SECURE PRINTING VIA RFID TAGS

• US 20080130882A1
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Le, Cuong M., Hagglund, Ross E.
• Application Number:
  US11/566,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130882A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

A printing system adapted for use in a computing infrastructure includes a printer for printing documents; a radiofrequency identification (RFID) reader for communicating with at least one RFID tag and the computing infrastructure; a plurality of RFID tags for authenticating a user; a link for providing communication between an RFID tag and the reader and providing authentication of an RFID tag; and a controller for initiating printing of a document upon the authentication. A method for printing a document includes recognizing a radiofrequency (RFID) tag within a certain proximity of a printer; associating the RFID tag with a document stored in a queue; and printing the document while the RFID tag remains within the certain proximity. A computer program product is provided.

Claims

1. A printing system adapted for use in a computing infrastructure, the system comprising:

a printer for printing documents;

a radiofrequency identification (RFID) reader for communicating with at least one RFID tag and the computing infrastructure;

a plurality of RFID tags for authenticating a user;

a link for providing communication between an RFID tag and the reader and providing authentication of an RFID tag; and

a controller for initiating printing of a document upon the authentication.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the link is established when the user is within a range to control the document.

3. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a computer program product stored on machine readable media, the product providing instructions for selecting document security measures.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein the document security measures comprise at least one of encryption of a data signal representing the document, print interruption, an alert, an alarm, a shredding command, an SMS message and an email.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is included within an employee badge.

6. A method for printing a document comprising:

recognizing a radiofrequency (RFID) tag within a configurable proximity of a printer;

associating the RFID tag with a document stored in a queue; and

printing the document while the RFID tag remains within the certain proximity.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the recognizing comprises referencing a source of data comprising RFID tag information.

8. The method as in claim 6, further comprising requesting the document be stored in the queue until associated with the RFID tag.

9. The method as in claim 6, further comprising coding the document with a security level.

10. The method as in claim 6, further comprising collecting biometric data before the printing.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising associating the biometric data with the RFID tag.

12. The method as in claim 6, further comprising initiating security measures when the RFID tag is beyond the certain proximity.

13. The method as in claim 10, wherein the security measures comprise at least one of encryption of a data signal representing the document, interrupting the printing, issuing an alert, issuing an alarm, shredding the document, sending an SMS message and sending an email.

14. The method as in claim 6, wherein printing comprises advancing the document in the queue.

15. The method as in claim 6, wherein a first person provides the document, and at least a second person is associated with the RFID tag.

16. The method as in claim 6, wherein a first person loads the document at a first location and the printing occurs at another location.

17. A computer program product stored on machine readable media, the product comprising instructions for printing a document, by:

coding the document with a security level;

requesting the document be stored in a queue until associated with an radiofrequency (RFID) tag;

recognizing the RFID tag within a configurable proximity of a printer by referencing a source of data comprising RFID tag information;

associating the RFID tag with the document stored in a queue;

collecting biometric data and associating the biometric data with the RFID tag;

advancing the document in the queue;

printing the document while the RFID tag remains within the certain proximity; and

initiating security measures when the RFID tag is beyond the certain proximity, wherein the security measures comprise at least one of encryption of a data signal representing the document, interrupting the printing, issuing an alert, issuing an alarm, shredding the document, sending an SMS message and sending an email.