# US 12,001,739 B1 · Proximity based user authentication for multi-function devices

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,001,739 B1
- Document ID: US12001739B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/329,458
- Filed: 2023-06-05
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-06-05
- Assignees: Xerox Corporation
- Applicants: Xerox Corporation
- Inventors: Dianne Colelli; Cheryl A. Nazzaro; Mirelsa Fontanes-Perez; Sanja Pstrocki-Porras
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001739B1

## CPC

- 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}
- G06F 3/1204: {resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data}
- G06F 3/1222: {Increasing security of the print job}
- G06F 3/1287: {via internet}
- G06F 3/129: {in server-printer device-client configuration, e.g. print flow goes from server to printer and then bidirectional from printer to client, i.e. the client does not communicate with the server}
- G06F 3/1292: {Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing}
- G06F 21/35: communicating wirelessly
- G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication
- G06F 21/608: {Secure printing}
- H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
- H04W 4/08: User group management
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A multi-function device (MFD) is disclosed. For example, the MFD includes a local communication interface, a proximity sensor to detect a user within a detection range, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions. The instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations that include detecting the user within the detection range via the proximity sensor, scanning a mobile device of the user for a device identification via the local communication interface, determining that the device identification is associated with the user that is authorized on the MFD, and automatically logging the user into the MFD.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A multi-function device (MFD) with printing and scanning hardware, comprising:
a local communication interface;
a proximity sensor to detect a user within a detection range;
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
detecting the user within the detection range via the proximity sensor;
scanning a mobile device of the user for a device identification via the local communication interface;
determining that the device identification is associated with the user that is authorized on the MFD;
detecting a second user within the detection range via the proximity sensor;
determining a second device identification associated with a second mobile device of the second user;
displaying a notification with the device identification of the mobile device of the user and the second device identification of the second mobile device of the second user on a user interface of the MFD to allow the user to confirm the device identification associated with the user;
requesting a personal identification number associated with the user when the user and the second user are detected within the detection range; and
automatically logging the user into the MFD.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MFD of claim 1, wherein the local communication interface comprises a Bluetooth communication interface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The MFD of claim 2, wherein the device identification comprises a Bluetooth ID of the mobile device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The MFD of claim 1, further comprising a wide area network communication interface to establish a connection to an authentication server.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The MFD of claim 4, wherein the operations performed by the processor, further comprise:
requesting account information associated with the user from the authentication server; and
configuring the MFD in accordance with the account information.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The MFD of claim 5, wherein the configuring the MFD in accordance with the account information, comprises the processor performing operations further comprising:
applying a personalized user interface of the user to the user interface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The MFD of claim 5, wherein the configuring the MFD in accordance with the account information, comprises the processor performing operations further comprising:
retrieving a pending print job for the user; and
executing the pending print job for the user on the MFD.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
receiving, by a processor of a multi-function device (MFD), a signal that a user is within a detection range of a proximity sensor of the MFD;
scanning, by the processor, a mobile device of the user for a device identification via a local communication interface;
determining, via the processor, that the device identification is associated with the user that is authorized on the MFD;
receiving, via the processor, a second signal that a second user is detected within the detection range via the proximity sensor;
determining, via the processor, a second device identification associated with a second mobile device of the second user;
displaying, via the processor, a notification with the device identification of the mobile device of the user and the second device identification of the second mobile device of the second user on a user interface of the MFD to allow the user to confirm the device identification associated with the user;
requesting, via the processor, a personal identification number associated with the user when the user and the second user are detected within the detection range; and
automatically logging, via the processor, the user into the MFD.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the local communication interface comprises a Bluetooth communication interface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the device identification comprises a Bluetooth ID of the mobile device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
establishing, via the processor, a connection to an authentication server via a wide area network communication interface of the MFD;
requesting, via the processor, account information associated with the user from the authentication server; and
configuring, via the processor, the MFD in accordance with the account information.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the configuring the MFD in accordance with the account information, comprises:
applying, via the processor, a personalized user interface of the user to the user interface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the configuring the MFD in accordance with the account information, comprises:
retrieving, via the processor, a pending print job for the user; and
executing, via the processor, the pending print job for the user on the MFD.