Obtaining temporary exclusive control of a printing device

An apparatus for printing images, comprising:

• an authentication device that authenticates a recipient;
• a print engine controlling printing operations of the apparatus;
• print queue temporarily storing and buffering print data submitted to the apparatus for printing;
• and
• control means for providing a recipient control over print capabilities of the apparatus after the recipient has been authenticated,
• wherein, after the recipient is authenticated, print data not intended for the recipient, which is stored by the print queue prior to print data intended for the recipient, is temporarily deferred from being printed and print data intended for the recipient is printed out during a period in which the recipient has control over the apparatus' print capabilities.

A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer executable program performing a method for obtaining exclusive control of a printing device's print capabilities by a recipient to print data intended for the recipient, the comprising:

• authenticating the recipient;
• providing the recipient exclusive control of the printing device's print capabilities after the recipient has been authenticated;
• and
• temporarily deferring print data not intended for the recipient, which is input to the printing device prior to print data intended for the recipient, from being printed and printing print data intended for the recipient during a period in which the recipient has exclusive control of the printing device's print capabilities.

A method of printing images on a printing device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a recipient which has been authenticated with control over printing operations of the printing device;
• and
• performing a process to print out an image, intended for the recipient which has been authenticated, by the printing device during a period of control over the printing device,
• wherein an image not intended for the recipient, which is input to the printing device prior to the image intended for the recipient, is deferred from being printed during the period of control over the printing device.

A method of controlling printing operations of a printing device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a recipient who has been authenticated with control over the printing operations of the printing device;
• and
• maintaining control over the printing operations until control is manually relinquished by the recipient who has obtained control,
• wherein an image not intended for the recipient, which is input to the printing device before the recipient is provided with control over the printing operations of the printing device, is deferred from being printed until control is manually relinquished by the recipient.

A printing apparatus, comprising:

• a print engine controlling printing operations of the apparatus;
• and
• a control device for permitting a recipient, who has been authenticated, to obtain control over the printing operations of the apparatus,
• wherein the control device defers printing of print jobs not intended for the recipient, which are input to the apparatus before permitting the recipient to obtain control over the printing operations of the apparatus, during a period of permitting the recipient to obtain control over the printing operations of the apparatus.

A printing apparatus, comprising:

• a print engine controlling printing operations of the apparatus;
• a control device for permitting a recipient, who has been authenticated, to obtain control over the printing operations of the apparatus and to maintain control until a time when the recipient relinquishes control;
• and
• a relinquishing device for relinquishing control over the apparatus' printing operations,
• wherein the control device defers printing of print jobs not intended for the recipient, which are input to the apparatus before permitting the recipient to obtain control over the printing operations of the apparatus until the time when the recipient relinquishes control.

A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer executable program for performing a method for printing images on a printing device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a recipient which has been authenticated with control over printing operations of the printing device;
• and
• performing a process to print out an image, intended for the recipient which has been authenticated, by the printing device during a period of control over the printing device,
• wherein an image not intended for the recipient, which is input to the printing device prior to the image intended for the recipient, is deferred from being printed during the period of control over the printing device.

A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer executable program for performing a method for controlling printing operations of a printing device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a recipient who has been authenticated with control over the printing operations of the printing device;
• and
• maintaining control over the printing operations until control is manually relinquished by the recipient who has been provided with control,
• wherein an image not intended for the recipient, which is input to the printing device before providing the recipient with control over the printing operations of the printing device, is deferred from being printed until control is manually relinquished by the recipient.