Mobile authentication for enabling host device functions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9990167-B2
Application number	US-201214373120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2012
Priority date	Feb 1, 2012
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A system for adding value to a host device via a mobile communication device is described. The system includes: a host device configured for providing additional value to be utilized, wherein the additional value includes at least one printing device function and is provided in response to receiving an authentication code; a central system configured for providing the authentication code for inputting into the host device to authorize the at least one printing device function to be utilized; and a mobile communication device configured for negotiating the additional value to be applied to the host device.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A system comprising:
a printing device to, in response to a user input requesting a value-added function from a user interface of the printing device, display a cost for the value-added function, send corresponding payment for the function to a financial server, and in response receive from the financial server a corresponding request code to be, displayed on the user interface and to be inputted into a mobile communication device of the user; and
a central server in network communication with the mobile communication device of the user to receive the request code, along with identification information for an account associated with the mobile communication device of the user, the central server responding to receiving the request code by (i) validating the request code, and (ii) in response to validating the request code, providing a corresponding authentication code to the mobile communication device;
wherein the printing device responds to the user inputting the corresponding authentication code on the user interface of the printing device by (i) comparing the corresponding authentication code to a set of codes stored on the printing device, (ii) based on the set of stored codes indicating that the corresponding authentication code is genuine, validating the corresponding authentication code, and (iii) in response to validating the corresponding authentication code, unlocking the requested value-added function.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the printing device provides the user with the request code to be inputted into the mobile communication device in response to determining that the user has made a selection, via a graphical user interface, for the requested value-added function.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the request code is a unique request code specific to the requested value-added function.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the printing device is a multi-function device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the value-added function is related to one of: a method of printing, a printing speed, a print quantity, a timing of the year during which printing may take place, a weight of printed material, a measurement related to printed material, scanning, faxing, e-mailing, or transmission of data for remote site storage.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the printing device receives and validates the authentication code without communicating over the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the printing device further validates the authentication code using a cryptographic algorithm.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the request code is encoded in a secure card of the printing device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the secure card comprises a Subscriber Identity Module (“SIM”) card of the printing device.

10. A method for providing value-added functions on a printing device, the method comprising:
in response to a user input requesting a value-added function from a user interface of the printing device, displaying a cost for the value-added function, sending corresponding payment for the function to a financial server, and in response receiving from the financial server a corresponding request code to be displayed on the display, the request code to be inputted into a mobile communication device of the user for transmission to a central server along with identification information for an account associated with the mobile communication device of the user, wherein upon validation of the request code by the central server, the mobile communication device receives a corresponding authentication code from the central server, to unlock the requested value-added function on the printing device; and
in response to the user inputting the corresponding authentication code on the user interface of the printing device, (i) comparing the corresponding authentication code to a set of codes stored on the printing device, (ii) based on the set of stored codes indicating that the corresponding authentication code is genuine, validating the corresponding authentication code, and (iii) in response to validating the corresponding authentication code, unlocking the requested value-added function.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the requested value-added function is selected from a set of available value-added functions on the printing device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the printing device generates the request code in response to determining that the user has selected, via a graphical user interface of the printing device, the value-added function.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the value-added function is related to one of: a method of printing, a printing speed, a print quantity, a timing of the year during which printing may take place, a weight of printed material, a measurement related to printed material, scanning, faxing, e-mailing, or transmission of data for remote site storage.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the printing device receives and validates the corresponding authentication code without communicating over the Internet.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the request code is encoded in a secure card of the printing device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the secure card comprises a Subscriber Identity Module (“SIM”) card of the printing device.

Assignees

• Jeran Paul L
• Fitzgerald Sean Daniel
• Smith Kenneth K
• Kranz Stephen C
• Lindblom Kenneth A
• Holden Anthony Peter
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Jeran Paul L
• Fitzgerald Sean Daniel
• Smith Kenneth K
• Kranz Stephen C
• Lindblom Kenneth A
• Holden Anthony Peter

Classifications

• H04N1/4426

  involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card · CPC title

• G06F3/1204

  resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data · CPC title

• G06F3/1239

  Restricting the usage of resources, e.g. usage or user levels, credit limit, consumables, special fonts · CPC title

• G06Q20/40

  Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists · CPC title

• G06F3/1288

  in client-server-printer device configuration · CPC title