JP2006235791A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To operate the download operation of a file obtained by individually embedding the serial ID numbers of equipment in the file itself of firmware to be downloaded, and to prevent the file from being operated only by a registered user or designated user. <P>SOLUTION: This image processor is provided with a Read Only Memory for storing a program for executing an initial operation after power supply, a volatile main memory for operating the program, an external storage device such as hard disk for storing the program operating after the start of this system, serial numbers for specifying the individuals of equipment and a network interface connected to a network. This image processor is provided with a means for communicating with a program download server existing in the Internet, a means for acquiring data form the server and a means for reading out the serial numbers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The firmware program that operates on the image processing apparatus is an image processing that performs a replacement operation by downloading the program in the method of correcting the firmware program that operates for function expansion or the method of correcting the software program for correcting defects. Related to equipment.

  In a conventional image processing apparatus that can be connected to a network, firmware upgrades, such as replacement of Read Only Memory (hereinafter referred to as ROM) involving human (serviceman, etc.) processing, image processing apparatus, serviceman, and user Firmware has been upgraded by communication software with an image processing apparatus installed on a personal computer owned by the company.

Further, the image processing apparatus communicates with the server holding the upgrade program via a telephone line or the Internet in a further advanced form, and the server permits permission to download based on the serial ID information of the image processing apparatus. There was something to get and download more.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-167094

  However, in such a conventional technology, in an environment where a plurality of image processing apparatuses are owned, a contract is made for upgrading only one, and a program for one is officially acquired and contracted. There is a problem that a malicious user who downloads the same program to another device that does not support the operation cannot prevent the malicious serviceman.

  In addition, to prevent the above, if the process of embedding all the serial numbers for which the program itself is contracted is performed, the program size must be increased unnecessarily, or the program must be corrected each time the number of contractors increases There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and means for transmitting a serial number capable of specifying an individual image processing apparatus to a server storing a firmware program to be downloaded; Based on the serial number, a means for selecting a program to be downloaded, a means for embedding the serial number in the program, a means for embedding the serial number in the program and then embedding it in the program can be safely and more malicious users or malicious An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that prevents an unauthorized firmware program from being upgraded by a service person.

  As means for solving the problems, it is assumed that an image processing apparatus is connected to a network that can be connected to the Internet.

  Further, the first invention of the present invention will be described as follows.

  (1) A program having a Read Only Memory that stores a program for executing an initial operation after power-on, a volatile main memory (hereinafter referred to as a memory) for operating the program, and a program that operates after system startup Means for communicating with a program download server existing on the Internet in a system having an external storage device such as a hard disk for storing the serial number, having a serial number that allows individual identification of the machine, and a network interface for network connection; An image processing apparatus comprising means for acquiring data from the server and means for reading a serial number.

  In the present invention, the firmware program downloaded from the firmware download server is added with the serial number of the individual aircraft at the binary level or encrypted and sent to each device to send malicious code. It is possible to prevent unauthorized devices from being upgraded by users who have or have malicious service personnel.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic system configuration according to the present invention.

  1-1 is an FTP server having an information file of a serial number for determining whether to permit / deny download of a firmware program that operates on the image processing apparatus managed by a vendor of the image processing apparatus existing on the Internet It is. A firewall 1-2 connects the office in which the image processing apparatus is installed to the Internet. Reference numeral 1-3 denotes an image processing apparatus that wishes to upgrade the firmware. 1-4 indicates a local area network (hereinafter referred to as a LAN) to which the devices 1-2 and 1-3 are connected.

  FIG. 2 is a system block diagram showing a basic configuration inside the image processing apparatus in this system. Reference numeral 2-1 denotes a CPU, that is, a central processing unit, which controls the entire apparatus and performs arithmetic processing. Reference numeral 2-2 denotes a ROM, that is, a read-only memory, which is a storage area for a system startup program, a program for controlling the printer engine, character data, character code information, and the like. However, in order to realize the present embodiment, it is necessary to be a flash ROM that normally operates as a ROM but can be erased and written by a program.

  Reference numeral 2-3 denotes a RAM, that is, a random access memory, which is a data storage area with no usage restrictions, in which font data additionally registered by downloading is stored, and programs and data are loaded and executed for various processes. Reference numeral 2-4 denotes an external storage device such as a hard disk, which spools a print job received from the printing device, stores programs, print data, and the like, and is used as a work area. Reference numeral 2-5 denotes a display unit such as a liquid crystal, which is used for displaying the setting state of the printing apparatus, the current processing inside the printing apparatus, and the error state. An operation unit 2-6 is used for changing the setting of the printing apparatus, starting the firmware download process, and resetting. Reference numeral 2-7 denotes an engine interface, which is a port for exchanging commands for actually controlling the engine. The engine here refers to a scanner and a printer. Reference numeral 2-11 denotes a scanner engine. Reference numeral 2-12 denotes a printer engine. Reference numeral 2-8 denotes a network interface, through which the device is connected to the network. Reference numeral 2-9 denotes an external interface, which is connected to a host computer via a parallel (or serial) interface. Reference numeral 2-13 denotes a non-volatile storage medium such as an EEPROM or SRAM, which is a storage medium for storing a serial number that enables individual identification of the model. Reference numeral 2-10 denotes a system bus, which should serve as a data path between the above-described components. For example, when downloading a firmware file from a server, the following flow is performed. 2-8 When data is acquired from the network I / F, received data is once stored in 2-3, and a file is stored in the external storage device 2-4, for example, a hard disk (hereinafter referred to as HDD). Data flows through.

  After the download instruction input in the operation unit 2-6 is triggered, the program stored in the RAM 2-3 starts to operate, and after exchanging commands with the server via the network I / F, the firmware data file Are stored in 2-3 RAM.

  Thereafter, the file is stored in the 2-4 external storage device via the 2-10 system bus, the contents of the ROM 2-2 are rewritten, and the firmware on the 2-4 external storage device is replaced. In addition, during the operation, information indicating the type of error is displayed on the display unit 2-5 when the operator is informed that the processing is in progress, or when an error operation such as that described above is occurring.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing operations related to command transmission, firmware file reception, and file update performed by the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  When updating the firmware in the image processing apparatus is attempted, the operation is started from the operation unit 2-6 (S301). Is the type of firmware to download Bootrom firmware for startup? Is it firmware for application operation? Is it firmware for engine control? Is selected (S302). Prior to communication with the firmware download server 1-1, serial number information existing in the storage device 2-13 existing in the device indicating the individual device of the own device is acquired (S303).

  The information acquired in S302 and S303 is transmitted to the firmware download server via the Internet of the firewall 1-2 (S304). The protocol and method at this time may be data notification by mail using SMTP / POP, and the method is not limited even by data transmission using a protocol such as FTP / HTTP. The firmware download server determines from the serial number and firmware type data received in S304 whether the firmware can be downloaded to the image processing apparatus that requests the download (S305). . In this determination, it is determined whether the user of the image processing apparatus is a registered user or is performing a process such as a version upgrade contract and is a firmware download permission target. The database is compared with the serial number. If the result of the processing in S305 is not a user request for firmware download, the process ends. If applicable, the firmware file to be downloaded is extracted on the server and the serial number is embedded (details will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5) (S306). The data created in S306 is transmitted to the image processing apparatus that requested the firmware download (S307). The transmission process may be mail attachment data by mail using SMTP / POP, or may be data using FTP / HTTP protocol. However, in the present invention, the method is not specified because it is not the basis. . In the image processing apparatus, the file received in the process of S307 is upgraded by rewriting the original file and the ROM 2-2 (S308).

  FIG. 4 illustrates a method for processing a firmware program based on the serial number.

  There are two methods for embedding serial number information in the firmware program. Which method should you take? Adopted at random, making it difficult for malicious users to falsify. One method is shown in FIG. 4A, in which a serial number is embedded at the end of a file that is an executable binary image. The second method is performed by calculating an area for storing a serial number variable prepared as a static variable of firmware from Map and overwriting the serial number in the storage area. Has the serial number variable been overwritten because it was created to be initialized to 0 in the source program? please? Can be determined by whether the value is 0 or not. In this case, the condition that the serial number is a number other than 0 is required.

  FIG. 5 describes a flowchart for explaining a technique for preventing an error display during activation processing from being activated when the downloaded firmware operates on the image processing apparatus and the firmware is an illegal copy product. .

  First, when starting the firmware program, a serial number capable of individually determining the device is read from the serial number recording medium (2-13) in the device itself (S501). Next, a static variable indicating the serial number of the activated firmware program is read, and it is determined whether the value is 0 (S502). When the value of S502 is 0, as shown in FIG. 4 and the above description, the firmware processing of FIG. 4-1 is performed and the program is processed, so the program area at the end of the binary of the firmware program file is the serial number. (S503). If the determination in S502 is not 0, the program operates with the read value as the serial number.

  It is determined whether the value read from the serial number recording medium 2-13 matches the serial number stored in the firmware program (S504). If they match, the operating firmware has been upgraded normally. If it does not match in the determination in S504, it is determined that the operating firmware has been illegally upgraded, and an error is displayed on the display unit 2-5. To stop the operation of the program (S506).

  The embodiment described in claim 2 will be described below.

  The method described in the second embodiment is an embodiment in which a serial number is encrypted and processed and added to the firmware program in the firmware download server described in the first embodiment.

  Since the processing is the same except for the part where the serial number is encrypted and added to the binary data of the firmware and the part that is read out, the description is omitted.

  FIG. 6 illustrates a method for processing a firmware program by encrypting data based on a serial number.

  There are two methods for embedding serial number information in the firmware program. Which method should you take? Randomly adopting and encrypting the additional serial number to make it more difficult for a malicious user to falsify than in the first embodiment. One method is the method shown in FIG. 6A, in which the serial number read from the serial number recording medium 2-13 is encrypted and embedded at the end of the file that is an executable binary image. In the second method, the area for storing the serial number variable prepared as firmware static variables is calculated from Map, and the serial number read from the serial number recording medium 2-13 is encrypted and overwritten in the storage area. This method is used. Has the serial number variable been overwritten because it was created to be initialized to 0 in the source program? please? Can be determined by whether the value is 0 or not. In this case, the condition that the serial number is a number other than 0 is required.

  FIG. 7 describes a flowchart for explaining a technique for preventing an error display during activation processing from being activated when the downloaded firmware operates on the image processing apparatus and the firmware is an illegal copy product. .

  First, when the firmware program is activated, a serial number that allows individual determination of the device is read from the serial number recording medium 2-13 in the device itself (S701). Next, a static variable indicating the serial number of the activated firmware program is read, and it is determined whether or not the value is 0 (S702). When the value of S702 is 0, as shown in FIG. 6 and the above description, the firmware processing of FIG. 6-1 is performed and the program is processed, so the program area at the end of the binary of the firmware program file is the serial number. Is read from the encrypted area, and the data is decrypted to obtain a serial number (S703). If it is not 0 in the determination in S702, the read value is compounded to obtain a serial number (S704). The program works.

  It is determined whether the value read from the serial number recording medium 2-13 and the serial number obtained by combining the data stored in the firmware program match (S705). It is determined that the version has been upgraded normally, and the operation of the program is continued (S706). If the results of the determination in S705 do not match, it is determined that the operating firmware has been illegally upgraded, and the display unit 2 An error is displayed at -5, and the program operation is stopped (S707).

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the network system explaining this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the basic composition of an image processing apparatus. Flowchart for explaining the first embodiment 1 (Figures 4-1 and 4-2) Conceptual diagram for adding serial numbers to firmware programs Flowchart for explaining the first embodiment 2 (FIGS. 6-1 and 6-2) Conceptual diagram of encrypting and adding a serial number to a firmware program Flowchart in the second embodiment

Explanation of symbols

1-1 Firmware server 1-2 Firewall 1-3 Image processing device (own device)
1-4 LAN (Local Area Network)
2-1 CPU
2-2 ROM
2-3 RAM
2-4 External storage device 2-5 Display unit 2-6 Operation unit 2-7 Engine interface 2-8 Network interface 2-9 External interface 2-10 System bus 2-11 Scanner 2-12 Printer 2-13 Serial number recording Medium

Claims (2)

  Has a Read Only Memory that stores a program for executing an initial operation after power-on, has a volatile main memory (hereinafter referred to as a memory) for operating the program, and further stores a program that operates after the system is started Means for communicating with a program download server existing on the Internet in a system having an external storage device such as a hard disk, having a serial number that allows individual identification of the machine, and having a network interface for network connection; An image processing apparatus comprising means for acquiring more data and means for reading a serial number.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the server side encrypts and processes the serial number when processing the program data based on the serial number.

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