Method and apparatus to upgrade driver of image forming apparatus

• US 8,095,924 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, In-sung, Lee, Sang-hyup
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVIS, JOHN Q
• Application Number:
  US11/422,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 717/173
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/123 Software or firmware update, e.g. device firmware management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• 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 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus to upgrade a driver of an image forming apparatus. The method includes accessing a website having a website driver program useable by the image forming apparatus, converting a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode, comparing a driver program stored in the image forming apparatus with the website driver program on the website, and downloading the website driver program from the website and storing the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program.

Claims

1. A method of upgrading a driver of an image forming apparatus, comprising:

accessing a website having a website driver program useable by the image forming apparatus;

converting a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode;

comparing a stored driver program stored in the image forming apparatus with the website driver program on the website;

automatically downloading the website driver program from the website and storing the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the comparing determines that the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program; and

converting the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when an installation of the website driver program in a host device that is connected to the image forming apparatus is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing of the stored driver program with the website driver program comprises:

reading version information corresponding to the stored driver program from the image forming apparatus and version information corresponding to the website driver program from the website; and

comparing the version information corresponding to the stored driver program from the image forming apparatus and the version information corresponding to the website driver program from the website.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing of the stored driver program with the website driver program comprises:

indicating to a user that the stored driver program is a latest driver version when the website driver program is not a later version than the stored driver program; and

converting the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the class mode of the image forming apparatus comprises a printer class mode as the original class mode and a CD-ROM class mode as the predetermined class mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is one of a printer, a copy machine, a scanner, and a fax machine.

6. An apparatus to upgrade a driver of an image forming apparatus, comprising:

a latest-driver information acquisition unit to read version information of a website driver program useable in the image forming apparatus by accessing a website having the website driver program;

a class mode conversion unit to convert a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode;

a driver comparison unit to read version information of a driver program stored in the image forming apparatus and to compare the stored version information of the stored driver program with the version information of the website driver program read by the driver information acquisition unit; and

a driver upgrade unit to automatically download the website driver program of the website and to store the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the driver comparison unit determines that the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program,

wherein the class mode conversion unit converts the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when an installation of the downloaded website driver program in a host device connected to the image forming apparatus is completed.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

an upgrade indicator unit to indicate to a user that the stored driver program is a latest driver version when a result of the comparison by the driver comparison unit indicates that the website driver program is not a later version than the stored driver program,

wherein the class mode conversion unit converts the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when the result of the comparison by the driver comparison unit indicates that the website driver program is not a later version than the stored driver program.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the class mode of the image forming apparatus comprises a printer class mode as the original class mode and a CD-ROM class mode as the predetermined class mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image forming apparatus is one of among a printer, a copy machine, a scanner, and a fax machine.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a computer program to perform a method of upgrading a driver of an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:

accessing a website having a website driver program useable by the image forming apparatus;

converting a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode;

comparing a driver program stored in the image forming apparatus with the website driver program on the website;

automatically downloading the website driver program from the website and storing the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the comparing determines that the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program; and

converting the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when an installation of the website driver program in a host device that is connected to the image forming apparatus is completed.

11. A method of determining whether to upgrade a driver stored in an image forming apparatus having an image forming mode and a storage mode, the method comprising:

comparing version information corresponding to the stored driver with version information corresponding to a driver downloadable through a network and external to the image forming apparatus while the image forming apparatus is in the storage mode to determine a most current version information among the version information corresponding to the stored driver and the version information corresponding to the downloadable driver;

determining to automatically upgrade the stored driver when the comparing determines that the version information corresponding to the downloadable driver is more current than the version information corresponding to the stored driver; and

determining not to upgrade the stored driver when the comparing determines that the version information corresponding to the downloadable driver is not more current than the version information corresponding to the stored driver,

wherein when it is determined to automatically upgrade the stored driver, converting a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode, upgrading the stored driver with the downloadable driver, and converting the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when the upgrading of the driver is completed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining to upgrade the stored driver comprises:

downloading and installing the downloadable driver to the image forming apparatus; and

putting the image forming apparatus in the image forming mode.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

installing the downloadable driver to a host device connected to the image forming apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the installing the downloadable driver to the host device comprises:

installing the downloadable driver to the host device using an auto-install program stored in the image forming apparatus.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

installing the downloadable driver to a second host device connected to the image forming apparatus through the network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining not to upgrade the stored driver comprises:

notifying a user that the stored driver is a most current version driver; and

putting the image forming apparatus in the image forming mode.

17. A method of upgrading a driver of an image forming apparatus, comprising:

comparing a stored driver program stored in the image forming apparatus with a website driver program useable by the image forming apparatus that is stored on the website; and

converting a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode. automatically downloading the website driver program from the website and storing the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the comparing determines that the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program, installing the downloaded website driver program, and converting the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when an installation of the driver program is completed.

18. An apparatus to upgrade a driver of an image forming apparatus, comprising:

a class mode conversion unit to convert a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode;

a driver comparison unit to read version information of a driver program stored in the image forming apparatus and to compare stored version information of the stored driver program with the version information of a website driver program useable by the image forming apparatus that is received from a website by the driver comparison unit; and

a driver upgrade unit to automatically download the website driver program of the website and to store the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the driver comparison unit determines that the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program,

wherein a class mode conversion unit converts the class mode of the image forming apparatus from the predetermined class mode to the original class mode when an installation of the downloaded website driver program is completed.