Importance

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Abstract

A printer is provided with a smart card encoding device that is externally accessible. The smart card is a key with an integrated circuit including a memory that will retain a discrete password and other digital information. The password on the smart card key must be compared to a password stored in the printer memory before printing operations will be permitted. The digital information in the smart card key memory can include marks or graphics that would indicate that the cards being printed by the printer are secured cards and authorized cards. The information will be printed from the smart card key memory only when the passwords match so that the discrete information on the smart card key can be used for driving the printer for printing this information. The printer is made into a high security printer by permitting the overriding of the password only upon the generating of identical numbers from separated algorithms, one in the printer memory and one at a secure location. An algorithm input is a dynamically changing parameter of the printer, such as the number of print head passes, or the number of cards printed so the algorithmically generated numbers are unique.

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First Claim