JP2013101451A - Firmware update system and firmware update method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a firmware update system capable of appropriately and easily updating firmware inside an electronic device which controls an option controller, and preventing decline of a processing speed even when functions of an option device are increased.SOLUTION: A firmware update system 1 comprises a compound machine 2 and an option device 3. The compound machine 2 receives version information of the firmware stored in the connected option device 3 and compares it with the version information of the firmware stored by the compound machine 2, and when the version information of the compound machine 2 is older, the compound machine receives the firmware stored by the option device 3 from the device 3 and updates the firmware. When the update is performed, the option device 3 erases the firmware and the version information stored in a firmware storage part, and turns the firmware storage part to a work area of the option device 3.

Description

  The present invention relates to a firmware update system and a firmware update method for updating firmware in an electronic device that is connected to an electronic device and an optional device and controls the optional device.

  When developing an electronic device, for example, a multifunction device, the multifunction device main unit and the optional device are generally developed at the same time and released at the same time, but if the development of the optional device is delayed or after the device main body is released When an optional device to which a new function or the like is added is put on the market, it is necessary to update, that is, update the firmware of the MFP main body that controls the optional device.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151867 rewrites a control program for a printer stored in a printer memory to a control program stored in an optional device such as a duplex printing unit by executing a predetermined rewriting program in the printer. Is disclosed.
However, in the case of firmware, it is necessary to update after recognizing the version.

  With respect to a technique for rewriting information stored in a memory of an image forming apparatus such as a printer, Patent Document 2 discloses the following technique. In other words, the information necessary for the operation stored in the image forming apparatus main body is stored in the memory in the apparatus main body with the information of the version number, and the memory of the optional unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body The same content is also stored in. When the version number stored in the option unit is higher than the version number stored in the apparatus main body, the information stored in the image forming apparatus main body is rewritten with the information stored in the memory of the option unit.

JP 2004-160673 A JP 2006-211179 A

  However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not disclose any countermeasures when the function of the optional device is increased. Each time the function of the optional device increases, the amount of memory used and the frequency of use increase, so there is a problem that memory resources decrease and processing speed decreases. However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not disclose this problem. .

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can appropriately and easily update firmware in an electronic device that controls an option control device, and can increase the processing speed even when the functions of the option device increase. It is an object of the present invention to provide a firmware update system and a firmware update method that do not cause degradation.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a first technical means of the present invention is a firmware update system, which includes an electronic device and an optional device connected to the electronic device, and the optional device includes firmware of the optional device. And a firmware storage unit for storing version information thereof, the electronic device stores firmware and version information of the option device, and is stored from the option device when the option device is connected. Receiving firmware version information, comparing with the version information stored in the electronic device, if the version information stored in the electronic device is older, receiving the firmware stored in the optional device, The electronic device has an update controller that updates the stored firmware. When the update is performed in the electronic device, the option device deletes the firmware and version information stored in the firmware storage unit of the option device and uses the firmware storage unit as a work area of the option device. It is characterized by that.

  According to a second technical means of the present invention, in the first technical means, the optional device stores version information stored in the optional device when the comparison is performed in the electronic device, and version information stored in the electronic device. If it is the same or newer than the bar information, the firmware and version information stored in the firmware storage unit in the option device are erased, and the firmware storage unit is used as a work area of the option device. .

  According to a third technical means of the present invention, there is provided a firmware update method for updating firmware for controlling the option device when the option device is connected to the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is connected to the connected option device. The received version information of the firmware is compared with the version information of the firmware stored in the electronic device, and if the version information stored in the electronic device is older, the electronic device Receiving the firmware stored in the option device from the option device and updating the firmware; and when the update is performed, the option device erases the firmware and version information stored in the firmware storage unit And the firmware storage unit The method comprising the work area ® emission device is obtained by comprising a.

  According to the present invention, firmware in an electronic device that controls an optional device can be updated appropriately and easily, and the processing speed does not decrease even when the function of the optional device increases.

It is a figure which shows an example of the firmware update system of this invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing when an optional device is connected to a multifunction peripheral in the firmware update system of FIG. It is a figure explaining an example of the firmware update process of step S4 of FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a firmware update system of the present invention. The firmware update system 1 in FIG. 1 is configured by mounting and connecting an optional device 3 to an electronic device 2.

The electronic device 2 is, for example, a multifunction machine having a copy function and a printer function. Hereinafter, the electronic device 2 is referred to as a multifunction device 2.
The multifunction device 2 communicates with an image reading unit 21 that reads an image of a document, an image memory 22 that stores image data, an image forming unit 23 that forms an image based on the image data on a recording sheet, and an external computer. The communication I / F 24, the image reading unit 21, the image memory 22, the image forming unit 23, and the communication I / F 24 are connected, and the image processing unit 25 that performs various processes on the image data, and the entire multifunction device 2 are controlled. A main body side control unit 26, a main body side RAM (Random Access Memory) 27 connected to the main body side control unit 26, a main body side ROM (Read Only Memory) 28, and a main body side firmware storage unit 29 are provided. Is provided.

  The image reading unit 21 includes, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) that reads an image of a document, and reads a document placed on a document table or a document supplied by an automatic document supply mechanism. The image data read by the image reading unit 21 is sent to the image processing unit 25.

  The image processing unit 25 performs image processing on the image data received from the image reading unit 21 and image data received from an external computer via the communication I / F 24, and is suitable for printing in the image forming unit 23. It is stored in an image memory 22 composed of DRAM (Dynamic RAM) or the like.

The image forming unit 23 forms the image data received from the image processing unit 25 on the surface of the photoreceptor as an electrostatic latent image using, for example, an LSU (Laser Scanning Unit), and visualizes the electrostatic latent image with a developer. Then, the visualized image is transferred to a sheet and printed.
The communication I / F 24 is a LAN (Local Area Network) I / F, for example, and receives image data from an external computer or the like.

  Although not shown, the multifunction device 2 further includes an operation display unit that receives operations from the user and displays various screens. The operation display unit includes, for example, operations including various keys. It comprises a panel and a liquid crystal display device with a touch panel, and the main body side control unit 26 controls each unit in the multifunction device 2 in accordance with an instruction received by the operation display unit, and reads an image of the document to the image reading unit 21. The image forming unit 23 prints the read image data.

The main body side control unit 26 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls the entire MFP 2 by reading and executing a program from the main body side ROM 28 while using the main body side RAM 27 as a work area.
Further, the main body side control unit 26 executes firmware stored in the main body side firmware storage unit 29 such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) to control the option device 3.
The main body side control unit 26 includes an update control unit 26 a that updates firmware stored in the main body side firmware storage unit 29. Details of the update control unit 26a will be described later.
The firmware storage unit 29 stores version information of the firmware in addition to the firmware.

  On the other hand, the option device 3 is a duplex printing unit, for example, and includes an option side control unit 31 that controls the entire option device 3, an option side RAM 32 connected to the option side control unit 31, an option side ROM 33, and an option side firmware storage. Part 34. When the option device 3 is mounted on the multifunction device 2, the main body side control unit 26 and the option side control unit 31 are connected via a dedicated connector, and communication can be performed therebetween.

  The option side control unit 31 executes a control program stored in the option side ROM 33 such as an EEPROM to control each unit in the option device 3. Data temporarily used by the option-side control unit 31 is stored in the option-side RAM 32.

  The option-side control unit 31 includes a CPU, and controls the entire option device 3 by reading and executing a program from the option-side ROM 33 while using the option-side RAM 32 as a work area.

The option side control unit 31 is controlled by the main body side control unit 26 of the multifunction machine 2. In other words, each unit in the multifunction device 2 and each unit in the option device 3 are controlled by the main body side control unit 26 of the multifunction device 2.
The option-side firmware storage unit 34 is composed of, for example, a flash memory, stores firmware for controlling the option device 3, and further stores version information of the stored firmware. These storages are performed in advance when the option device 3 is shipped.

  In the firmware update system including the multifunction device 2 and the option device 3 as described above, the multifunction device 2 is controlled by the update control unit 26a of the main body side control unit 26 when the option device 3 is mounted on the multifunction device 2. Receives the version information of the firmware stored in the option side firmware storage unit 34 from the option device 3 and compares it with the version information of the firmware stored in the main unit side firmware storage unit 29. If the version information of the firmware stored in the main body side firmware storage unit 29 is older, the firmware stored in the option side firmware storage unit 34 is received from the option device 3 and the firmware in the main body side firmware storage unit 34 is updated. .

  When the above update is performed, the option device 3 erases the firmware and version information stored in the option-side firmware storage unit 34 and uses the option-side firmware storage unit 34 as a work area of the control unit 31 of the option device 3. To be able to.

  Therefore, in the firmware update system 1, the firmware can be updated appropriately and easily, and the option-side firmware storage unit 34 is also used as a work area after the firmware is updated even when the function of the optional device is increased. Therefore, the processing speed does not decrease.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing when the option device 3 is connected to the multifunction device 2 in the firmware update system 1 of FIG.
When the option device 3 is connected to the multifunction device 2 (step S1), the main body side control unit 26 of the multifunction device 2 determines whether communication is established with the option side control unit 31 of the option device 3 or not. (Step S2).

  If communication establishment fails (in the case of NO), the process is terminated, but if communication is established (in the case of YES), the main body side control unit 26 communicates with the option side control unit 31 and the option side It is determined whether firmware is stored in the firmware storage unit 34 (step S3). If it is not stored (in the case of NO), that is, if the optional device 3 has been previously attached to the multifunction device 2 and the firmware has been erased, the processing is terminated. On the other hand, when firmware is stored in the option side firmware storage unit 34 (in the case of YES), a firmware update process is performed (step S4), and the process is terminated.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the firmware update process in step S4 of FIG.
In the firmware update process, first, the main body side control unit 26 receives the version information of the firmware stored in the option side firmware storage unit 31 from the option device 3 (step S11), and stores the firmware stored in the main unit side firmware storage unit 29. Compared with the version information, it is determined whether or not the firmware needs to be updated (step S12).

  When the stored firmware version is newer in the option firmware storage unit 31 than in the main unit firmware storage unit 29 (in the case of YES), the update control unit 26a stores the information in the option side firmware storage unit 34. The firmware is received (step S13), and the firmware stored in the main body side firmware storage unit 29 is updated (step S14).

  And the main body side control part 26 determines whether the update was normally completed (step S15). This determination method determines that the update did not end normally when an error occurs during the firmware update process. Even if no error occurs during the firmware update process, the updated firmware checksum stored in the main unit firmware storage unit 29 is compared with the firmware checksum stored in the option side firmware storage unit 34. If the checksums do not match, it is determined that the update did not end normally.

  If the update did not end normally (in the case of step S15, NO), the process ends. If the update ended normally (in the case of step S15, YES), the optional device under the control of the main body side control unit 26 3 deletes the firmware and version information stored in the option-side firmware storage unit 34 so that the option-side firmware storage unit 34 can be used as a work area of the control unit 31 of the option device 3 (step S16).

  In step S12, if the stored firmware version is older than that of the main body side firmware storage unit 29 or the version of the option side firmware storage unit 31 is the same (NO), step S16 is performed. The option device 3 erases the firmware and version information stored in the option side firmware storage unit 34 under the control of the main body side control unit 26, and the option side firmware storage unit 34 is controlled by the control unit 31 of the option device 3. The work area can be used (step S16).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Firmware update system, 2 ... Multi-function device, 3 ... Option apparatus, 26 ... Main body side control part, 26a ... Update control part, 27 ... Main body side RAM, 28 ... Main body side ROM, 29 ... Main body side firmware storage part, 31 ... Option-side control unit, 32 ... Option-side RAM, 33 ... Option-side ROM, 34 ... Option-side firmware storage unit.

Claims (3)

An electronic device and an optional device connected to the electronic device,
The optional device has a firmware storage unit that stores firmware of the optional device and version information thereof,
The electronic device is
Storing firmware and version information of the optional device;
Version information stored in the electronic device is received by comparing the version information stored in the electronic device with the version information stored in the electronic device when the optional device is connected. If the one is older, it has an update control unit that receives firmware stored in the optional device and updates the firmware stored in the electronic device,
When the update is performed in the electronic device, the option device erases the firmware and version information stored in the firmware storage unit of the option device and uses the firmware storage unit as a work area of the option device. Firmware update system characterized by   When the version information stored in the option device is the same as the version information stored in the electronic device or newer than the bar information, the option device stores a firmware storage unit in the option device. The firmware update system according to claim 1, wherein the firmware and version information stored in the option device are erased, and the firmware storage unit is used as a work area of the optional device. A firmware update method for updating firmware for controlling an optional device when the optional device is connected to an electronic device,
The electronic device receives firmware version information stored in the connected optional device and compares the firmware version information stored in the electronic device; and
If the version information stored in the electronic device is older, the electronic device receives firmware stored in the optional device from the optional device and updates the firmware; and
The optional device includes a step of erasing firmware and version information stored in a firmware storage unit and making the firmware storage unit a work area of the optional device when the update is performed. Firmware update method.

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