Image forming apparatus and updating method

• US 7,876,469 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanada, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore; David K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hang; Vu B
• Application Number:
  US11/006,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/1.13, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 713/2, 717/168, 717/174, 711/100
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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: 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 1/00965 using a plug-in memory module, e.g. memory card, memory stick
• 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 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus comprises an interface which can communicate with the information processing apparatus that serves as the source of updating firmware. The image forming apparatus further comprises a memory which stores a plurality of firmware programs and a controller which performs firmware updates by sequentially storing the updating firmware transferred from the information processing apparatus. When a plurality of firmware programs are transferred from the information processing apparatus, the controller performs a reboot operation to activate the updated firmware upon completing the storage and the rewriting of the updating firmware in the memory.

Claims

1. A multifunctional image forming apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store firmware;

an interface configured to be connected to an external terminal apparatus via a network; and

a controller configured to receive, from the external terminal apparatus, an instruction for updating the firmware stored in the memory, to receive a plurality of specified updating firmware corresponding to the firmware stored in the memory, and to store the plurality of specified updating firmware in the memory,

the controller, when the plurality of the specified updating firmware are received, being further configured to store each of the plurality of the specified updating firmware in the memory without rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus each time one of the plurality of the specified updating firmware is stored in the memory, and to automatically reboot the multifunctional image forming apparatus, when the controller receives, from the external terminal computer, an ending file that informs the image forming apparatus of the completion of transferring all specified updating firmware, and

the controller, during the receiving of the specified updating firmware, determining if a reception error has occurred indicating a communication failure with the external terminal apparatus, and determining if a time out has occurred indicating that the reception of the specified updating firmware is incomplete over a predetermined time period, the controller displaying an error message on a display of the multifunctional image forming apparatus when at least one of a reception error and a time out has occurred;

wherein the specified updating firmware includes standard firmware and optional firmware, the optional firmware extending functions of the multifunctional image forming apparatus, and

wherein the instruction for updating the specified firmware includes specific instructional information designating which standard firmware and which optional firmware of the plurality of specified updating firmware are to be executed .

2. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface is configured, based on a standard for a universal serial bus.

3. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a local area network interface.

4. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external terminal apparatus comprises a personal computer.

5. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printer configured to print data, wherein the firmware stored in the memory comprises firmware for the printer, and

wherein the plurality of specified updating firmware includes standard printer firmware, optional printer firmware that supports printer command language, and optional printer firmware that supports both post script and printer command language.

6. A multifunctional image forming apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store firmware;

an interface configured to be connected to an external terminal apparatus via a network; and

a controller configured to receive, from the external terminal apparatus, an instruction for updating the firmware stored in the memory, to receive a plurality of specified updating firmware corresponding to the firmware stored in the memory, and to store the plurality of specified updating firmware in the memory,

the controller, when the plurality of the specified updating firmware are received, being further configured to store each of the plurality of the specified updating firmware in the memory without rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus, and to automatically reboot the multifunctional image forming apparatus, when the controller receives, from the external terminal computer, a completion instruction indicating a completion of transmitting the specified updating firmware;

wherein the completion instruction comprises a text file, the text file including characters indicating a fulfillment of transmitting the specified updating firmware from the external computer terminal,

wherein the specified updating firmware includes standard firmware and optional firmware, the optional firmware extending functions of the multifunctional image forming apparatus, and

wherein the instruction for updating the firmware includes specific instructional information designating which standard firmware and which optional firmware of the plurality of specified updating firmware are to be executed.

7. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the interface is configured, based on a standard for a universal serial bus.

8. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the interface comprises a local area network interface.

9. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the external terminal apparatus comprises a personal computer.

10. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a printer configured to print data, wherein the firmware stored in the memory comprises firmware for the printer;

and

wherein the plurality of specified updating firmware includes standard printer firmware, optional printer firmware that supports printer command language, and optional printer firmware that supports both post script and printer command language.

11. An updating method for updating firmware in a multifunctional image forming apparatus, the multifunctional image forming apparatus having a memory configured to store firmware and having an interface configured to be connected to an external terminal apparatus via a network, the updating method comprising:

receiving, from the external terminal apparatus, an instruction for updating the firmware stored in the memory;

receiving a plurality of specified updating firmware corresponding to the firmware stored in the memory;

during the receiving of the plurality of specified updating firmware, determining if a reception error has occurred indicating a communication failure with the external terminal apparatus, and determining if a time out has occurred indicating that the reception of the specified updating firmware is incomplete over a predetermined time period, the multifunctional image forming apparatus displaying an error message on a display when at least one of a reception error and a time out has occurred;

storing the plurality of the specified updating firmware in the memory, without rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus each time one of the plurality of the specified updating firmware is stored in the memory, when the plurality of the specified updating firmware are received; and

automatically rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus when an ending file that informs the image forming apparatus of the completion of transferring all specified updating firmware is received from the external terminal apparatus,

wherein the specified updating firmware includes standard firmware and optional firmware, the optional firmware extending functions of the multifunctional image forming apparatus, and

wherein the instruction for updating the firmware includes specific instructional information designating which standard firmware and which optional firmware of the specified plurality of updating firmware are to be executed.

12. An updating method for updating firmware in a multifunctional image forming apparatus, the multifunctional image forming apparatus having a memory configured to store firmware and having an interface configured to be connected to an external terminal apparatus via a network, the updating method comprising:

receiving, from the external terminal apparatus, an instruction for updating the firmware stored in the memory;

receiving a plurality of specified updating firmware corresponding to the firmware stored in the memory;

storing the plurality of the specified updating firmware in the memory, without rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus each time one of the plurality of the specified updating firmware is stored in the memory, when the plurality of the specified updating firmware are received; and

automatically rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus when a completion instruction indicating a completion of transmitting the specified updating firmware are received from the external terminal computer,

wherein the completion instruction comprises a text file, the text file including characters indicating a fulfillment of transmitting the specified updating firmware from the external computer terminal,

wherein the updating firmware includes standard firmware and optional firmware, the optional firmware extending functions of the multifunctional image forming apparatus, and

wherein the instruction for updating the firmware includes specific instructional information designating which standard firmware and which optional firmware of the plurality of updating firmware are to be executed.

13. A multifunctional image forming apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store firmware, the memory having designated sections including a first section that primarily stores standard firmware, a second section that primarily stores optional firmware, a third section that stores preinstalled firmware that functions as a backup memory and is used to perform emergency start-up, a fourth section that temporarily stores updating firmware when the firmware is updated, and a fifth section that stores registry information including firmware identifiers and firmware update dates;

an interface configured to be connected to a portable memory medium, the portable memory medium storing a plurality of folders of updating firmware, each of the plurality of the folders of the updating firmware corresponding to each of a plurality of models of the multifunctional image forming apparatus, each of the plurality of the folders of the updating firmware including a plurality of the updating firmware;

an operation panel used by a operator to control execution of the updating firmware through a selection of one of at least two operator selectable modes, including an automatic mode in which all updating firmware are executed, and an individual select mode in which only specified updating firmware selected by the operator are executed, the individual select mode also permitting the operator to perform additional operations, including copying, deleting, and transferring specified updating firmware, and

a controller, when the portable memory medium is connected to the multifunctional image forming apparatus, is configured;

to determine whether the updating firmware stored in the portable memory medium are active, by searching in the portable memory medium for all model folders applicable to the multifunctional image forming apparatus,

to determine whether a predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus is among the models to which active updating firmware files are applicable, based on multifunctional image forming apparatus model information recorded in a header domain of an updating firmware file,

to select a folder of the updating firmware corresponding to the predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus from the portable memory medium, based on folder information indicating the predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus for each of the plurality of folders of the updating firmware, the folder information being included in each of the plurality of folders of the updating firmware,

to store the plurality of firmware included in the selected folder of the updating firmware in the designated section of the multifunctional image forming apparatus memory, without rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus each time one of the plurality of pieces of the updating firmware is stored in the memory, and

to reboot the multifunctional image forming apparatus after all of the plurality of pieces of the updating firmware corresponding to the predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus are stored in the multifunctional image forming apparatus memory.

14. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of separate memories, each separate memory having a designated purpose, the portable memory medium stores destination information indicating in which separate memory each of the plurality of pieces of the updating firmware is stored, and the controller stores each of the plurality of pieces of the updating firmware in the separate memory which the destination information indicates for each of the plurality of pieces of the updating firmware.

15. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the updating firmware comprises firmware for an optional function, the optional function extending functions of the multifunctional image forming apparatus.

16. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the optional function comprises a printing function using a page description language.

17. The multifunctional image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the optional function comprises a control function for controlling multiple-lines, the multiple-lines being utilized for a facsimile communication.

18. An updating method for updating firmware in a multifunctional image forming apparatus, the multifunctional image forming apparatus having a memory configured to store firmware, the memory having designated sections including a first section that primarily stores standard firmware, a second section that primarily stores optional firmware, a third section that stores preinstalled firmware that functions as a backup memory and is used to perform emergency start-up, a fourth section that temporarily stores updating firmware when the firmware is updated, and a fifth section that stores registry information including firmware identifiers and firmware update dates, and having an interface configured to be connected to a portable memory medium, the portable memory medium storing a plurality of folders of updating firmware, each of the plurality of the folders of the updating firmware corresponding to each of a plurality of model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus, each of the plurality of the folders of the updating firmware including a plurality of the updating firmware, the updating method comprising:

selecting one of at least two operator selectable modes, including an automatic mode in which all updating firmware are executed, and an individual select mode in which only specified updating firmware selected by the operator are executed, the individual select mode also permitting the operator to perform additional operations, including copying, deleting, and transferring specified updating firmware,

connecting the portable memory medium to the multifunctional image forming apparatus;

determining whether the updating firmware stored in the portable memory medium are active, by searching in the portable memory medium for all model folders applicable to the multifunctional image forming apparatus;

determining whether a predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus is among the models to which active updating firmware files are applicable, based on multifunctional image forming apparatus model information recorded in a header domain of an updating firmware file;

selecting a folder of the updating firmware corresponding to the predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus from the portable memory medium, based on folder information indicating the predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus for each of the plurality of folders of the updating firmware, the folder information being included in each of the plurality of folders of the updating firmware

storing the plurality of firmware included in the selected group of the updating firmware, without rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus each time one of the plurality of pieces of the updating firmware is stored in a designated section of the memory; and

rebooting the multifunctional image forming apparatus after all of the plurality of the updating firmware corresponding to the predetermined model of the multifunctional image forming apparatus are stored in the memory.