Remote updates for ELATEC RFID readers on printers lower maintenance costs

Document management and security play an increasingly important role, especially when it involves sensitive information. That’s particularly true in companies where many employees use the same printer. Documents shouldn’t come out of the printer just any time – they should only be printed when the person who printed them is there to pick them up.

To that end, a well-known maker of multifunction printers (MFP) offers its customers comprehensive solutions for user authentication when releasing print jobs. It has installed integrated RFID readers/writers from the TWN4 series from ELATEC in its multifunction printers. Employees can use their RFID-enabled employee cards to authenticate themselves at the printer and release their documents for printing.

Firmware updates for the ELATEC RFID readers are transmitted via push from the network to the MFP.

New upgrades for user authentication

The MFP manufacturer sought out a solution that could transmit firmware updates remotely to RFID readers

Enhanced security requirements make it necessary to periodically reconfigure the card readers accordingly and upgrade them with additional functions. This normally requires a technician to remove the device from the printer and manually modify it with a configuration tool.

And it involves a great deal of time and cost, especially for large companies with numerous printers at different locations. The MFP manufacturer and one of its customers, therefore, sought out a solution that could transmit firmware updates remotely to RFID readers.

Challenges

• Remote updates for the RFID readers/writers on multifunction printers are intended to replace complicated firmware updates installed on site.

Solutions

• The ELATEC TWN4 Remote Firmware Flash Tool uses a push protocol to transmit firmware updates from the customer network directly to the relevant printer.

With the ELATEC TWN4 Remote Firmware Flash Tool, firmware updates for RFID readers/writers on multifunction printers are installed easily via the network.

Results

• Firmware updates are installed remotely to the ELATEC RFID readers/writers on the relevant printers.
• Costly technician calls and printer downtimes are a thing of the past.

Saves time and costs

The printer manufacturer partnered with us to develop the ELATEC TWN4 Remote Firmware Update Tool. The tool transmits firmware updates via push protocol from the customer network directly to the relevant printer. The settings of the RFID reader can thereby be easily modified and additional features installed.

The ELATEC TWN4 Remote Firmware Update Tool gives the customer the perfect solution to quickly and directly modify the firmware to meet new requirements, in the future as well. At the same time, they save valuable time and maintenance costs.