Security system for electronic printing systems

• US 5,077,795 A
• Filed: 09/28/1990
• Issued: 12/31/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wing, Peter D., Rourke, John L., Valliere, Paul J., Ratcliffe, Jack F. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/591,330
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 380/3, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 380/51, 380/55, 355/201, 355/133, 235/380, 235/382, 235/382.5, 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.33, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 380/55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

An electronic printing system with a security system for protecting the security of a user'"'"'s files and programs through the intermediary of a user profile for each user administered to by a Security administrator at the site or from a remote site.

Claims

1. Site security process for an electronic printing system, said printing system including a reprographic printer for making prints and a user interface including a display screen for programming said printer to make prints, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a security administrator for said printing system;

b) providing a security profile with discrete security levels for different classes of users of said printing system under the control of said security administrator;

c) giving said administrator power to

1) assign user identification numbers at less secured ones of said sites, and

2) enable use of passwords by said users at more secure ones of said sites;

d) providing a site administrator;

e) giving said site administrator control over user job programming options for said printing system site;

f) isolating functions of said site administrator from user functions by assigning special identification number and password to said site administrator to prevent users of said printing system from accessing said site administrator functions; and

g) providing user file security by enabling users of said printing system,

1) to protect user files by user passwords,

2) to limit access of others to user files, and

3) to assign a non-removable security label to a user'"'"'s files

which prevents printing of said files by said printer or displaying of said files on said screen without said security label.

2. The process according to claim 1 including the step of:

providing user file security by limiting user access to said printing system programming features.

3. The process according to claim 1 including the step of:

providing user file security by restricting user access to printer programming features that allow only moving or changing of files.

4. The process according to claim 1 including the step of:

enabling said site administrator to restrict access to complex printer programming features to avoid printer downtime.

5. The process according to claim 1 including the step of:

enabling said site administrator to restrict user access to pre-selected printer programming features to reduce personal use of said printing system.

6. Security process for an electronic reprographic printer, comprising the steps of:

(a) for site security,

(1) providing a security profile with discrete security levels for different classes of users under the control of a security administrator,

(2) giving said administrator power to assign user identification numbers at less secured sites, and

(3) enabling use of passwords by said users at more secure sites;

(b) for site administrator security, isolating administrator functions from user functions by assigning a special identification number and password to said site administrator to prevent users from accessing administrator functions; and

(c) for file security enabling users,

(1) to protect user files by user passwords,

(2) to limit access of others to user files,

(3) to assign a non-removable security label to a user'"'"'s files with printing of a file prevented unless the security label is printed therewith.

7. In an electronic printing system having programming means enabling users to program instructions for print jobs;

a source of image signals;

memory means for storing said print jobs together with said image signals; and

a printer for producing prints from said image signals in accordance with said instructions, the combination of;

a) system lockout means for controlling programming of print jobs on said system, said lockout means being responsive to input of a preset user identification number and user name to permit said users to program instructions for said users'"'"' print jobs;

b) first means to limit the source of said identification number to a preset identification number source for said system, said first means enabling said source to assign special identification numbers to said users enabling said users to program instructions for said users'"'"' print jobs on said system;

c) second means to allow at least some of said users to provide personal user passwords to limit access of other users to said user'"'"' print jobs in said memory means; and

d) third means to allow said users to limit the ability of other users having access to said users'"'"' print jobs to change said users'"'"' print jobs following access.

8. In combination;

a) an electronic printer having an internal security data base for storing security data including user passwords;

b) an external authorization data base for storing user profiles including special user identification numbers;

c) means qualifying at least one security administrator for assigning preset identification numbers to individual users or groups of users required to allow said users to access said system with at least some of said users enabled to use individual passwords;

d) said passwords being stored in said internal data base;

e) means enabling said users to impose selected restrictions on the right of other users to alter a user'"'"'s job files;

f) a communication channel coupling said external authorization data base to said printer whereby, to access said printer, a user is required to input his identification number and password;

g) means for checking the identification number input by a user against the identification number in said external authorization data base to establish if said identification number input by said user is valid;

h) means for checking the user password input by said user against the passwords in said internal data base to establish if said password input by said user is valid; and

i) means responsive to input of a valid identification number and valid password to enable said user access to said printer.