Patent ID: 8001586
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for providing single-credential access to multiple, distinct, restricted services wherein a unique credential is required for each service, said method comprising: a) storing a plurality of user service credentials for a plurality of restricted services at a single sign-on server (SSOS), wherein said user service credentials are unique for each of said plurality of restricted services and wherein at least one of said restricted services is an imaging device (IDev) function that produces hard-copy output; b) associating a group of said user service credentials that are related to a specific user with a specific user sign-on credential; c) receiving said specific user sign-on credential; c) authenticating said specific user sign-on credential; d) associating a single sign-on (SSO) token with said group of user service credentials and sending said single sign-on (SSO) token to said specific user, wherein said single sign-on (SSO) token provides access to one or more of said plurality of restricted services after being forwarded to said one or more of said plurality of restricted services; e) receiving said SSO token from one or more restricted services and sending, in exchange for said SSO token, one or more of said user service credentials that correspond to said restricted services to said one or more restricted services, for authentication of the user service credentials at said restricted services.