Method and device for renewing an internal program of an apparatus having communication capability

• US 5,787,288 A
• Filed: 11/02/1994
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibata, Tetsuya, Inoue, Masahiro, Nakamura, Hiroaki, Nagata, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavis, John Q.
• Application Number:
  US08/333,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 395/650, 395/700, 395/712, 395/653
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015

Abstract

A method and device for renewing an internal program of an apparatus capable of communication with a central station operable to transmit a new apparatus control program. It is determined whether data received from the central station is a new program. Replacement is then executed of a previously stored program with the new program, if a new program is received. A previously stored internal program is automatically overwritten by a new program transmitted from the central station.

Claims

1. A renewing method for renewing a previously stored control program stored in an internal program memory of an apparatus capable of communicating with a central station, the central station being operable to transmit data including a new control program and other contents, the renewing method comprising steps of:

establishing communication between said apparatus and said central station;

determining whether data transmitted from the central station is said new control program;

replacing said previously stored control program with said new control program following determining that said new control program is transmitted by the central station; and

storing the data transmitted from the central station in a secondary memory of said apparatus;

the determining step determining whether the data stored in the secondary memory is said new control program; and

the replacing step transferring the new control program from the secondary memory to the internal program memory to replace the previously stored control program with the new control program.

2. A renewing method as defined in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a facsimile machine, and the determining step is executed based on an NSS signal transmitted from the central station prior to transmission of data.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein said replacing includes:

executing said storing of said new control program in said secondary memory as said central station transmits said new control program;

verifying that transmission of said new control program is completed; and

executing said replacing step following verification that transmission of said new control program is complete.

3. A renewing device for renewing a previously stored control program stored in an internal program memory of an apparatus capable of communicating with a central station, the central station being operable to transmit data including control program data and other contents, the renewing device comprising:

means for communicating with and receiving data from said central station;

means for determining whether data transmitted from the central station is a new control program;

replacing means for replacing said previously stored control program in the internal program memory with the new control program following determining that the new control program is transmitted by said central station; and

a data memory for storing the data transmitted from the central station, wherein;

the determining means is operable to judge whether the data stored in the data memory is a new control program; and

the replacing means is operable to transfer the new control program from the data memory to the internal program memory to replace the previously stored control program with the control new program.

4. A renewing device as defined in claim 3, wherein the apparatus is a facsimile machine, and the determining means determines whether the data transmitted from the central station is a new control program based on an NSS signal transmitted from the central station prior to transmission of data.

5. A renewing device as defined in claim 3, wherein the internal program memory stores a control program for controlling the apparatus and a renewal program for controlling the determining means and the replacing means to replace said previously stored control program.

6. A renewing device as defined in claim 5 wherein the internal program memory is a rewritable memory, and the rewritable memory has a portion where the renewal program is written together with a write-inhibit code for inhibiting overwrite.

7. A renewing device as defined in claim 5, wherein the internal program memory includes:

a read only memory for permanently storing the renewal program; and

a rewritable memory for storing the control program.

8. A renewing device as defined in claim 5, wherein the internal program memory includes a read only memory for permanently storing the renewal program and first and second portions for storing said previously stored control program and the new control program, respectively, and said renewing device further comprises storage control means for alternatingly storing successive control programs received from said central station in said first and second portions of said internal program memory.

9. A renewing device as defined in claim 5, wherein the internal program memory has first and second portions for storing said previously stored control program and the new control program, respectively.

10. A renewing device as defined in claim 9, wherein:

the central station is operable to transmit data including a new renewal program in addition to said new control program; and

the first and second portions of said internal program memory are two rewritable memories respectively, each having a portion for storing the control program and the renewal program.

11. A renewing device as defined in claim 9, further comprising storage control means for alternatingly storing successive control programs received from said central station in said first and second portions of said internal program memory.

12. A renewing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the first and second portions of said internal program memory are rewritable memories, and the renewal program is written in a portion of one of said first and second portions with a write-inhibit code for inhibiting overwrite.

13. A renewing device for renewing a previously stored control program stored in an internal program memory of an apparatus capable of communicating with a central station, the central station being operable to transmit data including control program data and other contents, the renewing device comprising:

means for communicating with and receiving data from said central station;

means for determining whether data transmitted from the central station is a new control program;

replacing means for replacing said previously stored control program in the internal program memory with the new control program following determining that the new control program is transmitted by said central station;

the internal program memory storing a control program for controlling the apparatus and a renewal program for controlling the determining means and the replacing means to replace said previously stored control program;

the internal program memory having first and second portions for storing said previously stored control program and the new control program, respectively;

the central station being operable to transmit data including a new renewal program in addition to said new control program;

the first and second portions of said internal program memory being two rewritable memories respectively, each having a portion for storing the control program and the renewal program; and

means for storing successively received control programs and renewal programs alternatingly in the first and second portions of the internal program memory such that a last previously written control program and a last previously written renewal program remain in one of said first and second portions for back-up operation.

14. A renewing device for renewing a previously stored control program stored in an internal program memory of an apparatus capable of communicating with a central station, the central station being operable to transmit data including control program data and other contents, the renewing device comprising

means for communicating with and receiving data from said central station;

means for determining whether data transmitted from the central station is a new control program;

replacing means for replacing said previously stored control program in the internal program memory with the new control program following determining that a new control program is transmitted by said central station; and

means for maintaining the apparatus in a power on state during a renewal operation for writing said control program into said internal program memory.

16. A programming system for reprogramming an apparatus from a central station, comprising:

means for transmitting data between said apparatus and said central station;

said central station having means for initiating communication with said apparatus for transferring a control program to said apparatus preceded by a control program identifier code;

said apparatus including;

a first non-volatile memory which is reprogrammable for storing a control program;

a second non-volatile memory for storing a renewal program for updating said control program stored in said first non-volatile memory;

recognizing means for recognizing said control program identifier code as indicating a new control program is to be transmitted when said central station transmits said control program identifier;

a RAM;

storing means for storing said new control program in said RAM during reception of said new control program when said recognizing means recognizes said control program identifier code; and

replacing means for transferring said new control program stored in said RAM to said first non-volatile memory.

17. The programming system according to claim 16 further comprising:

said second non-volatile memory for storing said renewal program being reprogrammable; and

means for receiving a new renewal program from said central station and replacing said renewal program in said second non-volatile memory with a renewal program received from said central station.

18. A programming system for reprogramming an apparatus from a central station, comprising:

means for transmitting data between said apparatus and said central station;

said central station having means for initiating communication with said apparatus for transferring a control program to said apparatus preceded by a control program identifier code;

said apparatus including;

first and second non-volatile memories which are reprogrammable for storing a control program in each;

a third non-volatile memory for storing a renewal program for updating said control program stored in said first and second non-volatile memory;

recognizing means for recognizing said control program identifier code when said central station transmits said control program identifier;

a RAM;

storing means for storing said control program in a RAM during reception of said control program when said recognizing means recognizes said control program identifier code in accordance with said renewal program;

replacing means for transferring successively received control programs stored in said RAM alternatingly to one of said first and second non-volatile memories such that a last stored control program remains in another one of said first and second memories for back-up operation; and

means for selecting said control program stored in said one of said first and second non-volatile memories for subsequent control of said apparatus and means for selecting said last stored control program stored in said another one of said first and second non-volatile memories for back-up operation.

19. A renewing device for renewing a previously stored control program stored in an internal program memory of an apparatus capable of communicating with a central station, the central station being operable to transmit data including control program data and other contents, the renewing device comprising:

means for communicating with and receiving data from said central station;

means for determining whether data transmitted from the central station is a new control program;

replacing means for replacing said previously stored control program in the internal program memory with the new control program following determining that the new control program is transmitted by said central station;

the internal program memory having first and second portions for storing said previously stored control program and the new control program, respectively; and

means for storing successively received control programs alternatingly in the first and second portions of the internal program memory such that a last previously written control program remains in one of said first and second portions for back-up operation.

20. A renewing device for renewing a previously stored control program stored in an internal program memory of an apparatus capable of communicating with a central station, the central station being operable to transmit data including control program data and other contents, the renewing device comprising

means for communicating with and receiving data from said central station;

means for determining whether data transmitted from the central station is a new control program;

replacing means for replacing said previously stored control program in the internal program memory with the new control program following determining that a new control program is transmitted by said central station; and

means for maintaining the apparatus in a power on state while said replacing means replaces said previously stored control program with said new control program.