Patent ID: 7520437

Claim:
A device for authenticating a user comprising: a printing device containing a USB host including a memory location; a user input device in communication with said printing device, wherein said user input device is capable of inputting signals to said printer to generate a print job; an authenticating device in communication with said USB host according to USB communication protocol capable of receiving authentication information from a user; and a validation device in communication with said authenticating device capable of validating said authentication information received from said user and confirming that a condition has been fulfilled by said user, wherein said condition is required for said printing device to operate and changes as a result of operation of said printing device as said printing device executes print jobs, said validation device being configured to monitor an output of said printing device to confirm that said condition remains fulfilled and to cease operation of said printing device if said condition is no longer fulfilled, wherein the validation device is further configured to approve or deny access to said memory location for said user across a number of users.