereon, where the program is configured to make a computer execute a procedure to register physical security credentials of a user at a device forming part of a networked computer system, said program comprising:

code means for detecting user identifying information from physical security credentials presented by the user at the device;

code means for determining whether the detected identifying information exists at a reference location;

code means for authenticating the identifying information for the user, if the identifying information does not exist in the reference location, by associating the identifying information with data entered by the user at the device; and

code means for updating the reference location with the authenticated identifying information corresponding to the user.