In an interactive network board, a method and apparatus for remotely downloading and executing files in a memory

• US 5,815,722 A
• Filed: 11/18/1992
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Information Systems Incorporated (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerson, H. Brad, Kalwitz, George A., Russell, William C., Takahashi, Natsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COULTER, KENNETH R
• Application Number:
  US07/978,488
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/325, 395/700, 395/115, 395/200, 395/200.1, 395/712, 395/200.3
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1004 to protect a block of data words, e.g. CRC or checksum G06F11/1076 takes precedence; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorized activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2221 to test input/output devices or peripheral units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1293 Printer information exchange with computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Method and apparatus for altering an executable file stored in a random access memory on a designated interactive network having a local area network interface comprises activating a LAN communication program. The communication program operates to broadcast an inquiry through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board. The executable file is downloaded into RAM on the designated interactive network board through the local area network interface. A verifying step verifies a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in a checksum packet attached to the executable file. In the case that the verifying step is successfully completed, execution of the executable file may be commanded remotely, e.g., across the LAN interface.

Claims

1. A method, for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, for downloading an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a LAN communication program at the remote network node, said LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board;

downloading the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, said executable file including a checksum packet;

verifying a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board;

loading the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and

receiving, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state;

wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading includes the step of downloading a MAC address into the RAM.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading includes the step of downloading a checksum value into the RAM.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading is performed immediately after an interactive network board test.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading includes the step of downloading a ROM firmware image into the RAM.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the verifying step includes the steps of determining a checksum value of the executable file and comparing the determined checksum value with a checksum value in the checksum packet attached to the executable file, and wherein, in the case the determined checksum value does not equal the checksum value in the checksum packet, outputting an error signal.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after the executable file has been loaded.

8. An apparatus for downloading an executable file to an interactive network board, comprising:

a LAN interface connected to said interactive network board, over which an executable file and at least one command is received from a LAN, said executable file including a checksum value;

a RAM, disposed on said interactive network board, for storing the received executable file therein;

an EPROM, disposed on the interactive network board, for storing a ROM firmware image which includes executable files; and

a processor, disposed on said board, for verifying the integrity of the executable file by performing a checksum operation and comparing a checksum result to the checksum value in the executable file, and for receiving the at least one command from the LAN interface;

wherein in the case that the processor verifies the checksum value, the processor loads the executable file from the RAM into the EPROM; and

wherein, in a case that the at least one command received from the LAN is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board using the received executable file.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a remote LAN device for remotely downloading through the LAN interface the executable file to be stored in said RAM.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the remote LAN device sends the execute command to the processor to execute the executable file in RAM.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the remote LAN device downloads the executable file through a test interface disposed on said board.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the RAM comprises a dynamic RAM.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the interactive network board is coupled to a printer.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the EPROM comprises a flash EPROM.

15. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said processor is for sending a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after loading the executable file into the EPROM.

16. Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer executable process steps for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, to download an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the computer-executable process steps comprising:

code to activate a LAN communication program at the remote network node, the LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board;

code to download the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, the executable file including a checksum packet;

code to verify a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board;

code to load the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and

code to receive, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state, wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

17. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download includes code to download a MAC address into the RAM.

18. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download includes code to download a checksum value into the RAM.

19. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download is performed immediately after an interactive network board test.

20. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download includes code to download a ROM firmware image into the RAM.

21. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to verify includes code to determine a checksum value of the executable file and to compare the determined checksum value with a checksum value in the checksum packet attached to the executable file, and wherein, in the case that the determined checksum value does not equal the checksum value in the checksum packet, an error signal is output.

22. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, further comprising code to send a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after the executable file has been loaded.

23. A computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps, the computer-executable process steps for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, to download an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the computer-executable process steps comprising:

an activating step to activate a LAN communication program at the remote network node, the LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board;

a downloading step to download the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, the executable file including a checksum packet;

a verifying step to verify a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board;

a loading step to load the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and

a receiving step to receive, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state, wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

24. A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step includes a step to download a MAC address into the RAM.

25. A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step includes a step to download a checksum value into the RAM.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step is performed immediately after an interactive network board test.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step includes a step to download a ROM firmware image into the RAM.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the verifying step includes a step to determine a checksum value of the executable file and to compare the determined checksum value with a checksum value in the checksum packet attached to the executable file, and wherein, in the case that the determined checksum value does not equal the checksum value in the checksum packet, an error signal is output.

29. A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, further comprising a sending step to send a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after the executable file has been loaded.