Electronic apparatus and management system of the same

• US 7,155,413 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Fujikazu, Nakai, Yasuhiro, Yamasaki, Kimihito, Nakamura, Masakatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US09/833,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50, 705/51, 705/57, 707/1, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/102, 707/200, 709/221, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0002 Handling the output data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00962 Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An image processing device stores a main program that controls basic operations that the device conducts as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, etc., as well as a sub program that controls additional operations that the device conducts as a net work scanner. When a user purchases an additional function pack and sends a production number of the image processing device and ID information of the pack to a managing device, the managing device returns a releasing key produced by encoding the production number. A control section of the device decodes the releasing key, and permits the foregoing access if the production number obtained by the decoding matches that stored in the memory section. Therefore, even after shipment, extension of functions can be smoothly implemented at lower costs without replacement of boards or memories. Thus, an image processing device realized with a digital complex machine is arranged so that extension of functions after shipment can be smoothly implemented at lower costs.

Claims

1. An image processing device including a plurality of elements, the image processing device comprising:

a program storing section storing a first program that controls basic operations of said image processing device so that basic operations of the image processing device are executed by controlling elements of the image processing device via the first program, and a second program that is a subroutine and is accessed in said first program so as to control an additional operation of said image processing device so that the second program controls the additional operation that is different than the basic operations controlled by the first program, wherein the second program is available via elements of the image processing device that executes the basic operations via the first program;

a control section implementing an operation by executing only said first program, or both said first and second programs;

a system managing section that, in response to a releasing key operation that renders the additional operation implementable, makes said second program permanently accessible in said first program, and wherein said first program is accessible and operable both before and after the releasing key operation so that one releasing key operation makes the second program permanently accessible following said one releasing key operation, and wherein the second program is a subroutine of the first program; and

wherein the image processing device is an image forming apparatus, a combination of the image forming apparatus and a peripheral device realizes an image forming system, wherein the first program is a program that controls the image forming apparatus and the second program is a program that controls the peripheral device that works with the image forming apparatus.

2. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said releasing key is produced using at least information peculiar to said apparatus.

3. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said image processing device is connected with a managing side via a wide-area network; and

the releasing key operation is carried out by the managing side by remote control.

4. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said program storing section stores a plurality of second programs; and

with respect to a certain combination of said second programs, said system managing section renders said second programs implementable by only one releasing-key operation.

5. The image processing device of claim 1, wherein the second program includes an additional function pack allowing the an extension of functions of the image processing device to be implemented after shipment of the image processing device.

6. An image processing device comprising:

a program storing section for storing a first program that controls basic operations of said image processing device so that basic operations of the image processing device are executed by controlling elements of the apparatus via the first program, and a second program that cooperates with at least a part of said first program so as to implement an additional operation of said image processing device, wherein the second program is a subroutine of the first program wherein the second program controls at least one additional operation that is different than the basic operations controlled by the first program, wherein the second program is available via elements of the image processing device that executes the basic operations via the first program;

a system managing section that, in response to a releasing key operation that renders the additional operation implementable, makes said second program permanently accessible, the first program being accessible prior to the releasing key operation;

wherein said releasing key operation determines whether the release key information matches release key information stored in memory and if so then making the second program permanently accessible so that one releasing key operation makes the second program permanently accessible following said one releasing key; and

wherein the image processing device is an image forming apparatus, a combination of the image forming apparatus and a peripheral device realizes an image forming system, wherein the first program is a program that controls the image forming apparatus and the second program is a program that controls the peripheral device that works with the image forming apparatus.

7. The image processing device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said releasing key is produced using at least information peculiar to said apparatus.

8. The image processing device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said image processing device is connected with a managing side via a wide-area network; and

the releasing key operation is carried out by the managing side by remote control.

9. The image processing device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said program storing section stores a plurality of second programs; and

with respect to a certain combination of said second programs, said system managing section renders said second programs implementable by only one releasing-key operation.

10. The image processing device of claim 6, wherein said releasing key operation comprises, in response to a request by the image processing device, the image processing device receiving release key information from a service center remote from the image processing device and determining whether the release key information matches release key information stored in memory and if so then making the second program accessible.

11. The image processing device of claim 6, wherein the second program includes an additional function pack allowing the an extension of functions of the image processing device to be implemented after shipment of the image processing device.

12. A management system for managing an image processing device, said image processing device including:

a program storing section for storing a first program that controls basic operations of said image processing device so that basic operations of the image processing device are executed by controlling elements of the apparatus via the first program, and a second program that is accessible in said first program and controls an additional operation of said image processing device, wherein the second program is a subroutine of the first program wherein the second program controls at least one additional operation that is different than the basic operations controlled by the first program, wherein the second program is available via elements of the image processing device that executes the basic operations via the first program;

a control section for implementing an operation by executing only said first program, or both said first and second programs; and

a system managing section that, in response to a releasing key operation, makes said second program permanently accessible by said first program,

said management system comprising a key issuing section on a managing side, said key issuing section issuing said releasing key upon confirming that a predetermined procedure has been conducted by a user side so that one releasing key operation makes the second program permanently accessible following said one releasing key operation, and wherein said first program is accessible and operable both before and after the releasing key operation; and

wherein the image processing device is an image forming apparatus, a combination of the image forming apparatus and a peripheral device realizes an image forming system, wherein the first program is a program that controls the image forming apparatus and the second program is a program that controls the peripheral device that works with the image forming apparatus.

13. The management system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said releasing key is produced using at least information peculiar to said apparatus.

14. The image processing device as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said image processing device is connected with a managing side via a wide-area network; and

said key issuing section carries out the releasing key operation of said system managing section by remote control.

15. The management system as set forth in claim 12, wherein, on said managing side, said key issuing section issues said releasing key in response to entrance into a use contract or payment of a use fee.

16. The management system as set forth in claim 12, wherein history information relating to said issuance of a releasing key is managed by said managing side.

17. The management system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said program storing section stores a plurality of second programs; and

with respect to a certain combination of said second programs, said system managing section renders said second programs implementable by only one releasing-key operation.

18. The image processing device of claim 12, wherein the second program includes an additional function pack allowing the an extension of functions of the image processing device to be implemented after shipment of the image processing device.

19. A management system for managing an image processing device, said image processing device including:

a program storing section for storing a first program that controls basic operations of said image processing device so that basic operations of the image processing device are executed by controlling elements of the apparatus via the first program, and a second program that cooperates with at least a part of said first program so as to implement an additional operation of said image processing device, wherein the second program is a subroutine of the first program wherein the second program controls at least one additional operation that is different than the basic operations controlled by the first program, wherein the second program is available via elements of the image processing device that executes the basic operations via the first program; and

a system managing section that, in response to a releasing key operation, makes said second program permanently accessible, so that one releasing key operation makes the second program permanently accessible following said one releasing key operation,

said management system comprising a key issuing section on a managing side, said key issuing section issuing said releasing key upon confirming that a predetermined procedure has been conducted by a user side, and wherein said first program is accessible and operable both before and after the releasing key operation; and

wherein the image processing device is an image forming apparatus, a combination of the image forming apparatus and a peripheral device realizes an image forming system, wherein the first program is a program that controls the image forming apparatus and the second program is a program that controls the peripheral device that works with the image forming apparatus.

20. The management system as set forth in claim 19, wherein said releasing key is produced using at least information peculiar to said image processing device.

21. The management system as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

said image processing device is connected with a managing side via a wide-area network; and

said key issuing section carries out the releasing key operation of said system managing section by remote control.

22. The management system as set forth in claim 19, wherein, on said managing side, said key issuing section issues said releasing key in response to entrance into a use contract or payment of a use fee.

23. The management system as set forth in claim 19, wherein history information relating to said issuance of a releasing key is managed by said managing side.

24. The management system as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

said program storing section stores a plurality of second programs; and

with respect to a certain combination of said second programs, said system managing section renders said second programs implementable by only one releasing-key operation.

25. The image processing device of claim 19, wherein the second program includes an additional function pack allowing the an extension of functions of the image processing device to be implemented after shipment of the image processing device.