Information processing apparatus and network system for updating firmware modules

• US 9,529,588 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Maeda, Hiroshi, Oouchi, Miki, Nakamura, Rie, Ishii, Shigeyuki, Iwasaki, Ryo, Ozaki, Hiroki, Mori, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US14/070,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

An information processing apparatus stores configuration information including sets of version information of modules of firmware in the apparatus; obtains, based on the configuration information, firmware information including sets of version information of modules of firmware in a latest version; compares the sets of version information in the configuration information with those in the firmware information, and, when the sets of version information in the configuration information are not coincident with those in the firmware information, determines that it is possible to update the firmware in the apparatus; downloads the firmware in the latest version; and compares the sets of version information in the downloaded firmware with those in the configuration information, and updates only the module of the firmware in the apparatus for which the version information in the downloaded firmware is different from that in the configuration information.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

firmware that includes a plurality of modules and is mounted in the information processing apparatus; and

one or more processors configured to

store configuration information that includes sets of version information of the respective modules included in the firmware;

obtain, based on the configuration information, from an external system, firmware information that includes sets of version information of respective modules of firmware in a latest version;

perform a first comparison of the overall sets of version information included in the configuration information with the overall sets of version information included in the firmware information, and, in a case where the overall sets of version information in the configuration information are not coincident with the overall sets of version information in the firmware information, determine that it is possible to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus;

in response to making the determination based on the result of the first comparison, download, from the external system, the firmware in the latest version corresponding to the firmware in the information processing apparatus for which the one or more processors has determined that it is possible to update, the downloaded firmware including a separate latest version of each of the respective modules included on the information processing apparatus; and

after downloading the firmware in the latest version, make a second comparison of version information of each the respective modules included in the downloaded firmware in the latest version with version information of each of the corresponding respective modules included in the configuration information, and update only a module of the firmware in the information processing apparatus for which the version information in the downloaded firmware is different from the version information in the configuration information,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect the coming of a previously set date and time for obtaining the firmware information, the previously set date and time being set by a user of the information processing apparatus,

the one or more processors are configured to determine whether a firmware information obtaining condition has been satisfied, the firmware information obtaining condition being the coming of the date and time for obtaining the firmware information, and

the one or more processors obtains the firmware information from the external system when the firmware information obtaining condition has been satisfied.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

the one or more processors being further configured to dynamically generate the configuration information and store the generated configuration information.

3. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

the one or more processors is configured to provide a UI for, in a case where the one or more processors has determined that it is possible to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus, notify a user that it is possible to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus, and receiving an instruction from the user to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the firmware information obtaining condition is start-up of the information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the firmware information obtaining condition is receipt of an instruction from a user to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus.

6. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the firmware information obtaining condition is detection of pressing, by a user, a power-off switch in the information processing apparatus, and

the one or more processors obtains the firmware information from the external system during a period of time until the power supply in the information processing apparatus is stopped since the detection of pressing, by the user, the power-off switch.

7. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

the one or more processors being configured to detect connection of a new device that requires an update of the firmware in the information processing apparatus, wherein

the firmware information obtaining condition is detection of connection of the new device.

8. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

the one or more processors being configured to detect an error that has occurred in the information processing apparatus, wherein

the firmware information obtaining condition is detection of the error.

9. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the one or more processors again obtains, from the external system, the firmware information in a case where the firmware in the latest version concerning the firmware information has not been downloaded even when a predetermined time has elapsed after the firmware information was obtained.

10. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

the one or more processors being configured to determine whether a download condition for downloading the firmware in the latest version has been satisfied, wherein

the one or more processors downloads, from the external system, the firmware in the latest version when the download condition has been satisfied.

11. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10,

the one or more processors being configured to detect that an input signal has not been sent to the information processing apparatus for a predetermined period of time, wherein

the download condition is a fact that the input signal has not been sent to the information processing apparatus for the predetermined period of time.

12. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10,

the one or more processors being configured to detect the coming of a previously set date and time for downloading the firmware in the latest version, the previously set date and time being set by a user of the information processing apparatus, wherein

the download condition is the coming of the date and time for downloading the firmware in the latest version.

13. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the download condition is detection of pressing, by a user, a power-off switch in the information processing apparatus, and the one or more processors downloads, from the external system, the firmware in the latest version during a period of time until the power supply in the information processing apparatus is stopped since the detection of pressing, by the user, the power-off switch.

14. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the one or more processors downloads, from the external system, the firmware in the latest version immediately after the one or more processors has determined that it is possible to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus.

15. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the one or more processors compares the obtained sets of version information of the respective modules included in the firmware in the latest version with the sets of version information of the corresponding respective modules included in the configuration information, and downloads, from the external system, only the module of the firmware in the latest version for which the version information in the firmware in the latest version is different from the version information in the configuration information.

16. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

the one or more processors being configured to perform user authentication.

17. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein

the one or more processors performs user authentication immediately before starting downloading of the firmware in the latest version.

18. A network system comprising:

a memory in which firmware that includes a plurality of modules is mounted; and

one or more processors configured to

store configuration information that includes sets of version information of the respective modules included in the firmware in the memory;

obtain, based on the configuration information, firmware information that includes sets of version information of respective modules of firmware in a latest version corresponding to those of the firmware in the memory;

perform a first comparison of the overall sets of version information included in the configuration information with the overall sets of version information included in the firmware information, and, in a case where the sets of version information in the configuration information are not coincident with the sets of version information in the firmware information, determine that it is possible to update the firmware in the memory;

in response to making the determination as a result of the first comparison, download the firmware in the latest version corresponding to the firmware in the memory for which the one or more processors has determined that it is possible to update, the downloaded firmware including a separate latest version of each of the respective modules included in an information processing apparatus; and

after downloading the firmware in the latest version, perform a second comparison of the version information of each of the respective modules in the downloaded firmware in the latest version with the version information of each of the respective modules in the configuration information, and update only a module of the firmware in the memory for which the version information in the downloaded firmware is different from the version information in the configuration information,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect the coming of a previously set date and time for obtaining the firmware information, the previously set date and time being set by a user of the information processing apparatus,

the one or more processors are configured to determine whether a firmware information obtaining condition has been satisfied, the firmware information obtaining condition being the coming of the date and time for obtaining the firmware information, and

the one or more processors obtains the firmware information from an external system when the firmware information obtaining condition has been satisfied.

19. A method, implemented by an information processing apparatus that includes firmware that has a plurality of modules, the method comprising:

storing configuration information that includes sets of version information of the respective modules included in the firmware;

obtaining, based on the configuration information, from an external system, firmware information that includes sets of version information of respective modules of firmware in a latest version;

performing a first comparison of the overall sets of version information included in the configuration information with the overall sets of version information included in the firmware information, and, in a case where the overall sets of version information in the configuration information are not coincident with the overall sets of version information in the firmware information, determine that it is possible to update the firmware in the information processing apparatus;

in response to making the determination based on the result of the first comparison, downloading, from the external system, the firmware in the latest version corresponding to the firmware in the information processing apparatus for which it has been determined that it is possible to update, the downloaded firmware including a separate latest version of each of the respective modules included on the information processing apparatus; and

after downloading the firmware in the latest version, performing a second comparison of version information of each the respective modules included in the downloaded firmware in the latest version with version information of each of the corresponding respective modules included in the configuration information, and updating only a module of the firmware in the information processing apparatus for which the version information in the downloaded firmware is different from the version information in the configuration information,

the method further comprising;

detecting the coming of a previously set date and time for obtaining the firmware information, the previously set date and time being set by a user of the information processing apparatus,

determining whether a firmware information obtaining condition has been satisfied, the firmware information obtaining condition being the coming of the date and time for obtaining the firmware information, and

obtaining the firmware information from the external system when the firmware information obtaining condition has been satisfied.