Method and apparatus for attempted secure print job release notification

• US 8,169,633 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Aikens, Andrew J., Huang, Zhun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRYAR, JEREMIAH A
• Application Number:
  US12/207,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs

Abstract

A method and apparatus for notifying a user of an attempted secure print job release from an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving a secure print job and secure print job instructions from a user, wherein the secure print job instructions include at least a pass code and the user'"'"'s contact information, determining if a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job, wherein if it is determined that a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job, determining if the entered pass code is correct, wherein if it is determined that the entered pass code is correct, sending a signal to print the secure print job and notifying the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that the secure print job has been printed, otherwise, notifying the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that an unauthorized user attempted to print the secure print job.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a user of an attempted secure print job release from an image production device, comprising:

receiving a secure print job and secure print job instructions from a user, wherein the secure print job instructions include at least a pass code and contact information of the user;

determining if a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job, wherein if it is determined that a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job,

determining if the entered pass code is correct,

wherein if it is determined that the entered pass code is correct,

sending a signal to print the secure print job and notifying the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that the secure print job has been printed, otherwise,

notifying the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that an unauthorized user attempted to print the secure print job;

notifying the user of an identity of the unauthorized user, a time and date of the unauthorized user attempt, and a location of the unauthorized user attempt,

deleting the secure print job if the image production device acquires a new internet protocol address; and

notifying the user if the secure print job is deleted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s contact information is at least one of a telephone number, an e-mail address, a text message address, a pager number, a personal computer alert message, a web site address, and an instant messenger address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure print job may be released by an authorized person other than the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information concerning the secure print job that includes at least one of an identity of an operator that attempts to release the secure print job from an image production device, a time and date of the operator'"'"'s attempt, and a location of the operator'"'"'s attempt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein after one or more unauthorized user attempts to print the secure print job, the secure print job is automatically deleted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein after one or more unauthorized user attempts to print the secure print job, the secure print job is locked for a predetermined time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image production device is one of a printer, a copier/printer, an office copier/printer, a high-capacity copier/printer, a commercial copier/printer, a facsimile/printer device, and a multi-function device.

8. An image production device, comprising:

a memory; and

a secure print manager that receives a secure print job and secure print job instructions from a user and stores the secure print job in the memory, wherein the secure print job instructions include at least a pass code and contact information of the user, determines if a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job, wherein if the secure print manager determines that a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job, the secure print manager determines if the entered pass code is correct, wherein if the secure print manager determines that the entered pass code is correct, the secure print manager sends a signal to print the secure print job and notifies the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that the secure print job has been printed, otherwise, the secure print manager notifies the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that an unauthorized user attempted to print the secure print job,

wherein the secure print job manager notifies the user of an identity of the unauthorized user, a time and date of the unauthorized user attempt, and a location of the unauthorized user attempt,

wherein the secure print job manager deletes the secure print job and notifies the user that the secure print job is deleted if the image production device acquires a new internet protocol address.

9. The image production device of claim 8, wherein the user'"'"'s contact information is at least one of a telephone number, an e-mail address, a text message address, a pager number, a personal computer alert message, a web site address, and an instant messenger address.

10. The image production device of claim 8, wherein the secure print job may be released by an authorized person other than the user.

11. The image production device of claim 8, wherein the secure print manager stores information concerning the secure print job in the memory that includes at least one of an identity of an operator that attempts to release the secure print job from an image production device, a time and date of the operator'"'"'s attempt, and a location of the operator'"'"'s attempt.

12. The image production device of claim 8, wherein after one or more unauthorized user attempts to print the secure print job, the secure print manager automatically deletes the secure print job.

13. The image production device of claim 8, wherein after one or more unauthorized user attempts to print the secure print job, the secure print manager locks the secure print job for a predetermined time period.

14. The image production device of claim 8, wherein the image production device is one of a printer, a copier/printer, an office copier/printer, a high-capacity copier/printer, a commercial copier/printer, a facsimile/printer device, and a multi-function device.

15. A method for notifying a user of an attempted secure print job release from an image production device, comprising:

receiving a secure print job and secure print job instructions from a user, wherein the secure print job instructions include at least a pass code and contact information of the user;

receiving identification information of an image production device operator;

determining if a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job, wherein if it is determined that a pass code has been entered for the user'"'"'s secure print job,

determining if the entered pass code is correct, wherein if it is determined that the entered pass code is correct,

retrieving the user'"'"'s stored profile;

determining if the image production device operator is identified as an authorized user in the user'"'"'s profile, wherein if it is determined that the image production device operator is identified as an authorized user,

sending a signal to print the secure print job and notifying the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that the secure print job has been printed, otherwise,

notifying the user in accordance with the user'"'"'s contact information that an unauthorized user attempted to print the secure print job;

notifying the user of an identity of the unauthorized user, a time and date of the unauthorized user attempt, and a location of the unauthorized user attempt,

deleting the secure print job if the image production device acquires a new internet protocol address, and

notifying the user if the secure print job is deleted.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user'"'"'s contact information is at least one of a telephone number, an e-mail address, a text message address, a pager number, a personal computer alert message, a web site address, and an instant messenger address.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the secure print job may be released by an authorized person other than the user.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing information concerning the secure print job that includes at least one of an identity of an operator that attempts to release the secure print job from an image production device, a time and date of the operator'"'"'s attempt, and a location of the operator'"'"'s attempt.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein after one or more unauthorized user attempts to print the secure print job, the secure print job is automatically deleted.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein after one or more unauthorized user attempts to print the secure print job, the secure print job is locked for a predetermined time period.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the image production device is one of a printer, a copier/printer, an office copier/printer, a high-capacity copier/printer, a commercial copier/printer, a facsimile/printer device, and a multi-function device.