GB2090446A

GB2090446A - Modifying software in a digital data processing system

Info

Publication number: GB2090446A
Application number: GB8131174A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: NEXOS OFFICE SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: NEXOS OFFICE SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1980-12-04
Filing date: 1981-10-15
Publication date: 1982-07-07

Abstract

To modify software in a digital data processing system, information recorded as bits on a sheet-form recording medium (1) as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium is optically read, by automatic scanning means, and data derived from the reading is used to modify the software. The mean density of the bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the bits is at least 25 bits/cm<2>. In the described example, the dark and light regions result from printing on to the medium, the latter comprising a sheet of A4 paper and having on it a plurality of parallel information bands of dark and light regions defining bits of information, for each information band there being a respective synchronisation marking (6) to identify the position of the band, the markings forming a band parallel to and alongside an edge of the information bands, each information band including a synchronisation burst (2), a data block (3), an error correction block (4) and a post-data synchronisation burst (5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Modifying software in a digital data processing system This invention relates to modifying software in a digital data processing system.

According to this invention from one aspect, there is provided a method of modifying software in a digital data processing system, the method comprising optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded as bits on a sheet-form recording medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, and using data derived from the reading to modify the said software, wherein the mean density of the said bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the said bits is at least 25 bits/cm2.

According to this invention from another aspect, there is provided a sheet-form recording medium for use in modifying software in a digital data processing system by optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded on the recording medium and using data derived from the reading to modify the said software, in which medium the said information is recorded as bits on the medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, the mean density of the said bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the said bits being at least 25 bits/cm2.

The said dark and light regions could result from printing on to the medium, for example by a laser printer or ink jet printer. The printing could have been carried out in an image printer of a facsmile machine.

The said medium could comprise a sheet of paper, for example a sheet of A4 paper.

The said reading could be carried out in a facsmile machine. In this case, the software could be software of a digital data processing system incorporating the machine.

In one example, the said medium has on it a plurality of parallel information bands of dark and light regions defining bits of information, for each information band there being a respective synchronisation making to identify the position of the band, the markings forming a band parallel to and alongside an edge of the information bands. Each information band could include a synchronisation burst, a data block, an error correction block and a post-data synchronisation burst.

This invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a sheet-form recording medium; and Figure 2 shows the relationship of a bit of information on the medium with scanning cells of a facsmile machine.

Computer systems require a method of software updating that is easy to distribute, easy to copy, easy to file, easy to implement and difficult to corrupt.

There will now be described a method of software updating which can be used in a computer system incorporating a facsmile machine, in which method the information for software updating is recorded in a way which can be read by the machine for the updating.

Referring to Figure 1, an A4 sheet of paper 1 has printed on it a plurality of information bands (horizontal bands in Figure 1) of black markings, only two such bands being shown in Figure 1 for the sake of clarity. In each band, bits of information are defined, 1's being represented by the black markings and 0's by white regions (as a result of clear regions of the paper between the black markings). Each band comprises a synchronization burst 2 (comprising perhaps 10 bits), a data block 3 (comprising perhaps 512 bits), an error correction burst 4 (comprising perhaps 10 bits) and a post-data synchronisation burst 5 (comprising perhaps 8 bits). Alongside an edge of these bands is a band of black markings 6 which are synchronisation marks to identify the positions of the information bands.

The various markings are printed on to the sheet of paper 1 by an image printer of suitable quality.

This could bea laser printer or an inkjet printer, for example one in a fascmile machine such as a Group Ill facsmile machine. Typically, there would be 128 information bands on an A4 sheet, meaning that the total number of bits in the data blocks 3 would be 512 x 128 bits = 64K (8K bytes). So that the paper may be read on the skew, the length of each marking (i.e. the width of each band) is approximately 0.15 cm.

It is intended that the sheet of paper thus printed be used as a device for the entry of digital data to a computer memory to provide software updates, bootstraps and diagnostics, the information for this being included in the data blocks 3. To automatically scan the sheet for obtaining data for this purpose, a fascmile machine may be used, which machine is incorporated in a system including the computer memory. Referring to Figure 2, reference numeral 7 denotes the area of of a scanning cell of a Group Ill facsmile machine, there being in the machine 1728 such cells in a single direction, and the effect of the two-dimensional array shown being produced by physical movement of the sheet of paper in the orthogonal direction, each cell being 125 ijm square.

The shaded area shows the width of a bit of information on the printed sheet so that reading errors are reduced.

The data blocks 3 will include redundancy so that blemishes have reduced effects, the error correction blocks 4 being such that single bit errors remaining after the redundancy has been removed can be corrected. An advantage of the printed sheet for software updating is that it can be easily duplicated (e.g. by photocopying or photographing), filed, or posted as the user sees fit.

1. A method of modifying software in a digital data processing system, the method comprising optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded as bits on a sheet-form recording medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, and using data derived from

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Modifying software in a digital data processing system This invention relates to modifying software in a digital data processing system. According to this invention from one aspect, there is provided a method of modifying software in a digital data processing system, the method comprising optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded as bits on a sheet-form recording medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, and using data derived from the reading to modify the said software, wherein the mean density of the said bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the said bits is at least 25 bits/cm2. According to this invention from another aspect, there is provided a sheet-form recording medium for use in modifying software in a digital data processing system by optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded on the recording medium and using data derived from the reading to modify the said software, in which medium the said information is recorded as bits on the medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, the mean density of the said bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the said bits being at least 25 bits/cm2. The said dark and light regions could result from printing on to the medium, for example by a laser printer or ink jet printer. The printing could have been carried out in an image printer of a facsmile machine. The said medium could comprise a sheet of paper, for example a sheet of A4 paper. The said reading could be carried out in a facsmile machine. In this case, the software could be software of a digital data processing system incorporating the machine. In one example, the said medium has on it a plurality of parallel information bands of dark and light regions defining bits of information, for each information band there being a respective synchronisation making to identify the position of the band, the markings forming a band parallel to and alongside an edge of the information bands. Each information band could include a synchronisation burst, a data block, an error correction block and a post-data synchronisation burst. This invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a sheet-form recording medium; and Figure 2 shows the relationship of a bit of information on the medium with scanning cells of a facsmile machine. Computer systems require a method of software updating that is easy to distribute, easy to copy, easy to file, easy to implement and difficult to corrupt. There will now be described a method of software updating which can be used in a computer system incorporating a facsmile machine, in which method the information for software updating is recorded in a way which can be read by the machine for the updating. Referring to Figure 1, an A4 sheet of paper 1 has printed on it a plurality of information bands (horizontal bands in Figure 1) of black markings, only two such bands being shown in Figure 1 for the sake of clarity. In each band, bits of information are defined, 1's being represented by the black markings and 0's by white regions (as a result of clear regions of the paper between the black markings). Each band comprises a synchronization burst 2 (comprising perhaps 10 bits), a data block 3 (comprising perhaps 512 bits), an error correction burst 4 (comprising perhaps 10 bits) and a post-data synchronisation burst 5 (comprising perhaps 8 bits). Alongside an edge of these bands is a band of black markings 6 which are synchronisation marks to identify the positions of the information bands. The various markings are printed on to the sheet of paper 1 by an image printer of suitable quality. This could bea laser printer or an inkjet printer, for example one in a fascmile machine such as a Group Ill facsmile machine. Typically, there would be 128 information bands on an A4 sheet, meaning that the total number of bits in the data blocks 3 would be 512 x 128 bits = 64K (8K bytes). So that the paper may be read on the skew, the length of each marking (i.e. the width of each band) is approximately 0.15 cm. It is intended that the sheet of paper thus printed be used as a device for the entry of digital data to a computer memory to provide software updates, bootstraps and diagnostics, the information for this being included in the data blocks 3. To automatically scan the sheet for obtaining data for this purpose, a fascmile machine may be used, which machine is incorporated in a system including the computer memory. Referring to Figure 2, reference numeral 7 denotes the area of of a scanning cell of a Group Ill facsmile machine, there being in the machine 1728 such cells in a single direction, and the effect of the two-dimensional array shown being produced by physical movement of the sheet of paper in the orthogonal direction, each cell being 125 ijm square. The shaded area shows the width of a bit of information on the printed sheet so that reading errors are reduced. The data blocks 3 will include redundancy so that blemishes have reduced effects, the error correction blocks 4 being such that single bit errors remaining after the redundancy has been removed can be corrected. An advantage of the printed sheet for software updating is that it can be easily duplicated (e.g. by photocopying or photographing), filed, or posted as the user sees fit. CLAIMS

1. A method of modifying software in a digital data processing system, the method comprising optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded as bits on a sheet-form recording medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, and using data derived from the reading to modify the said software, wherein the mean density of the said bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the said bits is at least 25 bits/cm2.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said dark and light regions result from printing on to the medium.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the said medium comprises a sheet of paper.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the said reading is carried out in a facsmile machine.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the software is software of a digital data processing system incorporating the machine.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the said medium has on it a plurality of parallel information bands of dark and light regions defining bits of information, for each information band there being a respective synchronisation marking to identify the position of the band, the markings forming a band parallel to and alongside an edge of the information bands.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein each information band includes a synchronisation burst, a data block, an error correction block and a post-data synchronisation burst.

8. A method of modifying software in a digital data processing system, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A sheet-forming recording medium for use in modifying software in a digital data processing system by optically reading, by automatic scanning means, information recorded on the recording medium and using data derived from the reading to modify the said software, in which medium the said information is recorded as bits on the medium as a result of a plurality of dark and light regions on the medium, the mean density of the said bits on the part or parts of the medium devoted to the said bits being at least 25 bits/cm2.

10. A medium according to claim 9, wherein the said dark and light regions result from printing on to the medium.

11. A medium according to claim 10, wherein the printing was carried out by a laser printer or ink jet printer.

12. A medium according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the printing was carried out in an image printer of a facsmile machine.

13. A medium according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the said medium comprises a sheet of paper.

14. A medium according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the said medium has on it a plurality of parallel information bands of dark and light regions defining bits of information, for each information band there being a respective synchronisation mark ingto identifythe position of the band, the markings forming a band parallel to and alongside an edge of the information bands.

15. A medium according to claim 14, wherein each information band includes a synchronisation burst, a data block, an error correction block and a post-data synchronisation burst.

16. A recording medium, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.