SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATING A USER OF AN IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM

• US 20080244712A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revathi Unnava
• Original Assignee: Revathi Unnava
• Inventors: Wong, Lana, KITADA, Hiroshi, Tang, Weiyun, Wang, Helen, Jennings, Andrew, Vellanki, Revathi
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices

Abstract

A system and method for authenticating a user of an image processing system. User credentials are received at an authentication device corresponding to an image processing device, and transmitted to a first server remote from the authentication device. The validity of the user credentials are judged by comparing the received user credentials to authentication information stored at the first server, and a result of the judging is transmitted to the image processing device. The image processing device then requests access to a second server remote from the image processing device, and the second server transmits a request for the user credentials to the first server. After receiving the user credentials from the first server, the second server performs user authentication.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user of an image processing system, comprising:

receiving user credentials at an authentication device corresponding to an image processing device;

transmitting the user credentials to a first server;

judging, at the first server, the validity of the user credentials by comparing the received user credentials to stored user data;

allowing access to a first server using a result of said judging; and

allowing access to a second sever based on the user credentials.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

transmitting a result of the judging step from the first server to at least one of the image processing device and the second server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

requesting, at the image processing device, access to the second server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request for access to the second server comprises a request to access at least one of a plurality of backend applications connected to the second server.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the request for access to the second server comprises at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address, and serial number corresponding to the image processing device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

determining, at the second server, that the at least one of a plurality of backend applications requires user authentication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

generating a template indicating additional user credential information necessary for a user to be authenticated at the at least one of a plurality of backend applications.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

transmitting, from the second sever, a request for at least the user credentials to the first server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

completing the template indicating additional user credential information using the user credentials received from the first server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the allowing access to a second server step further comprises:

determining that the template can not be completed based on the user credentials received from the server;

transmitting the template to the image processing device; and

displaying a login interface at the image processing prompting a user to enter additional user credential information missing from the template.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving user credentials comprises:

receiving one of a card input, retinal scan, fingerprint, voice, and personal identification number corresponding to a user.

12. A system for authenticating a user of an image processing system, comprising:

an authentication device corresponding to an image processing device and configured to receive user credentials;

a first server configured to receive the user credentials transmitted from the authentication device;

a first module, at the first server, configured to judge the validity of the user credentials by comparing the received user credentials to stored user data;

the first server configured to allow access based on a result of said judging; and

a second server configured to allow access based on the user credentials.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a first communications interface at the first server configured to transmit a result of the judging to at least one of the image processing device and the second server.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a second communications interface at the image processing device configured to request access to the second server.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one of a plurality of backend applications connected to the second server,

wherein the request for access to the second server identifies at least one of the plurality of backend applications connected to the second server.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the request for access to the second server comprises at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address, and serial number corresponding to the image processing device.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a second module at the second server configured to determine that the at least one of a plurality of backend applications requires user authentication.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second module is further configured to generate a template indicating additional user credential information necessary for a user to be authenticated at the at least one of a plurality of backend applications.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a third communications interface at the second server configured to transmit a request for at least the user credentials to the first server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second module at the second server is further configured to complete the template indicating additional user credential information using the user credentials received from the first server.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a third module at the second server configured to determine that the template can not be completed based on the user credentials received from the server;

the third communications interface at the second server configured to transmit the template to the image processing device; and

a display at the image processing device configured to display a login interface a prompting a user to enter user credential information missing from the template.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the authentication device is one of a card reader, retinal scanner, fingerprint reader, voice scanner, proximity scanner and keypad device.

23. A system for authenticating a user of an image processing system, comprising:

means for receiving user credentials at an authentication device corresponding to an image processing device;

means for transmitting the user credentials to a first server;

means for judging, at the first server, the validity of the user credentials by comparing the received user credentials to stored user data;

means for allowing access to a first server using a result of said judging; and

means for allowing access to a second sever based on the user credentials.