JP2002264441A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus in which erroneous operation due to improper remodeling can be limited by storing the decision results of a common substrate for an apparatus operated first. SOLUTION: Upon turn on power of the electronic apparatus, state of a decision port is read in (S10) and destination of the substrate is decided. Subsequently, data is read out from an EEPROM 16 (S11). Since the substrate is in the initial state when the decision data has not been written in, the decision data is written in the EEPROM 16 (S16) if the substrate is in the initial state (S12; Y) and a conformable operating program is selected before starting operation (S17). If the substrate is not in the initial state, the decision data written in the EEPROM 16 is compared with the decision data with which the substrate has been currently set (S13) and if they do not match each other (S14; N), the electronic apparatus is set not to operate (S15).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device having a nonvolatile memory and a printed circuit board commonly used for a plurality of electronic devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a common board and a program are used, a program is switched according to a state of a determination circuit, and a system operation is changed, thereby achieving commonality of parts. The devices that are available are widespread.

[0003]

However, in such an apparatus, there is a risk that the user may illegally remodel the discriminating circuit to change the operation. Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that can limit the malfunction of an electronic device due to an unauthorized modification by storing the discrimination of the shared substrate with the device that first operated. It is to provide an equipment device. Further, a second object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of restricting malfunctions caused by unauthorized modification of a substrate after determining and determining a corresponding device.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having a printed circuit board commonly used for a plurality of electronic apparatuses. Determination means for determining the electronic device that is performing, and switching means for switching the operation according to the determination of the determination device, wherein the nonvolatile memory stores the initial determination state of the electronic device, and when the power is turned on next time, When the determination state by the determination means is different from that stored in the nonvolatile memory, the first object is achieved by the switching means prohibiting the operation of the electronic device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in an electronic apparatus having a printed circuit board used as a common component for a plurality of electronic apparatuses, the electronic apparatus is compatible with a readable and writable nonvolatile memory. Discriminating means for discriminating the electronic device, switching means for switching the operation according to the discrimination of the discriminating means, and counting means for counting the operation time and the number of times of the electronic device, and The count value by the counting means is stored in the non-volatile memory, and when the power is turned on, when the count value by the counting means exceeds a predetermined count number, the determination state by the determination means is stored in the non-volatile memory. In the case where it is different from the above, the second object is achieved by the switching means prohibiting the operation of the electronic device.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a substrate according to the present embodiment.
As shown in this figure, the substrate 10 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 20 for controlling the substrate and peripheral portions, a ROM (read only memory) 12 storing an operation program,
RAM (random access memory) 14 for temporarily storing data, nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 16,
The determination circuit 18 for determining the electronic device and the data bus 3
0. Here, each component is not necessarily limited to being mounted on one board.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the determination circuit 18. As shown in FIG. The determination circuit 18 is connected to an input port of the CPU 20, and the input port may be either a digital input or an analog input. In the case of digital input, R1
By attaching either / R2, it is determined whether the input is at a high level or a low level. When there are a plurality of corresponding devices, the number of bits of the determination circuit is increased to increase the number of combinations. In the case of an analog input, a device is determined by giving a difference in voltage level according to a combination of R1 / R2.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the first embodiment. First, when the power of the electronic device is turned on, the status of the determination port is read (step 10), and the destination determination of the board is performed. Next, data is read from the EEPROM 16 (step 11). When the discrimination data is not written, the board is in the initial state. If the board is in the initial state (step 12; Y), the EEPR
The determination data is written into the OM 16 (step 16), and a suitable operation program is selected to start the operation (step 17). On the other hand, if it is not the initial state (step 1
2; N), the judgment data written in the EEPROM 16 is compared with the judgment data for the current board setting (step 13). If they do not match (step 14; N), the electronic device is not operated. (Step 15).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the second embodiment. When turning on the electronic equipment,
The state of the determination port is read (step 20), and the destination of the board is determined. Next, data is read from the EEPROM 16 (step 21). EEPROM16
Records management data obtained by counting the discrimination data and the operation time of the electronic device. If the read count information is less than the initial state or a predetermined value (step 22; Y), priority is given to the current discrimination information and the EEPROM is used.
Then, the discrimination information is written to the memory 16 (step 26), and a suitable operation program is selected to start the operation (step 27). On the other hand, if the counter value exceeds the predetermined value (step 22; N), the read discrimination data and E
The discrimination data recorded in the EPROM 16 is compared (step 23), and if they do not match (step 24; N), the electronic device is set not to operate (step 25).

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, after specializing a board for a specific device, if there is a change to a judgment portion, the operation is restricted, thereby illegally remodeling is performed. Sometimes, malfunction of the electronic device can be prevented. According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described effects, the destination can be changed within a predetermined period. Therefore, after confirming the operation as a substrate, the device can be mounted on an actual device to determine the device. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a substrate according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a determination circuit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Substrate 12 ROM 14 RAM 16 Non-volatile memory (EEPROM) 18 Judgment circuit 20 CPU 30 Data bus

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device having a printed circuit board commonly used for a plurality of electronic devices, comprising: a readable / writable nonvolatile memory; and a determination unit for determining a corresponding electronic device. Switching means for switching the operation according to the discrimination of the discriminating means, wherein the non-volatile memory stores an initial discriminating state of the electronic device, and the discriminating state of the discriminating means is stored in the non-volatile memory at next power-on. An electronic device, wherein the switching unit prohibits the operation of the electronic device when the electronic device is different from the electronic device. 2. An electronic device having a printed circuit board used as a common component for a plurality of electronic devices, wherein a read / write nonvolatile memory and a corresponding electronic device are identified. Switching means for switching the operation according to the discrimination of the discriminating means, and counting means for counting the operation time and the number of times of the electronic device, the discriminating state of the electronic device by the discriminating means and the count value by the counting means. When the state stored in the nonvolatile memory is different from the state stored in the nonvolatile memory when the count value of the counting means exceeds a predetermined count number at power-on. An electronic device, wherein the switching means prohibits operation of the electronic device.