INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND FIRMWARE UPLOAD METHOD

• US 20090146980A1
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: NISHIKAWA, SATOSHI
• Application Number:
  US12/331,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/123 Software or firmware update, e.g. device firmware management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

An information processing apparatus receives firmware information on firmware and an image processing apparatus which uploads the above-mentioned firmware, controls a display device to display a screen, including options of attribute information on an upload of the above-mentioned firmware, on the basis of the above-mentioned firmware information according to a display request, and generates a command according to the attribute information selected in the above-mentioned screen.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a firmware information reception unit configured to receive firmware information on firmware and an image processing apparatus which uploads the firmware;

a display control unit configured to control a display device to display a screen, including options of attribute information on an upload of the firmware on the basis of the firmware information according to a display request; and

a command generation unit configured to generate a command according to attribute information selected in the screen.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit not only controls a display device to display a screen including first options of making manual or automatic selected on an upload of the firmware, but also controls the display device to display on the screen second options of making the upload of the firmware by a user or upload by a service person selected when manual is selected in the first option.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit controls a display device to display further third options of making presence of guidance display or no presence of guidance display selected on the guidance display on an upload of firmware in an image processing apparatus when manual is selected in the first options.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the command generation unit generates a command on an automatic upload of firmware in an image processing apparatus when automatic is selected in the first options.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the command generation unit generates a command on reboot suspension in an image processing apparatus when upload by a service person is selected in the second options and no presence of guidance display is selected in the third options.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the command generation unit generates a command on guidance display and a command on reboot suspension in an image processing apparatus when upload by a service person is selected in the second options and presence of guidance display is selected in the third options.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an instruction information generation unit configured to generate instruction information on an upload of the firmware which includes a command generated in the command generation unit.

8. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

an instruction information acquisition unit configured to acquire instruction information on an upload of firmware from an information processing apparatus which can communicate through a network;

a firmware acquisition unit configured to acquire firmware from a distribution apparatus, which distributes firmware, according to the instruction information; and

an upload processing unit configured to suspend a reboot for an application of the firmware when it becomes clear that a command which is included in the instruction information and corresponds to attribute information on an upload of firmware includes a command on suspension of a reboot for an application of firmware, and to execute a reboot for an application of firmware when it becomes clear that there was a reboot instruction for an firmware application to the image processing apparatus.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the upload processing unit uploads automatically firmware acquired in the firmware acquisition unit when the command is a command on an automatic upload of the firmware in the image processing apparatus.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the upload processing unit suspends a reboot on an upload of firmware acquired in the firmware acquisition unit when the command is a command on reboot suspension.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the upload processing unit causes a display device to display guidance on an upload of firmware acquired in the firmware acquisition unit when the command is a command on guidance display.

12. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving firmware information on firmware and an image processing apparatus which uploads the firmware;

controlling a display device to display a screen, including options of attribute information on an upload of the firmware on the basis of the firmware information according to a display request; and

generating a command according to attribute information selected in the screen.

13. The information processing method according to claim 12, further comprising generating instruction information on an upload of the firmware which includes a command generated in the command generation step.

14. A firmware upload method, comprising the steps of:

acquiring instruction information on an upload of firmware from an information processing apparatus which can communicate through a network;

acquiring firmware from a distribution apparatus, which distributes firmware, according to the instruction information; and

suspending a reboot for an application of the firmware when it becomes clear that a command which is included in the instruction information and corresponds to attribute information on an upload of firmware includes a command on suspension of a reboot for an application of firmware, and executing a reboot for an application of firmware when it becomes clear that there was a reboot instruction for an firmware application to the image processing apparatus.

15. The firmware upload method according to claim 14, wherein the upload processing step uploads automatically firmware acquired in the firmware acquisition step when the command is a command on an automatic upload of the firmware in the image processing apparatus.

16. The firmware upload method according to claim 14, wherein the upload processing step suspends a reboot on an upload of firmware acquired in the firmware acquisition step when the command is a command on reboot suspension.

17. The firmware upload method according to claim 14, wherein the upload processing step causes a display device to display guidance on an upload of firmware acquired in the firmware acquisition step when the command is a command on guidance display.

18. A computer-readable memory medium which stores a control program for causing a computer to execute an information processing method, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving firmware information on firmware and an image processing apparatus which uploads the firmware;

controlling a display device to display a screen, including options of attribute information on an upload of the firmware on the basis of the firmware information according to a display request; and

generating a command according to attribute information selected in the screen.

19. A computer-readable memory medium which stores a control program for causing a computer to execute a firmware upload method, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring instruction information on an upload of firmware from an information processing apparatus which can communicate through a network;

acquiring firmware from a distribution apparatus, which distributes firmware, according to the instruction information; and

suspending a reboot for an application of the firmware when it becomes clear that a command which is included in the instruction information and corresponds to attribute information on an upload of firmware includes a command on suspension of a reboot for an application of the firmware, and executing a reboot for an application of firmware when it becomes clear that there was a reboot instruction for an firmware application to the image processing apparatus.