JP2004030518A - Program data update method and data readout method of electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for updating a program and reading out data of an electronic device on a portable computer (a notebook type personal computer, a personal digital assistant, etc.). <P>SOLUTION: A rewriting tool 30 which is fitted to a composite device 10 is equipped with a boot ROM 31 in which a rewriting program and a program of a general-purpose communication interface are stored, a USB controller 32 and a USB connector 33. An information processing device is connected to the composite device 10 through the USB connector 33. The composite device 10 performs the rewriting program of the rewriting tool 30, receives either or both of the updating program and the data from the information processing device and rewrites the program and the data stored in a flash memory 19 in the composite device 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a program / data updating method for an electronic device such as a copy machine or a facsimile machine, and a data reading method for the electronic device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a method of updating a program and data of an electronic device such as a copy machine or a facsimile machine, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-234491 is known, for example. In this method, a rewriting jig equipped with a non-volatile memory (EPROM) storing a rewriting program and a control program for updating is mounted on a facsimile apparatus, and the rewriting program on the rewriting jig is executed by the facsimile apparatus. The control program of the EEPROM or the flash memory in the inside is updated.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above method, the rewriting jig is manufactured for each different model, and it is necessary to deploy the rewriting jig at a service base in each place, which increases the cost.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and a method for updating a program of an electronic device and reading data in a portable computer (notebook personal computer, portable information terminal, etc.) is provided. It is intended to provide.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a method for updating program and data of an electronic device according to the present invention includes an electronic rewriting jig provided with a non-volatile memory storing a rewriting program and a general-purpose communication interface program, and a general-purpose communication interface. Attach to the device, connect the information processing device to the electronic device via the general-purpose communication interface, the electronic device executes the rewriting program of the rewriting jig, receives the update program from the information processing device, at least one of the data, It is characterized by rewriting programs and data stored in a memory in an electronic device.
[0006]
In this updating method, the rewriting program and the program for the general-purpose communication interface may be stored in the nonvolatile memory of the rewriting jig, and the configuration of the rewriting jig itself is simplified. On the other hand, an update program is stored in an information processing device such as a notebook computer or a portable information terminal, and when the program is updated, the update program of the information processing device is connected via a general-purpose communication interface of a rewriting jig connected to the electronic device. To the electronic device.
[0007]
Also, the method for reading data of an electronic device according to the present invention is characterized in that a jig provided with a non-volatile memory storing a readout program and a general-purpose communication interface program and a general-purpose communication interface is mounted on the electronic device, and the general-purpose communication interface is provided. The information processing device is connected to the electronic device via the electronic device, the electronic device executes a reading program of the rewriting jig, and outputs data in the electronic device designated by the information processing device to the information processing device. .
[0008]
In this reading method, the reading program and the program for the general-purpose communication interface may be stored in the nonvolatile memory of the rewriting jig, and the configuration of the rewriting jig itself is simplified. When reading data, the data (operating parameters of the electronic device, logs, etc.) specified by an information processing device such as a notebook computer or a portable information terminal is transferred to the electronic device via a general-purpose communication interface of a rewriting jig connected to the electronic device. Take it out to the information processing device.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a multifunction peripheral as an electronic device according to the embodiment and a rewriting jig mounted on the electronic device. The MFP (MFP) 10 here has both a copy function and a facsimile function.
[0011]
An MPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 in the MFP 10 has a function of controlling the entire MFP 10.
[0012]
The MPU 11 is connected with an NCU (Network Control Unit) 12 and a MODEM 13. The NCU 12 is controlled by the MPU 11 to control the connection between the line L and the multifunction peripheral 10, and has a function of transmitting a dial pulse corresponding to a telephone number of a communication partner and a function of detecting an incoming call. The line L is connected to a general public telephone network (PSTN). The MODEM 13 modulates and demodulates transmission / reception data, specifically, modulates transmission data, which is originally a digital signal, into an analog audio signal and transmits the analog audio signal to the line L via the NCU 12, and conversely, receives from the line L via the NCU 12 The demodulated analog audio signal is demodulated into a digital signal.
[0013]
The MPU 11 is also connected to a scanner 14, a CODEC (coder and decoder) 15, a printer 16, an operation unit 17, a display unit 18, a flash memory 19, a RAM 20, and an image memory 21.
[0014]
The scanner 14 reads a document image using, for example, a CCD image sensor or the like. The CODEC 15 encodes the image data to be transmitted stored in the image memory 21, decodes the received image data, and stores the decoded image data in the image memory 21. The printer 16 records the received image data, the image data read by the scanner 14, or the image data stored in the image memory 21 by printing them on paper, and outputs a hard copy.
[0015]
The operation unit 17 has a start key for instructing start of facsimile or print, a numeric keypad for inputting numbers such as a telephone number and a facsimile number. The display unit 18 outputs various kinds of information such as a telephone number, a FAX number, the remaining amount of toner of the printer 16 and the like input by the operation of the operation unit 17 by soft copy and displays them. Note that a CRT display or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is used as the display unit 18.
[0016]
The flash memory 19 stores an operation program and the like for controlling the operation of the entire multifunction peripheral 10 in advance. The RAM 20 stores data necessary for control by the MPU 11, data that needs to be temporarily stored during control operation, and the like. The image memory 21 stores the image data read by the scanner 14 and the image data received from the outside via the line L and the MODEM 13.
[0017]
Further, the multifunction peripheral 10 is provided with a connector 22 for connecting a rewriting jig 30. The rewriting jig 30 has a boot ROM 31 as a non-volatile memory storing a rewriting program or a reading program and a program for a general-purpose communication interface, and a USB controller 32 and a USB connector 33 as a general-purpose communication interface. An information processing device (not shown, such as a notebook computer or a portable information terminal) is connected via the USB connector 33. Note that the general-purpose communication interface can use IEEE1394 (FireWire) in addition to USB (USB1.1, USB2.0).
[0018]
FIG. 2 shows an address space of a memory in the MFP 10 and the rewriting jig 30. The operation program is stored in the flash memory 19 of the MFP 10, and the operation area is allocated to the RAM 20, the image memory 21, and the memory mapped device. When the MFP 10 normally starts up, the operation program of the flash memory 19 is executed, and when the rewriting jig 30 is mounted, the rewriting program (or reading program) of the boot ROM 31 of the rewriting jig 30 is executed. .
[0019]
Here, the rewriting jig 30 is connected to the connector 22 of the multifunction peripheral 10, and an information processing device [for example, a personal computer (PC)] is connected to the USB connector 33 of the rewriting jig 30. FIG. 3 shows an operation chart when rewriting the program and data stored in the memory.
[0020]
In FIG. 3, for example, when the model / version information of the MFP 10 is transmitted to the information processing apparatus, a confirmation signal is transmitted from the information processing apparatus to the MFP 10. Then, the multifunction peripheral 10 requests the information processing apparatus for block 1 of the update program, and in response thereto, the information processing apparatus transfers block 1 of the update program to the multifunction peripheral 10. Subsequently, the block 2 is also transferred in response to the request of the block 2 of the update program. If there is an error in the reception of the block 2, the block 2 is re-requested, and the block 2 is re-transferred in response to the request. When the transfer of the update program from the information processing apparatus ends, a transfer end signal is transmitted from the information processing apparatus, and the data transfer between the multifunction peripheral 10 and the information processing apparatus via the rewriting jig 30 ends. . The update program and data may be stored in a hard disk or a memory card of the information processing apparatus, or may be sequentially downloaded from a service base server via the Internet or the like.
[0021]
Next, an operation of rewriting a program stored in the flash memory 19 of the MFP 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
[0022]
When the rewriting jig 30 is connected to the connector 22 of the multifunction device 10, the information processing device is connected to the USB connector 33 of the rewriting jig 30, and the power of the multifunction device 10 and the rewriting jig 30 is turned on, first, at step ST 1 In step ST2, a program update operation is started. In step ST3, the model / version information of the MFP 10 is transmitted to the information processing device.
[0023]
In the next step ST4, it is determined whether or not a confirmation signal has been received from the information processing apparatus. If not, in step ST10, "model or version is different" is displayed on the display unit 18, and the rewriting process is performed. To end.
[0024]
When the confirmation signal is received, in step ST5, a variable N representing the number of blocks of the update program is initially set to 1, and then, in step ST6, the block N of the update program is requested to the information processing apparatus. Subsequently, in step ST7, it is determined whether or not an end signal has been received from the information processing device, that is, whether or not all blocks of the update program have been received. Is displayed on the display unit 18 and the rewriting process ends.
[0025]
If an end signal is not received, it is determined in step ST8 whether a block N of the update program has been received. If not, a USB connection error is displayed on the display unit 18 in step ST9, and the rewriting process ends. .
[0026]
On the other hand, when the block N of the update program is received, the received block N is temporarily stored in the RAM 20 in step ST12 of FIG. For the stored block N, in step ST13, a checksum is checked to determine whether or not data has been correctly transferred. In step ST14, as a result of the checksum, it is determined whether or not the data has an error. If the data is normal, the block N is written to the flash memory 19 in step ST15. Then, in step ST16, N is incremented by 1, and then the process returns to step ST6, requests the information processing apparatus for a block N (N + 1) of the update program, and thereafter repeats the same processing as described above. Note that a parity check or another error detection method may be applied instead of the checksum.
[0027]
On the other hand, if there is an error in the data in step ST14, steps ST15 and ST16 are skipped, N is left as it is, and the process returns to step ST6 to send the block N of the update program to the information processing apparatus. Request again, and the same processing as above is repeated.
[0028]
Next, an operation of reading data from the multifunction peripheral 10 will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.
[0029]
In the same manner as described above, the rewriting jig 30 is connected to the connector 22 of the multifunction device 10, the information processing device is connected to the USB connector 33 of the rewriting device 30, and the power of the multifunction device 10 and the rewriting jig 30 is turned on. Then, first, in step ST21, initialization is performed, and in step ST22, the model / version information of the MFP 10 is transmitted to the information processing apparatus.
[0030]
In the next step ST23, it is determined whether or not a confirmation signal has been received from the information processing apparatus. If not, in step ST26, "model or version is different" is displayed on the display unit 18, and the reading process is performed. finish.
[0031]
If the confirmation signal is received, it is determined in step ST24 whether there is a data request signal from the information processing device. If not, it is further determined in step ST25 whether the end signal is received from the information processing device. Ends the reading process. If the end signal has not been received, the process returns to step ST24, and it is determined again whether there is a data request signal.
[0032]
On the other hand, if there is a data request signal in step ST24, in step ST27, data requested by the information processing device is searched, and in step ST28, the searched data is transmitted to the information processing device. Thereafter, the process returns to step ST24 to determine again whether there is a data request signal. The information processing device can store the read data on its own hard disk or memory card, or can sequentially transmit the read data to a service base server via the Internet or the like.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the updating method and the reading method of the present invention, the rewriting jig may store the rewriting program or the reading program and the general communication interface program in the non-volatile memory of the rewriting jig. Becomes simple. On the other hand, an update program is stored in an information processing device such as a notebook computer or a portable information terminal, and when the program is updated, the update program of the information processing device is connected via a general-purpose communication interface of a rewriting jig connected to the electronic device. Can be transferred to an electronic device, and at the time of reading data, data (operation parameters of the electronic device, a log, etc.) specified by the information processing device can be extracted from the electronic device to the information processing device.
[0034]
Therefore, updating of the program of the electronic device and reading of data can be performed by a portable computer (notebook personal computer, portable information terminal, or the like).
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a multifunction peripheral having both a copy function and a facsimile function as an electronic device according to an embodiment and a rewriting jig mounted on the multifunction peripheral.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an address space of a memory in the multifunction peripheral and the rewriting jig.
FIG. 3 is an operation chart between the multifunction peripheral, the rewriting jig, and the information processing apparatus when rewriting a program and data stored in a flash memory of the multifunction peripheral.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of rewriting a program stored in a flash memory of the multifunction peripheral.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart following the flowchart of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of reading data from the multifunction peripheral.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Multifunction devices (electronic devices)
11 MPU
19 Flash memory 20 RAM
21 image memory 22 connector 30 rewriting jig 31 boot ROM (non-volatile memory)
32 USB controller (general purpose communication interface)
33 USB connector (general purpose communication interface)

Claims (2)

A non-volatile memory storing a rewriting program and a general-purpose communication interface program, and a rewriting jig equipped with a general-purpose communication interface are mounted on the electronic device, and the information processing device is connected to the electronic device via the general-purpose communication interface, The electronic device executes the rewriting program of the rewriting jig, receives at least one of the update program and the data from the information processing device, and rewrites the program and the data stored in the memory in the electronic device. How to update program / data of electronic devices. A jig provided with a non-volatile memory storing a readout program and a general-purpose communication interface program and a general-purpose communication interface is mounted on an electronic device, and the information processing apparatus is connected to the electronic device via the general-purpose communication interface. A data reading method for an electronic device, wherein the device executes a reading program of a rewriting jig and outputs data in the electronic device specified by the information processing device to the information processing device.

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