JP2000322244A - System and method for version up of software - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an operator from forgetting to return a switch and to reduce an operating time by executing hardware connection with a PC via a Centronics cable as a general purpose interface. SOLUTION: In the case of opening a cable 1-14, the input of an inverter circuit 1-10 comes to a high level by a pull-up resistor 1-12. When a CPU 1-1 accesses a CS0 being a ROM area, the two inputs of an OR circuit 1-8 comes to a low level via a decoding part 1-3 to access to a program ROM 1-4. In addition, when a cable 14 is connected, the pin 20 of a Centronics connector 1-7 on the side of a copier comes to a low level via a pin 21. At this time, the CPU 1-1 selects a SO, the two inputs of an OR circuit 1-9 come to a low level and a downloading program ROM 1-5 is selected to start by hardware connection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system and method for upgrading software of an apparatus from a personal computer (PC), and more particularly, to upgrading the software of the apparatus. For all systems that are premised.

As such a system, for example, a digital copying machine is cited. Digital copiers have recently been
It is growing as a multifunction machine such as an AX (facsimile), printer, network, scanner, and the like, and needs to change software at the time of expansion.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, in a digital multifunction peripheral, 23
Products for upgrading software by using a 2C interface and a Centronics interface are provided. In addition, general-purpose interface and PC
There are also products that use the original interface and the original download system to upgrade the version instead of the combination.

[0004] In any of the products, it is a general method that a program area is constituted by a flash ROM, and a program for a download device is stored in an area which cannot be rewritten. And, as the start of the program,
When downloading, write the download flag to the backup RAM and turn off / on the next power supply.
A method of jumping to the download program area by looking at the flag at the time of N, or providing a hardware switch (SW) outside the device, turning this switch to the download side, and turning the power on / off at the next power supply program area A method of jumping to is generally known.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional example, the former method of writing a download flag in the backup RAM requires a time corresponding to the writing. Further, there is a problem that an operation error occurs during an operation for writing data into the backup RAM from the operation unit of the normal copying machine.

On the other hand, in the case of the latter method in which the download is started by the hardware switch, there is a problem that the operator forgets to return the switch and increases the cost by adding the switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to prevent software from being forgotten to return a switch, and to reduce the working time. An object of the present invention is to provide a version upgrade system and method.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object,
The invention of a software version upgrade system according to claim 1 is a system capable of performing software version upgrade from an external PC via a general-purpose interface, and stores software and downloads the software. A flash ROM in which a program area on the device side for performing the operation is different from a program area for performing the original operation of the device; a means for rewriting only the program region for performing the original operation of the device in the flash ROM at the time of downloading; The general-purpose interface hardware is used as a trigger for determining whether to jump to a program area for storing a download program on the device side for downloading or a program area for storing a program for performing the original operation of the device. And means for utilizing such connection,
It is characterized by having.

Here, the flash ROM has a first ROM having a program area for storing a download program of the apparatus, and a second ROM having a program area for storing a program for operating the apparatus.
The means having an OM and utilizing a hardware connection of the general-purpose interface is connected to a power supply via a specific pin of the connector of the general-purpose interface and a pull-up resistor, and the connection of the pin is executed. When the power supply is connected to the first ROM, and when the pin is not connected to the general-purpose interface cable, a power supply switching logic circuit for supplying power to the second ROM is provided. can do.

Further, the means for utilizing the hardware connection of the general-purpose interface has a decoding unit for converting a CPU address into a chip select signal, and a logic circuit controlled by the chip select signal. can do.

Further, the logic circuit can be characterized by comprising an OR circuit and an inverter circuit.

Further, the first ROM may be constituted by a nonvolatile memory such as a mask ROM.

The means for utilizing the hardware connection of the general-purpose interface includes a hardware connection to a PC via the Centronics cable using a specific GND pin defined by IEEE1284 of the Centronics interface. In response to the execution of the above, a download flag is set in a hardware manner, and the next power supply OFF / ON jumps to the program area of the download program on the apparatus side.

Further, the specific GND pin is connected to the IEEE
It can be characterized by 20 pins and 21 pins of the 1284-B type.

[0015] Further, the software upgrade system may be included in a copying machine or a copying system.

Further, the copying machine or the copying system may have a structure in which the front door of the apparatus does not close if the cable for the general-purpose interface is connected.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a software version upgrading method for updating a software version from an external PC via a general-purpose interface. As a trigger for deciding whether to jump to the program area for storing the download program on the device side that downloads the software or the program area for storing the program for performing the original operation of the device, the hardware of the general-purpose interface is used as a trigger. It is characterized by using a connection.

(Operation) In the present invention, for example, a Centronics interface is used as a general-purpose interface, and GND defined by IEEE 1284 is used.
By executing a hardware connection with the PC via the Centronics cable using the (ground) pin, a download flag is set in hardware, and the next power supply OFF / ON jumps to the download program area. . In other words, since the act of connecting the PC to the copier in a hardware manner is the switch itself, the operator does not forget to return the switch and the working time is shortened.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) Prior to describing the embodiment of the present invention in detail, a brief description will be given of a Centronics interface which is a parallel interface for a printer with reference to FIG.

In the IEEE1284 standard created by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), A (25 pins), B (36 pins), and C (3 pins) are used as Centronics interfaces.
6 pins) are standardized. DOS-V machine (IBM
A DOS J4.0 / V or IBM DOS J5.0 / V) PC normally uses an A type, and a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention described below uses a B type connector (36 pins). are doing. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the connection of the Centronics cable connecting the A type and the B type, and the pin number of the connection target is described for each signal. The B type is a 36-pin connector, but pins not described in FIG. 2 are unconnected.

Briefly explaining the signals shown in FIG. 2, STROBE (strobe) is a data fetch synchronization signal. DATA0 to DATA7 are data lines, and in this embodiment, bidirectional ECP (Extended Capab
ilities Port). AC
K (acknowledge) is a data capture completion signal, BUS
Y (busy) is a printer reception disable signal. These signals ACK and BUSY are controlled from the copying machine side, and
Data DATA0 at the timing of STROBE from the side
To 7 are transmitted.

PE (paper end) is a signal indicating the presence or absence of paper,
SLCT is an ON / OFF line identification signal, AU
TO FD XT is a printer line feed command signal, ERROR
Is a printer error signal, INIT is a printer initialization signal, and SLCT IN is a printer selection signal. Also B
The 20th to 27th pins of the type are return lines for data lines.

In the present embodiment, utilizing the fact that pins 20 and 21 are connected on a cable, when this cable is connected to a copying machine, the download mode is automatically entered.

Next, the configuration of a software version upgrade system according to an embodiment of the present invention for realizing the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. Here, 1-1 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), 1-
Reference numeral 15 denotes a data bus, and 1-16 denotes an address bus. 1
A decoding unit -3 decodes an address to generate a chip select for each device. Reference numeral 1-4 denotes a program ROM for realizing a normal copying machine sequence. In this embodiment, a rewritable flash ROM is used. Reference numeral 1-5 denotes a download program ROM (download ROM) for implementing a download operation via Centronics for software version upgrade.

Reference numeral 1-6 denotes a Centronics controller for controlling various signals described with reference to FIG.
Is the IEEE128 Centronics connector on the copier side
4-B type and 1-13 are IEEE1284-A type Centronics connectors on the PC side. 1-14 is a Centronics cable.

1-8 and 1-9 are OR (logical sum) circuits,
-10 and 1-11 are inverter circuits, and 1-12 is a resistor pulled up to the power supply side. The output of the OR circuit 1-8 is connected to the program ROM 1-4, and the output of the OR circuit 1-9 is connected to the download program ROM 1-5. One input of each of the OR circuits 1-8 and 1-9 is connected to CS0 which is a chip select signal of the decoding unit 1-3, and the other input of the OR circuit 1-8 is connected to the inverter circuit 1-10. And the other input of the OR circuit 1-9 is connected to an inverter circuit 1-10 via an inverter circuit 1-11. The inverter circuit 1-10 has a pull-up resistor 1-12 and a Connected to pin 20 of Centronics connector 1-7. Pin 21 of the Centronics connector 1-7 on the copying machine side is grounded.

In the present embodiment, the download is realized as follows using the connection between the A type and the B type described with reference to FIG.

In the B type pin arrangement, pins 20 and 21 are data return lines as described above, and are connected to each other on a cable. When the cable 1-14 is open (open), the input of the inverter circuit 1-10 becomes HIGH (high level) by the pull-up resistor 1-12. When the CPU 1-1 accesses the chip select CS0 in the ROM area, the two inputs of the OR circuit 1-8 are LOW (low level) via the decode unit 1-3.
And the program ROMs 1-4 are accessed.

When the cable 1-14 is connected, the 20-pin of the Centronics connector 1-7 on the copying machine side is connected to the LO through the 21-pin of the connector 1-7.
W, and the output of the inverter circuit 1-10 becomes HIGH. At this time, the CPU 1-1 sets the CS0 in the ROM area.
Is selected, two inputs of the OR circuit 1-9 are LOW.
, And the program ROM 1-5 for download is selected. In this way, the download program can be easily activated by the hardware connection of the cable.

The download program ROM 1
-5 is generally not upgraded, so that the program ROM 1-5 stores the mask R
It can also be composed of a nonvolatile memory such as OM.

Some CPUs have a built-in RO
M, RAM, built-in R
In some cases, the OM use mode and the unusable mode can be selected. In this case, the Centronics connector 1-7
It can be easily realized by inputting a pin signal to this terminal.

Next, an actual download flow in one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, steps 3-1 to 3-6 show the processing procedure on the PC side, steps 3-7 to 3-15 show the processing procedure on the copying machine side, and a horizontal arrow between the PC side and the copying machine indicates a signal. Indicates transmission of

On the copying machine side, the Centronics cable 1-14 is connected to the PC in step 3-7, and the power of the copying machine is turned on in step 3-8. Next step 3-9
Then, the boot program of the program ROM 1-5 is started.

The PC is connected to the copying machine by the Centronics cable 1-14, and the download application is started in step 3-1. At step 3-2, a setup file (data transmitted from the PC while the boot program is running) is transmitted, and at step 3-10, the copier receives this setup file.

In step 3-3, the user program (P
C is a user interface program that communicates with Centronics and implements download.
This user program is transmitted from step 3
At 11, the data is received by the copying machine. Step 3 on the copier side
-12, the user program is started, and step 3-1 is executed.
In step 3, the checksum of the user program is transmitted to the PC.

The PC obtains the checksum in step 3-4, and if the checksums match, proceeds to the normal routine. Then, the PC instructs the copying machine to erase the flash ROM 1-4 at step 3-5, and the flash ROM 1-4 of the copying machine is actually erased at step 3-14.

In the next step 3-6, the flash ROM
When the data 1-4 (software of the copying machine) is transmitted from the PC to the copying machine, the copying machine acquires and actually writes the data in the flash ROM 1-4 in step 3-15. In practice, the flash ROM 1-
4 are compared and if they match,
Download ends normally.

(Other Embodiments) In addition to the configuration of the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the configuration may be such that the front door of the copying machine does not close if the cable of the Centronics interface is connected. For example, it is possible to completely prevent a trouble that the copier does not operate due to forgetting to disconnect the cable.

Further, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the case where the Centronics interface is used has been exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other general-purpose interfaces can be applied.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention to which the present invention is applied, a digital copying machine is exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other information processing devices may be used.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, and a printer).
The present invention may be applied to a device including two devices (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile device, and the like).

Another object of the present invention is to supply a recording medium (storage medium) recording a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer of the system or the apparatus. Needless to say, the present invention is also achieved when the CPU (or the CPU or the MPU) reads out and executes the program code stored in the recording medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the recording medium on which the program code is recorded constitutes the present invention.

As a recording medium for recording the program code and for recording variable data such as a table, for example, a floppy disk (FD), hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, A nonvolatile memory card (IC memory card), a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that an operating system) may perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For example, when upgrading the entire software of a copying machine via a Centronics interface, a basic operation of connecting a cable is used as a trigger to switch between software of a normal copying machine and download software. Thus, according to the present invention, the copying machine
Since the act of connecting the hardware itself is a switch, the operator does not forget to return the switch, and the working time is shortened.

Further, according to the present invention, if the front door of the copier is not closed when the cable is connected, the trouble that the copier does not operate due to forgetting to disconnect the cable is completely eliminated. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a software version upgrade system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing connection of a Centronics interface according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of an operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-1 CPU 1-2 RAM 1-3 Decoding section 1-4 Program ROM (flash ROM) 1-5 Program ROM for download 1-6 Centronics controller 1-7 Centronics connector on the copying machine side (IEEE
1284, 1-9 OR circuit 1-10, 1-11 Inverter circuit 1-12 Pull-up resistor 1-13 Centronics connector on PC side (IEEE
1284-A type) 1-14 Centronics cable 1-15 Data bus 1-16 Address bus

Claims (10)

[Claims] A system capable of performing software upgrade from an external PC via a general-purpose interface, comprising: a program area and an apparatus for storing software and downloading the software; A flash ROM having a different program area for performing the original operation, a means for rewriting only the program area for performing the original operation of the flash ROM at the time of download, and a download for the device which downloads the software at power-on. Means for using a hardware connection of the general-purpose interface as a trigger for deciding which of a program area for storing a program and a program area for storing a program for causing the device to perform its original operation; A software version upgrade system, characterized in that: 2. The flash ROM includes a first ROM having a program area for storing a download program of the apparatus, and a second ROM having a program area for storing a program for performing an original operation of the apparatus. Means for using a hardware connection of the general-purpose interface is connected to a power supply via a specific pin of the connector of the general-purpose interface and a pull-up resistor, and when the connection of the pin is executed, A power supply switching logic circuit for connecting a power supply to the first ROM and supplying power to the second ROM when the pin is not connected to the general-purpose interface cable. Item 2. The software version upgrade system according to Item 1. 3. The means for utilizing a hardware connection of the general-purpose interface includes a decoding unit for converting a CPU address into a chip select signal, and a logic circuit controlled by the chip select signal. The software upgrade system according to claim 2, wherein 4. The software upgrade system according to claim 3, wherein the logic circuit comprises an OR circuit and an inverter circuit. 5. The software version upgrade system according to claim 2, wherein said first ROM comprises a nonvolatile memory such as a mask ROM. 6. The means for using a hardware connection of the general-purpose interface includes a hardware connection to a PC via the Centronics cable by using a specific GND pin defined by IEEE 1284 of the Centronics interface. According to the execution of
Set the download flag in hardware, and the next power OF
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus jumps to a program area of a download program on the apparatus by F / ON.
6. The software version upgrade system according to any one of items 5 to 5. 7. The specific GND pin is an IEEE 12 pin.
7. The software version upgrade system according to claim 6, wherein the 84-B type has 20 pins and 21 pins. 8. The software upgrade system according to claim 1, wherein the software upgrade system is included in a copying machine or a copying system. 9. The software upgrade system according to claim 8, wherein the copying machine or the copying system has a structure in which a front door of the apparatus does not close if a cable for the general-purpose interface is connected. . 10. A method for upgrading software from an external PC via a general-purpose interface, comprising: a program area for storing a download program on a device side for downloading software at power-on; A software version upgrade method, wherein a hardware connection of a general-purpose interface is used as a trigger for determining which area of a program area for storing a program to be operated to jump to.