User installation of imaging device control system

• US 20040031032A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Clough, James, Cherry, Darrel
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

An imaging device such as, for example, a printer, scanner, or copier is provided that includes a processor circuit having a processor and a memory and a number of physical components that perform at least one imaging function, the physical components being controllably coupled to the processor circuit. The memory includes an allocated portion of memory to accommodate the storage of a control system to be installed therein. A control system installer is stored in the memory and is executable by the processor. The control system installer includes logic that downloads the control system from a remote device via a network, and, logic that installs the control system in the allocated portion of the memory.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

a processor circuit having a processor and a memory;

a number of physical components that perform at least one imaging function, the physical components being controllably coupled to the processor circuit;

an allocated portion of memory to accommodate the storage of a control system to be installed therein; and

a control system installer stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the control system installer comprising;

logic that downloads the control system from a remote device via a network; and

logic that installs the control system in the allocated portion of the memory.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, logic that facilitates a user navigation through a number of control system options to select the control system to be installed in the memory.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the control system to be installed in the allocated portion of the memory controls the operation of the physical components in performing the at least one imaging function.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the imaging function comprises a printing function.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the imaging function comprises a scanning function.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the imaging function comprises a copying function.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the allocated portion of the memory is nonvolatile and re-writeable; and

the logic that installs the control system in the allocated portion of the memory further comprises logic that writes the control system to the allocated portion of the memory.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the allocated portion of the memory is available.

9. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein a pre-existing control system is stored in the allocated portion of the memory.

10. A method for installing a control system in an imaging device, comprising:

providing the imaging device having a processor circuit with a processor and a memory;

providing an allocated memory in the memory to accommodate the storage of the control system to be installed therein;

controllably coupling a number of physical components in the imaging device to the processor circuit;

downloading the control system from a remote device via a network; and

installing the control system in the allocated memory.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing at least one imaging function with the imaging device after the control system has been installed in the allocated memory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the performing of the at least one imaging function with the imaging device further comprises performing at least one of a printing function, a scanning function, and a copying function.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising navigating through a number of control system options to select the control system to be installed in the memory.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling the operation of the physical components to perform the at least one imaging function with the control system after the control system has been installed in the allocated memory.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the installing of the control system in the allocated memory further comprises writing the control system to the allocated memory, wherein the allocated memory is nonvolatile and re-writeable.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing of the allocated memory in the memory to accommodate the storage of the control system to be installed therein further comprises providing the allocated memory in an available condition.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing of the allocated memory in the memory to accommodate the storage of the control system to be installed therein further comprises providing the allocated memory with a preexisting control system stored therein.

18. An automated installer program embodied in a computer readable medium for installing a control system in an imaging device, comprising:

code that facilitates a user navigation through a number of control system options to select the control system to be installed in an allocated memory of the imaging device;

code that generates a request to download the control system, wherein the control system is compatible with the imaging device; and

code that installs the control system in an allocated memory in the imaging device.

19. The automated installer program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising code that automatically determines a network address associated with the imaging device.

20. The automated installer program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising code that inputs a network address associated with the imaging device from a user.

21. The automated installer program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the code that installs the control system in the allocated memory in the imaging device further comprises code that writes the control system to the allocated memory, wherein the allocated memory is nonvolatile and re-writeable.

22. A system for installing a control system in an imaging device, comprising:

means for generating a request to download a number of control system options associated with the control system, the request including a descriptor associated with the imaging device;

means for transmitting the option request to a responsive device;

means for providing for a selection of at least one of the control system options downloaded in response to the option request;

means for generating a request to download the control system, wherein the control system conforms to the selected ones of the control system options and the control system is compatible with the imaging device; and

means for installing the control system in an allocated memory in the imaging device.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for automatically determining a network address associated with the imaging device.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for inputting a network address associated with the imaging device from a user.

25. A method for providing a control system for installation in an imaging device, comprising:

storing a number of control systems and a number of control system options relating to the control systems;

facilitating a navigation through the number of control system options to select one of the control systems for installation on the imaging device; and

transmitting the selected one of the control systems to the imaging device for installation thereon.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of facilitating the navigation through the number of control system options to select one of the control systems for installation on the imaging device further comprises:

receiving an option request that includes a descriptor of the imaging device that generated the request;

identifying a list of the control system options that are responsive to the option request and that are compatible with the descriptor; and

transmitting the select number of control system options to the imaging device