Patent Publication Number: US-2023153414-A1

Title: Entity-specific user authentication in shared office document processing device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Systems and methods herein generally relate to user authentication and more particularly to user authentication within document processing devices used in shared office environments. 
     Coworking, where workers from different companies share office space, is becoming more common. It is useful for a shared office product that is located in a coworking space to allow employees from more than one company to login and then access the value-added solutions that their respective employers have purchased. To support this capability, one issue that must be addressed is how to have individual login method information and credentials easily accessible to pass the information to the shared device. 
     SUMMARY 
     Methods herein supply an app to portable user devices through a computerized network. In these methods, the app provides shared device cards to digital wallets of the portable user devices. The shared device cards supply entity-specific authentication configuration settings to a document processing device. Such a document processing device is used for copying documents, printing documents, scanning documents, sending and receiving facsimiles, sending and receiving emails, and/or editing documents, etc. 
     The document processing device also receives user credentials. For example, users can manually supply their user credentials to the interface, or the document processing device can receive the user credentials from the shared device cards through the portable user devices. The document processing device uses the entity-specific authentication configuration settings to supply, through the computerized network, the user credentials to entity-specific authentication servers that are specified in the entity-specific authentication configuration settings. In response, the document processing device receives (from the entity-specific authentication servers) approval for the user to use the document processing device. 
     With such methods, different shared device cards can have different entity-specific authentication configuration settings and each of the different entity-specific authentication configuration settings corresponds to only one of the entity-specific authentication servers, thereby limiting each of the shared device cards to use with a single authentication server. The different entity-specific authentication configuration settings can contain different authentication requirements. 
     In some implementations, each of the shared device cards maintains only one of the user credentials that is different from other user credentials maintained by other shared device cards, and each of the shared device cards maintains only one of the entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Thus, each of the shared device cards is entity-specific to a single entity, and each of the shared device cards is user-specific to a single user associated with the corresponding portable user device on which the shared device card is maintained. 
     Systems herein include (among other components) a document processing device that is adapted to process documents. The document processing device includes (among other components) an interface and a communication device, both operatively connected to a processor. These systems also include an app that is adapted to provide shared device cards that, in turn, are adapted to communicate with the document processing device through the interface. The app is adapted to operate with digital wallets of portable user devices by supplying the shared device cards to the digital wallets. Further, the app is adapted to be supplied from entity-specific authentication servers to the portable user devices through a computerized network. 
     The shared device cards are adapted to supply entity-specific authentication configuration settings to the document processing device through the interface. The document processing device is adapted to receive user credentials. With these systems, users can manually supply their user credentials to the interface, or the document processing device can be adapted to receive the user credentials from the shared device cards through the portable user devices. 
     The processor is adapted to use the entity-specific authentication configuration settings to supply, through the computerized network, the user credentials to the entity-specific authentication servers specified in the entity-specific authentication configuration settings, using the communication device. 
     In response, the communication device is adapted to receive (from the entity-specific authentication servers) approval for the user to access the document processing device. Different ones of the shared device cards have different entity-specific authentication configuration settings that correspond to only one of the entity-specific authentication servers limiting each of the shared device cards to use with a single authentication server. The different entity-specific authentication configuration settings contain different authentication requirements. 
     In such systems, each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one of the user credentials that is different from other user credentials maintained by other shared device cards, and each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one of the entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Thus, each of the shared device cards is entity-specific to a single entity, and each of the shared device cards is user-specific to a single user associated with the corresponding portable user device on which the shared device card is maintained. 
     Multi-function devices herein include (among other components) an interface and a communication device both operatively connected to a processor. Such multi-function devices are adapted to, for example, copy documents, print documents, scan documents, send and receive facsimiles, send and receive emails, and/or edit documents, etc. 
     The interface is adapted to communicate with shared device cards supplied to portable user devices by an app. The app is adapted to operate with digital wallets of the portable user devices by supplying the shared device cards to the digital wallets. The app is adapted to be supplied from entity-specific authentication servers to the portable user devices through a computerized network. 
     The shared device cards are adapted to supply entity-specific authentication configuration settings to the multi-function device through the interface. The interface is also adapted to receive user credentials. For example, users can manually supply their user credentials to the interface, or the interface can be adapted to receive the user credentials from the shared device cards through the portable user devices. 
     The processor is adapted to use the entity-specific authentication configuration settings to supply, through the computerized network, the user credentials to the entity-specific authentication servers specified in the entity-specific authentication configuration settings, using the communication device. The communication device is adapted to receive approval for access to the multi-function device from the entity-specific authentication servers. 
     Different shared device cards can have different entity-specific authentication configuration settings, each of which corresponds to only one entity-specific authentication server, which limits each of the shared device cards to use with a single authentication server. The different entity-specific authentication configuration settings can contain different authentication requirements. Further, each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one of the user credentials that is different from other user credentials maintained by other shared device cards, and each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one of the entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Thus, each of the shared device cards is entity-specific to a single entity, and each of the shared device cards is user-specific to a single user associated with the corresponding portable user device on which the shared device card is maintained. 
     These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various exemplary systems and methods are described in detail below, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a flow diagram of various methods herein; 
         FIGS.  2 - 4    are schematic diagram illustrating systems herein; 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic diagram illustrating computing devices herein; and 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram illustrating multi-function devices herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As mentioned above, one issue that must be addressed in shared office spaces is how to have individual login method information and credentials easily accessible to pass the information to the shared device. In order to address such issues, systems and methods herein provide a touchless solution to process the login method and credential information so the device knows how to authenticate a user in an uncomplicated manner. Office products are typically connected to computer networks and can access a network “off box” (meaning outside the shared document processing device) service that contains information about login methods. 
     Typically, the login method for each different employer/company will be unique. Each individual shared document processing device could be manually configured by a system administrator using each company&#39;s different login protocols. A digital wallet is an application concept that allows users to transfer information to another device and this concept is traditionally used for making electronic transactions of currency. The embodiments described below include a shared device card with a unique identifier in such digital wallets. The unique identifier maps to a user&#39;s specific information relating to their companies detailed configurations. 
     With systems and methods herein, when the user walks up to a shared document processing device that has not been previously configured for them or their employer, they can open their digital wallet on their mobile device and select the shared device card that has their unique login information and login protocol for accessing the shared document processing device. The user can then tap their mobile device to the office product and the configuration and authentication information is passed to the shared document processing device via, for example, near field communication (NFC) technology. The device then uses the user&#39;s login information and login protocol to query the off box service and temporarily configure the device. 
     With this, embodiments herein provide a quick, uncomplicated, touchless way for an employee to use any office product with Internet access that is connected to the off box server to login to their account and access the value added services that their employer has purchased. Examples of where this capability is useful include not only coworking spaces, but also public locations such as airports and other transportation hubs, and also office services businesses such as on demand print shops. Another feature is the increase in security parameters that come from utilizing a user&#39;s mobile device multi-factor and biometric authentication features. 
       FIG.  1    is flowchart illustrating exemplary methods herein. In item  100 , with these methods a system administrator supplies authentication configuration settings in processing that creates downloadable apps. The authentication configurations settings specify the information that is needed for an authentication server to authenticate a user and can include, for example, username, user identifier, password, access codes, access shared device card data, biometric data, etc. Different system administrators for different entities can specify different information that is needed for user authentication, making each app entity specific. The different entities can be, for example, corporations, organizations, groups, individuals, etc., and the methods herein allow each different app configured by each different entity&#39;s system administrator to incorporate authentication features differently depending upon the different preferences each entity will have. 
     In item  102 , any additional information needed to complete the app is configured by the system administrator(s) to finalized and create the app that is maintained on servers from which it can be downloaded. Such additional information can include but is not limited to the app identifier, the uniform resource locator (URL) or other network address of the server, any server credentials or other data needed to connect with the server, specifics of shared device cards that the app can supply, specifics of the app&#39;s interactions with digital wallets, user rights or restrictions on using features of document processing devices, etc. 
     In item  104 , the app is placed on any appropriate server(s) that will allow the app to be downloadable. This could be a single server or multiple servers and could be for example, the authentication server or another server or servers. As shown in item  106 , methods herein supply the app to portable user devices through a computerized network by allowing the portable user device to download the app from the appropriate server. 
     The initiation of the download in item  106  can be performed automatically or at user instruction. For example, shared office equipment or shared document processing equipment that can print, scan, fax, and/or email, etc., within co-working environments could include printed instructions (signs) on the exterior of the shared device or adjacent the shared device (e.g., signs with text listing app&#39;s URL, quick reference (QR) codes, bar codes, etc.) guiding users through processes of downloading such apps and potentially using such apps to add a shared device card to the digital wallets maintained by user portable devices. In other alternatives in item  106 , wireless communication methods (e.g., WiFi, near field communications (NFC), etc.) can send instructions to the portable user device and cause the app to be automatically downloaded to the portable user device (possible after asking user permission). 
     As shown in item  108 , with these methods, the app provides shared device cards to digital wallets of the portable user devices. The app is adapted to work with many different types of digital wallets that may be maintained by a diverse set of user portable devices so as to create/supply a shared device card (or other similar wallet element) that can be maintained and accessed by such known digital wallets. Specifically in item  108 , the app can be preloaded to work with specific digital wallets or the app (once installed on a user portable device) can be adapted to interrogate an unknown digital wallet to determine the digital wallet&#39;s requirements, etc., for adding new shared device cards/wallet elements. 
     With such methods, different shared device cards stored on different user portable devices in item  108  will generally have different entity-specific authentication configuration settings and each of the different entity-specific authentication configuration settings corresponds to only one of the entity-specific authentication servers, thereby limiting each of the shared device cards in item  108  to use with a single entity&#39;s authentication server(s). 
     As noted above, different system administrators for different entities can specify different information that is needed for user authentication, making each app entity specific and correspondingly the different entity-specific authentication configuration settings in the shared device cards generated in item  108  can contain different authentication requirements based on the entity that corresponds to the user and their portable device on which the shared device cards are stored. 
     Once the shared device card is established within the digital wallet, as shown in item  108 , the user populates the shared device card with user credentials, or any additional information needed for the user to be authenticated, as shown in item  110 . In other options, the user can be required to supply some or all of their user credentials to the app when the app is creating the shared device card in item  108 . 
     For example, in item  110  (or potentially item  108 ), the app or the shared device card may require the user to supply their username, password, access code, biometrics, etc., and these user credentials are added to the shared device card. Some, or all, of the required user credentials can be supplied in item  110  or additional user credentials can be supplied later in the processing (e.g., see item  114 , discussed below). 
     The processing in item  110  can be done directly through user interaction with the digital wallet or user interaction with the app which supplements the shared device card with such user credentials. Therefore, in item  110  (or potentially later in the processing) a user&#39;s name, password, biometric scans, etc., may all be stored within the shared device card in the user&#39;s digital wallet to save time in the future when the user actually interacts with and operates the shared processing device. Further, in item  110  such data within the shared device card can be required to be updated by the user periodically (e.g., upon the expiration of timers, etc.) where, in such situations, the user may be required to re-supply (or change) their password, biometric scan, etc. periodically (e.g., monthly). 
     Additionally, in item  110 , once details of the user&#39;s identification are populated, the app (operating on the user portable device) may contact the entity&#39;s authentication server to automatically populate the shared device card with any other user-specific information of interest, such as user rights or restrictions on different features of the document processing device. Therefore, in item  110  these methods can also potentially populate each card with user rights and restrictions. 
     Thus, with the processing in item  110 , each shared device card maintains only one user&#39;s credentials and those credentials are different from all other user&#39;s credentials maintained by other shared device cards held by other users. Further, each of the shared device cards maintains only one entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Thus, each of the shared device cards is entity-specific to a single entity, and each of the shared device cards is also user-specific to a single user who is associated with the corresponding portable user device on which the shared device card and corresponding digital wallet are maintained. 
     As shown in item  112  in  FIG.  1   , when the user desires to operate the shared document processing device the user opens their digital wallet on their user portable device and, once in the wallet, activates or selects the shared device card in the digital wallet. In response to being activated in item  112 , the shared device card automatically supplies entity-specific authentication configuration settings to the document processing device using wireless receivers and transmitters (e.g., WiFi, NFC, etc.) of the user portable device and the document processing device in item  114 . 
     In item  114 , the document processing device may optionally also receive any required user credentials that were not populated to the card in item  110 , discussed above. For example, in item  114  users can manually supply any missing user credentials to an interface of the document processing device or portable user device. Thus, the shared device card may maintain the user&#39;s name, etc., but not maintain biometric or password data and, in such a situation, the user would only be requested to supply the missing password, biometric scan, etc., and such can be supplied through the user portable device or shared document processing device, depending upon the equipment each device maintains. 
     If all user credentials are stored previously in the shared device card (e.g., item  110 ) the document processing device can receive all needed user credentials just from the shared device card. Also, any other relevant information, such as user rights or restrictions to document processing device features can be automatically transferred from the shared device card to the document processing device if such data is maintained on the shared device card. 
     In item  116 , the document processing device uses the entity-specific authentication configuration settings to supply, through the computerized network, the user credentials to entity-specific authentication servers that are specified in the entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Again, the app loads the shared device card with the uniform resource locator (URL) or other network address of at least one entity-specific authentication server, any server credentials or other data needed to connect with the server, etc., and the same information is transferred from the shared device card to the document processing device in item  116 . This provides the document processing device all information needed to supply a properly formatted and documented entity-specific authentication request to the appropriate server through the computerized network in item  116 . 
     In some alternatives herein, two-factor authentication processing in item  116  may require a user to utilize a one-time use code. In one example, a one-time use code can be sent during the authentication process in item  116  from the authentication server to the user portable device. The user can manually supply the one-time use code to the document processing device; or wireless communications or screen shot scans can be used to supply the one-time use code directly from the user portable device to the document processing device. The document processing device can send such one-time use codes to the authentication server as an additional item needed for user authentication. 
     In response, as shown in item  118 , the document processing device receives (from the entity-specific authentication servers) approval for the user to use the document processing device or disapproval. If user rights to certain features of the document processing device are limited, such user rights limitations can be supplied by the authentication server along with the approval for user access in item  118 . Alternatively, as noted above, in item  114  the user rights/restrictions can be supplied from the shared device card to the document processing device (if such rights are maintained in the shared device card, as discussed above). 
     Once authenticated (item  120 ), the user is allowed full or limited access rights to the document processing device in item  122 . Thus, once a user is granted access, such document processing devices are used for copying documents, printing documents, scanning documents, sending and receiving facsimiles, sending and receiving emails, and/or editing documents, etc. 
     After the user operates the shared processing device in item  122  or if the user is denied access in item  120 , any data transferred from the shared device card to the document processing device can optionally be deleted from the document processing device for heightened security or to prevent overburden of document processing device resources as shown in item  124 . In some examples, to reduce the number of times a user must be authenticated, to reduce network traffic, and/or reduce authentication server utilization, the deletion of shared device card data from the document processing device in item  124  can be delayed using a timer that can keep a user authenticated for minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc., after authentication or completion of device usage. 
     Some different examples of different card deletion timers include a coworking space user who typically spends an entire day in the coworking space and can have a card deletion timer set so that the user authentication expires at the end of the day (e.g., deletion of all user credentials and authentication settings from the shared processing device occurs only once daily), requiring such a coworking space user to only be authenticated once daily. In contrast, a shared device at an airport may have an immediate or very short card deletion timer for all users so that deletion of all user credentials and authentication settings from the shared processing device occurs after each use is completed in item  122 . 
     Thus  FIG.  1    shows that the methods herein provide a quick, uncomplicated, touchless way for individuals in coworking spaces to gain access to features of shared processing devices. These capabilities are useful include not only in coworking spaces, but also in public locations such as airports and other transportation hubs, and office services businesses such as on demand print shops. 
       FIGS.  2 - 3    illustrate systems herein. As shown in  FIG.  2   , various entities  210 ,  220 ,  230  are connected to (and communicate through) a computerized network  302 , which can be a wide area network (WAN, such a public network such as the Internet) or a local, private network, etc. The entities  210 ,  220 , and  230  each independently maintain at least one server  212 ,  222 ,  232 , such as authentication servers. As also shown in  FIG.  2   , the servers  212 ,  222 ,  232  store differently configured apps (App A, App B, App C) which are available for download through the network  302 . 
     Additionally,  FIG.  2    conceptually shows a co-working arrangement where employees of the entities  210 ,  222 ,  230  share a co-working document processing device (note the multi-function device (MFD)  304  shown in  FIGS.  2 - 3    is intended to represent all forms of individual and multi-component document processing devices). Specifically, as shown by solid-line arrows from the network  302  in  FIG.  2   , Employee 1 of Entity A ( 214 ), Employee 2 of Entity A ( 216 ), and Employee 3 of Entity A ( 218 ) each download the same App A to their corresponding user portable devices ( 242 ,  FIG.  3   ) from server  212  of Entity A  210 ; Employee 1 of Entity B ( 224 ) downloads App B to their corresponding user portable devices ( 242 ,  FIG.  3   ) from server  222  of Entity B  220 ; and Employee 1 of Entity C ( 234 ) and Employee 2 of Entity C ( 236 ) both download the same App C to their corresponding user portable devices ( 242 ,  FIG.  3   ) from server  232  of Entity C  230 . Note that App A, App B, and App C all have different authentication criteria/protocols. 
     As discussed above in  FIG.  1   , the shared device cards are supplied with user credentials and entity-specific authentication configuration settings. As shown in  FIG.  2   , each of these employees supplies their individual shared device card from their digital wallet maintained within their corresponding user portable device  242  as shown by the broken-line arrows in  FIG.  2   . With the entity-specific authentication configuration settings and the user credentials from the shared device cards, the co-working document processing device  304  supplies the entity-specific authentication request to the servers  212 ,  222 ,  232 , of the various entities (Entity A, Entity B, Entity C). In response, authentication is granted or denied for an employee to use the co-working document processing device  304 . 
     In greater detail, as shown in both  FIGS.  2 - 3    exemplary systems herein can include (among other components) a document processing device  304  that is adapted to process documents. The document processing device  304  includes (among other components) an interface  312  and a communication device  314 , both operatively connected to a processor  324 . 
     The following example uses App B that creates and stores shared device card #3 in the digital wallet  244  of Employee 1 of Entity B  224  that is shown in  FIG.  3   , but reference is also made to some components shown in  FIG.  2    in the following discussion. As can be seen in  FIG.  3   , the digital wallet  244  of Employee 1 of Entity B  224  contains other cards (card #1, #2, and #4-#6) that are unrelated to and not useful with the document processing device  304 , and such other cards are instead used for other functions, such as financial transactions, event/transportation tickets, keyless entry systems, etc. 
     App B is adapted to operate with digital wallets of portable user devices  242 , such as digital wallet  244  by, for example, supplying shared device card #3 to digital wallet  244 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , App B creates shared device card #3 to include the A) server  222  URL (or other network address); B) credentials to access server  222 ; C) the various authentication protocols used by Entity B  220 ; D) the user credentials supplied by App B or the employee  224 ; E) user rights/restrictions; F) any timers that may be used to remove shared device card B&#39;s data from the document processing device  304  or require resubmission of passwords, biometric scans; etc. Note that the above is non-exhaustive list and only provides one limited example of what shared device card #3 could include and shared device card #3 could include other data, more data, or less data, etc. 
     Thus, as shown by a broken-line arrow from shared device card #3 to the interface  312 , shared device card #3 is adapted to supply entity-specific authentication configuration settings and user-specific user credentials to the document processing device  304  through the interface  312 . As explained above in the discussion of  FIG.  1   , the document processing device  304  is adapted to receive user credentials from the employee  224  and/or shared device card #3. As noted above, with these systems, users can manually supply their user credentials to the interface  312 , or the document processing device  304  can be adapted to receive the user credentials exclusively from shared device card #3 through the portable user device  242 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   , the processor  324  is adapted to use the entity-specific authentication configuration settings to supply (through the computerized network  304 ) the user credentials to the entity-specific authentication server  222  specified in the entity-specific authentication configuration settings, using the communication device  314 . In response, the communication device  314  is adapted to receive (from the entity-specific authentication servers) approval/denial for the user to access the document processing device  304 . 
     Thus, shared device card #3 is adapted to maintain only the user credentials of employee  224  that is different from other user credentials maintained by other shared device cards in other digital wallets, because each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one user-specific user credentials and only one entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Thus, as with all other shared device cards, shared device card #3 is entity-specific to Entity B  220 , and shared device card #3 is user-specific to a single user (employee  224 ) associated with the corresponding portable user device on which shared device card #3 is maintained. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , exemplary systems and methods herein include various computerized devices  300 ,  304  located at various different physical locations  306 . The computerized devices  300 ,  304  can include print servers, printing devices, personal computers, etc., and are in communication (operatively connected to one another) by way of a local or wide area (wired or wireless) network  302 . 
       FIG.  5    illustrates a computerized device  300 , which can be used with systems and methods herein and can comprise, for example, a print server, a personal computer, a portable computing device, etc. The computerized device  300  includes a controller/tangible processor  316  and a communications port (input/output)  314  operatively connected to the tangible processor  316  and to the computerized network  302  external to the computerized device  300 . Also, the computerized device  300  can include at least one accessory functional component, such as a user interface (UI) assembly  312 . The user may receive messages, instructions, and menu options from, and enter instructions through, the user interface or control panel  312 . 
     The input/output device  314  is used for communications to and from the computerized device  300  and comprises a wired device or wireless device (of any form, whether currently known or developed in the future). The tangible processor  316  controls the various actions of the computerized device. A non-transitory, tangible, computer storage medium device  310  (which can be optical, magnetic, capacitor based, etc., and is different from a transitory signal) is readable by the tangible processor  316  and stores instructions that the tangible processor  316  executes to allow the computerized device to perform its various functions, such as those described herein. Thus, as shown in  FIG.  5   , a body housing has one or more functional components that operate on power supplied from an alternating current (AC) source  320  by the power supply  318 . The power supply  318  can comprise a common power conversion unit, power storage element (e.g., a battery, etc.), etc. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a computerized device that is a printing device  304 , which can be used with systems and methods herein and can comprise, for example, a printer, copier, multi-function machine, multi-function device (MFD), etc. The printing device  304  includes many of the components mentioned above and at least one marking device (printing engine(s))  340  operatively connected to a specialized image processor  324  (that is different from a general purpose computer because it is specialized for processing image data), a media path  336  positioned to supply continuous media or sheets of media from a sheet supply  330  to the marking device(s)  340 , etc. After receiving various markings from the printing engine(s)  340 , the sheets of media can optionally pass to a finisher  334  which can fold, staple, sort, etc., the various printed sheets. Also, the printing device  304  can include at least one accessory functional component (such as a scanner/document handler  332  (automatic document feeder (ADF)), etc.) that also operate on the power supplied from the external power source  320  (through the power supply  318 ). 
     The one or more printing engines  340  are intended to illustrate any marking device that applies a marking material (toner, inks, etc.) to continuous media or sheets of media, whether currently known or developed in the future and can include, for example, devices that use an ink jet imaging system, or a high-speed aqueous imaging system. 
     Multi-function devices herein include (among other components) an interface  312  and a communication device  314  both operatively connected to a processor  324 . Such multi-function devices are adapted to, for example, copy documents, print documents, scan documents, send and receive facsimiles, send and receive emails, and/or edit documents, etc. 
     As described above, the interface  312  is adapted to communicate with shared device cards supplied to portable user devices by an app. The app is adapted to operate with digital wallets of the portable user devices by supplying the shared device cards to the digital wallets. The app is adapted to be supplied from entity-specific authentication servers to the portable user devices through a computerized network. 
     The shared device cards are adapted to supply entity-specific authentication configuration settings to the multi-function device through the interface  312 . The interface  312  is also adapted to receive user credentials. For example, users can manually supply their user credentials to the interface  312 , or the interface  312  can be adapted to receive the user credentials from the shared device cards through the portable user devices. 
     The processor  324  is adapted to use the entity-specific authentication configuration settings to supply, through the computerized network, the user credentials to the entity-specific authentication servers specified in the entity-specific authentication configuration settings, using the communication device  314 . The communication device  314  is adapted to receive approval for access to the multi-function device from the entity-specific authentication servers. 
     Different shared device cards can have different entity-specific authentication configuration settings, each of which corresponds to only one entity-specific authentication server, which limits each of the shared device cards to use with a single authentication server. The different entity-specific authentication configuration settings can contain different authentication requirements. Further, each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one of the user credentials that is different from other user credentials maintained by other shared device cards, and each of the shared device cards is adapted to maintain only one of the entity-specific authentication configuration settings. Thus, each of the shared device cards is entity-specific to a single entity, and each of the shared device cards is user-specific to a single user associated with the corresponding portable user device on which the shared device card is maintained. 
     Many computerized devices are discussed above. Computerized devices that include chip-based central processing units (CPU&#39;s), input/output devices (including graphic user interfaces (GUI), memories, comparators, tangible processors, etc.) are well-known and readily available devices produced by manufacturers such as Dell Computers, Round Rock Tex., USA and Apple Computer Co., Cupertino Calif., USA. Such computerized devices commonly include input/output devices, power supplies, tangible processors, electronic storage memories, wiring, etc., the details of which are omitted herefrom to allow the reader to focus on the salient aspects of the systems and methods described herein. Similarly, printers, copiers, scanners and other similar peripheral equipment are available from Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, Conn., USA and the details of such devices are not discussed herein for purposes of brevity and reader focus. 
     The terms printer or printing device as used herein encompasses any apparatus, such as a digital copier, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, multi-function machine, etc., which performs a print outputting function for any purpose. The details of printers, printing engines, etc., are well-known and are not described in detail herein to keep this disclosure focused on the salient features presented. The systems and methods herein can encompass systems and methods that print in color, monochrome, or handle color or monochrome image data. All foregoing systems and methods are specifically applicable to electrostatographic and/or xerographic machines and/or processes. 
     Further, the term “app” (or “application”) describes one or more methodologies or processes performed using computerized devices and such apps can be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, etc. Therefore, apps herein are one or more sets of instructions embodied in languages machines can understand that direct a computerized device to perform or stop some action. The apps herein can, for example: direct computerized devices to display items on user interfaces that users can interact with; direct computerized devices to communicate with and transfer data between other devices over computerized networks; direct processes to automatically begin or end and direct the computerized devices to perform each of the individual steps of such processes automatically; direct computerized devices to store data, delete data, perform computations using data, etc.; and/or direct computerized devices to set and monitor timers; etc. 
     In addition, terms such as automated or automatically mean that once a process is started (by a machine or a user), one or more machines perform the process without further input from any user. Additionally, terms such as “adapted to” mean that a device is specifically designed to have specialized internal or external components that automatically perform a specific operation or function at a specific point in the processing described herein, where such specialized components are physically shaped and positioned to perform the specified operation/function at the processing point indicated herein (potentially without any operator input or action). In the drawings herein, the same identification numeral identifies the same or similar item. 
     While some exemplary structures are illustrated in the attached drawings, those ordinarily skilled in the art would understand that the drawings are simplified schematic illustrations and that the claims presented below encompass many more features that are not illustrated (or potentially many less) but that are commonly utilized with such devices and systems. Therefore, Applicants do not intend for the claims presented below to be limited by the attached drawings, but instead the attached drawings are merely provided to illustrate a few ways in which the claimed features can be implemented. 
     It will be appreciated that the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. Unless specifically defined in a specific claim itself, steps or components of the systems and methods herein cannot be implied or imported from any above example as limitations to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle, color, or material.