Authenticated secure printing

• US 6,862,583 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mazzagatte, Craig, Slick, Royce E., Iwamoto, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L.
• Application Number:
  US09/411,665
• Time in Patent Office: 1,975 Days
• Field of Search: 380/18, 380/21, 380/25, 380/51, 705/51, 705/57
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0011 characterised by a particular command or data flow, e.g. Page Description Language, configuration commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

Authorized printout of an image corresponding to print data received at a print node from a network. The authorized printout comprises encrypting print data by a print node and storing the encrypted print data without printout, receiving authentication of an intended recipient to print the print data, and decrypting the encrypted print data by the print node and printing the decrypted print data by an image forming device, responsive to receipt of authentication in the receiving step. The print node may be the image forming device itself or a gateway to multiple image forming devices. The print node encrypts the print data with either a symmetric key or an asymmetric key.

Claims

1. A method for authorized printout of an image in a printing system comprising an information processing device that transmits print data via a network to a print node for printout of the image, comprising the steps of:

the information processing device transmitting to the print node, via the network, print data identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

the print node receiving, via the network from the information processing device, the print data identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

the print node, upon receiving the print data from the information processing device, detecting that the received print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out and in response thereto, the print node performing a key encryption process on the received print data utilizing a unique encryption key maintained within the print node to generate encrypted print data and storing the encrypted print data without printout, wherein the stored encrypted print data includes encryption data corresponding to the key encryption process that is not included with the received print data;

the print node receiving authentication information of an intended recipient to print the encrypted print data; and

in response to receipt of the authentication information, the print node decrypting the encrypted print data and performing an operation for printing the decrypted print data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the unique encrypting key is a symmetric key randomly generated, utilized by a symmetric algorithm.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the unique encrypting key is a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the print node, utilized by an asymmetric algorithm.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the symmetric key is further encrypted using a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the print node.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the encryption is performed by a smart-chip residing in the print node.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the print node is an image forming device.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the print node is a gateway to multiple image forming devices.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the print data received by the print node is encrypted print data.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted print data received by the print node before said encrypting step.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information received by the print node is supplied at an image forming device.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information received by the print node is supplied utilizing a smart-card reader connected to the print node and located at an image forming device.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the print data received at the print node is identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out by the fact it has been received over a secure transmission protocol.

47. A method according to claim 12, wherein the secure transmission protocol comprises one of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security), and the print node detects that the print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out merely by the fact that the print data is received via SSL or TLS.

13. An apparatus for authorized printout of an image in a printing system comprising an information processing device that transmits print data via a network to the apparatus for printout of the image, comprising:

a memory including a region for storing executable process steps and data for the image; and

a processor for executing the executable process steps;

wherein the executable process steps comprise (a) the apparatus receiving, via the network from the information processing device, print data transmitted by the information processing device that is identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

(b) the apparatus, upon receiving the print data from the information processing device, detecting that the received print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out and in response thereto, the apparatus performing a key encryption process on the received print data utilizing a unique encryption key maintained within the apparatus to generate encrypted print data and storing the encrypted print data without printout, wherein the stored encrypted print data includes encryption data corresponding to the key encryption process that is not included with the received print data;

(c) the apparatus receiving authentication information of an intended recipient to print the encrypted print data; and

(d) in response to receipt of the authentication information, the apparatus decrypting the encrypted print data and performing an operation for printing the decrypted print data.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the unique encrypting key is a symmetric key randomly generated, utilized by a symmetric algorithm.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the unique encrypting key is a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the apparatus, utilized by an asymmetric algorithm.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the symmetric encrypting key is further encrypted using a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the apparatus.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the encryption is performed by a smart-chip residing in the apparatus.

18. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is an image forming device.

19. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is a gateway to multiple image forming devices.

20. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the print data received by the print node is encrypted print data.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20 further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted print data received by the print node before said encrypting step.

22. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the authentication information received by the apparatus is supplied at an image forming device.

23. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the authentication information received by the apparatus is supplied utilizing a smart-card reader connected to the apparatus and located at an image forming device.

24. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the print data received by the apparatus is identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out by the fact it has been received over a secure transmission protocol.

48. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the secure transmission protocol comprises one of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security), and the print node detects that the print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out merely by the fact that the print data is received via SSL or TLS.

25. A computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps for authorized printout of an image in a printing system comprising an information processing device that transmits print data via a network to a print node for printout of the image, the computer-executable process steps comprising:

the information processing device transmitting to the print node, via the network, print data identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

the print node receiving, via the network from the information processing device, the print data identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

the print node, upon receiving the print data from the information processing device, detecting that the received print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out and in response thereto, the print node performing a key encryption process on the received print data utilizing a unique encryption key maintained within the print node to generate encrypted print data and storing the encrypted print data without printout, wherein the stored encrypted print data includes encryption data corresponding to the key encryption process that is not included with the received print data;

the print node receiving authentication information of an intended recipient to print the encrypted print data; and

in response to receipt of the authentication information, the print node decrypting the encrypted print data and performing an operation for printing the decrypted print data.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the unique encrypting key is a symmetric key randomly generated, utilized by a symmetric algorithm.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the unique encrypting key is a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the print node, utilized by an asymmetric algorithm.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the symmetric encrypting key is further encrypted using a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the print node.

29. A computer-readable medium according to claim 28, wherein the encryption is performed by a smart-chip residing in the print node.

30. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the print node is an image forming device.

31. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the print node is a gateway to multiple image forming devices.

32. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the print data received by the print node is encrypted print data.

33. A computer-readable medium according to claim 32 further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted print data received by the print node before said encrypting step.

34. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the authentication information received by the print node is supplied at an image forming device.

35. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the authentication information received by the print node is supplied utilizing a smart-card reader connected to the print node and located at an image forming device.

36. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the print data received at the print node is identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out by the fact it has been received over a secure transmission protocol.

49. A computer-readable medium according to claim 36, wherein the secure transmission protocol comprises one of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security), and the print node detects that the print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out merely by the fact that the print data is received via SSL or TLS.

37. An image forming device for authorized printout of an image, comprising:

a receiver for receiving print data transmitted via a network to the image forming device from an information processing device, the print data being identified by the information processing device as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

an image generator for generating an image from the received print data;

a memory including a region for storing executable process steps; and

a processor for executing the executable process steps,

wherein the executable process steps comprise;

(a) the receiver receiving, via the network from the information processing device, the print data identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out;

(b) the image forming device, upon receiving the print data from the information processing device, detecting that the received print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out and in response thereto, the image forming device performing a key encryption process on the received print data utilizing a unique encryption key maintained within the image forming device to generate encrypted print data and storing the encrypted print data without printout, wherein the stored encrypted print data included encryption data corresponding to the key encryption process that is not included with the received print data;

(c) the image forming device receiving authentication information of an intended recipient to print the encrypted print data; and

(d) in response to receipt of the authentication information, the image forming device decrypting the encrypted print data and the image generator performing a process to print the decrypted print data.

38. An image forming device according to claim 37, wherein the unique encrypting key is a symmetric key randomly generated, utilized by a symmetric algorithm.

39. An image forming device according to claim 37, wherein the unique encrypting key is a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the image forming device, utilized by an asymmetric algorithm.

40. An image forming device according to claim 38, wherein the symmetric encrypting key is further encrypted using a public key of a public/private key pair being primarily in the sole possession of the image forming device.

41. An image forming device according to claim 40, wherein the encryption is performed by a smart-chip residing in the image forming device.

42. An image forming device according to claim 37, wherein the print data received by the receiver is encrypted print data.

43. An image forming device according to claim 42, further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted print data received by the receiver before said encrypting step.

44. An image forming device according to claim 37, wherein the authentication information received by the image forming device is supplied at the image forming device.

45. An image forming device according to claim 37, wherein the authentication information received by the image forming device is supplied utilizing a smart-card reader connected to the image forming device and located at the image forming device.

46. An image forming device according to claim 37, wherein the print data received by the receiver is identified as requiring user authentication in order to be printed out by the fact it has been received over a secure transmission protocol.

50. An image forming device according to claim 46, wherein the secure transmission protocol comprises one of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security), and the print node detects that the print data requires user authentication in order to be printed out merely by the fact that the print data is received via SSL or TLS.