Data processing apparatus, program managing apparatus, control program updating method, program managing method, program managing system, updating program, and recording medium

• US 20080040712A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00933 Timing control or synchronising H04N1/00928, H04N1/00931, H04N1/00954 and H04N1/0096 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

The object is to provide a data processing apparatus, a program managing apparatus, a program managing system, etc., capable of securely and efficiently updating and managing a control program in the data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus analyzes received data and when program updating data sent from a superior rank apparatus is acquired, temporarily stores program data for updating out of such data in a storage device. Upon occurrence of an event of a program updating request, the data processing apparatus executes updating processing based on the updating program data stored in the storage device and, after completion of the program updating, gives a notice of updating completion to the superior rank apparatus and again waits for the event. Timing of the program updating request is set later than that of the program updating data being sent from the superior rank apparatus.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus having a storage device, comprising:

a data sending/receiving unit that receives data including program updating data for updating a control program of the apparatus; and

a program updating unit that manages the program updating data and updates the control program of the apparatus based on the program updating data, wherein

the program updating unit comprises;

an updating data acquiring unit that acquires the program updating data addressed to the apparatus out of the received data received by the data sending/receiving unit;

a retaining unit that has the acquired program updating data retained by the storage device; and

an updating timing determining unit that determines updating timing, wherein

the control program of the apparatus is updated by the program updating data retained by the storage device at the updating timing determined by the updating timing determining unit.

2. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the updating timing determining unit determines the updating timing based on updating timing conditions contained in updating-related information in the program updating data.

3. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein

the updating timing conditions are conditions utilizing operating state of the data processing apparatus.

4. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein

the operating state is the state immediately before the data processing apparatus moves to a sleep mode.

5. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of storing past program data used before the updating of the program in relation to the updating-related information, in the storage device.

6. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, having a function of returning the control program to the program before update stored in the storage device, when a trouble is occurred in an updated control program.

7. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of updating the control program of the apparatus to a specified version of the program, using the program stored in the storage device according to the instruction from a superior rank apparatus.

8. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of transferring the program updating data stored in the storage device to other data processing apparatus.

9. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of notifying the superior rank apparatus of completion of updating of the control program.

10. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of sending information on the program storage in the storage device according to a request from the superior rank apparatus.

11. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of destroying acquired program updating data when the acquired program updating data is the same as the program updating data stored in the storage device.

12. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of deleting the program stored in the storage device.

13. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein

the deletion of the program stored in the storage device is executed based on the program retention period information contained in the updating-related information.

14. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein

the deletion of the program stored in the storage device is executed according to a request from the superior apparatus.

15. The data processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the program updating unit has a function of comparing program data size information contained in the updating-related information with free space information of the storage device and, in the case of insufficient free space of the storage device, deleting firstly the program whose expiring date of retention comes earliest based on the program retention period information, at the time of acquiring the program updating data from the superior rank apparatus.

16. A program managing apparatus that manages a control program of a data processing apparatus by way of a network, comprising:

a data sending/receiving unit; and

a program managing unit that manages the control program of the data processing apparatus, wherein

the program managing unit generates program updating data including updating-related information of the control program and sends thus generated program updating data to the data processing apparatus by way of the data sending/receiving unit before a timing comes for updating the program in the data processing apparatus.

17. The program managing apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein

the program managing unit has a function of setting different updating timing conditions contained in the updating-related information for respective data processing apparatuses.

18. The program managing apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein

the program managing unit has a function of setting a program updatable period as one of the updating-related information.

19. The program managing apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein

the program updatable period is a period when the data processing apparatus is in a non-operational state without the power off.

20. The program managing apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein

the program managing unit has a function of sending a command to change the program updating timing conditions already set in the data processing apparatus.

21. The program managing apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein

the program managing unit has a function of acquiring program storage information from the data processing apparatus and not sending out program updating data to the data processing apparatus that already retains the same program updating data.

22. The program managing apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein

the program managing unit has a function of acquiring program storage information from the data processing apparatus and sending a deleting command to delete the program stored in the storage device of the data processing apparatus based on thus acquired information.

28. A program managing system, comprising:

a data processing apparatus having a storage device, comprising;

a data sending/receiving unit that receives data including program updating data for updating a control program of the apparatus; and

a program updating unit that manages the program updating data and updates the control program of the apparatus based on the program updating data, wherein

the program updating unit comprises;

an updating data acquiring unit that acquires the program updating data addressed to the apparatus out of the received data received by the data sending/receiving unit;

a retaining unit that has the acquired program updating data retained by the storage device; and

an updating timing determining unit that determines updating timing, wherein

the control program of the apparatus is updated by the program updating data retained by the storage device at the updating timing determined by the updating timing determining unit,

wherein the data processing apparatus and the program managing apparatus as defined in claim 16 are connected by way of a network.

29. The program managing system as defined in claim 28, wherein

the updating-related information contains information on updating time limit of the program, and

the program managing apparatus has a function of separately sending an updating command to the data processing apparatus that does not send an updating completion notice even after the updating time limit has passed.

30. The program managing system as defined in claim 28, wherein

the program managing apparatus has a function of sending a command to return the control program to the program before update stored in the storage device of the data processing apparatus to the data processing apparatus that has a trouble in the updated control program.

31. The program managing system as defined in claim 28, wherein

the program managing apparatus has a function of managing a version of a printer driver incorporated in a personal computer connected to the network and sending an updating command to update the control program to the corresponding data processing apparatus according to a latest version of updating program data stored in the storage device at the timing when the versions of printer drivers in all personal computers are changed to the latest ones.

32. The program managing system as defined in claim 31, wherein

the updating command is sequentially sent to a plurality of corresponding data processing apparatuses, at a predetermined interval.

23. A control program updating method in a data processing apparatus having a storage device, comprising steps of:

receiving data containing program updating data;

taking the program updating data out of the received data;

storing the program updating data in the storage device; and

updating the control program of the apparatus at a predetermined updating timing based on the program updating data stored in the storage device.

24. The control program updating method as defined in claim 23, wherein

conditions determining the updating timing are set in a storage unit of the data processing apparatus.

25. The control program updating method as defined in claim 23, wherein

the conditions determining the updating timing are contained in updating-related information in the program updating data.

33. A program for the control program updating method as defined in claim 23 that is executed by a computer.

35. A computer-readable recording medium that records the program as defined in claim 33.

26. A program managing method for managing a control program of a data processing apparatus by way of a network, comprising steps of:

acquiring an updating program file from the outside;

generating program updating data including updating-related information for the data processing apparatus based on the acquired program file; and

sending the generated program updating data to the data processing apparatus before a program updating timing in the data processing apparatus comes.

27. The program managing method as defined in claim 26, wherein

the updating timing contained in the updating-related information is different for respective data processing apparatuses.

34. A program for the program managing method as defined in claim 26 that is executed by a computer.

36. A computer-readable recording medium that records the program as defined in claim 34.