JP2009265980A - Information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing apparatus capable of updating a dynamic library in run time. <P>SOLUTION: The information processing apparatus receives an object from an external device, preserves the object in a prescribed area of a storage means, and when a flag preserved in the storage means is effective, activation is performed using the object stored in the storage means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus.

  In recent years, image forming devices have evolved to realize multiple functions. In cooperation with external devices such as computers that are connected to a network, the TCO can be reduced for customers, such as cost reduction and office processing speed improvement. Has had a positive effect. Various external devices (input / output devices and storage devices) in computers are connected via a general-purpose I / F represented by a USB I / F. There are also many requests for using it.

  In order to realize such a demand, by using basic software called an operating system used in a computer on the image forming apparatus, an external device that can be used by the computer is used in the image forming apparatus. Is possible.

  In general, a technique for installing an operating system in consumer equipment such as an image forming apparatus has been established.

  The operating system is formed from a plurality of execution files, and is formed from a kernel (basic processing unit), a library (common function), and the like. The system provides a mechanism that allows applications (arbitrary software to be started on the operating system) to load and use libraries necessary for execution, improving application portability and ease of development, It provides a mechanism to reduce the size of the system itself by creating a common library.

Examples of the above include Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below.
JP 2000-326593 A JP 2006-323829 A

  When the operating system is always in contact with the outside world, it is exposed to devices such as computer viruses, and is dealt with by upgrading the version as necessary. The system is the same for the image forming apparatus, and it is necessary to upgrade the version as necessary. In the system, when the version is normally upgraded, there is an administrator who has specialized knowledge to manage the system. When the version is upgraded, the version is upgraded in a special state called a single user mode. However, the administrator of the image forming apparatus is a person who does not have specialized knowledge mainly for maintenance of a mechanical device called a service person, and there is a problem that the service person must upgrade the version. is there.

  In addition, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for updating libraries that are randomly called by applications and kernels, and a mechanism for upgrading even those who do not have specialized knowledge.

  By the way, the library has a form such as a static library or a dynamic library depending on a method of linking with an execution object. Static libraries combine library entities when linking objects, and solve symbol (function names and global definitions) and address problems when linking. The dynamic library incorporates only symbol information and address information in the library when the object is linked, and resolves the symbol and address when the object is expanded in memory or when it is actually executed.

  In the case of a static library, since the object and the library are distributed together, it is possible to update by overwriting after the memory is expanded during execution. However, in the case of a dynamic library, since the library is expanded in memory when it is executed, it is not known from which object and when the library is called, and all libraries must be made inactive until the library is updated. I can't.

  Therefore, when a person who does not have specialized knowledge updates a dynamic library, it is difficult to update the library because it is not known at which timing the library should be updated. Further, even when a person with specialized knowledge updates the dynamic library, the update takes time and the downtime of the image forming apparatus increases.

  Prior art for updating objects and libraries includes:

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151867 stores a downloaded new object in a RAM, performs a printing operation using the new object, and confirms that the printing works normally, and then stores the new object in the nonvolatile memory in which the old object is written. It proposes a version upgrade method to overwrite. Although the prior art can overwrite the old object at any time after the object is expanded in the memory, this proposal is an object (dynamic library) update method that cannot be overwritten during normal operation, and cannot be updated by the prior art method.

  Patent Document 2 proposes a method of collectively changing addresses developed on a library memory when a library used by an object being executed is updated. Although there are similarities between the problems of the prior art and this proposal, what happens at runtime if the addresses deployed on the memory of the library used by the object proposed by the prior art are converted at once? It is difficult to realize the method of the prior art because the program is executed sequentially and the actual update cannot be performed at once.

  A dynamic library is used by multiple objects, and since it is unknown from which object and at what timing, it cannot always be updated. This makes it difficult to update dynamic libraries at runtime.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a receiving unit for receiving an object or a library, a storage unit that can be divided into a plurality of sections for storing the object or the library, and a flag. An information processing apparatus having storage means for storing, wherein the receiving means receives the object from an external device, stores the object in a predetermined area of the storage means, and the information processing apparatus When the flag stored in the storage unit is valid, the flag is activated using the object stored in the storage unit.

  According to the present invention, a dynamic library can be upgraded at runtime. In addition, by automatically upgrading the version, it is possible to easily upgrade in a short time even if there is no person with specialized knowledge, so that the downtime of the information processing apparatus can be minimized.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the components described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them.

  The first embodiment relates to a method for updating firmware of an image forming apparatus having a configuration of a controller board and an HDD.

  In FIG. 1, the control unit 110 is electrically connected to a reader unit 200, a printer unit 300, an operation unit 500, an HDD (hard disk drive) 600, and a power supply unit 700, and further connected to host computers 410 and 420 via a network 400. It is connected.

  A reader unit (image input device) 200 optically reads a document image and converts it into image data. The reader unit 200 includes a scanner unit 210 having a function for reading a document, and a document feeding unit 220 (hereinafter referred to as a feeder) having a function for conveying a document sheet.

  A printer unit (image output device) 300 conveys recording paper, prints image data as a visible image thereon, and discharges the recording paper out of the device. The printer unit 300 includes a paper feed unit 310 having a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes, a marking unit 320 having a function of transferring and fixing image data onto the recording paper, and sorting and stapling the printed recording papers. And a paper discharge unit 330 having a function of outputting to

  The control unit 110 controls the reader unit 200 to read image data of a document, and controls the printer unit 300 to output the image data to a recording sheet to provide a copy function. Also, image data read from the reader unit 200 is converted into code data and transmitted to the host computer via the network 400, code data received from the host computer via the network 400 is converted into image data, A printer function for outputting to the printer unit 300 and a document storage function for storing transmitted / received image data in the HDD 600 are provided. The control unit 110 controls the power supply unit 700 to control each unit such as the reader unit 200, the printer unit 300, the operation unit 500, the HDD 600, and the power supply of the control unit 110.

  In FIG. 2, the control unit 110 includes hardware modules such as BIOS, CPU, memory, nonvolatile memory, USB, and network transmission / reception unit (hereinafter referred to as NETWORK). The HDD 500 is divided into a plurality of partitions, and software for operating a controller board called a loader, kernel, ROOT, and controller is stored in each partition. ROOT includes dynamic libraries, device drivers, daemon programs and server programs. While the controller is operating, the daemon program and server program operate on the back end, and not only the controller but also the daemon program and server program access the dynamic library. When receiving a signal for exchanging firmware from the NETWORK or USB memory, the controller performs a download operation (referred to as download) for transferring the firmware from the NETWORK or USB memory to the image forming apparatus.

  The starting method of the image forming apparatus of the first embodiment is as shown in FIG. First, in boot step 1 (referred to as firmware pre-boot processing), the BIOS, loader, and kernel are booted. Next, as activation step 2 (called firmware), ROOT including daemons and drivers, and controller software (called a controller) for running the controller board are activated. Each object (BIOS, loader, kernel) in the startup step 1 operates by expanding a related binary file in the memory at the start of operation. On the other hand, each object (ROOT, controller) in the startup step 2 operates by expanding the dynamic library in the memory during execution.

  The first embodiment is a method of switching a partition to be activated with a flag on a nonvolatile memory.

  FIG. 4 shows a flowchart and the state of each partition at the time of execution of the flowchart, and visualizes in which partition the first / second / third the dynamic library is operating. The flowchart of the following figure is demonstrated.

  First, when the controller is operating, the firmware is made downloadable. If a signal from NETWORK or USB memory is received while the firmware can be downloaded, the controller starts downloading the new firmware. The downloaded firmware is deployed as temporary boot firmware in the second partition. At the same time, the download flag on the nonvolatile memory is made valid (ON). Finally reboot.

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the download flag is valid (ON) in the firmware execution pre-processing (BIOS, loader, kernel) that does not use the dynamic library. When the flag is invalid (OFF), the normal activation is performed using the old firmware of the first partition, and when the flag is valid (ON), the download mode is activated using the new firmware of the second partition. When the download mode is activated, the first partition is formatted, the new firmware is expanded to the first partition, the download flag is disabled (OFF), and the reboot is performed.

  Finally, if the download is invalid (OFF), it starts using the new firmware of the first partition. At the time of execution, there are re-initialization after updating the second partition, file deletion after updating the third partition, and error processing, but they are omitted because they are not related to the essence of the first embodiment. Further, the location of the flag may be an HDD or the like, and is not limited to the nonvolatile memory.

Second Embodiment
The second embodiment is a method of switching a partition to be activated with a partition label. The partition label is for uniquely identifying a partition by assigning a label such as a character string to the management area of each partition. The loader is the kernel, the kernel is the root, the root is the controller, and the partition label is determined, and the module of the partition is started.

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart and the state of each partition at the time of execution of the flowchart, and visualizes in which partition the first / second / third the dynamic library is operating. The flowchart of FIG. 5 will be described.

  First, when the controller is operating, the firmware is made downloadable. If a signal from NETWORK or USB memory is received while the firmware can be downloaded, the controller starts downloading the new firmware. The downloaded firmware is deployed as temporary boot firmware in the second partition. At the same time, the label of the second partition is replaced with a label (for example, the character string ROOT) that can be uniquely identified as the boot partition, and the label of the first partition is replaced with a special label that is not uniquely identified as the boot partition (for example, the character string OLD). Finally reboot.

  Next, firmware execution pre-processing (BIOS, loader, kernel) and firmware (ROOT, controller), which are not using the dynamic library, are activated based on the partition label. At this time, it is checked whether there is a special label (character string OLD) that cannot be identified as the boot partition. If there is no special label, it starts normally using the old firmware of the first partition, and if there is a special label, it starts the download mode. When the download mode is started, the first partition is formatted, the new firmware is expanded to the first partition, the first partition label is changed to ROOT, the second partition label is changed to “” (blank), to start.

  Finally, boot with the new firmware of the first partition based on the partition label. Similar to the first embodiment, at the time of execution, there are re-initialization after updating the second partition, file deletion after updating the third partition, and error processing, etc., but it is not related to the essence of the second embodiment. I will omit it.

<Third Embodiment>
The third embodiment is a method for switching a partition to be activated depending on the presence of a downloaded file. In the third embodiment, the flag determination of the first embodiment is changed to the presence or absence of a file.

  FIG. 6 shows a flowchart and the state of each partition when the flowchart is executed, and visualizes which partition the dynamic library is operating in the first / second / third. Differences of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The difference from the first embodiment is that the flag is enabled (ON) after downloading the firmware and deployed to the second partition, or the flag is disabled (OFF) after deploying the firmware to the first partition, etc. No special operations are performed. Also, after the first restart, when accessing the third partition and checking for the presence of a new firmware file, if there is no file, it starts normally, and if there is no file, it starts in download mode. In addition, restart the second time, extract the files to the first partition, and then delete the files placed on the third partition.

  At the time of execution, there are re-initialization after updating the second partition, file deletion after updating the third partition, and error processing, but they are omitted because they are not related to the essence of the third embodiment.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining 3rd Embodiment.

Claims (4)

Receiving means for receiving objects and libraries;
A storage means that can be divided into a plurality of partitions for storing objects and libraries;
An information processing apparatus having storage means for storing a flag,
The receiving means receives the object from an external device, stores the object in a predetermined area of the storage means,
The information processing apparatus is activated by using the object stored in the storage means when the flag stored in the storage means is valid.   When the flag stored in the storage unit is valid, the information processing apparatus clears the area where the object or library used before the restart is stored and is received by the receiving unit An information processing apparatus comprising control means for controlling the storage means so as to expand an object in the cleared area. Receiving means for receiving objects and libraries;
A storage means that can be divided into a plurality of partitions for storing objects and libraries;
An information processing apparatus having storage means for storing a label of each partition,
The receiving means receives the object from an external device, stores the object in a predetermined area of the storage means,
The information processing apparatus is activated using an object stored in a section with the label when the label stored in the storage means indicates the section to be activated. Receiving means for receiving objects and libraries;
An information processing apparatus having storage means that can be divided into a plurality of sections for storing objects and libraries,
The receiving means receives the object from an external device, stores the object in a predetermined area of the storage means,
The information processing apparatus is activated using the object when the object is stored in the predetermined area.

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