JP2000099302A - Image forming device support system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain improvement in the reliability of entire system by protecting stored contents stored in the storage means of an image forming device from malicious operation or unexpected write when reloading the stored contents from external terminal equipment. SOLUTION: A non-volatile RAM 104 stores various control values or service information on a main body 100 of an image forming device (PPC). When reloading the stored contents such as various control values or service information stored by the non-volatile RAM 104 corresponding to a request from external terminal equipment (PC) 108, the stored contents are protected by combining plural commands. Namely, in the case of reloading the stored contents corresponding to the request from the PC 108, when the prescribed plural commands are not continuously received, for example, when a write request command to be transmitted to the PPC body 100 and a protect cancel command are not continuous, protect (protection, for enabling write processing to the non- volatile RAM 104 is not canceled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus support system for performing operations such as evaluation, maintenance, and repair of an image forming apparatus using an external terminal device connected to the image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus support system mainly reads out the contents of a non-volatile RAM storing various adjustment values and service information of the image forming apparatus from an external terminal device via a serial interface. Since this is the purpose, the protection of the storage content when the content of the storage device on the image forming device side is rewritten from the external terminal device side is not performed.

However, in a system in which protection means for rewriting the storage contents of the storage device of the image forming apparatus in response to a data write request from an external terminal device is not set, a malicious operation or unexpected writing may occur. There is a disadvantage that the operation of the image forming apparatus main body itself may be abnormal due to rewriting of the contents of the storage device, and the reliability of the entire system may be reduced.

[0004]

As described above, in a system in which the contents stored in the storage means of the image forming apparatus can be rewritten from an external terminal device, an image forming operation is performed by malicious operation or unexpected writing. This eliminates the disadvantage that the operation of the apparatus may be abnormal and lowers the reliability of the entire system. The contents stored in the storage means of the image forming apparatus are rewritten from an external terminal device. In this case, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus support system capable of protecting stored contents from malicious operation or unexpected writing and improving the reliability of the entire system.

[0005]

An image forming apparatus support system according to the present invention comprises an image forming apparatus and an external terminal device connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line. Storage means for storing various adjustment values and service information and the like relating to the image forming apparatus main body, and storage contents such as various adjustment values and service information stored by the storage means in response to a request from the external terminal device Is rewritten by a combination of a plurality of commands to protect the stored contents.

An image forming apparatus support system according to the present invention comprises:
In an apparatus comprising an image forming apparatus and an external terminal device connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line, the image forming apparatus stores various adjustment values, service information, and the like regarding the image forming apparatus main body. Means, when rewriting stored contents such as various adjustment values and service information stored by the storage means in response to a request from the external terminal device, a plurality of predetermined commands must be continuously received. And a prohibition means for prohibiting rewriting of the storage contents of the storage means.

[0007] An image forming apparatus support system according to the present invention comprises:
In an apparatus comprising an image forming apparatus and an external terminal device connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line, the image forming apparatus stores various adjustment values, service information, and the like regarding the image forming apparatus main body. Means, when rewriting stored contents such as various adjustment values and service information stored by the storage means in response to a request from the external terminal device, unless a predetermined plurality of commands are continuously received, Prohibition means for prohibiting rewriting of the storage contents of the storage means, and processing for performing error processing similar to other communication errors when rewriting is prohibited because the plurality of commands cannot be continuously received by the prohibition means. It is characterized by comprising means.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus support system including an interface device between an image forming apparatus and an external terminal device according to the present invention.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus support system includes an image forming apparatus (PPC) 100.
The image forming apparatus 100 includes a main body and an external terminal device (PC) 108 serially connected to the main body of the image forming apparatus 100.

Then, an image forming apparatus (PPC) main body 10
0 is a microcomputer (CPU) 1 that performs a series of controls on the image forming apparatus (PPC) main body 100.
01 and a CPU program storage R connected to the CPU 101 via an address bus and a data bus.
0M102, a RAM 103 for temporarily saving data and the like to the CPU 101, and the image forming apparatus (P
A non-volatile RAM 104 for storing various adjustment values, service information, and the like relating to the (PC) main body 100, and an interface circuit 107 are provided.

The interface circuit 107 includes:
A control device (UART as a parallel / serial conversion element that enables a serial interface with a peripheral device)
1, for example, μPD71051) 106 and a driver (for example, RS232) connected to this control device (UART1, for example, corresponding to μPD71051) 106
C) 105 are provided.

Here, an external terminal device (PC) 108 such as a personal computer as the peripheral device is serially connected to a driver (for example, RS232C) 105 in the interface circuit 107.

Further, a nonvolatile RAM 104 and a control device (e.g., UART1, for example, μPD71051) 10
6 is connected in parallel to the address bus and the data bus.

The CPU 101 and the nonvolatile RAM 10
4 and a control device (UART1, for example, μPD7105
A control line is connected between (corresponding to 1) 106. Next, in the image forming apparatus support system shown in FIG. 1 configured as described above, the image forming apparatus 100 responds to those requests to the external terminal device 108 via the serial line with the interface circuit 107. A procedure of memory protection control when inputting / outputting (writing / reading) service maintenance information in each RAM will be described.

First, this image forming apparatus support system includes:
Has control to launch the application. The activation of the communication application will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. First, the external terminal device 108 obtains this configuration data by outputting a command for requesting system configuration data to the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 via the interface circuit 107 (steps S1 and S2).

Next, the external terminal device 108 selects a file as a reference table corresponding to the model code by extracting the model code from the acquired configuration data (steps S3, S4, S5, S6, S7). ,
S8, S9).

Here, in the error processing in the step 9, an initial screen is displayed because there is no file of the corresponding model according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 (step S 91), and the processing returns to the top. (Step S92).

In steps S3 to S9, when a file as a reference table corresponding to the model code is selected, an initial screen is displayed, and information 1, 2, 3, and 4 are displayed using data in the selected table. (Steps S10, S11, S12,
S13). The same applies to the case where each information is rewritten on the screen of the acquisition process (steps S14, S15, S15).
16).

This image forming apparatus support system determines output request data from the head address and byte length data from the external terminal device 108 via the interface circuit 107 when reading memory data on the image forming apparatus 100 side. It has control for executing an input / output operation from the image forming apparatus 100.

Next, a process for rewriting the contents of the nonvolatile RAM 104 of the image forming apparatus 100 at the request of the external terminal device 108 will be described. Here, as an example, a case where the counter value of the front cover opening / closing counter is cleared at the request of the external terminal device 108 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. Here, FIG. 4 shows a request description list (M) of a write request created by the external terminal device.
MFIN. This is a description example at the time of writing regarding (TXT). FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a description format of a reference map file of a model to be written. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an input / output text file in the external terminal device during data transmission.

First, in the external terminal device 108, a write request command “EEEEEX” as a means for protecting the storage contents of the nonvolatile RAM 104 of the image forming apparatus 100 side.
X and a protection release command "EEEEEYY", a data write request and a protection release code are set, whereby a request description list (MMFIN.TXT) as shown in FIG. Describes a write request command and a protection release command.

Subsequently, the external terminal device 108 refers to the request data corresponding to the “front cover open / close counter” and the write data (counter clear request) input by the user on a reference map as shown in FIG. As a result, as shown in A2 of FIG. 4, "0021B6, 06,
Write request data as a counter clear request of "00000000000000" is described in the request description list and the communication process is executed.

On the other hand, on the image forming apparatus 100 side,
When the CPU 101 receives a text start command (to the reception buffer) from the external terminal device 108 via the interface circuit 107, execution of the communication processing program is started. Then, upon receiving a write request command from the external terminal device 108, the CPU 101 recognizes that a write process has been requested, and generates transmission data "EEEEEXO" in a transmission data storage area (transmission buffer). Further, as shown by B1 in FIG. 6, after returning the generation result to the external terminal device 108, the CPU 101 is in a state of waiting for reception of the protection release command.

Next, upon receiving a protection release command that is continuous with the write request command from the external terminal device 108, the CPU 101 determines the write processing for the first time and stores the transmission data "EE" in the storage area (transmission buffer).
EEYO ”is generated.
As shown in B2 of FIG.
8 is returned.

Next, upon receiving write request data from the external terminal device 108, the CPU 101 temporarily stores the write request data in the RAM 103 as a storage area. Is read out again, and the transmission data “0021B” is stored in the transmission data storage area (transmission buffer).
6,06000000000000 ". Then, the CPU 101 performs a process of returning the generation result of the transmission data as the comparison data to the external terminal device 108.

On the other hand, the external terminal device 108 receives the comparison data from the image forming apparatus 100, confirms that the content is the same as the designated content, and then executes the write execution command “B3” as shown in B3 of FIG. EEEEXY, 02 "is transmitted.

Upon receiving the write execution command from the external terminal device 108, the CPU of the image forming apparatus 100
Reference numeral 101 denotes a nonvolatile RAM 104 which indicates data once stored in a storage area (RAM 103) by itself.
A process of sequentially extracting and writing data of a data length of 6 bytes starting from the target address area "0021B6" in the address area is performed. When these writing processes are completed, the CPU 101 sends a write completion command “XY” to the external terminal device 10 as shown by B4 in FIG.
8

With the above processing, the processing of writing data in the nonvolatile RAM 104 of the image forming apparatus 100 from the external terminal device 108 is performed. Next, the external terminal device 1
08 nonvolatile memory 10 in image forming apparatus 100
The characteristics of the writing process to No. 4 will be described in the following (1) to (4).

(1) Combination of Write Request Command and Protect Release Command If the write request command and the protect release command transmitted from the external terminal device 108 to the image forming apparatus are not always continuous, writing to the nonvolatile RAM 104 is performed. The protection (protection) that enables processing is not released.

That is, when a write request command is transmitted from the external terminal device 108 via the interface circuit 107, the image forming apparatus 100 determines the write request command after receiving the write request command, and cancels the protection. Move to the command reception waiting state.

However, if it is determined that the command is not a write request command, the process returns to a state of waiting for a text start command which is the head of a normal communication program. At this time, no specific display or code is provided as the error processing, and the same processing as a normal communication error is performed.

This is a measure for preventing a command hit from being recognized when a protection-related command is intentionally searched externally. Next, when receiving the protection release command successively to the write request command, the image forming apparatus 100 determines the write processing for the first time. However, when a continuous protection release command is not received, it is treated the same as a normal communication error, as in the case of the write request command.

The background of the above-described processing is that the data type of the system configuration data request command used at the time of starting the application has the form of “EEEE **” as in the protection release command set. There is a point that is published.

If a secret release command is to be searched intentionally, a search method for changing the combination of the last two characters is considered to be executed. Therefore, a double release command is set. As a result, the possibility of searching for the protection release command is reduced, and the storage contents of the image forming apparatus can be protected with high reliability.

(2) Restriction of Write Area The write area in which the write processing of the image forming apparatus is executed is assumed to be an area in the nonvolatile RAM 104.
However, since the writable range differs depending on the model,
The processing for limiting the writing area is performed on the image forming apparatus 100 side.

That is, the application on the side of the external terminal device 108 selects a map file based on the model code at the time of startup. The first line of the map file has a comment line, which describes an address indicating a writable range of the model.

The application of the external terminal device 108 obtains an address indicating the writable range, compares the address data read each time from the map file with the writable range, and determines that the address is out of the range. Is invalid. " However, the communication processing is continued.

For example, if the upper limit of the write address is 003
When FF0H, address 003FFFH, data length 0
1. When the write data 11 is requested, the image forming apparatus 100 forcibly sets the address 003FFFF to 00.
The processing is continued by replacing with 3FF0.

If a standard map file is used, there are no addresses outside the writing range. This is because a warning is issued when a user intentionally improves a map file that is prohibited from being changed. It is a measure.

As a result, it is possible to restrict the writing of data to the map file for which the change is prohibited, and to increase the reliability of the system. (3) Write Execution Command The write data transmitted from the external terminal device 108 is temporarily stored in the storage area (the RAM 10
It is stored in 3).

Here, the image forming apparatus 100 is in a state of waiting for a write execution command, and cancels the write protection of the nonvolatile RAM 104 itself when it is determined that the command is continuously received. Next, the storage area (RA
Starting from the address indicated by the write data itself stored in M103), a process of writing the write request data for the requested byte length to the actual storage area of the nonvolatile RAM 104 is executed.

Once the write processing of all the write data in the storage area (RAM 103) is completed in the designated area of the nonvolatile RAM 104, the write protection of the nonvolatile RAM 104 itself is set again, and a write completion command is sent to the external terminal device 108 side. Send.

The conditions for performing the write processing are as follows: while the write protection of the nonvolatile RAM 104 itself is released, the following operations are performed: (1) All operations (UI operations) by the user of the image forming apparatus 100 are prohibited while the protection is released.

No special display processing for indicating that protection is being released is not provided. There is such a condition. Thus, it is possible to avoid an abnormal operation like the operation of the image forming apparatus 100 during the release of the protection. In addition, since the time for releasing the protection is very short and has little effect on the user's operation, no special display processing is performed. (4) Response to Write Completion Command by Application on External Terminal Device 108 As described in the above (3), after the protection of the memory is released and the write execution command is transmitted, the external terminal device 108 Waiting for completion command. At this time, if writing is not normally performed on the image forming apparatus 100 due to an artificial main switch-off, power failure, noise, or the like, the external terminal device 108 cannot receive the write completion command.

In this case, the external terminal device 108 determines that a completion command has not been received for a predetermined time according to the application, and stores this state. Then, when the next processing is requested, a message such as "The previous writing processing error. Check the state of the image forming apparatus 100 and re-execute" is displayed and a warning is issued to the user.

Thus, it is possible to inform the user that the writing process has not been completed normally, and it is possible to reliably cope with the case where the writing process has not been completed normally.

As described above, in performing the evaluation, maintenance, repair, etc. of the image forming apparatus, the external terminal is connected to the image forming apparatus, and the information to be rewritten is operated from the external terminal to operate the storage area of the nonvolatile RAM. When the stored contents are rewritten, the stored contents are protected from a rewriting operation that is not performed in a predetermined procedure.

This makes it possible to easily perform the operations for evaluating, maintaining, repairing, etc. the image forming apparatus from the external terminal device and easily perform the operations, thereby reducing cost, reliability, quality and time. Thus, it is possible to provide a highly reliable image forming apparatus support system having an interface device between the image forming apparatus main body and an external terminal device in which no problem occurs.

[0049]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when the storage contents stored in the storage means of the image forming apparatus are rewritten from the external terminal device, malicious operations or unexpected writing are prevented. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus support system that protects stored contents and has high reliability of the entire system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus support system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of rewriting the storage contents of the image forming apparatus from the external terminal device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining processing when an error occurs.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a request description column sent from an external terminal device to the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a description format of a reference map file.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining an input / output text file on the external terminal side at the time of data transmission.

[Explanation of symbols]

100: Image forming apparatus (PPC) main body 101: Microcomputer (CPU) 102: ROM for storing a CPU program 103: RAM for temporary saving 104: Non-volatile RAM 105: Driver (for example, RS232C). 106 ... Control device (UART1, for example, μPD710
51: 107) Interface circuit 108: External terminal device (PC)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C061 AP10 HH01 HJ08 HN05 HN15 HQ20 2H027 GA36 ZA09 5B021 AA01 BB01 NN17 5C062 AA05 AA13 AA35 AB16 AB22 AB40 AB42 AC22 AC56 AE16 AF00

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus support system comprising an image forming apparatus and an external terminal connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line, wherein the image forming apparatus performs various adjustments on the image forming apparatus main body. A storage unit for storing values, service information, and the like; and a plurality of command sets for rewriting storage contents of various adjustment values, service information, and the like stored by the storage unit in response to a request from the external terminal device. An image forming apparatus support system, comprising: a protection unit that protects stored contents by matching. 2. An image forming apparatus support system comprising an image forming apparatus and an external terminal device connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line, wherein the image forming apparatus performs various adjustments on the image forming apparatus main body. A storage unit for storing values, service information, and the like, and when rewriting the storage contents of various adjustment values and service information stored by the storage unit in response to a request from the external terminal device, An image forming apparatus support system, comprising: a prohibition unit that prohibits rewriting of the storage content of the storage unit unless a command is continuously received. 3. An image forming apparatus support system comprising an image forming apparatus and an external terminal connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line, wherein the image forming apparatus performs various adjustments on the image forming apparatus main body. A storage unit for storing values, service information, and the like, and when rewriting the storage contents of various adjustment values and service information stored by the storage unit in response to a request from the external terminal device, If the commands are not received continuously, a prohibiting means for prohibiting rewriting of the stored contents of the storage means, and if the prohibition means cannot continuously receive the plurality of commands and prohibit rewriting, another An image forming apparatus support system, comprising: processing means for performing error processing similar to a communication error.