System and method for remotely monitoring the status of a security printer, monitoring and controlling the number of secure media transactions by a security printer, and authenticating a secure media transaction by a security printer

• US 9,340,006 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ctpg Operations LLC
• Original Assignee: Ctpg Operations LLC
• Inventors: Delaney, Robert, Turner, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): EBRAHIMI DEHKORD, SAEID
• Application Number:
  US14/636,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20150248600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 19/02 with embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/325 by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/38 for embossing, e.g. for making matrices for stereotypes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1273 Print job history, e.g. logging, accounting, tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1293 Printer information exchange with computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1294 Status or feedback related to information exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/028 by thermal printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/4095 Secure printing computer driven secure printing G06F3/1238
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3232 Robust embedding or watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs

Abstract

A system and method for securing a printer. The system including a server, comprising a nontransitory storage medium, storing program code configured to: receive a disconnect notice having a disconnect timestamp, the disconnect timestamp representing a time a printer was disconnected from a host computer; receive from a reader a request for validation, the request having a print timestamp derived from a security feature printed by the printer; compare the disconnect timestamp with the print timestamp to determine if the security feature was printed after printer was disconnected from the host computer.

Claims

1. A server, comprising a nontransitory storage medium, storing program code configured to:

receive a disconnect notice having a disconnect timestamp, the disconnect timestamp representing a time a printer was disconnected from a host computer;

receive from a reader a request for validation, the request having a print timestamp derived from a security feature printed by the printer;

compare, with a processor, the disconnect timestamp with the print timestamp to determine if the security feature was printed after printer was disconnected from the host computer; and

lock the printer upon determining at least one of the following;

that the printer was disconnected from the host computer;

or

that the security feature was printed after the disconnect timestamp.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the disconnect notice is received from the host computer.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the disconnect notice is received from the printer.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

notify a user upon determining that the security feature was printed after the disconnect timestamp.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive a reconnect notice having a reconnect timestamp, the reconnect timestamp representing a time the printer was reconnected to the host computer;

compare the disconnect timestamp with the reconnect timestamp to determine if the security feature was printed before the printer was reconnected to the host computer.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the reconnect notice is received from the host computer.

7. The server of claim 5, wherein the reconnect notice is received from the printer.

8. The server of claim 5, wherein the server is further configured to:

notify a user upon determining that the security feature was printed after the disconnect timestamp and before the reconnect timestamp.

9. The server of claim 5, wherein the server is further configured to:

lock the printer upon determining that the security feature was printed after the disconnect timestamp and before the reconnect timestamp.

10. A server, comprising a nontransitory storage medium, storing program code configured to:

receive a print value representing a number of instances that a printer has printed a security feature;

receive a request value representing a number of instances that a host computer has requested that the printer print the security feature;

compare, with a processor, the print value to the request value to determine whether a security feature was printed without a request by the host computer; and

lock the printer upon determining that the print value exceeds the request value.

11. The server of claim 10, further configured to notify a user upon determining that the print value exceeds the request value.

12. The server of claim 10, wherein the print value is received from the printer.

13. The server of claim 10, wherein the print value is received from the host computer.

14. A computer comprising a nontransitory storage medium, storing program code configured to:

receive a print value representing a number of instances that a printer has printed a security feature;

retrieve a stored predetermined authorized print value representing a predetermined limit on a number of instances that the printer is authorized to print the security feature;

compare, with a processor, the print value to the predetermined authorized print value to determine whether a security feature was printed outside of the predetermined limit; and

lock the printer upon determining that the print value exceeds the predetermined limit.

15. The computer of claim 14, further configured to notify a user upon determining that the print value exceeds the predetermined limit.

16. The computer of claim 14, wherein the print value is received from the printer.

17. The computer of claim 14, wherein the print value is received from the host computer.