Personal authenticating multi-function peripheral

A printer comprising:

• an input unit configured to receive print data that has been encrypted using a printer public key;
• a decrypting unit configured to decrypt the printer-public-key-encrypted print data using only a printer secret key, to obtain decrypted print data and to obtain user identification information provided with the print data;
• a print pre-processing unit configured to perform pre-processing on the decrypted print data received from the decrypting unit, to thereby obtain pre-processed print data;
• and
• an encrypting unit configured to encrypt the pre-processed print data received from the print pre-processing unit using a user public key to obtain user-public-key-encrypted print data, and to store the user-public-key-encrypted print data,
• wherein the user-public-key-encrypted print data is decrypted and printed by the printer upon receipt of a user secret key, prior to printing the print data.

A method of printing a document in a secure manner, comprising:

• receiving, by a printer, print data that has been encrypted using a printer public key;
• decrypting the printer-public-key-encrypted print data using only a printer secret key, to obtain decrypted print data;
• obtaining user identification information that has been provided in the print data;
• performing print pre-processing on the decrypted print data, to thereby obtain pre-processed print data;
• storing the pre-processed print data in a memory accessible by the printer;
• receiving, by the printer, a user input corresponding to identification information;
• comparing the user input to the user identification information that has been obtained in the obtaining step,
• wherein, if the comparing step indicates that the user identification obtained in the obtaining step is the same as the user input corresponding to identification information, the pre-processed print data is printed by the printer.

A method of printing a document in a secure manner, comprising:

• receiving, by a printer, print data that has been encrypted using a printer public key;
• decrypting the printer-public-key-encrypted print data using only a printer secret key, to obtain decrypted print data;
• determining first user identification information provided in the decrypted print data;
• performing print pre-processing on the decrypted print data, to thereby obtain pre-processed print data;
• storing the pre-processed print data at the printer;
• receiving, by the printer, second user identification information directly input to the printer;
• comparing the first user identification information to the second user identification information to see if there is a match;
• and
• printing the pre-processed print data when there the comparing step indicates a match.